From an old e-mail:
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"Gents, here’s the answer from the Center of Military History to our question: Why are we being re-designated as “39th SF Det” when we change to MTOE?”
It was the last TOE SF detachment de-activated (1984), and guess who it was? Special Forces Detachment - Europe! Yes, “DET-A”! We’re getting their former TOE designation! How’s that for lineage?
See below for further info. Please forward to those I missed.
Jack
Sergeant Major Jack Hagan
US Army Special Forces Detachment Korea
Longest-standing forward-deployed SF DET
Began operations 1950s; Activated 01 Jun 74
-----Original Message-----
From: Danysh, Romana M Ms CMH
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 8:29 AM
To: Hagan, John T SGM SOCKOR SFDK
Subject: RE: 39th Special Forces Detachment Edate 20051016 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
CSM Hagan
The United States Army Special Forces Detachment, Korea (UIC: W32KAA), will be discontinued and replaced by an MTOE unit. When MTOE units are scheduled for activation, the Center of Military History reviews records of all inactive units and selects the appropriate designation. There are very few special forces detachments on the inactive rolls of the Army, but the one with the best history is the 39th Special Forces Detachment, 1st Special Forces (UIC: WFJDAA), which served in Germany from 1965 to 1984.
Romana Danysh
Force Structure and Unit History Branch (DAMH-FPO)
United States Army Center of Military History
Visit the DAMH-FPO website at
www.army.mil/cmh/lineage/unit-info.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: Raines, Rebecca C Mrs CMH
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 8:43 AM
To: Danysh, Romana M Ms CMH
Subject: FW: 39th Special Forces Detachment Edate 20051016 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Rebecca C. Raines
Chief, Force Structure and
Unit History Branch
US Army Center of Military History
-----Original Message-----
From: Montgomery, Danielle D Ms CMH On Behalf Of CMH Online
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 8:42 AM
To: Raines, Rebecca C Mrs CMH
Subject: FW: 39th Special Forces Detachment Edate 20051016 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
This came in through CMH Online.
-----Original Message-----
From: Hagan, John T. CSM
Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 9:52 PM
To: CMH Online
Cc: Hagan, John T. CSM
Subject: 39th Special Forces Detachment Edate 20051016
Sirs, at the request of several former unit members, I am obligated out of common courtesy to them to humbly request an answer to a simple historical question for our unit: Why "39th Special Forces Detachment" ?
Our unit, the Special Forces Detachment - Korea, UIC W32KAA, TDA, is being redesignated as "39th Special Forces Detachment", UIC WFJDAA, MTOE, Edate 20051016. This detachment has been in existence under various designations for approximately 45 years. It was activated under its current TDA designation on 01 June 74. At one point in history, it was designated as "40th Special Forces Training Detachment".
I won't try to interpret AR 220-5 in numbering units, but we would all like to know: Why 39th SFD?
If this designation was chosen by the MACOM and not the CMH, I apologize. Thank you for your time.
Sergeant Major Jack Hagan
US Army Special Forces Detachment Korea
Longest-standing forward-deployed SF DET
Began operations 1950s; Activated 01 Jun 74
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE