On 10 March 2025, guest host and spy thriller writer Stephen England sat down with former Detachment “A” member James Stejskal on the Secrets and Spies Podcast.
The conversation focuses on Mission Iran, Jim’s latest book, which uncovers Detachment A’s covert role in Operation Eagle Claw, the 1980 mission to rescue American hostages in Tehran.
Detachment “A” Berlin Brigade 1956 – 1984 and the MAC-V SOG Connection.
This video represents a compilation thumbnail look at Detachment”A” Berlin Brigade and the connection between Detachment “A” and MAC-V SOG presented by former member of both units, Bob Charest.
Detachment “A” was a highly classified clandestine Green Beret Special Forces unit operating during the Cold War in Berlin Germany; its mission: urban unconventional warfare, counter terrorism, conducting the most intense clandestine operations.
This group of elite members operated in Berlin Germany from
1956 – 1984.
It features some of the early ‘original’ Detachment “A” members including Lodge Act folks, those who established and created the Detachment “A” Special Forces history and legacy. It touches on the beginnings, missions, training, tradecraft, exercises, and more.
Also highlighted is the historical connection between Detachment “A” and the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG) 1964 – 1972, another highly classified clandestine unit operating in Vietnam and beyond conducting the most dangerous clandestine, covert, and black operations. MAC-V SOG received the Presidential Unit Citation award.
Many members of Detachment “A” also served in MAC-V SOG.
Detachment “A” and MAC-V SOG remained classified and thereby unknown for many decades.
This video is dedicated to all Detachment “A” and MAC-V SOG members.
We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History
On a clear night in 1983, a U.S. Special Forces team is issued a backpack nuclear weapon at an airfield where two men in black appear and declare that they now have operational control over the team for a real life mission. Issued live ammo, the team rigs the nuke for a parachute insertion and takes off to hit a strategic target in Cuba.
This is one of the many vignettes in We Defy which covers the “lost” and previously unpublished chapters of Special Forces history. Meet the holocaust survivor who led a Special Forces unit that included former Nazis conducting undercover assignments in Berlin, or the first woman assigned to a Special Forces team way back in 1977. Read about little known rescue missions and the history of specific capabilities developed by Special Forces from hostage rescue to nuclear sabotage.
Chapters of this lost history included in We Defy are Special Forces Detachment A, the undercover Green Beret sabotage teams in Berlin during the Cold War,Detachment K which is a Special Forces resident team stationed in South Korea playing a low key but vital role in checking North Korean aggression. Blue Light: America’s first counter-terrorism team that existed before Delta Force. The Special Forces Commanders In-extremis Force (CIF), their creation, secret missions (before and during the Global War on Terror), and where they are today. Finally, Green Light: the Special Forces nuclear sabotage teams poised to turn off entire parts of the world if the Cold War went hot.
Based on dozens of primary source interviews with the men and women who lived it, We Defy blows the doors off previously highly classified Special Forces units and missions.
Jack Murphy is a Army Special Operations veteran who served as a Sniper and Team Leader in 3rd Ranger Battalion and as a Senior Weapons Sergeant on a Military Free Fall team in 5th Special Forces Group.
Murphy is the New York Times Bestselling author of REFLEXIVE FIRE, TARGET DECK, and DIRECT ACTION. He also co-authored the non-fiction work, BENGHAZI: THE DEFINITIVE REPORT which exploded the true story behind what really happened when the US consulate in Libya came under attack.
Having left the military in 2010 after serving three combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, he graduated with a BA in political science from Columbia University. He has penned numerous non-fiction articles about Weapons, Tactics, Special Operations, Terrorism, and Counter-Terrorism. He has appeared in documentaries, on national television, and on syndicated radio.
Peter Kelley was the guest speaker at the Detachment “A” Berlin Get Together 12 – 15 September 2024.
This video presents former Detachment “A” Berlin member Peter Kelley who served in Detachment “A” from 1975 to 1979; an incredibly significant and consequential period in Detachment “A” Berlin’s History/Legacy 1956-1984.
Peter served as a Team Leader and later S3, primarily under COL Stan Olchovik’s Command and with his good fellow Native German friend, CSM Jeff Raker.
Peter takes us through his experiences growing up in Germany, his passage to America, his entry into US Army Special forces and his career to include Detachment “A” for which he states: “I was born for that job.”
