In 1964, the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was formed to carry out unconventional operations. The strategic reconnaissance and clandestine missions were designed to secretly carry the fight to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in order to dissuade them from supporting the Viet Cong insurgency in South Vietnam. The nature of the missions required that SOG operatives were often behind enemy lines for long amounts of time. The original SOG knife was designed by Ben Baker, the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Counterinsurgency Support Office.

In the Fall 1991 edition of Fighting Knives, Ben Baker explained that SOG purchased 1,200 sterile knives with 6-inch blades and black sheathes. For their cross-border operations, capture by enemy forces was a likely outcome, which may explain why the original SOG knife had no external markings to give proof of origin. In 1986, Spencer Frazer founded SOG Specialty Kniveswith his recreation of the original SOG knife. Over time, they have expanded their product lines to make sure that there is a tool for everyone, regardless of their occupation or hobby. I personally carried the SOG Bowie 2.0 in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan. Unfortunately, I lost my cherished knife as it was sent to low earth orbit during an IED attack on my vehicle. Up to that point, the fixed-blade knife was one of the most used and trusted items on my kit.

As you’ll see in the video below, SOG Specialty Knives & Tools has developed from a single tribute product to a full line of equipment for most uses in the field. It’s no surprise that you’ll find plenty of positive reviews from the writers of The Loadout Room. After you watch the video, be sure to check out everything they have to offer.

*Featured photo courtesy of SOG Specialty Knives & Tools

Author- Rodney Pointer is a former Army Infantryman. After graduating from Airborne School, he was ruthlessly assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana to live out his days as a dirty leg. He served with the 2nd BN, 30th Infantry of the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. Following his deployment to Afghanistan, he received a Bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Operations. He currently works as a nuclear security contractor