07-14-2012, 06:48
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#1
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: South Africa
Posts: 911
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The Father of South African Special Forces turns eighty today
Col Jan Dirk Breytenbach turned eighty years old today.
Colonel Jan was the founding Officer Commanding of the South African Reconnaissance Regiments, The Recces, who were the SA equivalent of the US Green Berets and SEALs. He then went on to found as the first OC the famous 32 Battalion. This was a unit comprising of turned terrorists and guerrilla soldiers from Angola operating under the command of SA officers and NCOs. 32Bn operated almost entirely behind enemy lines, using enemy weapons and was the most feared SA unit in the 30 year bush war. Colonel Jan then became the first OC of 44 Parachute Brigade (one of my units) and commanded it in the great Battle for Cassinga, an airborne attack on a fortified enemy camp 250 km behind enemy lines. He is South Africas most decorated soldier and now lives in retirement on the Cape Coast where he still swims 3 km a day. Among his many qualifications are selection courses of : British SAS, Rhodesian SAS, French Combat Divers Course, SA Parachute Course, Free Fall and HALO and Divers Courses. He also did a course at your Fort Bragg as a young officer, where he learned his favourite maxim. Find em, Fix em and Finish em.
A picture of he and I at the last Cassinga Day Parade this year.
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Guymullins is offline
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07-14-2012, 06:59
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#2
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NorCal
Posts: 15,370
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OFS, Guy. Thanks for those highlights of "a life well lived."
Richard
__________________
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)… There are just some kind of men who – who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” - To Kill A Mockingbird (Atticus Finch)
“Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein
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Richard is offline
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07-14-2012, 07:03
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#3
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: 18 yrs upstate NY, 30 yrs South Florida, 20 yrs Conch Republic, now chasing G-Kids in NOVA & UK
Posts: 11,901
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__________________
Go raibh tú leathuair ar Neamh sula mbeadh a fhios ag an diabhal go bhfuil tú marbh
"May you be a half hour in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead"
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JJ_BPK is offline
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07-14-2012, 10:01
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#4
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RIP Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: The Ozarks
Posts: 10,072
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__________________
"There you go, again." Ronald Reagan
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Dusty is offline
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07-14-2012, 10:34
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#5
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sneaking back and forth across the Border
Posts: 6,627
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Happy Birthday Col.....
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SF_BHT is offline
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07-14-2012, 11:01
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#6
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Quiet Professional (RIP)
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Carriere,Ms.
Posts: 6,922
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__________________
I believe that SF is a 'calling' - not too different from the calling missionaries I know received. I knew instantly that it was for me, and that I would do all I could to achieve it. Most others I know in SF experienced something similar. If, as you say, you HAVE searched and read, and you do not KNOW if this is the path for you --- it is not....
Zonie Diver
SF is a calling and it requires commitment and dedication that the uninitiated will never understand......
Jack Moroney
SFA M-2527, Chapter XXXVII
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greenberetTFS is offline
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07-14-2012, 12:36
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#7
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NorCal
Posts: 15,370
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenberetTFS
Guy,which one are you?
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Teddy,
Misplaced your spectacles again?
Put them on and think about it - the COL just turned 80 and is the most decorated vet in SA. So, which of the two chaps in the pic looks (1) oldest and (2) appears to be the most decorated?
Keep it up and we're gonna have to pull your O&I suffix!
And so it goes...
Richard
__________________
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)… There are just some kind of men who – who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” - To Kill A Mockingbird (Atticus Finch)
“Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein
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Richard is offline
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07-14-2012, 13:27
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#8
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Quiet Professional (RIP)
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Carriere,Ms.
Posts: 6,922
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
Teddy,
Misplaced your spectacles again?
Put them on and think about it - the COL just turned 80 and is the most decorated vet in SA. So, which of the two chaps in the pic looks (1) oldest and (2) appears to be the most decorated?
Keep it up and we're gonna have to pull your O&I suffix!
And so it goes...
Richard
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Richard
Gotcha......... However I'm pulling my old walrus card to cover my ass...
Big Teddy
__________________
I believe that SF is a 'calling' - not too different from the calling missionaries I know received. I knew instantly that it was for me, and that I would do all I could to achieve it. Most others I know in SF experienced something similar. If, as you say, you HAVE searched and read, and you do not KNOW if this is the path for you --- it is not....
Zonie Diver
SF is a calling and it requires commitment and dedication that the uninitiated will never understand......
Jack Moroney
SFA M-2527, Chapter XXXVII
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greenberetTFS is offline
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07-14-2012, 13:43
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#9
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: South Africa
Posts: 911
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenberetTFS
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Big Teddy,
I am the young whippersnapper of 61 in the green jacket. I spoke to the Colonel today and he still gets me sitting to attention, even while singing Happy Birthday to him.
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Guymullins is offline
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07-15-2012, 09:45
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#10
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
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Find em, Fix em and Finish em.
Find em, Fix em and Finish em. (I like that )
Happy Birthday Col Breytenbach
__________________
"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."
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Team Sergeant is offline
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