7th Special Forces Group (United States)
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7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) | |
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Special operations force | |
Role | Primary tasks:
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Part of | War on Terror
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Commanders | |
Current commander | COL Pat Nelson |
Insignia | |
Former 7th SFG(A) recognition bar, worn by non-special operations qualified soldiers—in lieu of a beret flash—from the 1960s to 1984[5] | |
1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) shoulder sleeve insignia, worn by all 1st SFC(A) units |
U.S. Special Forces Groups | ||||
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The 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (7th SFG) (A) is an operational
History
World War II
The 7th SFG(A) traces its lineage to the 1st Company, 1st Regiment,
77th Special Forces Group
The 77th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was activated at Fort Bragg, NC on 10 November 1953 under command of Lieutenant Colonel Jack T. Shannon. Its motto was "Any Thing, Any Time, Any Place, Any How." The group built rapidly from an initial strength of only 200 soldiers. The 77th Group wore their famous Green Beret headgear for the first time in a retirement parade for
Reorganization as 7th Group
In 1960, the 77th was reorganized and redesignated as the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. In the 1960s, the need for mobile training teams exceeded the capability of the US military, so the 7th Group provided the cadre for the 3rd Special Forces Group and the 6th Special Forces Group.
Vietnam
The 7th Group was active early in the
Latin America
Beginning of operations in Latin America
At the same time, Special Forces were expanding into
Special Forces Activities in El Salvador
Throughout the 1980s, 7th Special Forces Group played a critical advisory role for the
Special Forces Activities in Honduras
The 7th Special Forces Group played an important role in preparing the Honduran military to resist and defeat an invasion from Nicaragua.[citation needed] 7th Group also trained the Honduran military in counter-insurgency tactics, which enabled Honduras to defeat the Honduran communist-backed guerrillas.[citation needed]
Counter-Narcotics Operations
7th Special Forces Group also became involved in counter narcotics operations in the Andean Ridge countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The goal was not just to stop the flow of drugs into the United States, but to stem the violence that resulted from the drug trade in those countries.[citation needed]
Beginning of Operations against Manuel Noriega
During the 3 October 1989 coup against
Raid to destroy Radio Nacional equipment
The 7th SGF was stationed in Hangar 450, at Albrook Air Force Station.[citation needed] The Panamanian radio station called Radio Nacional broadcast recordings of pro-Noriega propaganda to encourage the Panamanian population to continue fighting as an insurgency against the Americans. As the 7th SFG high command wanted the propaganda broadcasts to be disabled, a force of 7th SFG operators was sent in to disable the broadcasts. They would be going in with little intelligence. A team of operators flew in on helicopter transports to the radio station and fast-roped onto the roof of the seventeen-floor building, while a ground team attacked from below. The Americans had speed and surprise on their side. They blew the radio antenna off the roof with explosives, then assaulted the radio stations offices. There was no staff present and the broadcast source was an automated recording. The operators destroyed the radio equipment with rifle rounds and explosives, causing the automated radio transmissions, which were on the AM band, to cease. The operators then began to exfiltrate, but at one point, they were confronted by an armed civilian security guard, aiming his weapon at them. Not wishing to kill him, they shot him in the shoulder, then treated the injury and turned him over to Panamanian firefighters responding to the fire. The force then safely returned to hangar 450.[9][citation needed]
Successful Destruction of pro-Noreiga broadcasts
After the American Special Forces operatives came back to Hangar 450. They deployed again to destroy the FM broadcasts of pro-Noreiga propaganda. The American commandos placed demolition charges which finally and successfully destroyed the remote FM antenna. After successfully destroying the antenna, the broadcasts were finally off the air.[10]
Final Stability Operations
When combat operations ceased, Operational Detachments-A and -B fanned out over the entire country, living in villages with the people. 7th Group soldiers restored public utilities such as water and power while maintaining a watch on the (then) new Panamanian Police Force. Non-commissioned officers served as temporary judges and mayors gaining enormous support from the populace.
Global War on Terrorism
Since early 2002, the 7th SFG has deployed almost nonstop in support of
Relocation
In 2011, 7th SFG(A) relocated from
Subordinate units
Gallery
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160th SOARdeploys an ODA from 7th SFG(A) on board a U.S. submarine
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Lieutenant R. Gutierrez from A Co, 1st Bn, 7th SFG(A) gives an Afghan boy a coloring book in Kandahar Province during a meeting with local leaders, September 2008
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Honduran Tigers during a shooting drill at an Eglin Air Force Base range
Notable soldiers
- Brigadier general Donald Blackburn, early commander of the 7th SFG
- Master Sergeant Tim Kennedy, MMA fighter and former 7th SFG soldier
- Sergeant Major Brendan O'Connor, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during Operation Kaika while serving with the 7th SFG.
- Staff Sergeant Ballad of the Green Berets.
- Colonel Arthur D. Simons, early officer of the 7th SFG, 1958
- Major MACV-SOGmission in Vietnam
References
- ^ a b Stanton, Doug (24 June 2009). "The Quiet Professionals: The Untold Story of U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan". Huffington Post.
- ^ "Most Popular E-mail Newsletter". USA Today. 9 November 2011.
- ^ "Red Empire welcomes familiar face to take command". US Army. 19 June 2017.
- ^ "7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) changes command". NWF Daily News. 18 July 2019.
- ISBN 9781782004462, last accessed 29 March 2019
- ^ Army Special Operations Forces Fact Book 2018 Archived 19 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, USASOC official website, dated 2018, last accessed 28 July 2019
- ^ "7th SFG". 7th Special Forces Group webpage. Archived from the original on 28 March 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
- ^ "7th SFG". 7th SFG at Global Security. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
- ^ "ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE - The 617th SOAD and 3rd Battalion, 7th SFG in Panama, 1989–1990". arsof-history.org. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- OCLC 57312001. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "7th SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (AIRBORNE) BRAC INFORMATION BRIEFING" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2011.