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” 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.

This is Part III of the speech Jeff Raker, former SGM of Detachment “A”, gave at the Detachment “A” get together on 17 September 2016.

The speech overs lots of territory.

Click to read Jeff’s bio

Click here to see Part I of the speech

Click here to see Part II of the speech