In this issue:
From the Archive:
11/13/1969 — SSGT Ron Ray and SFC Randy Suber MIA: Decades Later a Chance Meeting Leads to Answers for Family
John Stryker Meyer wrote in the November 2019 Sentinel about the loss of SSGT Ron Ray and SFC Randy Suber in Laos. He also wrote about the Suber family’s experience coping with their loss and the chance meeting that helped to fill in many of the blanks.
From the Archive:
16 SF KIA FOB 4/CCN August 23, 1968
Originally published in the August 2021 Sentinel, John Stryker Meyer recalls the NVA as formidable enemies of MACV-SOG. Through planning, intelligence, sympathizers, and recklessness, the NVA attacked the super-secret CCN base, with devastating results. Meyer gives a frank account of the many things that went wrong at FOB4. August 23, 1968, has been known as one of the worst days in Special Forces history. Sixteen men were killed during the attack, the most SF men killed in a single battle, a that still stands to this day.
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print edition (pdf)
ON THE COVER: A U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) qualifies at a stress shoot range at Ft. Carson, Colorado, Mar. 3, 2016. The stress shoot was designed to test soldiers for actions seen in combat operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Connor Mendez)
From the Editor:
Colors of War & Peace by Dan Thompson was a series of eight separate tales, including some from SOG. Edgar Tiffany read that book and was so impressed with the richness of Dan’s book “Colors” that he wrote a book explaining the not so obvious levels of Dan’s writing, called Hues of Green. There is a part of these two books that our Gold Star Member, Jim Suber, found especially personal — the mission on which his brother was lost. Jim enthusiastically encourages us to read either, or both, of these books.
Longtime chapter member and recent Vice President, Dennis DeRosia, left our environs for Florida. But he has not abandoned us. He represented Chapter 78 at SFACON 2023. He shares pictures and his personal perspective on the convention and all the fun he had, including at the Indy 500 runup.
Sentinel friend and the driving force behind his nearly daily SOF.NEWS, John Friberg, also went to the convention. He shares with us his quite comprehensive coverage of SFACON 2023. The presentations were also videotaped, and we will make a link to them available on the Chapter 78 website when they become available. A playlist of the videos will also be add to our YouTube channel.
John Nesbitt continues his riveting story in Part 2. This was submitted due to our request from our readers to share their own stories. In his own raw style. He shares what his action-packed experience was like — good and bad. His tale continues past his active-duty experiences to dealing with the aftermath. As with all retellings of experiences more than fifty years ago, what we remember is what we have to rely on.
Mike Talleda, our May Chapter meeting speaker, was interviewed by Ron Sokol for a local publication called “South Bay Cities.” We are reprinting it here with permission. It is a short description of some of Mike’s many efforts to help others, especially through the 501(c)(3) Wounded Heroes of America, which he co-founded after 9/11/2001. Included is their website address, where you can donate to help this very worthy effort.
As usual, we conclude with photos from our June chapter meeting.
Enjoy!
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.
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