On 27 Mar 1959, 5th Army, CONARC activated the 302nd Special Forces Operational Detachment(FC) in Illinois, with sub-detachments, Team FAs, located throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, and Kansas.
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The 302nd SFOD(FC) was organized under TO&E 33-510R, dated 26 April 1955. The TO&E was based off the WW2 experience of the OSS in Europe and Asia the and FM 31-20 US Army Special Forces Group (Airborne).Â
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The 302nd SFOD(FC) fell under command of the 300th SFOD(FD) in Fayetteville, NC
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Team FC: led by a LTC, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted
Team FB: led by a MAJ, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted
Team FA: led by a CPT, had 15 men-2 Officers and 13 Enlisted
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CPT John Kaufman, would be named the Commander of this new unit.
COL John Kaufman
CW4 John J. Condich
PVT John J. Condich, served with the 307th PIR, in the 82nd ABN Div. He jumped into Normandy on June 6, 1944, he was captured and liberated in Czechoslovakia in 1945. He joined the 302nd SFOD in the 1950s. CW4 Condich retired with 41 years in service in 1984.Â
CPT John Kaufman was 1st Commander of 302nd SFOD(FC). Served in the American Field Service as an Ambulance driver in WW2, with the British 14th Army in India and Burma during WW2. CPT Kaufman was a Company Commander in the 187 RCT in the Korean War. He served with the 10th SFG, prior to taking command of the 302nd SFOD.
In Nov 1959, 5th Army, CONARC reorganized the 302nd SFOD(FD) and activated the subordinate detachments, 325th, 325th and 326th Special Forces Operational Detachments (FC) in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota​
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The 302nd SFOD(FC)Â was reorganized as a SFOD(FD) under TOE 33-510R,dated 26 April 1955.
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​Team FD: led by a COL, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted​
​Team FC: led by a LTC, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted​
Team FB: led by a MAJ, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted​
Team FA: led by a CPT, had 15 men-2 Officers and 13 Enlisted​
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CPT John Kaufman, would continue to be the Commander of the unit. ​
LTC Maurice G Gantzert
MAJ Jack C Maxwell
MAJ Gantzert served with the 910th Field Artillery in the 85th ID, during the Italian campaign in WW2. LTC Ganzert became the 12th SFG(A) commander in 1961. Maurice Gantzert was a farmer.
On 1 Feb 1961, the 302nd SFOD was deactivated and 12th SFG(A) was activated in Illinois, with subordinate units located in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, and Kansas.​
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The 12th SFG(A) was organized under TO&E 33-105D, dated 21 Mar 60. This new TO&E brought the Special Forces units in line with the US Army unit organizations and terminology. ​
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15 April 1960, the entire SF establishment was formally brought under the Army’s new Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS). This paper scheme initially provided for a maximum of 24 SF Groups, initially all in the Active Component (AC). 14 December 1960, seven Groups (2nd, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 24th) were reallocated from AC to USAR​
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​12th SFG(A) CDR: LTC Marice G Gantzert
A Co CDR: CPT John Komos​
B Co CDR: Major Russel Hunt​
C Co CDR: Major Jack Maxwell
LT Maxwell served in the 11th ABN in WW2. CPT Maxwell was one of the original Team leaders in the 302nd SFOD. Jack Maxwell was a lawyer.
In early 1966 12th SFG(A) absorbed the units from the 9th SFG(A) and the 17th SFG(A), who were deactivated under United States Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's plan for reorganizing the US military Reserve Components. Â
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Starting in 1964, Sec Def McNamara wanted to save the Defense budget by, eliminating obsolete, under- strength and redundant units in the Reserve Component (RC). This would free up funds to support modernization and increase the capabilites of the RC units.Â
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The Department of Defense in September 1965, created the Selected Reserve Force (SRF) was a 150,000-man priority readiness pool of National Guard and Reserve units-that were maintained at a high readiness level.
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The SRF units allowed the deployment of Active-duty units to Vietnam, where the SRF was be used for any contigency events.
