8th Group
 

1963-72, personnel were transferred to 3/7.

It couldn't have been a very big outfit. Wonder what the story was?

Just constant reorg because of Vietnam?

What was 7th Group doing?

The 8th SFGA was what I would call a normal sized group. While I was there (70-71) it consisted of three C-Teams (Co. A,Band C), HHC and Signal Company plus some SIGINT, MI, PsyOps and CA augmentation. Keep in mind that the Companies were what are now considered Batallions.

We supported the OAS as "observers" in Honduras and El Salvador, conducted the Jungle Operations Training Center (JOTC) as well as many MTTs to various countries in Central and South America. Personnel from the 8th also had an active role in the capture of Che Guevarra. As with the 7th SFGA now, the 8th was very active in Latin America doing many things which may never become public.

As Vietnam began to wind down, SF started downsizing. The 7th SFGA assumed the operations of the 8th. During the war IMHO the 7th was mostly a holding company for SF returning from RVN and waiting redeployment.

Thanks for the G2!

8th Gp
 

The 8th SF Group colors transfered to the 2nd Ranger Bat. Ft Lewis WA.

I was in the 8th SFGA(SAF) from Apr 69-May 71. Is anyone else out there from that time frame?

I was in co A - A-1 SCUBA and lived a Coco Solo in the abanndoned seplane hanfer we took over.

I remember the hanger. The HALO team had one side and the SCUBA team had the other. Who was the A Company commander when you were there? LtC Korcheck was my commander while I was stationed with the 8th

I too was with the 8th SFG. For historical accuracy, I'd like to add to my friend Terry's response. The The 8th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Special Action Force, had only 2 line companies. Those were Special Forces Company's A & B. Also included within the 8th SFG were Headquarters Company, Company E (Signal), 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, 401st Security Agency Detachment, 146th Engineer Detachment, 610th Military Intelligence Detachment, 255th Medical Detachment, and 550th Military Police Detachment. Of course, there was Group Headquarters as well. The 8th was the US Army's only full Special Action Force.

One of the reasons for the deactivation of the 8th SFG in 1972 was the draw down during the waning years of the Vietnam build up. The other reason was, SF was going to Battalion. rather than Company strength. It made sense that the 8th became the 3rd Battalion of the 7th SFG, because it was an element of the 7th that began the set up of the 8th SFG in August of 1962. Commanded by Major Melvin J. Sowards, Company D, 7th SFG was the main body of SF to move to the Canal Zone. They would later be followed by the augmentation detachments. With the arrival of these detachments, the basic organization of the Special Action Force was completed and having been promoted, Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer assumed command.

Lt. Col. Sawyer remained in command through the rest of 1962. It was the legendary Lieutenant Colonel Arthur D. (Bull) Simons that took command in January of 1963 and Lt. Col. Sawyer became the XO. On April 12, 1963, under the command of Lt. Col. Simons, the SAF elements of the 7th SFG were officially redesignated, as authorized by the Department of the Army and the 8th SFG was activated.

Throughout it's 9 year history, the 8th SFG sent Mobile Training Teams and Technical Assistant Teams throughout Central and South America. The 8th SFG also ran a number of schools. These included a basic Airborne and Jumpmaster course, Recondo School, NCO School, SCUBA and PARA-SCUBA Schools. They also conducted Jungle Expert Traning at the Jungle operations Training Center and had a serious hand at The School of the Americas.

LTC Korcek was my Co Cdr. Do you remember Sarge - my swim buddy" I believe he belonged to Avm. Det at one time.
http://tadahling.com/sitebuildercont.../re-enlist.jpg

http://tadahling.com/sitebuildercont...ures/sarge.jpg

Yeah Terry I remember the dog. I remember LTC Korcec as well. When I was with Co. B, LTC James Farrington was my Co Cdr. When Col. Dexter Left the 8th, LTC Korcek took temporary command of the Group before Col. Pinkerton came in. When I was reassigned to Co. A, LTC Thomas Owen was the Co Cdr. Good to see you here buddy. Though I didn't know you well, I knew you. I was good pals with the likes of Glenn Oehms, Tony Gilgen, Ken Kimer, etc. I know you know these names.

8th SFGA
 

Salute

I arrived at 8th in August 69 same day as the "ROCK", Ltc K. assigned to A Co. B-2..Then out to Recondo committee at Camp Rock. Stayed till 1973, after conversion of the 8th to 3/7th.

Remember the mosquito bitten horse at the lake? lol....


Axe

8th SFG
 

I was with the 8th SFG from May 1971 thru Decemeber 1972, 550th MP Det. Any others there then? LTC Lucas was the CO.

Kevin:

You might want to reread the rules and stickies.