Peter commanded the first composite team which trained with Colonel Ulrich Wegener’s German GSG 9 Counter-Terrorist Unit & with Berlin SEK. He also served as Commander of the Winter Warfare Training in Berchtesgaden two consecutive winters.
Detachment “A” Berlin Brigade 2024 Get Together Greenville SC
Bob Charest Host/POC
Bob Charest started the meeting with an overview of the topics: notifications and announcements, introductions, JFK museum update by Roxanne Merritt and special guest speaker Detachment “A” member Pete Kelley.
Our next Detachment “A” Berlin function will be held from 11-14 September 2025 same location same hotel, spread the word.
More details to follow as they become available.
The hotel was very accommodating and very nice and new, and we had a roomy conference room for our meetings and activities. The meeting room was equipped with ample seating, refrigerators and microwaves and a projection screen.
Detachment “A” member Reverand John Lee gave the invocation.
Original Detachment “A” Berlin member Jim Wilde (1957) and his wife Rosie were in attendance.
Two widows of Detachment “A” Berlin members attended:
Annemarie Dover widow of Jesse Dover.
Marie von Hass, widow of Bruno von Haas and daughter Magdalina.
Guest Speaker Pete Kelley
Pete Kelley Team 6, serving as Team Leader and S3, 1975 -1979, gave an outstanding and substantial speech covering the historical period in his career leading up to and culminating with his time in Detachment “A”, a role he was “born for”. His extensive and very personal recollections will be presented on the Detachment “A” website and the DET-A Berlin YouTube channel at a later date.
Left to Right: Dr. Chris “Vinnie” Feudo, Jim Wilde,Bob Charest, Pete Kelley, Lee Fondas
Roxanne Merrit Director of the JFK museum/curator presented a detailed SF Museum update. She thanked Det-A members for their support, went through the JFK closing attempt, the new facility located across from the JFK chapel and the Detachment “A” display including a Berlin wall artifact.
Kevin Monahan produced and donated 150 Detachment “A” Berlin decals for the members; they disappeared overnight. This generous contribution is much appreciated.
This generous contribution of the Detachment “A” decals is much appreciated.
Bob Charest’s personal “Thumbnail Look at Detachment “A” Berlin film was shown which is dedicated to all Detachment “A” Berlin members. This film will be shown on the October SF Cruise. Video Link
Discovered that Lee and Jeannie Fondas could not go on the October SF Cruise. Rather than seeking a refund, they donated this luxury dream vacation complete with an executive suite package to an SF Gold Medal family.
Lee was also presented with a card and cake celebrating his birthday.
Bob and Linda Charest also unable to attend the cruise donated their deposit back to the cruise.
Phil Hanson, President of Chapter 17, the Jerry “Robin” Sage Chapter attended.
Yuri Estam who received city training from Detachment “A” attended and brought along old city training maps with him.
Beautiful long-stem RED roses were presented to all the women attendees by some anonymous person(s), but we have our suspects. Thank you!
Left to Right: Steve Bright, Bob Charest, Joe Beasley, Lee Fondas
Slideshow
Bob Charest
Bob Charest, Lee Fondas, Kim Kendle
Lee & Jeannie Fondas
Roxanne Merritt, Marie von Haas
Steve Bright, Bob Charest, Joe Beasley, Lee Fondas
City Training Map
Dr. Chris “Vinnie” Feudo, Jim Wilde, Pete Kelley, Lee Fondas
Rick Hendrick
John Lee
Phil Hanson
Kevin Monahan
Dr. Chris “Vinnie” Feudo, Pete Kelley, Bob Charest
John Lee, Peter Kelley, Kim Kendle, Bob Charest
Jeannie Fondas, Kevin Monahan, Roland Meder, Lee Fondas
Front: Jean and Joe Beasley, Jeannie Fondas, Annemarie Dover; Back: Rosie & Jim Wilde
Steve Bright, Rick Hendrick
Rosie & Jim Wilde
City Training Map
Bob Charest
Marie von Haas
Mike Hartz
Dr. Chris “Vinnie” Feudo
Steve Bright
Lee Fondas
Marie von Haas (Back)
Jimmie Spencer
Rich Hendrick
Thumbnail Look at Detachment “A” Berlin Film Cover
Ed Atkins
Dr. Chris “Vinnie” Feudo
Joe Gadzik
Roland Meder
Joe Beasley
Pete Kelley
Kim Kendle
Roxanne Merritt
Jim Wilde
JT Gard
Kevin Monahan
Juri Estam
Marie & Maggie von Haas (back)
Kevin Monahan and Decal he produced and donated
Roxanne Merritt – Museum Update
Juri Estam
Annemarie & Jesse Dover
Rosie & Jim Wilde, Jean & Joe Beasley, Annmarie Dover, Jeannie Fondas
Kim Kendle
Bob Charest, Lee Fondas, Kim Kindle
Long stem red rose gift to the women attendees
Our next Detachment “A” Berlin function will be held from 11-14 September 2025 same location same hotel, spread the word.
