SOGCast 042: Tony Bandiera Jr. SOG Green Beret’s Stories from Across The Fence.

Tony Bandiera Jr., a SOG Green Beret, recounts his unexpected journey into airborne divisions and Special Forces during the Vietnam War, highlighting the critical lessons learned from team collaboration and the profound impact of his service.

• Tony Bandiera Jr. learned to trust indigenous team members' insights as crucial for survival in SOG missions.

• A perilous rope extraction resulted in a severe ankle injury and a harrowing, near-fatal experience.

• Bandiera maintained secrecy about his Special Forces service for decades, finding community and shared understanding only with fellow SOG veterans.

Tony Bandiera Jr. initially resisted joining the Army but eventually became an engineer in the 1st Cavalry Division before transitioning to Special Forces. His experiences taught him the value of trusting his indigenous team members and the importance of listening, leading him to appreciate the unique camaraderie and professionalism within Special Operations Group (SOG). Bandiera's service included intense missions, near-fatal extractions, and a career-ending injury, all of which shaped his view of combat and teamwork.

Early Military Path

• 00:00:44 Tony Bandiera Jr. recounts growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and his initial reluctance to join the Army, particularly as a paratrooper, despite peer pressure. He eventually joined through the 'Buddy program' but was separated from his friends, leading him to jump school and assignments with the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. An unexpected order change sent him to the 1st Cavalry Division after the devastating Battle of Ia Drang Valley in November 1965, an experience that, despite initial disappointment, proved to be positive and formative.

Transition to Special Forces

• 00:05:49 After serving as an engineer with the 1st Cavalry and a stint in S-2 (Intel), Tony Bandiera Jr. received his first introduction to Special Forces at an A-Team in Bongson. He found the environment to be a 'total different world,' characterized by a lack of strict hierarchy and immediate camaraderie, with members addressing each other by first names. This experience was a catalyst for his desire to join Special Forces, despite an initial ambition to become a helicopter pilot, which was thwarted by a failed physical due to an astigmatism.

SOG Induction and Training

• 00:13:09 Upon graduating from Special Forces training in August 1967, Tony Bandiera Jr. expected to join an A-Team but was instead assigned to Command and Control North (CCN) in Da Nang, a secret SOG unit, without in-country SOG-specific training. His prior combat experience and NCO rank from the 1st Cavalry earned him respect during his SF training group, where he particularly struggled with land navigation but was personally tutored by an NCO, a testament to the unique quality of SF instruction. The highly classified nature of SOG missions and the plausible deniability surrounding them were immediately briefed to him by Colonel Jack Warren.

First SOG Missions and Team Dynamics

• 00:23:08 In the summer of 1968, Tony Bandiera Jr. was assigned to his first SOG Reconnaissance Team (RTS) with One Zero Larry Trimble, a 'fabulous soldier' known as 'the Gambler.' Initially, he led a mission to observe traffic on the Mekong Delta, where the team got lost until their indigenous members, who were former North Vietnamese soldiers, pointed out subtle signs of enemy presence, such as a hidden cigarette butt. This experience profoundly taught Bandiera the critical importance of listening to and trusting his indigenous team, recognizing their invaluable knowledge and experience over his formal training.

Leadership and Near-Fatal Extraction

• 00:25:54 Colonel Warren soon assigned Tony Bandiera Jr. to replace Larry Trimble as the One Zero, a responsibility he approached with nervousness but embraced. He recounts a harrowing mission to monitor military vehicles on the Ho Chi Minh Trail that ended with a rope extraction under enemy fire. During the extraction, the helicopter dipped its nose, dragging Bandiera upside down through the jungle with a vine around his neck, a near-fatal incident that left him with severe injuries, including a broken ankle and torn ligaments. This mission underscored the extreme dangers of SOG operations and the chaotic nature of emergency extractions.

Life After SOG and Lasting Bonds

• 00:52:45 After his second tour, Tony Bandiera Jr. returned to the States in 1971, where he initially worked in clothing sales and later spent 30 years in the wine business in Dallas. For many years, he maintained the secrecy of his SOG service, telling people he was a 'cook' to avoid questions, as per his signed non-disclosure agreement. His connection to the Special Operations Association (SOA) was rekindled by Gene Pugh, leading him to reconnect with fellow Green Berets like Medal of Honor recipients Fred Zabotoski and Bob Howard, solidifying the lasting bonds and mutual respect among those who served.