This is not where your first post should be.

TR

USASOC has revamped and reinstituted the periodical VERITAS. It is now a quarterly publication dedicated to "The History of U.S. Army Special Operations".

This issue is a Special Edition, dedicated to SF in Bolivia. Quite a few pages are directly linked to the 8th SFG(A).

Some copies may still be available through:

USASOC
ATTN: AOHS VERITAS
E-2929
DESERT STORM DR
FORT BRAGG, NC 28310

Or you might be able to obtain a copy from a local SFA Chapter.

You can also pm me for email adresses to VERITAS.

Sorry if I missed something. But reading the prior posts, I thought this was a thread that was discussing the 8th SFG. I guess I was wrong.

FFI can be a capital offense!!!:munchin

Name the Cars!
 

Can anyone name the owner's of the following cars - all Co A, 8th SFGA, ala June '71:

Gatun DZ during rainy season, and Co A views:

Pic #1 = Ft. San Lorenzo - where the Chagres River meets Limon Bay, supposedly "shark-infested" waters!
#2 = LCM disgorging JOTC students at Expedient Obstacle Crossing site
#3 = LCM after students landed

More 8th Group - JOTC
 

Pic #1 = Far side of Chagres, where students began the "Slide For Life"!
#2 = Student hitting the "end" of the SFL - lucky it didn't hit the huge tree!
#3 = "Knot Man" - Sgt Gates - telling dazed student how to "dismount" with 193rd Inf Bde support troops looking on:D

More 8th Group - JOTC
 

Pic #1 = Students making poncho rafts after "surviving" the Slide For Life!
#2 = Students swimming across the Chagres with their poncho raft
#3 = Assault boat with students who were picked up after drifting downstream!

More 8th Group
 

Pic #1 = Venado DZ, Pacific side - rainy season, looking inland from mid-DZ
#2 = Venado DZ, Pacific side - dry season, looking toward the ocean from hills inland
#3 = My last day in 8th SFGA before going to "leg infantry" Bn. So was everyone in this pic - to one 193rd Inf Bde unit or another: Sgt Bean with tennis racquet, Sgt Sellhorst in baseball cap, Sgt Pennel next to Sellhorst, Sgt Gates - looking at rear of motorcycle. (Sgt Doran taking picture!) Picture taken in front of B Co.

Final 3 - I promise!
 

Three pics taken at night with open exposure of a Nikonos II camera while Sgt of the Guard for 3/5 Inf during alert - guarding Thatcher Ferry Bridge (now JFK Bridge, I understand).

I lied!
 

Okay... one more group. Although NOT taken in 8th SFGA, it was in Panama. Shortly after I was transferred to CSC, 3/5 Inf - we loaded onto LCM's, LST's, etc and played "marine raider" - going out to sea and coming ashore near Rio Hato - to play with the PDF's "Cholo's Rojos" in wargames. I tried to be artistic with my Nikonos II and get some silhouette shots. Too dark.

8th sfg camp swampy?
 

hey all...sorry about the repost but i had this on the wrong thread...im trying to identify the soldier on the left...my dad is on the right...i believe this was taken sometime between 1963-66 in panama...he was in A Co. B3...bill schreiber...i am compiling his sf experience for the family and would appreciate any memories the members may have of him...he is a retired ltc. living north of tampa...

SF Soldiers,

I am looking for confirmation on an individual who claims to have been in the 8th Special Forces Group during the late '60s. Any help or direction would be much appreciated!

I was assigned to B company 8th Group and my detachment was stationed at Fort Sherman.
I helped support Jungle expert training when classes were held, Lot's of guard duty, had a cool earthquake one night.
A few night jumps into the bush, LRRP's
Panama was a great experience.

Jerry

Limon bay from Fort Sherman Barracks
 

There's an LCM in this photo from 1970.

8th SFG(A) Sep '68 - Feb '71
 

I was in the 8th from Sep 68 to Feb 71, when I left for the Nuclear Power Program at Belvoir. I was in B3, Co A, and I don't remember who the commander was when I got there, but SGM Burley was just taking over as Co SGM. Later Paul Darcy became Co SGM and Korchek was the commander when I left. One of the guys I went through Training Gp with (we were both commo) was also in my Spanish class at DLI, and he and I drove my VW from the States to the Canal Zone. What a great trip that was.

Is there anyone here who was on that FTX in Jan/Feb '69 (not certain of the dates) where we were administratively captured from a safe house in Gatun and put through the POW camp at Sherman? I'd like to hear from anyone who was part of that. An interrogator named Sellers had me in the water pit, and one day I'd like to have a conversation with him.

You go to the right and the next building was group hq. If I remember correctly, if you continued past Group HQ there was a grade school at the bottom of the hill.

Task Force Blue and Fort San Lorenzo
 

Anybody here have pictures of TF Blue and/or Fort San Lorenzo? I've got pics of both as well as the Tarpon Club next to the Gatun Locks. If I can ever figure how to upkoad them I'll put them on the board for everyone.

You remember correctly. And the mess hall was as far away as it could be, and still be in the Group area. It was SO far that many times, we simply ate breakfast at the PX snack bar, right next to A Company - right after first formation and police call ("E-8's and above fall out and supervise.")

I remember running up the steps to the snack bar to get a slice of cherry pie.

I arrived at Gulick in late March of 69 initially assigned to A Co with MAJ Riggs as its Cdr and SGM Burly as Co SGM. Later I became S3 of B1 and then Asst S3 for Tng for the Group. MAJ Huskey was the 3 and SGM Cliette was the section SGM. I believe he is still alive close to Bragg as LTC. What a guy! I also served in A Co when LTC Korchek was its Cdr. Many, many years later I had the honor of having dinner with COL Owen who was the Group's XO when I was in the 3 shop. The Group SGM was CSM Childers (RIP) Have many great memories of COL's Felder and Dexter and many very fine NCO's. CPT Hampton was my close friend who served in B Co.

MAJ Jere Riggs was a NG on AD. He was the one who notified me of my RIF status at the Pan Am Dive Club. Found out later that he is now deceased (from his son who is/was currently a LTC in the Indiana NG). As for LTC Owen, I was advised (after I PCS'd back to the States) that he had falsified making jumps to qualify for jump pay ... apparently he had developed a fear of heights and didn't want to jump anymore, but didn't want to leave Group either. That's second hand information, but from a reliable source.

.

Gary A. Riggs

Colonel

(Retired, US Army Sep 1988)

WKU Class of 1958

Completed tours of duty in Laos and Vietnam as a Special Forces Detachment Commander and Advisor to the 14th ARVAN Regiment

Company and Battalion Commander 8th Special Forces Group, Panama

Professor of Military Science, Army ROTC Western Kentucky University 1975-1978 Commander, Special Forces Schools Training Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Commander - U.S. Military Group, Venezuela

Commander, Third Brigade, Second Region (ROTC) Fort Knox, Kentucky

Legion of Merit

Bronze Star Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters
============================
On 30 June 1972, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Owens was the commander of Company A, 8th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and became the first commander of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). When he retired his company guidon, he exchanged it for the colors of this Special Forces battalion. Additionally, he assumed the responsibilities of carrying on the traditions of his 8th Special Forces Group (Airborne) predecessors and set the standard for other commanders to follow
============================

Are we talking about the same guys?

I think we're talking about different Riggs; MAJ Jere Riggs was an NG officer who shadowed MAJ Leroy Mitchell who was my company commander and one of three XOs on the Che Guevara MTT to Bolivia.

As for LTC Owens, he was the SAF XO (whether he was the Battalion Cdr, I couldn't tell you because I didn't pay much attention to the wiring diagram for the head shed after 8th Group was deactivated and became 3/7 SFG. I can tell you he reported to COL BJ Pinkerton who was the 8th Group and later the 3/7 SFG?/SAF commander [Pinkerton's daughter married one of the other LTs I ran around with -- after I PCSd back to the States I learned he, the LT, got in trouble for misappropriating equipment to line his wallet ... information I was never able to verify]). I can tell you that MG George Mabry (awarded the MOH) was the USARSO commander at the time and held the deactivation/redesignation ceremony for Group at the parade field in front of the Post Office on Fort Gulick.

.

combat night jump - great honor - risky business:)
 

1970 maybe 71 - 8th SF Panama 1st SF - A teams went into isolation on a Chile mission to train indigenous - we thot our team was chosen - we loaded into a C141 & left Panama (dark of night) rode around for quite a few hrs - did a combat night jump @ 500ft ( static-with reserves). Thot we were in Chile untill we regrouped when we hit the ground we found out we were still in Panama ! (live mission would have been nice but never made it )! Jump was fantastic - it was so dark we couldnt tell when we were going to hit the ground - it was fast & exciting! Wish i could have gotten a CIB out of it but our feet hit in Panama not Chile! Anyone out there on that jump with me?

Earthquake - my 1st & only !
 

Dont know if Ur still aound Jer but I remember that earthquake well - we all ran out (Irwin Street:) that night & watched the buildings shake! 5.5 I believe was my 1st & only Quake - We may have known eachother ! REmember Obie Obemier (sp) I hung with him for awile (pacific/atlantic)!

8th group night jump
 

Yes, We served together, I was never assigned to Fort Gulick, always at Fort Sherman. Welcome Home !:lifter