Significant in a bad way - despite a good outcome - Nimrod - becuase it forever pulled UKSF from the shadows where they belong.
Don't You think it would have happened sooner or later ?
Significant in a bad way - despite a good outcome - Nimrod - becuase it forever pulled UKSF from the shadows where they belong.
I don't remember seeing it so far, but I'll toss out Operation Jedburgh, for multiple reaons;
1. The role it had in shaping early CIA and USSF and the leaders of those organizations to come.
2. It was a multi-national effort with teams comprising of different nationalities and genders IIRC at times.
3. The ability to encompass and show the possibilities of using this kind of template of "force multiplication."
Not sure if it meets the criteria or not, but a serious oldie and debatable actual operation since it was in a story....let's not forget the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to finally enter Troy. (and to a lesser known and less successful use of a rabbit to locate the Holy Grail by Monty Python)
My un-needed input: The current war on terror will probably go down as the most important and validating long term (socom) operation in history. I doubt, based off of what I have read/heard that there has existed a finer breed of special operator or a higher op-tempo than currently exists. I would also say that SOF operations in Iraq during the surge, as well as Jawbreaker in A-stan would go down as maybe the two greatest special operations in modern history. (personally, I cant think of a more successful or more perfectly executed mission by any country's SOF than what American SF did in A-stan). Maybe also to include the operations by American SF and CIA, who linked with the Kurds in northern Iraq in the run -up to the invasion. Just my opinion though.
North Korea 1951: They were unknown soldiers fighting unknown battles in a forgotten war. Their covert missions annihilated communist forces. For the first time, the details of this top secret army code named "8240" have been declassified. Four Army Rangers and 20 South Koreans accept a classified mission to destroy rail lines far behind enemy lines. At the very start, the mission goes bad. Brutally cold temperatures and poor planning force them to scrap the mission but not without casualties and a daring helicopter rescue under heavy fire.
There are also victories by battalions called The White Tigers known for their ferocious fighting. Their intrepid raid demolished a top Communist fortress. History never fully honored the bravery of these soldiers who paved the way for US special forces today...that is until now.
The 8240th Army (White Tigers) during the Korean conflict. Much of their existent wasn't known until declassified in the early 90's. and even with that, I only became aware of them just recently watching a History Channel documentation of the unit.
As most of its missions were classified, its members (Many of them Rangers) had to request orders for a CIB.
In addition to Project Plough, another example that solidified USSF into what it is today.
My un-needed input: The current war on terror will probably go down as the most important and validating long term (socom) operation in history. I doubt, based off of what I have read/heard that there has existed a finer breed of special operator or a higher op-tempo than currently exists. I would also say that SOF operations in Iraq during the surge, as well as Jawbreaker in A-stan would go down as maybe the two greatest special operations in modern history. (personally, I cant think of a more successful or more perfectly executed mission by any country's SOF than what American SF did in A-stan). Maybe also to include the operations by American SF and CIA, who linked with the Kurds in northern Iraq in the run -up to the invasion. Just my opinion though.