The origins of the US Army Special Forces, the green berets, came from the First Special Service Force – A WW II combined United States – Canadian unit and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The latter was the responsibility of William J. Donovan (He is regarded as the founding father of the CIA, and a statue of him stands in the lobby of the CIA headquarters building in Langley, Virginia.)
It was the initial efforts of Major General Robert A. McClure that brought about special warfare within the US Army and the Special Forces in the early 1950s. Brigadier General Russell W. Volckmann (then a colonel) had developed a new plan and in 1951, FM 31-21 Organization and Conduct of Guerrilla Warfare was released. Brigadier General Robert A. McClure, director of the Office of the Chief of Psychological Warfare (OCPW), asked Volckmann to become OCPW’s Chief of Plans—Special Operations Division. Colonel Aaron Bank then organized and executed the founding of the Special Forces. Colonel Bank is considered as ”the father of Special Forces” for his role in creating the Army’s unconventional-warfare units that became known as the Green Berets.
Those early SF troops surreptitiously wore the green beret as a way of distinguishing themselves from the rest of the Army.
In the early 1960s, then Brigadier General William P. Yarborough (He is known as the “Father of the Modern Green Berets.” ) had the future vision of the role of the Special Forces in winning the war. Much as he tried to work with the chain of command to make it happen, he couldn’t get “THE BRASS” to move in that direction. His classmate from West Point, Major General Chester V. Clifton just so happened to be President Kennedy’s military aide. The two Generals orchestrated a visit on this day 12 OCT 1961 to Fort Bragg, NC – the home of the 82d Airborn Division. The real mission was to see the Special Forces in action.
The men provided President Kennedy a demonstration of their tactics. And during the review, they all wore their GREEN BERETS. The President was much impressed by this display and when he asked BG Yarborough how the men liked their green berets, the General responded that they liked them very much. It was that day with words most remembered that President Kennedy acknowledged that the US Army Special Forces were Special and authorized the wearing of the green berets.
The composite below highlights the historic meeting (47 years ago today!) and includes the autographed copy of the collage that President Kennedy sent to LTG Yarborough.
A print of the above composite including the autographed collage that hung in LTG Yarborough’s office for over 30 years is available for purchase.