Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group
| Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) | |
|---|---|
Never assigned an official crest or patch, SOG personnel accepted this unofficial self-designed insignia
|
|
| Active | 24 January 1964 – 1 May 1972 |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Joint unconventional warfare task force |
| Role | Strategic reconnaissance, covert action, psychological warfare |
| Size | Brigade + |
| Garrison/HQ |
Saigon (HQ)
|
| Nickname(s) | SOG, MACSOG |
| Mascot(s) | "Old Blue" |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation |
Saigon (HQ)
Detachments:
Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a highly classified, multi-service United States special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War.
Established on 24 January 1964, the unit conducted strategic reconnaissance missions in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), Laos, and Cambodia; carried out the capture of enemy prisoners, rescued downed pilots, and conducted rescue operations to retrieve prisoners of war throughout Southeast Asia; and conducted clandestine agent team activities and psychological operations.
The unit participated in most of the significant campaigns of the Vietnam War, including the Gulf of Tonkin incident which precipitated increased American involvement, Operation Steel Tiger, Operation Tiger Hound, the Tet Offensive, Operation Commando Hunt, the Cambodian Campaign, Operation Lam Son 719, and the Easter Offensive. The unit was formally disbanded and replaced by the Strategic Technical Directorate Assistance Team 158 on 1 May 1972.
The Studies and Observations Group (aka SOG, MACSOG, and MACV-SOG) was a joint unconventional warfare task force created on 24 January 1964 by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a subsidiary command of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV). The unit would eventually consist primarily of personnel from the United States Army Special Forces, the United States Navy SEALs, the United States Air Force, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and elements of the United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance units.
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