Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG

by John L. Plaster

Major John L. Plaster recalls his remarkable covert activities as a member of a special operations team during the Vietnam War in a “comprehensive, informative, and often exciting…account of an important part of the overall Vietnam tragedy” (The New York Times).Before there were Navy SEALs, there was SOG. Short for “Studies and Operations Group,” it was a secret operations force in Vietnam, the most highly decorated unit in the war. Although their chief mission was disrupting the main North Vietnamese supply route into South Vietnam, SOG commandos also rescued downed helicopter pilots and fellow soldiers, and infiltrated deep into Laos and Cambodia to identify bombing targets, conduct ambushes, mine roads, and capture North Vietnamese soldiers for intelligence purposes. Always outnumbered, they matched wits in the most dangerous environments with an unrelenting foe that hunted them with trackers and dogs. Ten entire teams disappeared and another fourteen were annihilated. This is the dramatic, page-turning true story of that team’s dedication, sacrifice, and constant fight for survival. In the “gripping” (Publishers Weekly) Secret Commandos, John Plaster vividly describes these unique warriors who gave everything fighting for their country—and for each other.

Genres: Military Fiction, History, Military History, Nonfiction, War, Biography, Memoir

433 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2004

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun read, this is a Viet Nam Warrior's Memoir. All the ingredients are there, the technical tic toc, the camaraderie the loose understanding of the Strategic concerns. But its a really good way to get an understanding of SOG, the Studies and Operations group that was responsible for gathering live intelligence along the Ho Chi Minh Trail from 1969-1972, the last days of the war, when it was militarily pretty even, but politically going against the US/ARVN force. I enjoy comparing the material support the Americans demand- comparing it to the spare British and French efforts in the same time period. People who have enjoyed a diet of SAS will love to see the American approach. I think all level of reader will understand and enjoy this book.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a distant cousin, Capt Raymond C Stacks, who was MACV-SOG with the 5th Special Forces group from FOB-1 who has been designated as KIA. His chopper went down in Laos on 30 Nov 1968.

All the events in this book took place after that event. I read this to get a better understanding of what the Green Berets did during the Vietnam War. I came away knowing that Ray was highly intelligent, extremely brave, and a hero.

I highly recommend this book.

[Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read on a now declassified section of Vietnam history. Plaster helps peel the onion of truth surrounding what actually happened in Vietnam (or Cambodia/Laos/etc).

[Dereck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read on SOG and I'm happy that I chose one written by an actual SF soldier and not an Ivy League historian or a pitiful ghost writer. A typical story like this is told, if at all, by the daydreaming Ishmael type of post-wreck survivor, yet here we have the harpooner telling the tale with thoughtful and photographic intellect, something of an oddity in a world captained by all manner of maniacs. The book I think is not just a history of SOG but a book for the legacy of SOG and the family and friends of SOG who survive them. It begins with the gruelling training of fresh infantry recruits and the covert manner with which they become Special Forces and quickly moves on to describe in intimate detail many secret MACVSOG missions into Cambodia and Laos from 1969 to 1971.

For me the book is not only an interesting window into SOG and U.S. Army operations but also foreshadows and illuminates many heroic actions, irritations, and shortcomings of later military engagements, such that I witnessed during my time as a clueless U.S. Army Reserve SGT in Iraq from 2004-2005 as a REMF in a freshly-occupied Iraqi Army-Air base where there really was no rear echelon beyond Baghdad International Airport and where fuel-hauling truck drivers were bouncing around at night Road-Warrior-like between camps only to be underestimated and unappreciated during the day. We were not anywhere near the level of giants, as these SOG commandos truly were, or even SF, or Marines, or even infantry soldiers, but the same threads are there and unfortunately so is the war, and the weird food, and the sometimes arrogant incompetence from the officer class (which is a system I believe needs to change IMHO). I came out of this book with a deep appreciation for the harpooners of the Vietnam era, as well as a deeper understanding of my own experiences and probably a shared irritation with a world that is far from simple or "black & white", that is best served by trudging on through the mire with an intelligent, open mind, and eyes, and by sticking your tongue in its ear.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb history on one of the most effective forces we had fighting the war in Vietnam. As someone who has always respected the accomplishments of the Green Berets, this chapter has unfortunately been neglected in their history because of the clandestine nature of the war they fought. The S.O.G. (studies and observation group) mission was to conduct missions vastly out numbered behind enemy lines in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The various small units were inserted by helicopter and monitored enemy movements and called in airstrikes, including B-52's to cause maximum mayhem and push the shit in of the North Vietnamese Army. Alas, the S.O.G. warriors were so effective the N.V.A. dedicated massive resources to watch landing zones, send out trackers (including dogs) and literally thousands of troops to locate and kill any S.O.G. warriors in their territory. Despite capturing dozens of S.O.G. heroes not a single soldier ever returned home. They were all captured, tortured, and subsequently killed. In fact the S.O.G. missions were so impressive the highest decorated soldier in United Stares history came from these missions; Robert Howard, a true American bad ass that virtually no one has ever heard of. Read this book if you want to understand true sacrifice and dedication.

[Dan Chesney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing account of the Green berets, and their indigenous allies, who fought the enemy outside of South Vietnam's borders. They fought under incredible odds against the numerically superior NVA in the jungles of Cambodia and Laos. Even sometimes in North Vietnam.The United States government would claim they had no knowledge of them if a soldier of SOG were killed or captured. "Deniability" dictated these soldiers wear no name or rank insignia, no designation, markers or uniforms or even weapons that would tie them to the American government. But on the other hand, they were well aware that as prisoners of war, they were not protected by the Geneva convention. The stakes were high and many in SOG recon were unfortunately killed or went missing. Their casualties were ridiculously more than other allied units in Vietnam but they took a horrific toll on the communists. The author shares stories he heard from comrades in SOG and also describes his own unbelievable missions. He does a great job of painting the scene and making you feel like you're right there in the action. I probably recommend this book more than any other in one of my favorite subjects, the Vietnam War.

[jim bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

SF Beats being a Grunt Infantryman!

The author must have ( illegally) kept a diary of events, and glad that he did as he gives a lot of insights into long range patrolling. It gets tedious though, and he tries to break it up with Cliches. Would have liked to have heard about small stuff such as smoking, BM’s , Etc. in the boonies. Being in SOG meant always having air assets/arty. at ones disposal, and special perks in the rear areas. Got tedious in the end though.

[Kevin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read over a dozen of the SOG books by now, and Plaster's books are always so detailed and well documented. I was sad when i finally got to the end This is the third one of his books I've read, and the best imo, because it details his experience in SOG for 3 years. One of his others details every single aspect of sog from '64-'72. It is excellent as well.

[Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buy, Borrow or Burn: Borrow.

Exhilarating account of the special force operations in the jungles of Vietnam. I was astounded to learn of the complete isolation that small teams were dropped into and the struggle to survive and complete objectives.

One Word: Exhilarating.

[Andrew Nagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites

Great book. Well written. He covers his missions and also the missions of others. So interesting. The book keeps moving. Finishing the book I feel honored to have read it. The men of SOG and the pilots and their crews who supported them are truly heroes.

[Cole Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It was really hard to put down. Lots of good personal stories. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in knowing more about the Vietnam war or a forgotten part of American history.

[David L. Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best yet.

One, if not the best book ever written about recon teams in Vietnam. These guys were true heroes, all of them.

[Sean Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping book that is non stop action. Also an excellent history / lesson in small unit tactics

[Brian Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hero's

Well written, great story, great pictures! To all SOG members, thank you for your service and sacrifice. God Bless you All!

[ED Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book about SOG unit in Vietnam...lots of true secret actions by a soldier that live through it all...Airborne All The Way!

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Peter Colt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plaster's riveting memoir about his combat tours in the elite MACV-SOG.

[Rafeeq O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

John L. Plaster's 2004 Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG is a gripping 5-star account of formerly highly secret Special Forces action deep in enemy-controlled Vietnam and even Laos and Cambodia. Plaster takes us from the grueling Stateside training to the still-steep learning curve in the hinterlands of the 'Nam, to the escapades of anything-goes Saigon and the perilous small-team missions in the field--some across the border, with only "sanitized" non-U.S. weapons carried and all IDs left locked back in the base's safe--as friend after friend is killed in a war America is already beginning to abandon. The men believe in their mission, truly believe, even as Plaster points out the slipperiness and corruption endemic in the South Vietnamese government, for the Communists were no angels. Some of the Green Beret missions are almost literally incredible. But they are true, for Plaster was there.

Plaster has many firsthand stories to tell, whether harrowing or chuckle-worthy, but he also relates many incidents recounted to him by other fellow soldiers of the innocuously named Studies and Observations Group, thus giving a much more well rounded view than any single person's memoir ever could. Aside from the bravery and determination, one thing that really struck me was the sense of loss felt by these warriors as U.S. commitment waned and it became clear that the final withdrawal was coming. In 1970 one of Plaster's buddies, "who quoted Davy Crockett and lived selflessly and fought bravely, at last confront[ed] what was ailing him. 'Back in '64 I told the [Montagnards], "We ain't the French. America doesn't run off and leave people."' Lowell shook his head. 'I promised 'em. I promised the Yards,' he sobbed. 'My God, don't they know, I promised the Yards'" (2018 Simon & Schuster paperback, page 336).

Secret Commandos is by turns funny and sad and thrilling. Illustrated with 16 pages of black-and-white photos, most taken in the field by the author and his comrades, the book also concludes with an Afterword sketching the disposition of 39 of Plaster's teammates 30-odd years later, and it contains a very serviceable index as well.

[James Varney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wild, mind blowing, outstanding book. I'm thinking about it all the time - this and Plaster's other book, "SOG." It's simply hard to believe what these guys did. If you're wondering what Rambo did, or how he became Rambo, these books will tell you. It's a genuine miracle Plaster is alive today to write these books. How any of these Green Beret recon guys made it out alive after repeated missions in Laos and Cambodia is remarkable. This book is something of a biography, and the first part, where Plaster earns his Green Beret can be skimmed. Once he gets to Vietnam, however, it becomes unforgettable. There's no way, none, I can envision myself doing these things, and God knows I've no desire to. But I *do* admire what they did, I am astonished at how they did it and how good they were at surviving. One can argue endlessly about how effective SOG was in the end, or about America's experience in Vietnam more broadly, and certainly the latter is a never ending conversation in our lifetimes anyway. But for sheer excitement and outrageous exploits, "Secret Commandos" is hard to beat. For readers who like war stories or military history, Plaster's 2 book are highly, highly recommended.

[Hans Halberstadt · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Plaster is one of those rare soldier-writers who has helped preserve the history of a small group of guys who did the work of heroes and giants in an entertaining and eloquent way. They did it in secret at the time and as a result their stories have not been often told. I first met some of these guys in 1962 and they impressed me immediately as special soldiers in all sorts of ways. A quarter of a century later I met some of them again while working on books of my own. The proper name of the community we commonly call "Green Berets" is the US Army Special Forces. Plaster's book about SOG explains why they were and are special and it describes a time when a very few men did very large and courageous deeds. As one old-time SF sergeant once told me of the SOG era, "It was a time when giants roamed the earth." He was talking about John Plaster and the men whose lives and deaths are described in this book.

I like anything John Plaster writes and commend his work to your attention.

[Tayvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A must read if you are a big Vietnamn war guy. If not there are many other books on SOG and other special operators and they are much better. John writes a decent enough book but I found that while he had a good story to tell he failed at telling the story. He should have made this a personal book about himself so we could feel like we were down in the jungle with him but instead it was a mash up of every important mission and unimportant mission he could tell so that we got a feel for everyone. This led to too many names being told and to many things to remember so that it all passes away without to much of an impact.

Don't get me wrong its not a bad book but SOG deserves the best because they were the best.

[Andy Herzfeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Plaster is a bad ass. This is old school bad ass before all the elite training units were formed. in Vietnam it was the SOG Studies and Observation group sounds innocent. This was teams of Elite Warriors paired with native tribesmen who were the point of the spear for the U.S. Military in Vietnam. All of their operations were deep behind enemy lines. Stealth, on call air support, some artillery support but usually too far forward for that and heavily armed extraction teams was their lifeline. My favorite book on Vietnam told by the man who was in the thick of it.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book documenting some of the bravest men of the Vietnam war. Tough to read due to the authors style. Could have been a lot easier to read with more chapters or breaks. The current format of paragraph after paragraph made it difficult for me.

[Scott Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing first hand account of covert warfare in South East Asia. One of the best and most informative narratives of combat from this period that I have read. Really enjoyed this, masterfully written and very candid, couldn't put it down.

[Vikko Villak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me captivated from the beginning to the end, riveting read and fascinating stories combined with side stories from other teams, in overall building a good glimpse into that unspoken world.

[Steven]

Good read.

[Amanda Gleason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply: wow!

[herny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

A great book about special forces in Vietnam an eye opening picture to what these troops did on a daily basis

[Andrew Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible Hostory of Secret Warfare. WOW!!!

[Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok