01-11-2009, 14:20
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#1
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: America, the Beautiful
Posts: 3,193
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Stump the Chump: Green Beret History
April 11, 1962 President Kennedy wrote a letter to Department of the Army concerning Special Forces.
Where can you find a copy of the letter?
Cool points for the first person to post a link...
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Warrior-Mentor is offline
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01-11-2009, 14:40
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#2
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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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The Story of the Green Beret
Quote:
www.myplanet.net/danperry/greenb.htm
The green beret was originally designated in 1953 by Special Forces Major Herbert Brucker, a veteran of the OSS. Later that year, 1st Lt. Roger Pezelle adopted it as the unofficial head-gear for his A-team, Operational Detachment FA-32. They wore it whenever they went to the field for prolonged exercises. Soon it spread throughout all of Special Forces, although the Army refused to authorize its official use.
Finally, in 1961, President Kennedy planned to visit Fort Bragg. He sent word to the Special Warfare Center commander, Brigadier General William P. Yarborough, for all Special Forces soldiers to wear their berets for the event. President Kennedy felt that since they had a special mission, Special Forces should have something to set them apart from the rest. Even before the presidential request, however, the Department of Army had acquiesced and teletyped a message to the Center authorizing the beret as a part of the Special Forces uniform.
When President Kennedy came to Fort Bragg October 12, 1961, General Yarborough wore his green beret to greet the Commander-in-Chief. The president remarked, "Those are nice. How do you like the green beret?" General Yarborough replied: "They're fine, sir. We've wanted them a long time."
A message from President Kennedy to General Yarborough later that day stated, "My congratulations to you personally for your part in the presentation today ... The challenge of this old but new form of operations is a real one and I know that you and the members of your command will carry on for us and the free world in a manner which is both worthy and inspiring. I am sure that the green beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead."
In an April 11, 1962, White House memorandum for the United States Army, President Kennedy showed his continued support for the Special Forces, calling the green beret... "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom."
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and the letter
Quote:
FM PRESUS THE WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
TO CG FT BRAGG
DA GRNC
BT
UNCLAS CITE WH670-61 FOR BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM P.
YARBOROUGH, COMMANDING GENERAL U.S. ARMY SPECIAL
WARFARE CENTER FORT BRAGG, N.C.
MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU PERSONALLY FOR YOUR
PART IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY AT FORT BRAGG, AND
ESPECIALLY FOR THE IMAGINATION AS WELL AS THE PRECISION
WHICH YOUR DIRECTION GAVE TO A DIFFICULT SUBJECT. I CAME
AWAY WITH A NEW APPRECIATION OF YOUR MISSION AND
ENTHUSIASM FOR ITS PERFORMANCE. I KNOW THAT YOU AND
YOUR MEN NOT ONLY SERVE AS GOOD INSTRUCTORS, BUT AS AN
INSPIRATION TO THE ALLIED OFFICERS WHO ATTEND YOUR
SCHOOL. PLEASE CONVEY MY CONGRATULATIONS AND MY
APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE MEN WHO TOOK PART. THE
CHALLENGE OF THIS OLD BUT NEW FORM OF OPERATIONS IS A
REAL ONE AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF YOUR
COMMAND WILL CARRY ON FOR US AND THE FREE WORLD IN A
MANNER WHICH IS BOTH WORTHY AND INSPIRING. I AM SURE
THAT THE GREEN BERET WILL BE A MARK OF DISTINCTION IN THE
TRYING TIMES AHEAD.
JOHN F. KENNEDY
BT
CFN WH670-61
13/0259Z RUEPWW
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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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01-11-2009, 18:00
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#3
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Quiet Professional
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Thanks Jim. I've seen a copy of the actual letter on the web somewhere and darned if I can find it now.
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Warrior-Mentor is offline
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01-11-2009, 18:07
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#4
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Quiet Professional
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor
Thanks Jim. I've seen a copy of the actual letter on the web somewhere and darned if I can find it now.
