Mobile Strike Forces in Vietnam 1966-70

by Gordon L. Rottman

Overview

US Special Forces in Vietnam created the Civilian Irregular Defence Group (CIDG), a large paramilitary organization designed to protect the local population from Viet Cong incursions, whilst conducting border surveillance, raids and combat patrols in the local area. Their camps were often overrun and having no spare manpower the US Special Forces created dedicated reaction units which could act in a responsive and flexible manner Mobile Strike (MIKE) Forces. This book examines the MIKE Force units, which were formed from the CIDG, the parachute and airmobile training they were given, and the operations that they undertook, from relieving friendly camps to independent offensive operations, providing the first organizational history of the MIKE forces in combat.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472804648
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	07/20/2013
Series:	Battle Orders , #30
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Gordon L Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He served in the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969–70 and subsequently in airborne infantry, long-range patrol and intelligence assignments until retiring after 26 years. He was a special operations forces scenario writer at the Joint Readiness Training Centre for 12 years and is now a freelance writer, living in Texas.
Gordon L. Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He served in the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969–70 and subsequently in airborne infantry, long-range patrol and intelligence assignments before retiring after 26 years. He was a Special Operations Forces scenario writer at the Joint Readiness Training Center for 12 years and is now a freelance writer, living in Texas.

Table of Contents

Introduction     4
Combat mission     7
Mobile Guerrilla Force mission
Special reconnaissance mission
Doctrine and training     16
MIKE Force doctrine
Eagle Flight tactics
MIKE Force tactics
Mobile Guerrilla Force tactics
Special reconnaissance tactics
Individual and unit training
Unit organization     30
Unit designation practices
Eagle Flight organization
Reconnaissance project organization
Weapons and equipment     46
Weapons
Equipment
Command, control, communications, and intelligence     51
Command and control
Communications
Intelligence
The evolution of MIKE and special recon forces     57
I CTZ MIKE Force
II CTZ MIKE Force
III CTZ MIKE Force
IV CTZ MIKE Force
5th MIKE Force
Project DELTA
Project OMEGA
Project SIGMA
Combat operations     68
I Corps Mobile Guerrilla Force
I Corps MIKE Force
II Corps Eagle Flight
III Corps MIKE Force
IV Corps MIKE Force
5th MIKE Force
MIKE Force airborne operations
An assessment of MIKE Forces     91
Stand-down
Bibliography     93
Abbreviations     94
Index     95

Editorial Reviews

In this book [author Rottman] does a subperb job of telling the story of MIKE forces, something that was initially quite confusing to this reader who knew nothing about them, aside from hearing the name from time to time... It all makes for a superb read and one that I personally found quite interesting. I'm sure you will as well and can recommend this one to you without reservation.” —Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (May 2007)

From the Publisher