Quote:
Originally posted by NousDefionsDoc
The lineage is dicked up, IMO, because the legs that do lineages didn't take the time or bother to understand the units they were dealing with.
Again my opinion, but the 1st SSF was a Ranger Battalion. As were Merrill's etc.
Jedburgs were split As. 1/4 As. LOL
I respect the achievements of all those other units, but they are not my heritage.
OSS, JACK, SOG/SF Vietnam, right on up until today.
If it was like they say, Col. Bank would not be called the father of SF, Col. Fredrickson would.
GH is no doubt correct about the why, but IMO, they still don't have it right.
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I agree that mission-wise the 1st SSF is closer to the 75th and probably belongs in its lineage. I had mentioned Jedburgh teams earlier, but it occurs to me that the OSS Operational Groups Razor mentioned are probably the truest forefathers of SF. And TIOH may not have noticed, but they did have an Army designation - 2671st Special Reconnaissance Battalion, Separate (Provisional).
OGs: Generally 15 men each. Usually two junior officers and 13 NCOs. Spoke the language of their AOs. Recruited from infantry and combat engineers, with a few medical and commo guys thrown in. Cross-trained in each others' specialties. Missions were:
- Cutting enemy lines of communication
- Attacking vital enemy installations
- Organizing and training local resistance elements
- Boosting morale and effort of local resistance elements
- Furnishing intelligence to local Allied Armies
Sounds familiar, huh?
The first ODA?: