# Honorary Green Beret's Awarded over the years.



## Trip_Wire (Sep 17, 2009)

The following is a list of individuals recognized as receiving a Honorary Green Beret over the years. [provided by Roxanne Merritt, USAJFKSWCS]

1960's
Martha COL Maggie Raye. (27 August 1916  19 October 1994) Singer and actress. Visited troops during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Frocked as a Colonel in the US Armed Forces by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, she also received the green beret the same year. Self-taught as a nurse, she was awarded the DSM by GEN Westmoreland for her work in MASH unit.

Chris Noel. Singer and actress who toured Vietnam on multiple occasions. Later married a 5th SFG(A) soldier whom she met in RVN. She currently runs Vetsville Cease Fire House, a shelter for homeless vets in Florida.

"Snoopy. Cartoon character created by Charles Schultz. The lovable beagle was made an honorary green beret during the 1960s by 5th SFG(A) in the Republic of Vietnam. Snoopys likeness wearing a green beret was seen on everything from license plates to Zippo lighters with the words Happiness Is A Green Beret or performing an obscene gesture with his middle finger with the words F*** Communism! Snoopy was also the beagle which traveled with Martha Raye when she visited Vietnam.

(I love it! Snoopy! Who knew!)

Robert William Andrew "Bob" Feller (born November 3, 1918 in Van Meter, Iowa), nicknamed the "Heater from Van Meter" and "Rapid Robert", is an American former (Cleveland Indians) Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, making him the earliest living inductee. Honorary Green Beret given by 5th SFG(A) in Vietnam

Lera Millard Thomas (August 3, 1900July 23, 1993) was the wife of Congressman Albert Thomas and briefly succeeded her husband as the Representative in Congress representing the Eighth District of Texas from 1966 to 1967. After serving the remainder of her husband's term, Thomas left Congress on January 3, 1967. After her term in Congress, Mrs. Thomas served as special liaison for the Houston Chronicle to members of the armed services in Vietnam. Honorary Green Beret given by 5th SFG(A) in Vietnam

1968
John Wayne. Given to him in 1968 after release of The Green Berets.
1970

James Garner (born April 7, 1928) is an American film and television actor. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades. These included his roles as Bret Maverick, in the popular 1950s western-comedy series, Maverick; Jim Rockford, in the popular 1970s detective drama, The Rockford Files; and the father of Katey Sagal's character on 8 Simple Rules following the death of John Ritter. He has starred in dozens of movies, including The Great Escape (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Chayefsky's The Americanization of Emily (1964) and Blake Edwards' Victor Victoria (1982), both with Julie Andrews; and Murphy's Romance (1985) with Sally Field, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. Honorary Green Beret given by 46th SF Co.(A) in Thailand after going through a propblast.

1974
Conrad Ben Baker. Given by BG Michael D. Healy 13 FEB 1971. Mr. Baker was a DA Civilian working for the Counterinsurgency Support Office (CISO), working in the Republic of Vietnam off and on for over 8 years, He worked primarily as a liaison between the CIA and the Studies and Observation Group (SOG), being credited for designing the field rations, rucksack and SOG knife. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for civilians on 17 DEC 1974.

1977
LTC Rolande "Frenchy" Colas de la Nouye Amundson. Worked with French Army behind enemy lines in WWII until captured by Germans. Later served as an interpretator with Eisenhower. She married and moved to Vietnam. When her husband died, she returned to France working for the American Embassy in Paris. She met LTC Amundson there and they married. She became an American citizen in 1958. She met and was given the honorary green beret by 12th SFG(A) at a banquet in 1977. Also in attendance was the Governor of California who inducted her into the California State National Guard, receiving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

(I met and knew 'Frenchy' she was a great women!)

1983
Sylvester Stallone. Awarded by SFA Headquarters after he played John Rambo in movie First Blood in 1983.

1985
Willie and Joe. Cartoon characters created by Bill Mauldin in World War II. Beret presented to them by SFA in 1985 after Bill Mauldin penned a pen and ink drawing of Willie wearing a beret.

1999
Larry Ludtke. Texas sculptor who Perot commissioned to do the MAJ Richard Dick Meadows statue in USASOC Headquarters and COL Arthur D. Bull Simons statue in the JFK Special Warfare Memorial Plaza. Honorary green beret presented to him in 1999 at the dedication of Bull Simons statue. Larry Ludtke passed away in 2007.

1999
Wayne Newton. Presented to him in 1999 by USAJFKSWCS and SF Command at the SF Expo and Ball.

2002
Bo Derek. Actress and supporter of USO. Presented in 2002 by SF Command at 50th Anniversary of SF banquet in 2002.

2003
Alan Kooi Simpson (born September 2, 1931, in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.) is a Republican politician who served from 1979 to 1997 as a United States senator from Wyoming. His father, Milward L. Simpson, was also a member of the U.S. Senate from Wyoming (19621967) and a former governor of Wyoming (19551959) as well. Honorary Green Beret conferred on him by SFA Chapter in Cody, Wyoming in 2003.

2007
Dr. Michael Kussman, Under Secretary of the Veterans Health Administration

Kenneth Fisher. Kenneth Fisher has been a senior partner in Fisher Brothers, a New York City commercial real estate firm, since April 2003, and was a partner of Fisher Brothers from 1991 to April 2003. Mr. Fisher has been the chairman and chief executive officer of Fisher House Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that constructs homes for families of hospitalized military personnel and veterans, since May 2003, and served as vice chairman of Fisher House Foundation from May 2001 to May 2003.

2008
George W. Bush. 43rd President of the United States (2001  2009)


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## JJOIFVET (Sep 17, 2009)

Awesome. That is a great post. A couple of people I didn't actually know about.


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## car (Sep 17, 2009)

My local chapter of the 82nd Assoc in Monterey (also the Central CA All-Airborne chapter) has a "Maggies Drop-In" event every year. Maggie used to come until her health wouldn't allow it anymore.

Last time I was in the SF Museum at Bragg, they had a replica of the room that Maggie had built in her house in LA. Any SF Soldier passing through was welcome at her house.

She's buried at Ft. Bragg. Carried to her grave by SF Soldiers.


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## EATIII (Sep 17, 2009)

Snoopy:cool: 

That is outstanding !


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## Gypsy (Sep 17, 2009)

Great post, thanks!  I've read a lot of stories over the years about COL Maggie, she was quite a woman.


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## Ravage (Sep 17, 2009)

Snoopy and 'Sly' Stalone! I would have never guessed 'Sly' was honored also.


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## LongTabSigO (Sep 18, 2009)

I thought Ross Perot also got one at the 1999 SF Conference. I know he was there that night.


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## The91Bravo (Sep 19, 2009)

I thought Robin Moore had an honorary Green Beret,  or, (tell me if I am stupid here...) or did he earn it through training channels.  I just don't remember.


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## SAWMAN (Sep 19, 2009)

We have a neighbor girl who comes by selling cookies. She has one. :doh:

Hey, if I thought you guys couldn't take it, I wouldn't play. Just to qualify, many of my closer buds are SF, so it's like that between us. GI Jane, etc...:eek:


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## EverSoLost (Sep 19, 2009)

Frmr President Bush is pretty Darn Awesome IMO.  How cool is that?!?!


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## car (Sep 19, 2009)

SAWMAN said:


> We have a neighbor girl who comes by selling cookies. She has one. :doh:



LMFAO!


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## JBS (Sep 20, 2009)

EverSoLost said:


> Frmr President Bush is pretty Darn Awesome IMO.  How cool is that?!?!



GHWB was one bad mofo.  That's all I can say about that.


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## Red Flag 1 (Feb 2, 2017)

This is an old thread, from 2009. I thought I'd give it a bump. I don't know of any more awards since President Bush.


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## x SF med (Feb 3, 2017)

Red Flag 1 said:


> This is an old thread, from 2009. I thought I'd give it a bump. I don't know of any more awards since President Bush.



There was one in 2014, IIRC...  can't remember who.


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## Red Flag 1 (Feb 3, 2017)

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