United States Special Operations Forces

United States Special Operations Forces
Author: Christopher J. Lamb
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 490
Release: 2019-11-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 0231545223

In this book, two national-security experts put the exploits of America’s special operation forces in historical and strategic context. David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb offer an incisive overview of America’s turbulent experience with special operations. Starting with in-depth interviews with special operators, the authors illustrate the diversity of modern special operations forces and the strategic value of their unique attributes. Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these forces and their contribution to national security are poorly understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future. The book builds toward a comprehensive assessment of the strategic utility of special operations forces, which it then considers in light of the demands of future warfare. This second edition of United States Special Operations Forces, revised throughout to account for lessons learned in the twelve years since its first publication, includes two new case studies, one on High Value Target Teams and another on Village Stability Operations, and two new appendixes charting the evolution of special operation missions and the best literature on all aspects of U.S. special operation forces.

US Special Operations Forces in Action

US Special Operations Forces in Action
Author: Thomas K. Adams
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 398
Release: 1998
Genre: History
ISBN: 0714647950

This work argues for a shift in expectations for "unconventional warfare" with a greater willingness to accept lengthy commitments and incremental progress.

U.S. Special Operations Forces in the Philippines, 2001–2014

U.S. Special Operations Forces in the Philippines, 2001–2014
Author: Linda Robinson
Publisher: Rand Corporation
Total Pages: 185
Release: 2016-04-06
Genre: History
ISBN: 0833092901

This report examines the 14-year experience of U.S. special operations forces in the Philippines from 2001 through 2014 and the activities and effects of special operations capabilities employed to address terrorist threats in Operation Enduring Freedom—Philippines through training and equipping Philippine security forces, providing operational advice and assistance, and conducting civil–military and information operations.

Spec Ops

Spec Ops
Author: William H. McRaven
Publisher: Presidio Press
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2009-02-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 030754723X

Vice Adm. William H. McRaven helped to devise the strategy for how to bring down Osama bin Laden, and commanded the courageous U.S. military unit that carried it out on May 1, 2011, ending one of the greatest manhunts in history. In Spec Ops, a well-organized and deeply researched study, McRaven analyzes eight classic special operations. Six are from WWII: the German commando raid on the Belgian fort Eben Emael (1940); the Italian torpedo attack on the Alexandria harbor (1941); the British commando raid on Nazaire, France (1942); the German glider rescue of Benito Mussolini (1943); the British midget-submarine attack on the Tirpitz (1943); and the U.S. Ranger rescue mission at the Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines (1945). The two post-WWII examples are the U.S. Army raid on the Son Tay POW camp in North Vietnam (1970) and the Israeli rescue of the skyjacked hostages in Entebbe, Uganda (1976). McRaven—who commands a U.S. Navy SEAL team—pinpoints six essential principles of “spec ops” success: simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed and purpose. For each of the case studies, he provides political and military context, a meticulous reconstruction of the mission itself and an analysis of the operation in relation to his six principles. McRaven deems the Son Tay raid “the best modern example of a successful spec op [which] should be considered textbook material for future missions.” His own book is an instructive textbook that will be closely studied by students of the military arts. Maps, photos.

Oppose Any Foe

Oppose Any Foe
Author: Mark Moyar
Publisher: Basic Books
Total Pages: 442
Release: 2017-04-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 0465093019

The epic story of America's most elite warriors: the Special Operations Forces. Born as small appendages to the conventional armies of World War II, the Special Operations Forces have grown into a behemoth of 70,000 troops, including Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Special Operations Marines, Rangers, and Delta Force. Weaving together their triumphs and tribulations, acclaimed historian Mark Moyar introduces a colorful cast of military men, brimming with exceptional talent, courage and selflessness. In a nation where the military is the most popular institution, America's Special Operations Forces have become the most popular members of the military. Through nighttime raids on enemy compounds and combat advising of resistance movements, special operators have etched their names into the nation's registry of heroes. Yet the public knows little of the journey that they took to reach these heights, a journey that was neither easy nor glamorous. Fighting an uphill battle for most of their seventy-five year history, the Special Operations Forces slipped on many an occasion, and fell far on several. Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama have enthusiastically championed Special Operations Forces, but their enthusiasm has often surpassed their understanding, resulting in misuse or overuse of the troops. Lacking clearly defined missions, Special Operations Forces have had to reinvent themselves time and again to prove their value in the face of fierce critics-many of them from the conventional military, which from the start opposed the segregation of talent in special units. Highlighting both the heroism of America's most elite soldiers and the controversies surrounding their meteoric growth, Oppose Any Foe presents the first comprehensive history of these special warriors and their daring missions. It is essential reading for anyone interested in America's military history-and the future of warfare.

America's Special Forces

America's Special Forces
Author: David Bohrer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 132
Release: 1998
Genre: Special forces (Military science)
ISBN: 9781610607018

An action-packed adventure that will take the reader into the bush with all of the U.S. military's Special Forces--SEALs, Green Berets, Army Rangers, Marine Force Recon, and USAF Special Ops. Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Bohret traveled with each team as they trained in remote corners of the globe. Each Special Force has chapters devoted to their history, weapons and special equipment, and training procedures. Full-color action photos illustrate the team members and their weapons, while sidebars detail events and operations. 200 photos, 175 in color.

Deadly Blue

Deadly Blue
Author: Fred PUSHIES
Publisher: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2009-10-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 0814413617

The story of any military operation revolves not just around strategies and equipment, but around people. Now for the first time, readers will get an intimate look at the people behind CAS—Close Air Support. Their work is both delicate and deadly, their actions rooted in months of planning and executed with split-second timing. Acting as a bridge between special ops ground troops and lethal air power, CAS demands a skill set unparalleled even among the most elite military forces. But just as important is the mindset, dedication, and daring of a very special brand of Airman. They include: • Advance teams that create airfields and landing strips—from nothing • The combat controllers that coordinated airstrikes and support during the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora • Special tactics teams who work closely with Joint Special Operations Task Forces Military enthusiasts, history buffs, and readers inspired by stories of exceptional bravery and patriotism will all be drawn to the heroes of Deadly Blue, the Air Force Special Operations Command that orchestrates and executes these critical missions.

Unconventional Warfare

Unconventional Warfare
Author: Susan Lynn Marquis
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1997
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780815754756

" For four decades after World War II, U.S. Special Operations Forces--including Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Air Force special operations aircrews and Special Tactics Group--suffered from mistrust and inadequate funding from the military services. They were nearly eliminated from the active force following the Vietnam War. But in the past fifteen years, special operations forces have risen from the ashes of the failed 1980 rescue of American hostages in Iran to become one of the most frequently deployed elements of the U.S. military. They are now adequately funded, better-equipped, and well-trained. Special operations forces are often the nation's first military response when faced with a crisis in today's uncertain and unstable international security environment. What caused this dramatic turnaround? As this book shows, it was a long way from congressional outrage at TV images of burned bodies of U.S. servicemen in the Iranian desert to the establishment of a special operations force of nearly 45,000 active and reserve personnel. The drama of how this happened sheds light on how public policy is made and implemented. It illustrates the complex interaction between internal forces within the special operations community, as well as between the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government. The implementation of legislation establishing a special operations capability is seen to rebuild and protect these forces to an extent never imagined by the early ""quiet professionals."" While offering insights into how the U.S. government makes policy, Susan Marquis also offers a revealing look at the special operations community, including their storied past, extreme training, and recent operational experience that continues to forge their distinctive organizational mission and culture. She describes the decade-long struggle to rebuild special operations forces, resulting in new SOF organizations with independence that is unique among U.S. military forces, an independence approaching that of a new military service. "