Thread: The Legion
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Old 07-10-2006, 12:40   #8
zinger531
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 1
“The legion”

Guys,

From what I understand, the term “The Legion” was started with the 5th and 77th, and then rarely used, I agree that the use was mostly at the BN and Group levels, but not as a normal reference and never outside SF. Here is my recollection which is dated.

The first, I heard the reference was at a SFA while talking to Pete Petersen (77th SFG) now this was a long time, and having consumed the normal amount of libations, anyway Pete told me this long sorted story, so here is the quick and dirty: The reference to SF and the 5th specifically as “The Legion” came from the results of a tough mission, that was executed using the primary plan (this would have been a first) by a short handed ODA, very efficiently and this mission was taken because the Regular Army guys could not step up. The regular Army Brass said that it would take a “Legion” to complete the mission, months to plan, and then the threat would be gone, so the 5th Group Commander stepped forward, saying Bull Shit, my guys can do it, in three weeks and that only one ODA was needed, so they planned, executed, and completed the mission in two weeks and five days, so the reference “The Legion” was born this was in 62 or 63. Pete thought using “the Legion” was over the top, but he was from the 77th and they were never over the top, were they? So to close this commentary, the Group and BN Commanders loved using the term “The Legion” as SF Teams always are doing what others consider are impossible missions. So, that’s the story and I’m sticking to it!
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