Unconventional Warfare: Rebuilding U.S. Special Operation Forces

"Unconventional Warfare - Rebuilding U.S. Special Operations Forces" is an incredibly well-researched wealth of information on Special Operations origins. The book tells about the buildup of Special Operations Forces during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and their decline following the end of those events. Most of the book relates how following Vietnam, Special Operations was rebuilt with immense military resistance, but with political support. The book describes the effects and aftermath of each event, such as the Iranian Hostage Rescue attempt, Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Somalia, and Haiti, and how it affected the growth of Special Operations. I spent 20 years in Special Operations, from 1978 to 1999, and I learned more about the big picture through this book than through my 20 years as a Special Operations operator. I highly recommend this book, which was published in 1997, and would like to see a similar book that tells the story from Haiti to the present.

Whenever a scholarly researcher attempts indepth treatment of a complex subject, spanning decades of developments, it is critical to get the facts straight. This effort tosses some surprising curve balls with respect to events in World War II. A Scout and Raider team blasted the boom and net across the Sebou in November 1942? Hardly. The facts are covered in a number of excellent sources. Phil Bucklew was in charge of the program? Gracious! Where does this astounding misinformation come from? In Operation Torch, the scout boats stood off the designated landing beaches to mark the location, at night, guided by silhouettes of coastal features. Personnel did not physically lead troops ashore, as the author appears to suggest. Not even British Special Boat operators, who were more experienced in stealth recon, were allowed to go ashore in advance of the landing on the Mediterranean side. Moreover, the mission of the American scout boats was not reconnaissance in that operation. Phil Bucklew was a lowly Navy trainee in the early period; specifically, a boat handler. He had nothing whatsoever to do with establishing the Ft. Pierce ATB program. Again, the facts concerning his remarkable, and controversial, military career are not difficult to access. Thus, it is hard to fathom how the author missed them. This may seem a small thing to writers concerned mainly with the history of more recent developments in special warfare. To the cadre dedicated to delivering the truth about events in World War II, a fascinating time of programmatic struggle in special operations, it's discouraging to see an otherwise commendable researcher get it so wrong. Jim O'Dell

I was involved in the Iran hostage rescue attempt in 1980 and retired in 1982. I attended a reunion at Fort Bragg some years later and was shocked to see the growth in size and prestige of the SOF community. One of my former mates had just been promoted to 4-star and appointed CINCUSSOCOM. Until I read this book I didn't understand how we got from Desert One to having our own CINC. This is a great effort by Ms. Marquis, meticulously researched and footnoted. Anyone interested in the evolution and the future of Special Operations Forces must read this book! Hats off to the author!

Unconventional Warfare skips the heavy-handed agenda of many books on special ops. Covers all American special operations forces including Special Forces, SEALs, and Air Force spec ops. Good history of U.S. special operations forces plus an explanation of how this critical military capability was nearly lost after Vietnam and then rebuilt because of the heroics of true believers. A surprising page turner given the thoroughness of the research. Great work!

Susan Marquis does the special ops community a service by bringing us this account of its rebirth after the failed hostage rescue mission in 1980. Though some of the book seems burdened with detail and lacks the action-packed dialogue of most special operations literature, "Unconventional Warfare" brings to light the budget battles and turf wars that have always been the curse of U.S. special operations. Whether the conventional services like it or not, special operations will play a vital role in the future of U.S. foreign policy and war-fighting. If we are to avoid the mistakes of the past, we would do well to read "Unconventional Warfare" and heed the lessons it contains. John Lance, AFSOC pilot