We have been speaking to (Ret) Msg John C. McGovern who served in the US Army from 1958 to 1979. He started his Special Forces service in 1964 and served 2 tours in Vietnam. When he first went to Vietnam in 1965, he served on 2 different A Teams. he then returned to the States in 1967 and went back again in Jan of 1968 to the battle of Khe Sanh with SOG. I started out as a one-one on a recon team then took over as a one-zero when his team leader left. In June of 1968, (when they closed out Khe Sanh) he was sent to Phu Bie and was placed in charge of a Hatchet Force Company. Later on he was assigned as the one-zero of RT Virginia untill just before he came home in Jan 1969.
We have been lucky enough to get some perid and current photos from (Ret) Msg John C. McGovern and these are displayed here for the first time. Please respect (Ret) Msg John C. McGovern's copywright on these images. I have tried to put the photos in chronological order.
We also have an exclusive interview with John C McGovern here.
FOB 3: Khe Sanh 1968:
Its not a hugely well know fact that SOG had a FOB at Khe Sanh firebase during the famous seige during the Tet Offensive of 1968, the location of the SOG base can be seen in the base diagram below, notice how FOB3 is outside the main preimter.
"During the siege at Khe Sanh all we did
was local insertions and patrolling. We had to go out at night for listening post and ambushes. One team was sent out to help get the survivors out of Lang Vie which was just down the road from us. Other than that we manned the trenchs."
(Ret) Msg John C. McGovern
FOB 3 is located at the bottom of the diagram, the 3
In the bunker on the line at Khe Sanh 1968
FOB 3 Headquarters bunker during the battle of Khe Sanh
The zipped pockets are tailored on the inside with new pocket lining
A pen pocket has been sewn under the arm, note its in a more faded sample of ERDL
The trousers are also highly modified with the removal of the thigh pockets and a zipped pocket being added instead.
Close up of the thigh zip pocket
Fob 1: Phu Bie
in 1968 FOB at Khe Sanh was closed and the teams were ytransfered to Phu Bie. Command and Control North (CCN) was formed by MACV-SOG in late 1967 as an expansion of its Da Nang Forward Operations Base (FOB) which included launch sites established as early as 1964 at Hue – Phu Bai, Khe Sanh and Kham Due.
"In June of 1968, (when they closed out Khe Sanh) I was sent to Phu Bie and was placed in charge of a Hatchet Force Company. Later on I was assigned as the one zero of RT Virginia untill just befor I came home in Jan 1969"
(Ret) Msg John C. McGovern
Phu Bai 1968, left to right King, McGovern, Shaft, Unk.
Gate into FOB 1, Phu Bai 1968
Motor pool at Phu Bai, 1968
Trench line around Phu Bie looking west, 1968
Movie theatre at Phu Bai, 1968
Hatchet Force just got back from being out 1 month SSG Porter and McGovern captured three 12.7 anti-aircraft guns. Left to right; McGovern, Porter, Newburg, Mansfiled, Wilson. Phu Bie, July, 1968
Phu Bie main street looking west, 1968
Trench line on the north side of Phu Baie, 1968
Spec 4 Stephen Bayliss, Phu Bai, 1968
RT Virginia back from mission at Phu Bai, 1968.
Stephan Bayliss at Phu Bai, 1968
Raining at Phu Bai, 1968
Taking a shower in the rain, Phu Bai, 1968
John McGovern and Charles Borg, Phu Bai, 1968
Phu Bie Ammo dump, 1968
McGovern and Don Wolkens, Phu Bie getting ready to go out on a mission, 1968
Don Wolkens and John McGovern leaving on a mission in a KIng Bee, Phu Bai 1968
Don Wolkens and John McGovern leaving on a mission in a KIng Bee, Phu Bai 1968
Repelling tower at Phu Bei, 1968
Storage area at Phu Bai, 1968
Phu Bie trench line during a rain storm, 1968
Trench line at Phu Bie, 1968
Spider Parks (covery rider) going out on a flight, Phu Bie, 1968
Kar-15 and cut off M79, choice of weapons
H-34 King Bee, Phu Bei, 1968
"Here are some pictures at Phu Bie of us in 1968 practicing being pulled out of the jungle with a 120 ft. repelling rope and a web strap tied at the bottom to set in and a small web strap to slip on your wrist. I was told to let the people get the experiance, but mostly the pilots. This was used only if the choppers could not land. The rope was dropped down with an ammo box full of rocks tied at the bottom to pull it through the trees. You would get in the riggs and the chopper would pull you up through the trees. Later they came out with Mc Guire riggs which was a harness that we wore all the time and all we had to do was snap into the line"
(Ret) Msg John C. McGovern
Phu Bai practising extraction, 1968
John McGovern being pulled on a rope
Practice extraction, Phu Bie, 1968
Bayliss and Spider Parks Phu Bie, 1968
SOA Reunion 2009 Las Vegas
The SOA, established in December 1977 is a Veteran’s fraternal organization of past and present American and Allied military special operations in a combat environment. The group includes veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Grenada, the Balkans, Somalia as well as those from our most recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Membership is limited to Free World forces who supported or personally participated in missions deep inside hostile territory in a combat capacity.
Everyyear the SOA meets in Vegas, these are some shots from lasts years reunion.
John McGovern, Janet McGovern, John "Tilt: Meyer, Don Wolkens. SOA Reunion 2009
John McGovern and John Plaster, SOA reunion 2009
Spider Parks, Stephen Bayliss, Don Wolkens and John McGovern
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