In this issue:
An excerpt from Jon Robert Cavaiani: A Wolf Remembered
Hickory Hill
From the Archive:
The Son Tay Raid—53 year anniversary
Two stories from our archive about the raid from two different points of view.
Air Operations for the Son Tay Raid
From the November 2016 Sentinel, Colonel John Gargus (USAF, retired) shares his story of the Air Force’s planning and conduct of the raid on the Son Tay Prisoners of War camp in North Vietnam, just a few miles west of Hanoi.
The Son Tay Raid Rescue Mission: A Pilot’s Story
From the February 2017 Sentinel, Son Tay raider USAF Major John Waresh shares his account of the November 21, 1970 Son Tay Prison camp raid.
Click to view or download
print edition (pdf)
ON THE COVER: Vietnam… A Marine stands watch in an observation tower as Lieutenant Commander McElroy, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines chaplain, holds mass on Hill 950, also known as Hickory Hill. (Department of Defense)
SEVEN DIRTY WARS…
ONE COMBAT VETERAN/JOURNALIST
The Guerrilla Trilogy
Upcoming Release on 7 November 2023
Published by Warriors Publishing Group
Author of War Story, The Devil’s Secret Name, and Fighting Men, SFA Chapter 78 member Jim Morris tells his story in this critically acclaimed war trilogy, detailing the early years in Vietnam through the brushfire wars of the early 1980s: the atrocities and the splendor, the loyalty, the bloodshed, and the loss…
Honor U.S. MACV-SOG with the Congressional Gold Medal
If you haven’t already done so, sign this petition today! Join us in supporting this petition to ensure that these unsung heroes receive the recognition they so rightfully deserve. We’d love to be able to present Congress with 10,000 or more signatures sooner than later.
SFA Chapter 78
CHRISTMAS PARTY
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2023
Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, 1601 Bayside Dr, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
1400 Cocktail Hour • Program Start Time 1500
With Guest Speaker, Nils C. “Chris” Sorenson, Colonel, US Army, Retired
Featuring Palm Desert’s Premier Entertainer, Frank DiSalvo singing from the Great American Songbook!
Libations • Raffle • DJ and Dancing
COST: $40.00 per person, same for guests
Special Note: Members of C/1/19 $10 per person.
Please mail your check payable to SFA 78 no later than 12/3/22 to:
Santiago Corp, PO Box 11927, Santa Ana, CA 92711, Attn: Liz Rios
DRESS
Men: SFA Green Blazers, White Shirt with Regimental Tie, Dark or Gray Slacks, or Sport Coat with Tie
Ladies: Cocktail Attire
If you haven’t sent your check in before the December 3rd, please email your name and guest name to Chapter President Greg Horton at sgtpelon@gmail.com so he can have an accurate head count. Please make sure your check arrives on or before the 6th.
QUESTIONS??? Feel free to call or text Greg Horton (909) 762-8597 or send an email to sgtpelon@gmail.com
From the Editor:
Each part of this issue has a relation to MACVSOG (or just SOG), the ultra-secret warriors of the Vietnam War, led by Special Forces and helped by so many other brave men. They operated behind enemy lines in Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam. It was so secret that all the after-action reports were ordered to be destroyed as it was winding down towards the end of the war.
First, recent Medal of Honor recipient, COL (Ret.) Paris Davis, makes the strong argument that SOG should be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for the immense sacrifices they made and the foundational skills they devised, which still serve as the basis of much of what SF does today. The article was shared with us by Military Times. There is also a link to the letters to the editor/comments that they received in response to the article. Those responses are also a worthwhile read. You can also join the petition to award the Gold Medal and listen to SOG podcasts—see the end of the article for links.
That leads right into the story of another amazing MOH recipient, Jon Cavaiani. I reviewed the recently published book A Wolf Remembered, written by SFA Chapter 23’s Dr. Mike Evers with John Siegfried. They delved deeply into Jon’s upbringing, path to SF, combat, POW experience, and continued service to others after leaving the Army. It is a very interesting and informative read, as is Mike’s bi-monthly SFA Chapter 23 The SIT-REP (Click to read the July-August 2022 The SIT-REP)
“Hickory Hill” is a chapter shared with us by Mike Evers from A Wolf Remembered. Our cover photo is from when the Marines occupied Hill 950 before abandoning it as untenable. The radio relay site there, providing communications for SOG’s activities “across the fence”, caused SF to try to upgrade and defend the hill. The NVA had other plans, and Jon’s astounding actions on Hickory Hill led to his Medal of Honor.
In “The Pilot,” SFA member Denis Chericone adds another gripping story from SOG’s FOB3, next to Khe San, not far from Hill 950. He reveals the participants’ deeply felt emotions from the incident.
You will even find SOG veterans peppered throughout our meeting pictures. And you can find a lot more about SOG on our Chapter 78 website www.specialforces78.com, on our YouTube channel @SFAChapter78, and on our X account (previously known as Twitter) @SFA_ch78.
How Miller
Sentinel Editor
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.
[…] Sentinel. The November 2023 issue of the Sentinel is now online. Published by Chapter 78 of the Special Forces Association, this magazine contains articles of interest to the special operations community. This month’s issue contains an excerpt of the book Jon Robert Cavaiani: A Wolf Remembered. Jon was a Special Forces NCO who won the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War. Other articles are on topics such as the Son Tay Raid, honoring members of MACV-SOG, rescuing a downed pilot at Khe Sanh, and more. https://www.specialforces78.com/chapter-78-newsletter-for-november-2023/ […]