Review Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956–1990

[AWP]

Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956-1990: James Stejskal: 9781612004440: Amazon.com: Books

Go buy this farking book.

Who is it for: Anyone who wants to learn about a very niche unit in US Special Forces during the Cold War, to include Eagle Claw/ Iran Hostage period.

Who shouldn't read this: stupid people.

I'll provide a better review tomorrow, but go buy this book.

 

[CDG]

Ordered.

 

[pardus]

Ordered.

 

[AWP]

That was surprisingly coherent given my BAC last night....

The book covers an SF company(+) assigned to Berlin during the Cold War. The book started out a little thin on details and read more like a history book, but by the late 60's or so the narrative picked up and you had a solid mix of "war" stories and textbook history. It described numerous exercises and training events, the unit's missions if the balloon went up and how those evolved slightly, and its participation in Eagle Claw. Honestly, that chapter alone may be worth the purchase price because I've never seen a "deep" write-up of the Det's role in Eagle Claw. The author interviewed at least one of the soldiers involved...just, wow.

It was pretty interesting too in that he left the Redacted parts in and by that I mean while reading you'll run into [Redacted] when he talks about [Redacted] or [Redacted]. Even if you know what's cut out the author still honored NDA's or the review process and I respect that.

It also covers the shuttering of the 39th Special Forces Company/ Det "A" and its rebirth under a different name. That was a weird deal so I won't attempt to write it up and possibly miss something.

The book starts a little slow, but really picks up once there are more men to interview. It is well worth your money and time.

 

[SpitfireV]

Bob Baer did that in his book too. Mostly single words redacted ("I was [REDACTED] in an Embassy in [REDACTED]") sort of thing but the odd whole paragraph.

 

[Gunz]

Ordered.

 

[Devildoc]

I will read it. Thanks.

Especially interested in Eagle Claw.

 

[x SF med]

I know a few of the guys in that book... one of them gave me his sterling Trojan Horse pin before he passed on. A bunch of the guys came back to Devens, or through Devens on their way to puzzle palaces across the globe.