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Uniforms of the Soldiers of Fortune
Vintage book
159 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1985
About the author
Leroy Thompson
68 books15 followersLeroy Thompson has trained and advised military and police special operations units around the world, focusing especially on the tactical use of firearms. He has previously had 38 books published. He has also appeared as a weapons expert on documentaries for Discovery, National Geographic and the BBC.
Leroy Thompson served in Vietnam with the U.S. Air Force and was a police officer for several years after leaving the military.
Leroy Thompson served in Vietnam with the U.S. Air Force and was a police officer for several years after leaving the military.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 25, 2024
UNIFORMS OF THE SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE starts off with an excellent essay that gives a history of soldiers of fortune and mercenaries, at least up to the date of publishing in 1985. This work is backed up by color plates of examples of individual figures through the ages, each with additional explanatory text.
Right off the bat the author explains the sometimes subtle difference between a soldier of fortune and a mercenary. While both will fight in other peoples' wars, the mercenary does it for payment in cash or loot, or maybe even land, while the soldier of fortune may offer his or her service for free because of moral or ideological reasons that may make sense only to them. While the mercenary more often than not is a professional, there are times when they have switched sides. A good example is the Numidian light cavalry that were bribed to leave Hannibal and go over to the Romans, which led to his downfall. Before that, for 15 years Hannibal had led a successful campaign through Italy with a force that was largely a mercenary army that was held together mainly by his charisma and personality. An example of a true soldier of fortune was the American Tracy Richardson, said by some to be the greatest machine gunner of all time. In the early twentieth century he fought for at least seven different countries in South America. Another good example of mercenaries are the Gurkha Regiments which have served the British Crown loyally since 1815. Another soldier of fortune was the editor of SOLDIER OF FORTUNE magazine, Robert K. Brown. I'll tell more about him in a moment. By the way, in medieval times, a knight on horseback armed with a lance who rode around offering his services was known as a free-lancer.
One mercenary unit mentioned is, of course, the Japanese ninjas, who were trained since childhood in the arts of evasion, espionage and assassination. Other mercenaries were American Indians who tracked down other Indians for the US Army. The French Foreign Legion could be considered a mercenary force. Welsh Archers were popular during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Papal Swiss Guard have served since 1506. In the years before the 20th century generals as well as individuals of any nation or religion would offer their services to others. Swiss pikemen were much sought after, even though today they try to be neutral. Of course there were the Flying Tigers of WWII, who got $500 for every Japanese plane they shot down.
Soldiers of Fortune usually are not as famous individually, though their cause may be well known. I knew one young lady who went back to Croatia on vacation, and I don't think it was just to visit. Islamic PLO Main Force soldiers fought for political/religious reasons. During the Spanish Civil War there were American soldiers of fortune serving in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion on the Republican side fighting the German mercenaries in the Condor Legion helping the Nationalists. Angolan bushmen were being systematically exterminated by SWAPO terrorists before the South Africans allowed them to relocate in South West Africa. Once entering South African service, were they mercenaries or soldiers of fortune? I guess it depends on if you ask a SWAPO supporter or not.
Most people have heard of the Vatican Swiss Guard. All recruits must be Swiss, Catholic, unmarried, and at least 5 foot 9 inches tall. After completing basic training in Switzerland they undergo 15 days training with the halberd. Though the sword and halberd are carried and they wear colorful outfits, the book's illustration shows a guardsman drawing a Beretta sub-machine gun that was hidden in an umbrella stand at the first sign of trouble!
Back in the early 70's, with the Vietnam War winding down, fighting Communist aggression was as popular as being Jewish at a college taken over by protesters and their professors yelling, "Free Palestine!" Among the few who were brave enough to go against the flow were such individuals as John Wayne and Robert K. Brown. Brown was the editor of a new magazine that told what was going on in such places as Angola, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, and El Salvador. Unlike the folks at CNN who simply tow the party line, Brown actually went out into the field, risking his life while doing so. The news he brought back many, other than those in the CIA and KGB, did not want to hear, such as the Communist use of poisonous Yellow Rain against guerillas in Asia and South America. When his magazine offered $10,000 in gold to any pilot of a helicopter who defected with the Yellow Rain dispensers, like that Korean who defected with the new Mig during the Korean War, the Communists grounded their helicopters! At the time when the US was supporting the Afghans against the Russian invaders, Brown got hold of and tested new weapons the Soviets were using, such as the AK-74. Did his involvement make him money for his magazine? I am sure it did. But was he paid by the freedom fighters themselves? No! The funny thing was, as much as the Communists recognized him as an enemy, when Red China was going to place weapons on the open market, they asked Brown's magazine to come and test fire the weapons and evaluate them. They did. When asked why their host wanted them to do this instead of others, they replied that they, at SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, were the only ones they respected!
