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Groups > 5th SFGA
Basing. The 5th Special Forces Group was
officially activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on September
21, 1961. It would be based in South Vietnam for much of the Vietnam War. It was
transferred to Fort Bragg in 1971 as the United
States began its drawdown from Vietnam. The group would later move to
Fort Campbell, Kentucky in 1988. 1.
Regional Focus. In the 1960s the 5th Special
Forces Group was based and operated in South Vietnam. Later,
once based at Fort Bragg it would be responsible for other
regions of the world. It currently is responsible for the
Central Command area of responsibility.
Vietnam. The group began deploying soldiers
to South Vietnam in the early 1960s on temporary tours of duty.
In February 1965, the entire 5th SFGA deployed to South Vietnam.
During this time the group would receive members of
other groups - 7th Group, 10th Group, etc. for one year tours
and service in Vietnam. Upon completion of their tours they
would return to an SF Group based stateside or perhaps to 1st
Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group.
While in South Vietnam, the group had elements in all four
military regions of the country spread over 270 locations. The
group conducted a variety of missions to include training and
leading indigenous forces of the Civilian Irregular Defense
Groups. In addtion, soldiers from the gorup led units of
indigenous forces conducting reconnaissance and direct-action
missions throughout Southeast Asia.
Desert Storm. 5th SFGA participated in the
invasion Kuwait and southern Iraq during the Persian Gulf War in
1991. It was augmented by elements of 3rd SFGA and a company
from 10th SFGA. A small element of 10th SFGA conducted CSAR
missions from Turkey into Northern Iraq.
Afghanistan (2001-2002). After 9/11 the 5th Special
Forces Group sent command, staff, and support personnel as well
as 'A' detachments to K2 in Uzbeckistan from where detachments
would infiltrate into northern Afghanistan. Ultimately 5th Group
would set up a base at Bagram Air Field (BAF). It was relieved
by the 3rd Special Forces Group and returned home to Fort
Campbell, Kentucky to begin preparations for the invasion of
Iraq in the spring of 2003.
Iraq War (2003-2011). 5th Special Forces
Group took part in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Subsequent to that invasion it would stand up the Combined Joint
Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsular (CJSTOF-AP).
It would rotate in and out of this assignment with the 10th
Special Forces Group.
Syrian Conflict. The 5th Special Forces
Group had a battalion-sized element working with the Kurds of
northeastern Syria. The Kurds formed up the Syrian Democratic
Front (SDF) which was primarily composed of Kurds but also had
Syrian Arabs as well.
Other Facts and Trivia
Nickname. At some point in the group began referring to itself as "The Legion".
It is believed to have started in the late 80s but didn't really
take until the mid-90s.
References
5th Special Forces Group - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Special_Forces_Group_(United_States)
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), United States Army
Special Operations Command (USASOC)
https://www.soc.mil/USASFC/Groups/5th/5thSFGHomepage.html
Endnotes
1. Army Special Forces: Rationale for Relocating the 5th
Special Forces Group From Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
Government Accounting Office (GAO), January, 1989. PDF, 24
pages.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/nsiad-89-58.pdf
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