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All the 9th SFG(A) and 17th SFG(A) units were realigned with the 12 SFG(A), Headquartered in Oak Park, IL
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​12th SFG(A) CDR: LTC Marice G Gantzert
A Co CDR: CPT John Komos​
B Co CDR: Major Russel Hunt​
C Co CDR: LTC Edwin Winch
D Co CDR: LTC Arthur Clark
E Co CDR:Â
302nd SFOD-FD Gallery
302nd SFOD Soldier conducts HALO drop from US Army L-20
Chicago Sunday Tribune, 21 July 1959
302nd SFOD goes to Ft Bragg for training
 Chicago Tribune, 21 July 1958
 Chicago Tribune, 21 July 1958
302nd SFOD-FD Gallery
Message Pick up by L-20
 Chicago Tribune, 21 July 1958
302nd SFOD and guerrillas conduct bridge demolition operation
 Chicago Tribune, 21 July 1958
302nd SFOD-FD Gallery
Major Jack Maxwell Talks with Staff
302nd SFOD FA team 7 sends report by radio after air drop
Kansas City Star, 29 Oct 1960
Kansas City Star, 29 Oct 1960
12th SFG(A) Gallery
Army Reservist Magazine, January 1963
Det 3, Co B 12th SFG(A), rigging up for jump
12th SFG(A) jumping both rear doors of C-119
Lemont Herald, 30 Mar 1961
12th SFG(A) Gallery
 B Co, 12th SFG(A), boarding C-119
B Co, 12th SFG(A) jump
South Bend Tribune
The Republic, 24 May 1966
12th SFG(A) Volunteers for Vietnam
During the Vietnam war, according to an unofficial source, several hundred Special Forces soldiers from the ARNG and USAR volunteered to serve in Vietnam.Â
SGM George Hunt
SGM Paul D Warrington
SGT Larry Harbour​
Sgt Larry Conti, served in on Det 6, 17th SFG(A). In 1968 when SFC Larry Conti volunteered for active duty, he was with E Co, 12th SFG(A). SFC Conti served with 5th SFG in Vietnam
SFC Larry Conti
SGM Warrington served with the Naval Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, 12th SFG(A) and 104th. SFC Warrington served on Detachment A-8, E Co 12th SFG(A), when he volunteered for Active Duty and served with the 1st Cav in Vietnam 1968-1969.
MSG Charles Behler
SFC Charles Behler was in the Wichita, KS Detachment of C Co 12th SFG(A). SFC Behler volunteered for Active-duty where he served with 5th SFG(A) and MACVSOG.Â
Sgt Larry Harbour, from Ava, Missouri, served with C co 12th SFG(A). In 1969 he volunteered for active duty and served in Vietnam ​
12th SFG(A) Volunteers for Vietnam
Who Paid the Ultimate Price
Born Istvan Nagy in Hungary in 1937, he survived the Nazi occupation of his homeland, then Hungary's domination by Communists. Before his 20th birthday, he took up arms against the Communists during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. After the failure of that revolution, Nagy fled to the United States. In the fall of 1958, Nagy enlisted in the U.S. Army,  after his discharge in 1962, SGT Nagy joined 12th SFG(A). In 1968 he volunteered for Active Duty and served with MACVSOG and was killed in Laos on 27 July 1969.
SSG Steven Nagy
The following people, contributed to, the 12th SFG(A) project:
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CW3 Tom Gluzinski, 12th SFG(A)​
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Darby Eckles, son of SGM Merle Eckles, 17th SFG(A), 5th SFG(A), B-56 Project Sigma, 12th SFG(A)​
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SGM William Nelson, 12th SFG(A)​
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Chris Kauffman, son of COL John Kauffman, 302nd SFOD(FC)
12th SFG (A) Project Plan
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This is phase 1, of a 4-phase plan, that will cover activation in 1957 to deactivation in 1994 and beyond.​
    a. Phase 1: Beginning until 1963-launch date -end of April 2026​
    b. Phase 2 – 1966, Down to 4 groups, until 1970-TBD​
    c. Phase 3 1970s-1980s-up to Desert Storm-TBD​
    d. Phase 4 Deactivation-TBD​
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2. I am looking for the following from:
          i. 302nd SFOD(FC)​
    ii. 302nd SFOD(FD)​
      a. 325th SFOD(FC)​
      b. 326th SFOD(FC)​
      c. 328th SFOD(FC)​
    iii. 12th SFG(A)
 a. Photos-preferably with story-dates​
 b. Stories-that need to be told/remembered​
c. Documents, unit newsletters, orders, rosters....etc.​
d. Names-stories of Volunteers for Vietnam​
e. Names-stories of Volunteers for Desert Storm​
 f. Detachment numbers and locations ​ 
3. Some specific items I am looking for