On 1 May 1959, 2nd Army, CONARC activated the 305th(FC), 310th(FC), 311th(FC) and 312th(FC) Special Forces Operational Detachments (SFOD) in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.​
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The SFODs were 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), dated August 1955 . ​
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The Team FC, was led by a LTC, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted.​
The Team FA, was led by a CPT, had 15 men-2 Officers and 13 Enlisted.​
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305th SFOD(FC) Commander: LTC Wallace Masteller
310th SFOD (FC)Â Commander: MAJ William Kane
311th SFOD (FC) Commander:Â MAJ John Fletcher
312th SFOD (FC) Commander:Â
Sgt Masteller served in the 148th Inf, 37th Inf Div Ohio NG and went OCS Jul 1941. LT Wallace was assigned to 40th Armor Reg, 3rd Armor Div Oct 1941. LT Masteller, served in North Africa and then with the British 14th Army in India in 1942. LTC Masteller was the original Commander of the 305th SFOD(FC) in 1959 and would become 2nd SFG(A) Commander after tragic death of LTC Ray J Glaze in 1964.Â
LTC Wallace Masteller
In June 1959, the 316th SFOD(FC) was activated by the 2nd US Army.
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The SFOD were 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), dated August 1955 .Â
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The Team FC, was led by a LTC, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted.
The Team FA, was led by a CPT, had 15 men-2 Officers and 13 Enlisted.
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316th SFOD(FC)
Subordinate to 2nd US Army
Commander: Major Richard Friedman
On 16 Nov 1959, the 305th , 310th, 311th and 312th SFODs were deactivated and redesignated as the 316th SFOD(FD), with Sub-units in Ohio, Washington DC, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
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The Team FD, was led by a COL, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted.
The Team FC, was led by a LTC, had 24 men-6 Officers and 18 Enlisted.
The Team FA, was led by a CPT, had 15 men-2 Officers and 13 Enlisted.
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The 316th SFOD(FD)Â was organized under TOE 33-510R, dated 26 April 1955
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316th SFOD(FD)
HQs (FD) (Ft Hayes, OH) CDR: Major William J Kane
Sec 1 (FC) (Lima, OH ) CDR: LTCÂ Wallace Masteller
Sec 2 (FC) (Ft Thomas, KY) CDR: MAJ John R. Fletcher
Sec 3 (FC) (Washington, DC) CDR: LTC Erven E, Boettner
LTC William Park Hickman
On 14 March 1960, the 2347th SFOD was activated in Pittsburgh, PA
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The 2347th SFOD, organized in Oct 1959 and was the first USAR Special Forces unit in PA. All original members served on non-pay status, until officially activated in March 1960.
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The 2347th SFOD was organized under TOE 33-510R, dated 26 April 1955
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LTC William Park Hickman organized and commanded the 2347th SFOD. LTC Hickman was a WW2 Vet, serving with the 517th PIR in the ETO.
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2347th SFOD
Commander: LTC William Park Hickman
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MAJ Hickman Served with 517th PIR, 13th ABN Div in WW2. After combat operations in Italy, the 517th PIR was thrown into combat against the German offensive in Belgium, the Battle of the Bugle. LTC Hickman organized and commanded the 2347th SFOD in Pittsburgh, PA.Â
In 1961 the 316th(FD) was deactivated and the unit was redesignated as the 2nd SFG(A) and reorganized in Ohio, Washington DC, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky
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The 2nd 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.Â
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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, 7 Groups (2nd, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 24th) were reallocated from AC to USAR
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2nd  SFG(A)Commander: LTC Raymond Gaze
A Co CDR:Â
B Co CDR: LTC Erban Boettner
C Co CDR: MAJ Elgan Fenton
Lt Ray Glaze served with the 3rd Ranger BN in the Italian Campaign. LT Glaze won a Silver Star in Sicily in 1943. CPT Glaze would later serve with the OSS in the China, Burma, and India Theater. LTC Raymond Glaze would be 1st commander of 2nd SFG(A).
LTC Raymond Glaze
In early 1966 the 11th SFG(A) and 12th SFG(A) absorbed the units from USAR Special Forces Groups that 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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The 2nd SFG(A), 9th SFG(A), 13th SF(A), 17th SFG(A) and 24th SFG(A) were designated to be deactivated.
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All the 2nd SFG(A)were realigned with the 11th SFG(A), Headquartered in Staten Island, New York.Â
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​11th SFG(A) CDR: COL Joseph McCrane
B Co CDR: LTC Angelo Galante
C Co CDR:Â
D Co CDR:Â LTC Lloyd R. Runkle
2nd  SFG(A) Documents:
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Special Warfare Correspondence Course Graduation Certificate ​
SGM Robert Schneider, 2nd SFGA(A), 11th SFG(A)
New Reserve Center Open House
The Lima News, 27 Sep 1959
2347th SFOD recruiting ad​
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 23 Oct 1959
2nd  SFG(A) Documents:
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Congratulatory letter from MG Lolli to LTC Glaze, after successful Command inspection
Story on the 2347th SFOD​
The Pittsburgh Press, 30 Mar 1960​
2nd  SFG(A) Tragedy in the Air, 18 April 1964
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On April 18, 1964, 17 reservists from the 302nd Troop Carrier Wing and the 2nd SFG(A) were tragically killed in a collision of 2 USAR C-119s. The planes were part of a 2nd SFG(A) Airborne Operation, which was cancelled due to severe weather. The collision occurred as the C-119s were returning to their base. Â LTC Ray J Glaze, the 2nd SFG(A) Commander was one of the casualties.Â
2nd SFG(A)​
1Lt Donald  Becker​
SSG William Cornell​
LTC Ray J. Glaze​
SSG Joseph T. Kelly​
CPT Calvin F. Kemp ​
PFC James W. Kremer ​
LTC Samuel W. Sardis​
CPL Peter A. Weart
302nd Troop Carrier Wing​
MAJ Francis J. Brock​
SSG Richard F. Davis​
SSG Clyde Grimes​
LTC Richard M. Griswold​
CPT Woodson B. Gudgell​
MAJ Stanley H. Heismann​
MAJ James A. Hopkins​
CPT Ernest B. Milligan​
CPT Robert L. Timmons
Dayton Daily,
19 April 1964
Historical Marker located in
Wilmington, OHÂ
2nd SFG(A) Volunteers for Vietnam​
During the Vietnam war, according to an unofficial source, several hundred of Special Forces soldiers from the ARNG and USAR volunteered toserve in Vietnam.
SFC Warren Wildrick
Warren Wildrick served in 2nd SFG(A), in Columbus, OH. SSG Wildrick was with 11th SFG(A) when he volunteered for active-duty Vietnam in 1969. SSG Wildrick served in 5th SFG(A) with the A-504 ,the Nha Trang Mike Force and UITG/FANK ​
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The following people, contributed to, the 2nd SFG(A) project:
SGM Robert Schneider, 2nd SFG(A) and 11th SFG(A)​
CPT Harry Pugh, 77th SFG(A), 316th SFOD, 2nd SFG(A) and 11th SFG(A)​
Charles Clark, son of LTC William Parks Hickman, 2347th SFOD, 2nd SFG(A)