ON THE COVER: Father Lucien Bouchard, of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, on a trail in Laos in 1973. Known to many as “Father B,” he was in Laos from 1956 until it fell to the communists in 1975. Learn about him in Marc Yablonka’s “Catholic Priest Tended to His Flocks in Laos While War Raged” in this issue of the Sentinel. (Photo by Steve Schofield)
In this issue:
SAVE THE DATE—Don’t miss this years’ SFA Valor Luncheon!
SFA Chapter 78 will host its 3rd annual Valor Luncheon in April 2026, with guest speaker Henry “Dick” Thompson.
Catholic Priest Tended To His Flocks In Laos While War Raged
By Marc Yablonka, a profile of Father Lucien Bouchard, the Catholic missionary who served in Laos from 1956 to 1975, ministering to remote villages during the Secret War. Known to CIA, USAID, Air America personnel, and the Hmong alike, “Father B” risked his life to provide spiritual care, medical aid, and compassion to all—regardless of faith—as the Pathet Lao closed in.
An Excerpt from Textbook Special Ops: The Son Tay Raid
An excerpt from Textbook Special Ops: The Son Tay Raid by John Gargus with Cliff Westbrook explores the real-time signals intelligence gathered against North Vietnamese SAM sites during the 1970 Son Tay Raid, including airborne intercepts from RC-135 aircraft over the Gulf of Tonkin.
“Another died in my place” Part 2
“In Another Died in My Place, Part 2,” Chapter 78 member Greg Walker continues his hard-hitting account of a doomed 1980s mission in El Salvador, examining key decisions, attempted cover-ups, and the eventual recognition—through awarded medals—of those who served and those who gave their lives.
Special Forces Association Convention 2026
Mark your calendar! Reconnect, Remember, Recharge at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 7-12 June 2026.
From the Archive:
From the November 2019 Sentinel—A refugee from Communism. A Combat Talon navigator. A volunteer for the Son Tay raid. Colonel John Gargus shares the deeply personal story of the American flag he carried into one of the most daring POW rescue missions of the Vietnam War—and why it remains one of his most treasured possessions.
WHAT’S NEW?
I Walked With Heroes – MACV SOG, and The Men Who Never Lost Their Cool
Playlist: Chapter Meeting Presenters
In this personal account, Vietnam veteran Jerry Guzzetta reflects on his service with MACV-SOG Command and Control Central, the men he served beside, and the heroes whose courage defined an era of Special Forces history.
Objective Reindeer: A Ranger’s Story | Ryan Antes
Most cyberattacks begin by exploiting people, not software. In this practical talk, security professional and Green Beret Aaron Maben explains why your primary email is the foundation of your digital identity and how attackers use it to compromise accounts and personal data. He offers clear, realistic steps—strong passphrases, multi-factor authentication, password managers, and breach response—to help anyone reduce risk and limit damage.
SOGCast 046: Top Secret Tom Reveals Role in Helping Allies Flee Taliban After Afghanistan Collapses
Featured Channel: Jocko Podcast — SOGCast
Featured Playlist: SOGCast
John Stryker Meyer, call sign—Tilt, interviews “Top Secret” Tom Laning, a now-retired member of the 5th SF Group, who, after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, helped Afghan allies escape the tyranny of the Taliban.
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SOGCast
Untold stories of MAC-V SOG. Vietnam. The Secret War.
Episode 060: Hawaiian SOG Warrior, Jim “Kimo” Wheeler. From SOG to the CIA
Hawaiian born and raised in a warrior tradition, Jim “Kimo” Wheeler volunteered for Vietnam and joined the ranks of MACV-SOG during the Secret War. From brutal recon missions in the DMZ and Laos to surviving grenades, firefights, and near-death extractions, he lived the reality of unconventional warfare.
After SOG, his service continued for decades in Special Forces and later with the CIA’s Special Activities Division, conducting paramilitary operations across the globe.
This is a story of loyalty, sacrifice, quiet professionalism — and a lifetime spent serving the United States of America.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other major podcast providers. Video episodes (one of which is shown above) are available on our YouTube channel SOGCast playlist.
SENTINEL Awards
- Awarded best Special Forces Association Monthly Newsletter at SFA National Convention June 2011 and 2014
- Awarded Golden Quill at SFA National Convention June 2015 and June 2016
- Best Newsletter Award for 2017 from Special Forces Association National Board of Directors at the International Convention in Fayetteville, NC
- Special Forces Association (SFA) Cross Arrow Award for Excellence, 2018, First Award Presented by SFA in this category
- 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
- The Golden Arrows for Excellence in Newsletters 2019 awarded by SFA National
- The Golden Arrows for Excellence in Newsletters 2020 awarded by SFA National
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.
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