On 25 June 1959, the Louisiana National Guard activated 14 Special Forces Detachments; joining West Virginia, Alabama, Utah, and North Carolina as states with Special Forces units in their National Guard .
The 177th SFOD(FD) 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), dated August 1955 .
The 14 detachments were under administration and supply support of their local units in the shared armories.
177th SFOD (FD) CDR: COL Joseph Cunningham
178th (FC) CDR: Major John H Boh
179th (FC) CDR: LTC Thomas Fred Patin
180th (FB) CDR: CPT Henry A Folse
Major Hufft led the 1st battalion, 3rd Regiment of the First Special Service Force in Italy, a predecessor to today’s Special Forces. In Aug 1944, LTC Hufft was a Battalion Commander in the 45th ID, from the landing in southern France to the final push into Germany. In 1948 , when BG Hufft was appointed as the Adjutant General for the Louisiana National Guard, he was the youngest ever appointed at 33. NG served twice (1948-as LA NG Adjutant General (1948-1952 and 1956-1960). MG Hufft was the driving force behind the addition of Special Forces units added to the Louisiana National Guard.
MG Raymond Hufft
COL Joseph Cunningham
From Bogalusa, LA Pvt Joseph H Cunningham was assigned to 105th AA BN, when the unit was activated for WW2 in 1942. After graduating OCS, LT Cunningham served in the ETO from Southern France to Germany. COL Cunningham was the first Commander of the 177th SFOD(FD) and the 21st SFG(A).
10 July 1959, the 177th was reorganized, where all the detachments were placed under the administrative, supply and operational control of the 177th SFOD(FD).
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 FB, was led by a MAJ, had 24 men- 6 Officers and 18 Enlisted.
The Team FA, was led by a CPT, had 15 men-2 Officers and 13 Enlisted.
177th SFOD (FD) CDR: COL Joseph Cunningham
178th (FC) CDR: Major John H Boh
179th (FC) CDR: LTC Thomas Fred Patin
180th (FB) CDR: CPT Henry A Folse
COL John Boh
CPL John Boh was assigned to the 156th Infantry LANG in 1938. LT John Boh served with OSS, Special Operations branch in Italy, he was part of the "Carpet Bagger" missions-dropping supplies/weapons to the resistance forces. Later in the war, then CPT John Boh served with the OSS/Southeast Asia Command (SEAC) in the PTO. MAJ Boh would command the 178th SFOD(FC) and later as an LTC, he would command A Co 21st SFG(A) and later D Co 20th SFG(A).
LTC Thomas F. Patin
A native of Breaux Bridge, LA. 1LT Patin served as a paratrooper with the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He earned the Silver Star for actions taken in Belgium in January 1945, during the Battleof the Bulge. After the war, Patin joined the Louisiana National Guard serving with the 156th Infantry. LTC Patin commanded the 179th SFOD(FC) and B Co 21st SFG(A). Thomas Patin worked for the US Postal Service
On 17 April 1961, the 177th SFOD(FD) was deactivated and the unit was redesignated as the 21st SFG(A).
The 21st 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 organizations and terminology.
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). On 14 December 1960, Four Groups (16th, 19th 29th and 21st) were reallocated from AC to ARNG
21st SFG(A) CDR: COL Joseph Cunningham
A co CDR: LTC John Boh
B co CDR: LTC Thomas Patin
With the deactivation of the 21st SFG(A) in 1962, the unit was realigned under the command of the 20thSFG(A) and redesignated as D Co 20th SFG(A) in New Orleans, 1 May 1963.
The D Co, 20th SFG(A) was organized under TO&E 33-105D, dated 21 Mar 60.
D Co 20th SFG(A) CDR: LTC Cliff Gaudet
OP Det A, D Co CDR: MAJ Henry Folse
OP Det B, D Co CDR: MAJ Bernard Huval
177th SFOD Gallery:
Unit activation of the 177th SFOD (FD), 1 July 1959
177th SFOD (FD) Annual Training at Ft Bragg, Summer 1959
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
First Unit jump by 177th SFOD at Ft Bragg, Summer 1959
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
177th SFOD Gallery:
2LT Mitch Fournet: "I was the one of the only soldiers in the unit who was licensed to drive a bus. To get to the to drop zone in Abita Springs, we had to drive the causeway over Lake Pontchartrain. It was a good jump and a fun trip for all of us, but on the way there and back there were a few gasps, from the back of the bus, as we drove over Lake Pontchartrain.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 2 lane, undivided 26-mile bridge, the longest bridge in the world at the time, that ran north from New Orleans to Mandeville, LA.
177th SFOD(FD) Jump, Abita Springs, LA, 15 May 1960
Mitch Fournet volunteered for US Army Special Forces right out of High School. He was assigned to the 77th SFG(A), when he went through the Special Forces training, where he was qualified as a radioman. CPL Fournet was assigned to 1st SFG (A) on Okinawa and served there until 1959. He returned to Louisiana in 1959 and helped form the 177th SFOD.
LT Vaslin "Mitch" Fournet
The first Parachute Jump made by unit at Fort Polk, LA , 20 July 1960
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
21st SFG(A) Gallery:
Pre-Jump Brief, 21st SFG(A) Baton Rouge, LA April 62
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
Operation Greenleaf with 9th SFG(A) (USAR) at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma , 1-15 July 1962
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
D Co 20th SFG(A) Gallery:
D Co 20th SFG(A) Annual Training in Puerto Rico
Courtesy of LTC Thomas Adkins
177th SFOD (FD) Documents
Activation Order for the Special Forces detachments in the Louisiana National Guard, June 1959
Courtesy LA NG Historical Office
177th SFOD (FD) Documents
Orders Reorganizing the Special Forces unit in LA NG, July 1959
Courtesy LA NG Historical Office
Orders Activating the 21st SFG(A), 17 April 1961
Courtesy LA NG Historical Office
D Co, 20th SFG(A), Volunteers for Active Duty during the Vietnam War
LTC James R McCall
Joined the unit in 1963, served as PVT to 2LT in Baton Rouge Det. Graduated OCS in July 1968. Volunteered for active-duty, served as Platoon Leader and Company Commander in the 2/506th - 101st ABN, awarded Silver Star and Purple Heart
LTC Morton C. Hurston
COL Randy Givens
Served as PVT to 2LT in Baton Rouge Det. Graduated OCS in July 1968. Volunteered for active-duty and served with 10th SFG(A) and 46th Company in Thailand.
Served as PVT to 2LT in Baton Rouge Det. Volunteered for active-duty, served with 5th SFG(A) and served with MACVSOG at CCN.
COL Henry Cook
Henry Cook joined the 21st SFG(A) in 1959, he served in New Orleans Det. Lt Cook graduated OCS in 1964. LT Cook volunteered for active-duty in 1967. He served in Vietnam with 5th SFG(A), with the 4th Mobile Guerilla Force 1967-1968 and served a second tour with the Mike Force 1969-1970.
LTC Michael Brown
Charles Baldock
Served as Pvt to LT in the New Orleans Det. Graduated OCS 1967. Volunteered for active-duty, served in Vietnam.
Carroll Parker
Need
Pic
Served in the Baton Rouge Det. Graduated OCS in 1967. Volunteered for VN, served as an Adviser to the ARVN Rangers.
Served in the Baton Rouge Det. Volunteered for active-duty and served 2 tours with the 173rd in Vietnam as Platoon leader and Company Commander.
CPT Roy G. Holman
Need
Pic
Served in the New Orleans Det. Volunteered for VN, served in 5th SFG(A).
D Co 20th SFG(A) Volunteers for Vietnam
Who paid the Ultimate price
Cpt Anthony Lavite III
Tony Lavite joined the 20th Special Forces group after getting his jump wings. While serving with D Co, 20th SFG(A), CPT Lavite volunteered for active duty in Vietnam. On October 8, 1968, Tony commenced his tour in Vietnam and because of his Special Forces training, he was a prime candidate for being an advisor, hence why he was assigned to Mobile Advisory Team IV-92, Advisory Team 56, MACV HQ which operated in the Phong Dinh province of Vietnam. While on a combat operation on April 17, 1969, tragically Captain Anthony Lavite III was killed.
Marvin J. "Buddy" Roberts joined D co 20th SFG(A) in 1961. In 1965 he volunteered for active duty in Vietnam and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division as a platoon leader. Lt Roberts was awarded the Silver Star for heroism under fire on June 20, 1966. After a promotion to Captain, he volunteered to return to Vietnam in 1969. On March 27, 1969, he led his unit against a well-entrenched enemy force near Cam Lo and was mortally wounded. CPT Roberts was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, from his actions that day.
Cpt Marvin "Buddy" Roberts
The following people, contributed to, the 21st SFG(A) project:
Rhett Breerwood, LA NG Historian
Richard B. Gaudet, son of LTC Dale Gaudet, D co, 20th SFG(A)
LTC Randy Leblanc, US Army Ranger / Aviator
LT Bob Romero, D co, 20th SFG(A)
2LT Valsin “Mitch” Fournet, 1st SFG(A), 177th SFOD(FD), 21st SFG(A)
Project Notes:
1 This is phase 1, of a 2-phase plan, that will cover activation in 1959 to deactivation in 1972 and beyond.
a. Phase 1: Beginning until 62-complete
b. Phase 2: 1962-1966-complete
c. Phase 3: 1966-deactivation
2. I am looking for the following from the 177th SFOD(FD), 21st SFG(A), and D Co 20th SFG(A):
a. Photos-preferably with story-dates
b. Stories-that need to be told/remembered
c. Documents
i. Orders, recruiting flyers / posters, unit rosters...etc.
d. Names-stories of Volunteers for Active Duty during the Vietnam War
e. FA / ODA Detachment numbers and locations
3. Specific items I am interested in
a. Looking for photos of the unit marching on Canal Street in New Orleans 1959-1960