Military Times received numerous reactions to an op-ed penned by retired Army Col. Paris D. Davis, which proposed honoring the Vietnam War’s most covert warriors, the U.S Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), with a Congressional Gold Medal. Responses included testimonials from veterans endorsing this recognition, highlighting the heroics of the MACV-SOG members and the challenges they faced. One response also illuminated the struggles some face in accessing benefits due to lack of official documentation or recognition of their covert service.
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Key Points:Â
- Retired Army Col. Paris D. Davis wrote an opinion piece advocating for the U.S Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their covert services during the Vietnam War.
- A former Huey pilot emphasized the commendable acts of MACV-SOG members, noting the extreme conditions they faced and their exceptional performance.
- Karen Mihalic, wife of a Vietnam veteran, highlighted the difficulties faced by covert operatives in accessing benefits due to missing or classified records.
- A veteran shared insights on MACV-SOG’s Chain of Command, indicating it was linked directly to the Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities (SACSA), and several high-level entities were aware of SOG’s activities.
- The MACV-SOG’s operational area encompassed North and South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Gulf of Tonkin, and the South China Sea.
