Category Archives: Army

Colonel Bull Simons gave me some advice…

Army,

Thursday September 17th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago today.

As one of the six guys assigned to guard the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), I started to see that I might miss out on some key training. If I wanted to have a chance of getting selected for one of the Assault Force teams, I had to train when I was not pulling guard duty. Security was so tight that we didn’t know who we would be rescuing or in which part of the world it would be. There was a lot of speculation that it might be an attempt to free prisoners in Cuba based on the three-hour flying time of the mission.

I had been training and pulling guard duty for weeks when I got my chance to speak up. I was checking Colonel Bull Simons for access to the TOC building. While we were waiting for an escort to take the Bull in, he asked how things were going for me. I knew that he was only going to pick some of us for the actual mission, so I said, “Sir I didn’t volunteer to come here and pull guard duty. If I wanted to pull guard duty, I could have stayed at Fort Bragg.” Now the Bull always had a two-inch cigar that he chewed on. He looked me right in the eyes and said, “Young man, hang in there. Things are going to change pretty soon.”

After he went in the building, I thought to myself, “What in the hell did I just do? First I chewed out two Sergeant Majors back at Ft Bragg, trying to get on this mission. Now I just told a Colonel—and not just any Colonel, but Bull Simons—that I was tired of pulling guard duty. I just bitched to the Bull about pulling guard duty!?”

I thought, “Well I’ll probably end up pulling guard duty the rest of my time in the Army.”

Read Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

Somewhere, people were in chains…

Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy,

Wednesday Sept 16th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago this week

Back in mid-August at Fort Bragg, Sgt Major Pylant and Sgt Major Davis were running the interviewing process to select Green Berets as candidates to go on this secret mission. Because of the large number, they divided up the volunteers. I was there bright and early on the morning of the interview, which lasted about ten minutes.  

They asked me if I had ever been in combat.  Well, I knew they had my 201 file, so they knew I had no combat experience. 

They asked me if I knew how to weld.  Now, growing up on a farm you learn a lot of different skills.  One of our neighbors Sam Chism could weld anything we broke.  Over the years on the farm I had watched Sam weld several things for my dad.  I thought, If Sam can weld, I can too.  So, I told them, “Yes, I can weld.” 

They asked if I could scuba dive, to which I answered that I could not.  (Years later, I did become certified to dive.)

After a few more questions, they told me that would be all. 

I left unhopeful thinking, “Well, at least they let me interview.” 

Recall that the interviewers asked me if I could weld. In the photo you can see how we put chains on some “walls” to practice freeing people using cutting torches. (USAF photo)

Read Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

The Green Berets and Air Force Helicopters…

Air Force, Army,

Tuesday September 15th, 1970

…exactly 50 years ago today


By Tuesday Sept 15th, there were “Helio… Landing Sites #1 and #2” with white tires dug into the ground to mark the landing sites. (The de-classified TOC log is shown below. Notice that Dick Meadows was already exploring the use of ArmaLite Singlepoint Sights.) The Green Berets had begun work on LZs for the helicopters Sept 10th. Now they were ready.

Master Sgt Thomas Kemmer (Blueboy), and Sgt 1st Class David Lawhon (Greenleaf).
The white tires were the markers of the landing zones for the helicopters.
(USAF Photos provided by John Gargus.)

Read Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

The Code Word: Given exactly 50 years ago today.

Air Force, Army,

Monday September 14th, 1970

7am: Colonel Bull Simons’ staff meeting inside the TOC (Tactical Ops Center).

Noon: Brig General Manor arrives and briefs the Green Berets on the Cover Story and on the use of the code word IVORY COAST.

2pm: Colonel Bull Simons departs for Washington DC.

3:15pm: At the close of this day of meetings, all participants are briefed by OSI that the information shared in the TOC theater today is classified SECRET Sensitive.

8:30pm: Sgt Major Davis (handpicked as the courier from Washington DC) arrives at the TOC with the OPLAN. It is labeled “IVORY COAST TOP SECRET Sensitive.”

This week, the walk-throughs were in the daylight. No helicopters needed. The Green Berets were driven the 4 miles in deuce-and-a-halfs.

At the Mockup are Master Sgt Joe Lupyak (Redwine) and
Sgt 1st Class Donald Wingrove (Blueboy)
(USAF photos provided by John Gargus.)

Read Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.

On Patriots Day: America has always had patriots humbly serving.

Army,

50 years ago this week.

Story by Sgt Robert Hobdy, Training Support Element at Eglin AFB

I was one of the Green Berets who guarded the Mockup that the Blueboy, Greenleaf, and Redwine groups trained on. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to be one of the 56. I was chosen to research and train members of the three elements in the use of the radios for the mission.

After the Raiders left for the mission, I remained behind in Florida with other members of the support element. We trained in the Mockup daily—as if the rest of you guys were still there training. We even did some live fire and air support training with the A-1s. Any satellite viewer would think that all us Green Berets were still in training at Aux Field #3, thus hiding the timing of the mission.

The Mockup was made of 2x4s and burlap cloth and was NOT taken down each day. I hope this helps clear up the myth that the Mockup was disassembled each day.

(I did help tear it down once—at the end when we packed up and left Aux Field #3.)

This view of the Mockup is from the northwest corner of the Son Tay POW camp. Looking closely you can see the helicopter in the background. The helicopter is on the south side of the POW camp. The nearest structure likely represents the northwest guard tower.

Read Sgt Terry Buckler’s full story in Who Will Go.

Click Here:  The book.