Detachment “A” 39th Special Forces Berlin 1956 – 1984 and the MAC-V SOG Connection
This video presents a Thumbnail look at Detachment “A” from former member Bob Charest.
Detachment “A” was a highly classified clandestine Green Beret Special Forces unit operating during the Cold War in Berlin Germany; its mission: urban unconventional warfare, counter terrorism, conducting the most intense clandestine operations. This group of elite members operated in Berlin Germany from 1956-1984.
It features some of the early ‘original’ Detachment “A” members including Lodge Act folks, those who established and created the Detachment “A” Special Forces legacy. It touches on missions, training, tradecraft, exercises, and updated member interviews.
Also highlighted is the historical connection between Detachment “A” and the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG) 1964-1972, another highly classified clandestine unit operating in Vietnam and beyond conducting the most dangerous clandestine, covert, and black operations. MAC-V SOG received the Presidential Unit Citation award.
Many members of Detachment “A” also served in MAC-V SOG.
Detachment “A” and MAC-V SOG remained classified and thereby unknown for many decades.
This video represents Bob’s personal insight of Detachment “A” and the MAC-V SOG connection based on his eight years in Detachment “A” 1969-1972, and 1973-1978, and his time in B-56 Project Sigma, SOG Vietnam 1967-1968.
This is boots on the ground information.
This video is dedicated to all Detachment “A” and SOG members.
FORT LIBERTY — Maj. Gen. Sidney Shachnow will forever be remembered by his beloved special operations forces at Fort Liberty.
The John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School hosted a ceremony Friday to officially designate Shachnow Lane after the school’s former commander and Holocaust survivor.
Folks, our own low-profile Detachment “A” Berlin family member Roxanne Merritt, recently received a prestigious and much deserved award. She has been inducted as an Honorary Member of the following three regiments:
Special Forces
Civil Affairs
Psychological Operations
This high honor bestowed on Roxanne recognizes her lifetime work and achievements.
A ceremony was held April 26, 2024, at Fort Liberty.
Roxanne has worked at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center since 1981 currently serving as the Director of the JFK Special Warfare Museum.
When Detachment “A” Berlin came in from the cold, she collected numerous artifacts contributed by Detachment “A” Berlin members, cataloged them, and created a small but significant display in the JFK Special Warfare Museum.
Roxanne continues today keeping Detachment “A” Berlin in the Special Forces History.
Roxanne will be a guest speaker at our upcoming Detachment “A” Berlin function 12-15 September 2024 in Greenville, SC.
Roxanne Merritt HMOR
by Bob Charest – The man who brought Detachment “A” Berlin in from the cold.
These four ‘original members’ remind us of the origins of Detachment “A” and its long 28-year history and legacy, which cannot be taken for granted nor forgotten. Its existence is and was unprecedented in the Regiment.
John Lee, former Detachment “A” member has recently been ordained as Reverend John Lee.
On June 22, 2011, John asked for and received an Ordained Ministers Affiliation with the Universal Life Church. He did this for the purpose of officiating a wedding ceremony.
Since then, he has performed wedding ceremonies upon request and at the same time studied the doctrines of many different religions. He has had more than a couple of near-death experiences. After his last MRI, he went back and reread the introduction to his forthcoming biography entitled In Search of the Light.
After some time and reflection, he asked for and was granted an Ordination by the Universal Life Church – one that has no traditional doctrine. They simply believe in that which is right, that each individual has the privilege and responsibility to determine what is right for him, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.
He is now applying for admission to a number of seminaries and universities to pursue a Doctorate of Theology.
We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History
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