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Sog: A Photo History of the Secret Wars
This is the companion photo history to The Secret Wars of American's Commandos in Vietnam. In 1972 the U.S. military took steps to ensure that such a book could never be printed by destroying all the known photos that existed of the top-secret Studies and Observations Group. But unknown to those in charge, SOG veterans brought back with them hundreds of photographs of SOG in action and kept them secret for more than three decades. More than 700 irreplaceable photos bring to life the stories of SOG legends Larry Thorne, Bob Howard, Dick Meadows, George Sisler, "Q" and others, and documents what really happened deep inside enemy Operation Tailwind, the Son Tay raid, SOG's defense of Khe Sanh, Hatchet Force operations, Bright Light rescues, HALO insertions, string extractions, SOG's darkest programs and much more.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
John L. Plaster
13 books38 followersMajor John L. Plaster, USAR (ret.), served three 1-year tours in Southeast Asia with the top secret Special Forces covert operations unit, MACV-SOG. Qualified as a paratrooper and a Green Beret weapons and communications NCO, he led intelligence-gathering recon teams deep behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Plaster’s 22 cross-border missions include one of SOG’s most successful, the night ambush of a North Vietnamese truck convoy and seizure of an important enemy prisoner in Laos. Wounded once and decorated for heroism four times, in 1970 Plaster was selected to fly with USAF Forward Air Controllers, and accumulated more than 350 aerial combat missions, as well. Leaving Vietnam as a staff sergeant, due to his extensive combat experience he received a direct commission as a reserve officer. Under the GI Bill he attended the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.
Combining his SOG experiences at stealth, camouflage and stalking with his postwar experiences as a competitive shooter and State Marksmanship Coordinator, in 1983 he co-founded the National Guard Sniper School which quickly became a major national training program, instructing hundreds of students from all military services and many law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. Customs Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Spanish Foreign Legion. After retirement he continued to instruct for police agencies – from Alaska to Florida and California to Connecticut --including a four-year stint as a Precision Rifle Instructor at the prestigious Gunsite Training Center. He twice served as the Chief of Competition for the U.S. and European Military and Police Sniping Championships, personally designing the targets and running the matches.
In addition to guest lecturing at various Special Operations schools and the U.S. Army’s Command & General Staff College, he has authored six books and designed a sniper rifle stock and several pieces of shooting gear. In 1997 he received the Bernal Diaz Award for writing that year’s best non-fiction military book, and a year later was named, “Man of the Year” by the Special Forces Association for his prominent role in refuting Cable News Network (CNN) allegations that Special Forces had used nerve gas and committed war crimes in Laos. Plaster’s foreign service includes two deployments to Norway, where he trained with that country’s armed forces; a 1986 stint in Central America which included service as an official observer to El Salvador’s parliamentary elections and meetings in Honduras with Contra guerrilla leaders; and his 1979 two-week, civilian clothes visit to Pyongyang, North Korea, where he was shadowed day and night by hostile counter-intelligence officers. In 2004 the USAF Air Commando Association inducted him into their Hall of Fame, the first Army member ever so honored. Four years later, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Special Forces Hall of Fame at Ft. Bragg, NC, only the 22nd Green Beret ever so honored. After insurgent sniping became a major problem in Iraq, Maj. Plaster assisted the Defense Department in suggesting counter-strategies and techniques.
In recent years, he has been a national media source for sniping information. During the 2002 D.C. sniper case, for example, he appeared live on Fox News and correctly said that there most likely were two perpetrators, and neither one was actually a sniper. Maj. Plaster has appeared in a dozen documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery Channel and British television, and continues to work on books and firearms-related research. He is a life member of the Special Forces Association, the Special Operations Association and the Air Commando Association, a member of New York’s Brook Club, and an honorary life member of the Ft. Worth Airpower Council.
Plaster’s 22 cross-border missions include one of SOG’s most successful, the night ambush of a North Vietnamese truck convoy and seizure of an important enemy prisoner in Laos. Wounded once and decorated for heroism four times, in 1970 Plaster was selected to fly with USAF Forward Air Controllers, and accumulated more than 350 aerial combat missions, as well. Leaving Vietnam as a staff sergeant, due to his extensive combat experience he received a direct commission as a reserve officer. Under the GI Bill he attended the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.
Combining his SOG experiences at stealth, camouflage and stalking with his postwar experiences as a competitive shooter and State Marksmanship Coordinator, in 1983 he co-founded the National Guard Sniper School which quickly became a major national training program, instructing hundreds of students from all military services and many law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. Customs Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Spanish Foreign Legion. After retirement he continued to instruct for police agencies – from Alaska to Florida and California to Connecticut --including a four-year stint as a Precision Rifle Instructor at the prestigious Gunsite Training Center. He twice served as the Chief of Competition for the U.S. and European Military and Police Sniping Championships, personally designing the targets and running the matches.
