(Photograph donated by the family of Johnny C. Calhoun)
The above photograph was taken, as per tradition, at the end of Jump School and just before his first jump. The number on his helmet was assigned to him as he stood in line, in review, at the start of Jump School training. |
Name | Johnny C. Calhoun |
Rank/Branch | E4/US Army Special Forces |
Unit | Command & Control, MACV-SOG, 5th Special Forces Group |
Date of Birth | 14 July 1945 (Roanoke, AL) |
Home City of Record | Newman, GA |
Date of Loss | 27 March 1968 |
Country of Loss | South Vietnam |
Loss Coordinates | 161130N 1071600E (YC422918) |
Status (in 1973) | Missing In Action |
Category | 2 |
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground | Ground |
Other Personnel In Incident | (none missing) |
MACV-SOG (Military Assistance
Command, Vietnam Studies and
Observation Group). MACV-SOG was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction, which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions. Corporal Johnny C. Calhoun was assigned to Command
and Control,
The second in command stated in the board of inquiry
that he saw CPL
The survivors of the team were extracted about
20 hours after the initial
The MACV-SOG teams performed exceedingly dangerous
and strategic
Tragically, evidence mounts that hundreds of the
nearly 2500 Americans
|
On a personal note: I had the pleasure of knowing Johnny's daughter.
She passed away Feb 12, 2001. Johnny's grand daughter is a friend
of my daughter and a member of her Girl Scout Troop. He would have
been extremely proud of both of them.