Questions about US Army Special Forces Photos

[Manchu Warrior]

A good friend of mine called me last week to inform me that there was a photo album with a bunch of photos from Vietnam at an auction that he was at. So I made my way to the auction and I purchased the photo album for $7.00. I looked over the the thirty or so colored photos and I told him that I thought that they were actually taken in the ROK and not Vietnam. I even think its possible that I spent a few nights in that old Quonset hut in the back ground when I was in the ROK. That leads me to my first question I was wondering were you all believe the photos were taken?

 

As far as who's album it was, the officers name is Lt. Calvin Lee Snyder. He was in the ROTC program at Virginia Tech and I believe he graduated in 1966. There are about twenty photos of himself and other cadets at the school that I did not show. One of my other questions concerns the black and white photos. There are about twenty or so photos that I believe were taken at the JFK Special Warfare School at Ft. Bragg, or what ever it may have been called in the mid 1960's.

 

I believe the photos were taken at the school because of all the American vehicles in the photos and also the flash on the beret is for the school. You can also see the JFK SSI on the sleeve of the other officer in the photos, who I believe is a Chaplain. Time for another question. Would that flash and patch only be worn at the school?

 

I'm jumping around a bit and I apologize. I have several other questions that concern the colored photos. The only photo that has any information written on the back is the first one of the LT sitting in the bush with his M-16. And all that is written on the back is "DMZ 1971" and I also cannot see his flash. With that said and with what little research I have done I can find no info on what Special Forces units, if any, served in Korea when those photos were taken in 1971. So that leads me to my next question.

 

As I said I could not find any info on a SF unit serving on the DMZ in the ROK. So I got rather excited about the photo with the "High Angle Hell & Strike Force" sign. At first I thought that it was a unit motto that would be rather easy to find. And after a little research I have learned that that is a motto used by mortar platoons. I had even spent a good bit of time around 11C's in my day and I had never heard that before. With all that said. If I can find no SF unit on the DMZ what was Lt. Snyder doing there? No one else is wearing a beret so was he possibly an SF advisor attached to an infantry unit? And if so why would they need an SF advisor on the 38th Parallel as late as 1971? My last question is about the photo with the Korean soldiers. When I was in the ROK I had never seen a work detail made up of only KATUSA's so I assume that they are ROK soldiers, are they? Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[Manchu Warrior]

[Manchu Warrior]

[Manchu Warrior]

[Manchu Warrior]

[Manchu Warrior]

Last pics.

[doyler]

I would say its not Vietnam

[Manchu Warrior]

I forgot this one, what do think are they ROK soldiers or KATUSA's?

[alarmadillo]

A couple of thoughts and/or observations.

First two posts- the pine trees do indeed look like the ones found in the southeast USA. Second post, second photo- can you scan and zoom the vehicle license plates? Left-hand vehicle looks like a '66 Ford Fairlane, and its black (or dark) body with a white top looks like it's a police car or other "official" vehicle.

The third post, second picture, the sign has the 7th Infantry Division, order of the bayonet design in the upper left corner. No expert here, but I believe that the 7th ID was posted on the DMZ to 1971.

Nice pictures; I would have picked these up any day. I love to study old pictures, and good luck in researching them.

Regards, Robbie

[doyler]

I noticed earlier a lot of M65 field jackets and the OG 107 fatiques which were worn widely in Korea,Germany US etc...To me this looks like a colder weather enviorment.(I know M65s were worn in Nam too but this looks like its not SEA)

[Spy vs Spy]

He carries a Randall knife in the 5th picture. Nice looking photos.

 

Best

Martin

[268th C.A.]

They look Korean to me

[Manchu Warrior]

 

A couple of thoughts and/or observations.

First two posts- the pine trees do indeed look like the ones found in the southeast USA. Second post, second photo- can you scan and zoom the vehicle license plates? Left-hand vehicle looks like a '66 Ford Fairlane, and its black (or dark) body with a white top looks like it's a police car or other "official" vehicle.

The third post, second picture, the sign has the 7th Infantry Division, order of the bayonet design in the upper left corner. No expert here, but I believe that the 7th ID was posted on the DMZ to 1971.

Nice pictures; I would have picked these up any day. I love to study old pictures, and good luck in researching them.

Regards, Robbie

 

I cropped the photo and I cannot see the plate clearly but as you can see it has no police markings on the side of the vehicle. You are also correct and that does in fact look like the Order of the Bayonet and I appreciate the information, Thanks!!

 

[Manchu Warrior]

There were hundreds of photos in the album and I found a couple of more that I thought were interesting in with the others. There were a few of the Little Green Beret photos and one photo I found all the way in the back that definitely answers one of my questions. The photo is really creased and wrinkled and it looks as if the LT kept it as a keepsake possibly in his wallet for a very long time and eventually took out and just stuck in the back of the album. Anyways the sign in the photo definitely has Hangul writing on it so it is most definitely in the ROK. I also appreciate all the comments and information. Thanks!

[e19]

There were hundreds of photos in the album and I found a couple of more that I thought were interesting in with the others. There were a few of the Little Green Beret photos and one photo I found all the way in the back that definitely answers one of my questions. The photo is really creased and wrinkled and it looks as if the LT kept it as a keepsake possibly in his wallet for a very long time and eventually took out and just stuck in the back of the album. Anyways the sign in the photo definitely has Hangul writing on it so it is most definitely in the ROK. I also appreciate all the comments and information. Thanks!

dmz sf 19.jpg dmz sf 18.jpg dmz sf 20.jpg

dmz sf 17.jpg

The flash on the little green beret's beret looks like the old SF Reserve Components flash.

 

Based on insignia, I'd say the pics at JFK are from the late 60's.

[Manchu Warrior]

The flash on the little green beret's beret looks like the old SF Reserve Components flash.

 

Based on insignia, I'd say the pics at JFK are from the late 60's.

 

I appreciate the information. Thanks!!

[e19]

I forgot one thing. Korea was part of 1st Group's AO.

[gwb123]

dmz sf 2.jpgdmz sf 7.jpg

 

I have been trying to break down the vehicle markings on the APC. I think the first "2" is for the 2nd division, and the 1/9 is for the 1st Battalion / 9th Infantry Regiment. In theory, the second "2" would be for the 2nd Brigade. But from what I am reading, the 1/9 Infantry was assigned to the 1st Brigade of the 2nd ID.

 

However, both the 2nd ID and the 1/9th Infantry were in Korea during the 1970's.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

[Manchu Warrior]

 

I have been trying to break down the vehicle markings on the APC. I think the first "2" is for the 2nd division, and the 1/9 is for the 1st Battalion / 9th Infantry Regiment. In theory, the second "2" would be for the 2nd Brigade. But from what I am reading, the 1/9 Infantry was assigned to the 1st Brigade of the 2nd ID.

 

However, both the 2nd ID and the 1/9th Infantry were in Korea during the 1970's.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

I was with the 2/9 Manchus when I was in the ROK so it would be cool if it is in fact the 9th Regiment. With that said I went through every photo in the book and I found one more interesting photo that may have some answers. This particular photo was the only black and white one from Korea. I don't have much knowledge about photos but it seems much older than the other photos. Also, with the little bit of research that I have done the 32nd Regiment was in the ROK during the war and I believe it stayed there until the unit was deactivated in 1978. With that said the 32nd doesn't match up with the vehicle markings so I don't know what the connection would be to the other photos. I appreciate all the help and comments. Thanks!

 

[Linedoggie]

dmz sf 1.jpgdmz sf 6.jpg

Nice Randall model 14

[BagmanL6]

Good Morning - I just received my Nov/Dec issue of VFW Magazine. It contains an article and timeline for the "Second Korean War" Ground Combat Nov 2, 1966 - Dec 3, 1969. It lists that in Jun 1967 U.S. Army Special Forces are sent into the mountains of south-central Korea to hunt down infiltrators.

[Manchu Warrior]

Good Morning - I just received my Nov/Dec issue of VFW Magazine. It contains an article and timeline for the "Second Korean War" Ground Combat Nov 2, 1966 - Dec 3, 1969. It lists that in Jun 1967 U.S. Army Special Forces are sent into the mountains of south-central Korea to hunt down infiltrators.

Is there any specifics or is it just part of the timeline? If there is more than a timeline I would really like to read it. Thanks!

[BagmanL6]

Unfortunately there wasn't more detail. That was part of the timeline. There was a complete separate article about the the firefight 2 Nov 66 where the North Koreans ambushed a US patrol and killed 6 soldiers. The article said this was the start of the second Korean War. The timeline runs from this ambush to 3 Dec when North Korea released crewmen from an Aug 17 shootdown which signaled the end of the second war. You should be able to access the mag and article at

 

http://www.vfw.org/news-and-publications/vfw-magazine

[468abnarm]

Great group of photographs. Good Score.

Based on what I am seeing here, I read it this way.

Our young LT. graduated from the SF School in the mid-late 60's. Was not assigned to a Group upon graduation, which explains why he was presented his Beret with the JFK Center flash on it at the graduation ceremonies (first 3 photo's)

Went to Korea where he served with both the 7th I.D. and 2nd I.D. and simply broke out his Beret for the occasional "photo op"..

Again, just one way to look at it.

[Manchu Warrior]

Great group of photographs. Good Score.

Based on what I am seeing here, I read it this way.

Our young LT. graduated from the SF School in the mid-late 60's. Was not assigned to a Group upon graduation, which explains why he was presented his Beret with the JFK Center flash on it at the graduation ceremonies (first 3 photo's)

Went to Korea where he served with both the 7th I.D. and 2nd I.D. and simply broke out his Beret for the occasional "photo op"..

Again, just one way to look at it.

Sounds like a reasonable explanation to me and I appreciate the information. Thanks!