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My Father Sam Sarkesian passed away on the 26th of September 2011. He has been involved with Special Forces since it conception. In fact COL Banks personally asked him to head up one of the first SF teams during the war in Korea in 1951. His unit was the8112th -- Crash & Rescue, Sokch'o-ri (Intelligence Operations)—then to the 10th Group. After Korea he continued to serve for 23years. This included a tour in Vietnam were he was ran counter insurgency operations. After he retired from the military he remained active in the special Op’s community. The question I have for anyone out there is how can I and my family find out what my father did in Korea. He has always been very tight lipped about any of the operations he was on. We have contacted Historians at FT Bragg and else ware with no real luck.
Thanks
LTC Guy Sarkesian
Infantry
My Father Sam Sarkesian passed away on the 26th of September 2011.
RIP Warrior, Vaya con Dios..
My condolences to your family.
The question I have for anyone out there is how can I and my family find out what my father did in Korea. He has always been very tight lipped about any of the operations he was on. We have contacted Historians at FT Bragg and else ware with no real luck.
Thanks
LTC Guy Sarkesian
Infantry
Assuming the family has filed a form 180 for the release of your dad's records. Ask for all records including medical.
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html
Then start contacting all his unit historians.
http://www.korean-war.com/USArmyUnits.html
8112th Army Unit -- Crash & Rescue, Sokch'o-ri (Intelligence Operations)
Try to create a chain of command. The hierarchical nature of the US military may have unit orders at levels of command higher than actual serving units and he could have been attached for operational control.
The 10th should be fairly ease as the JFK Museum, Special Forces Association, and group historian should have useful records.
http://www.specialforcesassociation.org/
http://www.10thsf.org/
http://www.jfkwebstore.com/contact.php
Also units that co-supported his missions, like the USASADF units.
http://www.usasadf.net/
AND there may be a couple curmudgeons here that can lend a hand...
Good Luck..
Might wanna contact the SFA and ask to be put in touch with CSM (Ret) Pete Morakon (CH 1/18) and COL (Ret) Charlie Norton (CH 11...I think) - it would surprise me if they don't know somebody associated with that unit and its operations.
Richard
greenberetTFS
10-14-2011, 07:23
Tried to get some info regarding my time in '59-'61 but their website isn't totally operational yet.........:( I couldn't get a candidate form and their also not ready to sign up registers yet.......:rolleyes: I'll wait a couple of weeks and see if they'll be ready by then..........;)
http://www.10thsf.org/
Big Teddy :munchin
Ret10Echo
10-14-2011, 09:00
Might wanna contact the SFA and ask to be put in touch with CSM (Ret) Pete Morakon (CH 1/18) and COL (Ret) Charlie Norton (CH 11...I think) - it would surprise me if they don't know somebody associated with that unit and its operations.
Richard
Yes, Charlie Norton is in XI... Former Wolfpack member and President Emeritus. :lifter
Web site (http://www.sfa11.org/Officers.html) has that email on it.
Also, Korean War special operations site here (http://www.korean-war.com/specops.html) has some history and rosters.
JUNE 1953
June 12 All partisans and Americans withdrawn from islands north of 38th Parallel with exception of "stay-behinds" and small reconnaissance patrols to keep tabs on enemy movements. Operations continue from islands south of the 38th and north of Sokch’o-ri.
JULY - DECEMBER 1953
July 27 Ceasefire. All operations but stay-behind missions cease.
Sam is on here:
SPECIAL PROJECTS (Can you name Projects, Targets, Bases and group the participants in each?)
Special Projects were primarily involved in running the 3 operational detachments, Able, Baker, and Charlie houses, command, control, and logistical support of the 14 boats, and other various short term classified projects
Hoffman Phillip J MSG 04/01/53 71745 10 8007 to 8112 DEC
Ronald Floyd SGT 04/01/53 71745 10 DEC
Dawson Francis W CPT 04/01/53 07/01/54 S-3 ASST 10 Sp Y
Sarkesian Sam C 1LT 04/01/53 07/01/54 S-2 ASST 10 8007 to 8112 A0Y
The full list is here (http://www.korean-war.com/SpecOpsRosters/UNPIK8007.htm)
For others, a nice write-up from Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society's John Allen (Jay) Williams
Professor of Political Science Loyola University Chicago here (http://memorial.iusafs.net/sarkesian.html)
R10
1stindoor
10-14-2011, 10:14
I just love this website!