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John Stryker Meyer

John Stryker Meyer

Born Jan. 19, 1946, John Stryker Meyer entered the Army Dec. 1, 1966, completed basic training at Ft. Dix, N.J., advanced infantry training at Ft. Gordon, Ga., jump school at Ft. Benning, Ga., and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in Dec. 1967. He arrived at FOB 1 Phu Bai in May 1968, where he joined Spike Team Idaho, which transferred to Command

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(Featured image shows Montagnard commandoes boarding a trailer in SOG's top secret compound in Kontum, CCC, en route to the Marine Corps HMH-463 helicopters that would launch them into Operation Tailwind on Sept. 11, 1970. Photo courtesy of Gene McCarley)

Operation Tailwind: The Special Forces-led assault force launches

Military History May 23
Operation Tailwind: Special Forces operators aid CIA op deep inside Laos

Operation Tailwind: Special Forces operators aid CIA op deep inside Laos

Military History May 21
Stuff Special Forces recon men carried on the battlefield

Stuff Special Forces recon men carried on the battlefield

Expert Analysis Apr 17
(Featured image: Author John Stryker Meyer, left, is wearing a WWII-era BAR ammo belt, which held five CAR-15 20-round magazines. Note the canvas canteen pouch hanging on the left, which contains hand grenades. Lynne M. Black Jr., shown on the right, has his CAR-15 with an XM-148 40mm grenade launcher attached to it. The XM-148 fired the same round as the M-79 grenade launcher. Both men are wearing camouflaged fatigues, generally worn in camp and for in-country training. Both are wearing jungle boots that had metal plates in the bottom to protect against punji stakes.

The weapons and gear Special Forces recon teams carried in the Vietnam War

Military History Apr 16
ST Idaho John S. Meyer, standing, fires a sawed-off M-79 grenade launcher on the range outside of the top-secret SOG FOB 1 base camp in Phu Bai, S. Vietnam, in late 1968. Lynne M. Black Jr., is holding his CAR-15 with an XM-148 40 mm grenade launcher attached beneath it.

A hot MACV-SOG Christmas Day in Laos

Military History Dec 25
CNN aided Iraq, besmirched Green Berets 20 years ago

CNN aided Iraq, besmirched Green Berets 20 years ago

Military History Jun 16
SOFREP Exclusive: SOG/NVA Meet For First Time

SOFREP Exclusive: SOG/NVA Meet For First Time

Military Jan 29
SOFREP Analysis: Continued Progress on Vietnam POW/MIA issue unprecedented

SOFREP Analysis: Continued Progress on Vietnam POW/MIA issue unprecedented

Military Jan 27
SOFREP Exclusive: League delegation en route to Southeast Asia

SOFREP Exclusive: League delegation en route to Southeast Asia

Military Jan 11
US delegation attends Soviet veteran wreath laying event

US delegation attends Soviet veteran wreath laying event

Military Jan 05
Renewed US-Russia talks focus on POW/MIA issues

Renewed US-Russia talks focus on POW/MIA issues

Military Jan 01
Vietnam offers unprecedented support to US POW/MIA recovery issues

Vietnam offers unprecedented support to US POW/MIA recovery issues

Military Dec 25
A hot SOG Christmas Day in Laos

A hot SOG Christmas Day in Laos

War Stories Dec 25
Back to Cambodia for MIA Air Force officers: Rescue mission with James Shorten

Back to Cambodia for MIA Air Force officers: Rescue mission with James Shorten

War Stories Dec 16
The Haunting Begins: Rescue mission with James Shorten

The Haunting Begins: Rescue mission with James Shorten

War Stories Dec 12
Exfil under fire: Rescue mission with James Shorten

Exfil under fire: Rescue mission with James Shorten

War Stories Dec 08
Live or die in Cambodia: Rescue mission with James Shorten

Live or die in Cambodia: Rescue mission with James Shorten

War Stories Dec 07
So close, yet so far: Rescue mission with James Shorten

So close, yet so far: Rescue mission with James Shorten

War Stories Dec 06
Into Cambodia: Rescue mission with James Shorten

Into Cambodia: Rescue mission with James Shorten

War Stories Dec 05
Across the Fence: Rescue mission with James Shorten

Across the Fence: Rescue mission with James Shorten

Military History Dec 04