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This is off someone's blog,, I looked, but the Dem's have hid all Jack's weakness..
I think we should keep looking...
My $00.0002
UPDATE: I forgot my google-foo
search "WH670-61"
http://www.groups.sfahq.com/sf_heral...yarborough.htm
corpidelite.info/GreenBerets.html
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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"
Last edited by JJ_BPK; 01-11-2009 at 18:11.
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JJ_BPK is offline
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01-11-2009, 20:47
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#5
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Asset
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 20
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Check out this document at the JFK Library:
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical...Desk/NSAMs.htm
click on NSAM 2- Development of Counter Guerilla Forces
I believe that this order expanded Special Forces and started the Navy's Seals.
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Beerhunter is offline
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01-11-2009, 21:01
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#6
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,879
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This doesn't quite count but I have a framed black and white photograph of the 12 October 1961 meeting of Yarborough and Kennedy on my shop wall. It is signed to "me" by one General William P. Yarborough.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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05-04-2009, 14:34
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#7
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: south western pa.
Posts: 692
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I know that this is an old thread. But, was this question ever answered? Perhaps in another thread.
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Special Forces Association A-593 Life
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Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle
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swpa19 is offline
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05-04-2009, 15:06
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#8
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Quiet Professional
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swpa19
I know that this is an old thread. But, was this question ever answered? Perhaps in another thread.
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We didn't find a photostat signed copy, just the text.
"WH670-61" is the WH doc id..
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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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05-05-2009, 16:25
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#9
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: south western pa.
Posts: 692
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Im trusting an old memory. I cant remember if it was at Fort Bragg or not. But, I do recall seeing an individual (who used to be Gen. Yarborough's aide) with what appeared to be the original photo and other typed and written correspondence.
I never got close enough to him to see what the letters were though. The collection was given him by the Yarborough family.
The aide and Col. Mize set with General Yarborough till he passed.
__________________
Special Forces Association A-593 Life
_______________________________
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
________________________________
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle
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swpa19 is offline
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05-05-2009, 16:45
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#10
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Guest
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History
Who was the SF soldier who placed his Green Beret at the Arlington marker for JFK?
I've asked, never learned who...
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05-06-2009, 07:16
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#11
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: south western pa.
Posts: 692
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Quote:
Who was the SF soldier who placed his Green Beret at the Arlington marker for JFK?
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SGM Francis Ruddy
__________________
Special Forces Association A-593 Life
_______________________________
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
________________________________
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle
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swpa19 is offline
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05-06-2009, 11:57
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#12
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Quiet Professional (RIP)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swpa19
SGM Francis Ruddy
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Just curious. Is SMG Ruddy still alive and possibly joined in this forum. He's the most known SF soldier for what he did at the grave site, however no ones really remembered his name until today................
GB TFS
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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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05-07-2009, 06:30
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#13
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Guest
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swpa19
Im trusting an old memory. I cant remember if it was at Fort Bragg or not. But, I do recall seeing an individual (who used to be Gen. Yarborough's aide) with what appeared to be the original photo and other typed and written correspondence.
I never got close enough to him to see what the letters were though. The collection was given him by the Yarborough family.
The aide and Col. Mize set with General Yarborough till he passed.
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That (Aide) would be Rudy Gresham.
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05-11-2009, 19:31
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#14
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Posts: 242
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor
April 11, 1962 President Kennedy wrote a letter to Department of the Army concerning Special Forces.
Where can you find a copy of the letter?
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There is a copy in the 1962 version of Special Warfare (Page 5).
V/R,
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In Oriente Primus
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Go For Broke is offline
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05-12-2009, 09:28
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#15
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Quiet Professional
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Location: TN
Posts: 933
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Go For Broke
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Well done sir, well done.
On page 4 - the QP to the right looks as though there is no flash on his beret. Does he have a flash and it's just blended in or is there no flash. Is that an unassigned QP?
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koz is offline
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