Detachment 1, 314th Troop Carrier Wing (PACAF)

Dick Sell is 100% correct on the 314th TCW. They transported our teams/personnel all around SEA. I was very aware of their presence because they ALWAYS brought the teams from C&Cs to MLT 3, NKP. PLUS, when I had to RON in Nha Trang, I always found a place to stay with the 314th. Great bunch!

The MACVSOG web site (www.macvsog.cc) is great. You're doing a great job. BUT, I was disappointed that our C-130 bunch didn't make the list of air assets. We totally supported SOG from September 1966 unitl 1972 when SOG was discontinued.

Our unit was originally Detachment 1, 314th Troop Carrier Wing (PACAF), which was a non eye-catching name to deflect attention. The unit went through many name changes.....
15th Air Commando Squadron, 15th Special Operations Squadron, 90th Special Operations Squadron, and finally the 1st Special Operations Squadron, which is still on duty at Kadena AB, supporting Special Operations in the PacificTheater, flying the MC-130H Combat Talon II. During the VN War, our main base of operations was originally Nha Trang AB, RVN.

If you rode in a C-130 in Vietnam for SOG, you rode in one of our "Blackbirds" with the Fulton Recovery System installed. Besides basic transportation of troops and cargo (we brought your bullets and C-rations), we dropped SOG propaganda leaflets; inserted SOG teams behind enemy lines; resupplied SOG teams in North Vietnam and elsewhere; and provided recovery/rescue capabilities for the JPRC, which also had SOG connections.

Col. (Ret.) Lee Hess and Col. (Ret) TJ Doherty have a great website which tells about our USAF C-130 contributions in the Pacific Theater. It is "www.straygoose.org".

Our Straygoose annual reunion is next weekend Oct. 7-9 at Hurlburt Field, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. Note that it is held in conjunction with the annual Air Commando Association reunion. M/Gen. (ret.) John Singlaub, former C/O of SOG, is the featured speaker at the ACA reunion on Saturday night 8 October 2005. Any SOG or Special Operations troops are invited to attend our Straygoose reunion as my guest.

Another note of interest... I have convinced the Army Awards Board that Det.1, 314th TCW was inadvertently omitted from the MACVSOG Presidential Unit Citation. It is still pending awaiting the Air Force's approval.

Respectfully,

Richard (Dick) Sell
24404-137th Ave SE
Kent, WA 98042
former Captain USAF, pilot, crew SG-5, Nha Trang 1966-67
SOA # 1588-GL