ON THE COVER: South Vietnamese Kingbee Pilot, Capt Nguyen Quy An posed for this photo in 1968. Read the excerpt from On The Ground: The Secret War in Vietnam by John Stryker Meyer and John E. Peters to learn about his selfless bravery on a day in June of that year. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Nguyen Quy An; with edits [colorized] by Debra Holm)
In this issue:
Chapter 78 continues its support of local ROTC and JROTC programs by presenting awards to recognize exceptional members of JROTC and ROTC battalions.
SFA Chapter 88 Concludes Operation “Quiet Professionals” With Monument Dedication
After more than a year of planning and coordination, Chapter 88 successfully dedicated and donated a new Special Forces memorial monument to the Jacksonville National Cemetery on April 11, 2026.
An Excerpt from On The Ground: The Secret War in Vietnam by John Stryker Meyer and John E. Peters
Chapter 78 member John Stryker Meyer AKA “Tilt,” shares with us an excerpt from the first chapter of On the Ground. A newly recruited and trained Recon Team (RT) Lion, three Green Berets and seven Bru Montagnards, embark on their first mission to the target area known as Oscar 8 in Laos, northwest of the A Shau Valley, the most dangerous place that SOG covered, with no up-to-date intel—it was sure to be occupied by a really scary number of NVA troops.
Author and frequent contributor to the Sentinel, Chapter 78 member Greg Walker interviewsSOG veteran COL (ret.) Bob Killebrew discussing SOG, Jerry Shriver, and Shriver’s final mission.
WHAT’S NEW?
2026 Valor Luncheon with Dick Thompson
For those who didn’t have the opportunity to attend SFA Chapter 78’s 2026 Valor Luncheon, here’s what you missed! Join us next year!
SOGCast 50: Randy Harrison, SOG Recon Officer Survived Epic MOH Mission in Cambodia.
Featured Channel: Jocko Podcast — SOGCast
Featured Playlist: SOGCast
CCS Recon Company CO Randy Harrison recounts a historic mission in Cambodia two days before Thanksgiving 1968.
Interview with Author/Special Forces combat vet ( A-424)- Captain Jim Morris
Featured Channel: The Reconnaissance Cast
Featured Playlist: Vietnam
Bud Gibson of The Reconnaissaince Cast interviews Jim Morris, a former editor of the Sentinel and a Chapter 78 member.
Captain Jim Morris went to Vietnam in 1964 as the Executive Officer of a U.S. Army Special Forces A-Team, Detachment A -424. Morris served three tours with Special Forces (The Green Berets) in Vietnam. Both the second and third were cut short by serious wounds, which resulted in his retirement in the grade of Major. His award-winning Vietnam memoir War Story is deemed by many to have initiated the genre of Vietnam War memoirs.
Battlefield Return // Vietnam // 8 MACV-SOG Veterans Face Their Demons
Featured Channel: Best Defense Foundation
Featured Playlist: MACV-SOG
The Best Defense Foundation sent eight MACV-SOG Vets back to FOB 4 in Da Nang. Their Battlefield Return program helps bring closure to vets by returning them to their battlefields. Originally focused on WWII veterans, the program has been expanded to include Vietnam War veterans. Visit Best Defense Foundation at bestdefensefoundation.org to learn more about this group.
Subscribe to @sfachapter78 on YouTube!
Be sure to select “All Notifications” to keep up with our new content. Watch and share the videos on our channel and stay tuned—new videos are on the way!
SENTINEL Awards
- The Golden Arrows for Excellence in Newsletters 2020 awarded by SFA National
- The Golden Arrows for Excellence in Newsletters 2019 awarded by SFA National
- The War Reporters Award, Presented by Alex Quade – (War Reporter and Film Producer) for Chapter 78 Sentinel’s Commitment documenting Special Forces History, July 2018
- Special Forces Association (SFA) Cross Arrow Award for Excellence, 2018, First Award Presented by SFA in this category
- Best Newsletter Award for 2017 from Special Forces Association National Board of Directors at the International Convention in Fayetteville, NC
- Awarded Golden Quill at SFA National Convention June 2015 and June 2016
- Awarded best Special Forces Association Monthly Newsletter at SFA National Convention June 2011 and 2014
The Sentinel is published monthly by Special Forces Association Chapter 78, Southern California — art direction and design by Debra Holm, Dinwiddie Holm Graphics. The views, opinions and articles printed in this issue do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Army or the United States Special Operations Command, the Special Forces Association, or Special Forces Association Chapter 78. Please address any comments to the editor at sfachapter78@gmail.com.
Leave A Comment