This was a great little book that deserves a place on my bookshelf.
Right off the bat the author explains the sometimes subtle difference between a soldier of fortune and a mercenary. While both will fight in other peoples' wars, the mercenary does it for payment in cash or loot, or maybe even land, while the soldier of fortune may offer his or her service for free because of moral or ideological reasons that may make sense only to them. While the mercenary more often than not is a professional, there are times when they have switched sides. A good example is the Numidian light cavalry that were bribed to leave Hannibal and go over to the Romans, which led to his downfall. Before that, for 15 years Hannibal had led a successful campaign through Italy with a force that was largely a mercenary army that was held together mainly by his charisma and personality. An example of a true soldier of fortune was the American Tracy Richardson, said by some to be the greatest machine gunner of all time. In the early twentieth century he fought for at least seven different countries in South America. Another good example of mercenaries are the Gurkha Regiments which have served the British Crown loyally since 1815. Another soldier of fortune was the editor of SOLDIER OF FORTUNE magazine, Robert K. Brown. I'll tell more about him in a moment. By the way, in medieval times, a knight on horseback armed with a lance who rode around offering his services was known as a free-lancer.
One mercenary unit mentioned is, of course, the Japanese ninjas, who were trained since childhood in the arts of evasion, espionage and assassination. Other mercenaries were American Indians who tracked down other Indians for the US Army. The French Foreign Legion could be considered a mercenary force. Welsh Archers were popular during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Papal Swiss Guard have served since 1506. In the years before the 20th century generals as well as individuals of any nation or religion would offer their services to others. Swiss pikemen were much sought after, even though today they try to be neutral. Of course there were the Flying Tigers of WWII, who got $500 for every Japanese plane they shot down.
Soldiers of Fortune usually are not as famous individually, though their cause may be well known. I knew one young lady who went back to Croatia on vacation, and I don't think it was just to visit. Islamic PLO Main Force soldiers fought for political/religious reasons. During the Spanish Civil War there were American soldiers of fortune serving in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion on the Republican side fighting the German mercenaries in the Condor Legion helping the Nationalists. Angolan bushmen were being systematically exterminated by SWAPO terrorists before the South Africans allowed them to relocate in South West Africa. Once entering South African service, were they mercenaries or soldiers of fortune? I guess it depends on if you ask a SWAPO supporter or not.
Most people have heard of the Vatican Swiss Guard. All recruits must be Swiss, Catholic, unmarried, and at least 5 foot 9 inches tall. After completing basic training in Switzerland they undergo 15 days training with the halberd. Though the sword and halberd are carried and they wear colorful outfits, the book's illustration shows a guardsman drawing a Beretta sub-machine gun that was hidden in an umbrella stand at the first sign of trouble!
Back in the early 70's, with the Vietnam War winding down, fighting Communist aggression was as popular as being Jewish at a college taken over by protesters and their professors yelling, "Free Palestine!" Among the few who were brave enough to go against the flow were such individuals as John Wayne and Robert K. Brown. Brown was the editor of a new magazine that told what was going on in such places as Angola, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, and El Salvador. Unlike the folks at CNN who simply tow the party line, Brown actually went out into the field, risking his life while doing so. The news he brought back many, other than those in the CIA and KGB, did not want to hear, such as the Communist use of poisonous Yellow Rain against guerillas in Asia and South America. When his magazine offered $10,000 in gold to any pilot of a helicopter who defected with the Yellow Rain dispensers, like that Korean who defected with the new Mig during the Korean War, the Communists grounded their helicopters! At the time when the US was supporting the Afghans against the Russian invaders, Brown got hold of and tested new weapons the Soviets were using, such as the AK-74. Did his involvement make him money for his magazine? I am sure it did. But was he paid by the freedom fighters themselves? No! The funny thing was, as much as the Communists recognized him as an enemy, when Red China was going to place weapons on the open market, they asked Brown's magazine to come and test fire the weapons and evaluate them. They did. When asked why their host wanted them to do this instead of others, they replied that they, at SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, were the only ones they respected!
This was a great little book that deserves a place on my bookshelf.
January 21, 2018
Interesting little book that opens with a sort of "thumbnail sketch" of "soldiers of fortune" through the ages. Starting with ancient times we get short descriptions of those who fought for glory, money, loyalty, ideology or other reasons aside from being in their native national army. (For example the French Foreign Legion is a "national force" but made up primarily of non-French troops).
After that there are drawings of the various uniforms and discussion of the colors and color plates. As noted an interesting little book for those interested in this type/part of military history.
After that there are drawings of the various uniforms and discussion of the colors and color plates. As noted an interesting little book for those interested in this type/part of military history.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews