About the Author

Major John L. Plaster is a national authority on sniping, firearms, and special operations, as well as the author of Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines With the Elite Warriors of SOG and SOG: The Secret Wars of America’s Commandos in Vietnam. He served three tours in the top-secret unconventional warfare group, Studies and Observations Group, in Vietnam. As a long-range reconnaissance leader, he led tiny intelligence-gathering teams behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia before leaving SOG in late 1971. He was decorated for heroism four times and retired from the U.S. Army as a major.

Reviews

Praise for SOG

“Exciting [and] hair-raising...a detailed history of this little-known aspect of the Vietnam War.”—The New York Times

“Superb and compelling.”—Gen. William C. Westmoreland, U.S. Army (ret.)

“A magnificent book of enormous power and a milestone in the literature of special operations.”—Col. Robert Howard, Medal of Honor winner, the Vietnam War’s most highly decorated soldier

“Authoritative and insightful…a true insider’s account.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“Indispensable.”—Booklist
 
“Engrossing and thoroughly exciting.”—Library Journal

For all the negative imagery attached to Americans who served in Vietnam, an unbiased and sober review of the historical accounts reveals an astonishing record of valor and sacrifice. Largely unknown outside of military circles, the Studies and Observation Group (SOG) was a U.S. Special Forces detachment formed to penetrate the Ho Chi Minh Trail and to rescue downed airmen. Plaster (Ultimate Sniper, Paladin, 1993), a veteran of three tours of duty with SOG, has written the most complete account of the missions to date. Together with their Montagnard and Nung allies, these small-raiding, observation, and rescue parties were inserted within enemy strongholds on uniformly perilous missions. Always outnumbered, SOG volunteers suffered catastrophic casualty rates. They also earned ten Congressional Medals of Honor. Written as a tribute to the memory of fallen comrades, Plaster's narrative is an engrossing and thoroughly exciting account of this unknown aspect of the Vietnam War. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries.‘John R. Vallely, Siena Coll. Lib., Loudonville, N.Y.

Praise for SOG

"Exciting [and] hair-raising...a detailed history of this little-known aspect of the Vietnam War."-The New York Times

"Superb and compelling."-Gen. William C. Westmoreland, U.S. Army (ret.)

"A magnificent book of enormous power and a milestone in the literature of special operations."-Col. Robert Howard, Medal of Honor winner, the Vietnam War's most highly decorated soldier

"Authoritative and insightful...a true insider's account."-Publishers Weekly

"Indispensable."-Booklist

"Engrossing and thoroughly exciting."-Library Journal