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At the Hurricane's Eye: U.S. Special Forces from Vietnam to Operation Desert Storm
No one doubts the abilities of Special Operations Forces (SOF) after Desert Storm. But their impressive accomplishments are rooted in the lessons learned from Vietnam, Iran, Grenada, El Salvador, and Panama. AT THE HURRICANE'S EYE is the first book to take an unflinching look at SOF's growth since Vietnam. Author Greg Walker, with sixteen years of U.S. Army special operations experience as a ground operator, provides information and eyewitness acounts never before reported, from the tragic raid on Panama's Paitilla airfield to the first insider accounts of Special Forces, Marine Force Recon, and NAVY SEAL operations before and during Desert Storm.
- GenresWarMilitary Fiction
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 29, 1993
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February 13, 2020
On Jack Murphy's recommendation, I picked up a used copy of AT THE HURRICANE'S EYE from Amazon. Written by former Special Forces soldier Greg Walker, it details the history of special operations forces (SOF) from the onset of the Vietnam War to Operation: DESERT STORM.
It is a good overview book for anyone searching to learn about the history of SOF. It particularly highlights how rigid-minded conventional commanders hamstrung SOF's full potential in Vietnam, Grenada, and Panama. Attempting to use SOF (particularly the SEALs) as shock troops often has disastrous results, and conventional commanders (as well as SOF commanders with their eyes on higher ranks rather than promoting the welfare of their troops) are all too often willing to sacrifice the men in favor of political brownie points. While the book paints a picture of the military establishment hopefully learning their lesson, those who have done additional reading (particularly RELENTLESS STRIKE by Sean Naylor) know how JSOC was used in major set piece roles at the onset of the Global War on Terrorism rather than in the small units in which they are most effective.
Also infuriating is how, at the time of writing, Special Forces soldiers serving in El Salvador were denied Combat Infantryman Badges despite engaging in firefights with FMLN insurgents, all due to a political motivation to not admit that the United States had forces in harm's way. Thankfully, that has been rectified, and one of the CIB eligibility periods and theaters is now El Salvador from 1981 to 1992. Still, seeing politics refuse these men the awards they are due is nothing short of infuriating.
It was also interesting seeing Walker comment on how the Marines refused to join USSOCOM. We now know from subsequent history that their refusal resulted in their Force Recon Companies and Reconnaissance Battalions being excluded from USSOCOM missions, and that exclusion finally drove the Corps to establish the modern Raider Battalions, who have gone on to establish themselves as an asset in the current conflict.
All in all, AT THE HURRICANE'S EYE is a must-have for any student of SOF history. Highly recommended.
It is a good overview book for anyone searching to learn about the history of SOF. It particularly highlights how rigid-minded conventional commanders hamstrung SOF's full potential in Vietnam, Grenada, and Panama. Attempting to use SOF (particularly the SEALs) as shock troops often has disastrous results, and conventional commanders (as well as SOF commanders with their eyes on higher ranks rather than promoting the welfare of their troops) are all too often willing to sacrifice the men in favor of political brownie points. While the book paints a picture of the military establishment hopefully learning their lesson, those who have done additional reading (particularly RELENTLESS STRIKE by Sean Naylor) know how JSOC was used in major set piece roles at the onset of the Global War on Terrorism rather than in the small units in which they are most effective.
Also infuriating is how, at the time of writing, Special Forces soldiers serving in El Salvador were denied Combat Infantryman Badges despite engaging in firefights with FMLN insurgents, all due to a political motivation to not admit that the United States had forces in harm's way. Thankfully, that has been rectified, and one of the CIB eligibility periods and theaters is now El Salvador from 1981 to 1992. Still, seeing politics refuse these men the awards they are due is nothing short of infuriating.
It was also interesting seeing Walker comment on how the Marines refused to join USSOCOM. We now know from subsequent history that their refusal resulted in their Force Recon Companies and Reconnaissance Battalions being excluded from USSOCOM missions, and that exclusion finally drove the Corps to establish the modern Raider Battalions, who have gone on to establish themselves as an asset in the current conflict.
All in all, AT THE HURRICANE'S EYE is a must-have for any student of SOF history. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review