In addition to guest lecturing at various Special Operations schools and the U.S. Army’s Command & General Staff College, he has authored six books and designed a sniper rifle stock and several pieces of shooting gear. In 1997 he received the Bernal Diaz Award for writing that year’s best non-fiction military book, and a year later was named, “Man of the Year” by the Special Forces Association for his prominent role in refuting Cable News Network (CNN) allegations that Special Forces had used nerve gas and committed war crimes in Laos. Plaster’s foreign service includes two deployments to Norway, where he trained with that country’s armed forces; a 1986 stint in Central America which included service as an official observer to El Salvador’s parliamentary elections and meetings in Honduras with Contra guerrilla leaders; and his 1979 two-week, civilian clothes visit to Pyongyang, North Korea, where he was shadowed day and night by hostile counter-intelligence officers. In 2004 the USAF Air Commando Association inducted him into their Hall of Fame, the first Army member ever so honored. Four years later, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Special Forces Hall of Fame at Ft. Bragg, NC, only the 22nd Green Beret ever so honored. After insurgent sniping became a major problem in Iraq, Maj. Plaster assisted the Defense Department in suggesting counter-strategies and techniques.
In recent years, he has been a national media source for sniping information. During the 2002 D.C. sniper case, for example, he appeared live on Fox News and correctly said that there most likely were two perpetrators, and neither one was actually a sniper. Maj. Plaster has appeared in a dozen documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery Channel and British television, and continues to work on books and firearms-related research. He is a life member of the Special Forces Association, the Special Operations Association and the Air Commando Association, a member of New York’s Brook Club, and an honorary life member of the Ft. Worth Airpower Council.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 5, 2026
Some repetition from Plaster's other SOG book but well worth the read. The pictures really help to appreciate the details he describes. Primarily focuses on Green Berets.
February 18, 2025
The SOG, definitely a man’s man, fighting in Laos and Vietnam
The author knows what he is talking about and has written a tremendous book, worth reading. I found myself filled with pride, sorrow, and joy after reading about all the sacrifices those men made to accomplish their missions. The author has immortalized all of the people mentioned, especially, those that did not come back. I highly recommend this book.
The author knows what he is talking about and has written a tremendous book, worth reading. I found myself filled with pride, sorrow, and joy after reading about all the sacrifices those men made to accomplish their missions. The author has immortalized all of the people mentioned, especially, those that did not come back. I highly recommend this book.
April 19, 2025
John Plaster show the World what he and his comrades did in Vietnam Secret War. The pictures in this book are amazing, the things these heroes did while facing overwhelming odds are simply unbelievable. During my Vietnam tour as a 101st Aviation helicopter door gunner I was able to witness a few of their deeds while extracting them from deep jungle areas in Laos while under fire from NVA persuaders. A must read book for anyone wanting the true story of the Secret War during the Vietnam war.
March 30, 2023
An excellent revelation of an era that changed America. The exploits of these brave heroes has been unheralded for far too long. John Plaster deserves double credit, both for his service to our country and for bringing the stories of SOG into the light. This is one book you will not want to put down once it is opened!
November 29, 2022
Great book!
March 9, 2026
great photos.
Plaster does an excellent job of describing what happened with words and photos. We can only wish that some of the mysteries of the missing will be answered.
Plaster does an excellent job of describing what happened with words and photos. We can only wish that some of the mysteries of the missing will be answered.
March 22, 2026
Informative with some great photos.
Great stories with some very good photos. Done in chronological order with substantiating facts from other sources such as Air America.
Great stories with some very good photos. Done in chronological order with substantiating facts from other sources such as Air America.
October 2, 2025
I had the honor of meeting Maj. Plaster in person and receiving a signed copy of this amazing book. It is and will always be one of the most treasured books in my collection, not least because of that story, but also because of the incredible feats that he chronicles. This is a book that belongs on the shelf of everything military history buff out there!
March 23, 2015
accurate, detailed and well written, it's a very good disclosure of SOG activities and war. The only limit of this book is, sometimes, the ego of it's author. Anyway, I consider this one fo the best readings about the SOG ever.
God Bless John Plaster!!!
God Bless John Plaster!!!
December 27, 2022
Along with his other two books ( Secret Commando’s and SOG) this book SOG a photo history of the secret wars, is a must read if you are interested in the missions and men that made up the clandestine unit named SOG. The books all compliment each other and I highly recommend them.
August 1, 2014
these guys were crazy going behind enemy lines and disrupting the NVA, VC
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews