8th Special Forces Group

Plans to activate a new Special Forces Group in Panama were classified in 1962 with the codename “Project Blue Arrow.” A provisional unit, D Company, “the Spanish Company,” 7th SFG, Fort Bragg, NC, was formed to be the nucleus of the new 8th SF group that would have two companies assigned, instead of three. The “Spanish Company” of 7th SFG deployed MTTs to Guatemala, Venezuela, and Honduras from Fort Bragg before moving to Panama.

The second element of the advance echelon (ADVON) for Panama included Captains Al Buckalew, Richard Carvell, and Sherry Awtrey, Master Sergeants (MSG) Paul Darcy and Dick Meadows, and Sergeant (SGT) Joe López. They flew to Panama from Pope Air Force Base on 10 July 1962. They were met by Major (MAJ) Johnny Reus-Froylan, First Lieutenant (1LT) James Rougeau, the Assistant S-4 (logistics), and the supply sergeant, Sergeant First Class (SFC) José Ibarra, at Howard Air Base on the Pacific side. The ADVON eventually totaled eleven officers and forty-nine enlisted men.5

5 Retired CSM Joe López, telephone interview by Dr. Charles H. Briscoe, 25 February 2008, El Paso, TX, digital recording, hereafter cited by name and date, and HQ, US Army Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, NC, LO 7-198, SUBJECT: Movement-PCS of Org/Unit, dated 5 July 1962, copies in USASOC History Office Classified Files, Fort Bragg, NC.

D Company, 7th SFG was assigned to U.S. Army Caribbean. CPT Carvell became the ADVON officer in charge (OIC) when CPT Buckalew fell sick and had to be hospitalized. The advance party signed for troop billets, temporary housing, and station property (furniture, bedding, and safes), arranged transportation, established the ammunition accounts, evaluated training areas, and looked for drop zones (DZs).6 They were preparing for the main body’s arrival by ship in mid-August.

6 Carvell Interview, 16 October 2007 and 8th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. 1970 Historical Supplement. Special Action Force Latin America, 7, copy in USASOC History Office Classified Files, Fort Bragg, NC, hereafter cited as SAFLAN 1970.

The D Company, 7th SFG commander, MAJ Melvin J. Soward, leading the main body, left Fort Bragg by train on 2 August 1962 headed for New York City to board the USNS Geiger in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. After stopping at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo, Cuba, the Geiger docked at Pier 8, Cristobal, Canal Zone, on 11 August 1962. The ADVON met the ship with a variety of vehicles to carry personnel and equipment across the isthmus to Fort Gulick. The 9th Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Battalion and the 146th Engineer, 255th Medical, 3rd Civil Affairs (CA), 550th Military Police, 610th Military Intelligence, and the 401st ASA (Army Security Agency) Special Operations detachments were assigned to form the new Special Action Force Latin America (SAFLA).

LTC John H. Sawyer commanded SAFLA until LTC Arthur D. “Bull” Simons arrived in January 1963. USARCARIB General Order Number 20 activated the 8th SFG on 1 April 1963. A week later, B Company, 8th SFG was activated and the 3rd CA Detachment was reassigned to U.S. Army Forces Southern Command (USARSO), the former USARCARIB headquarters. The 8th SFG signal company became E Company on 14 March 1964.7 On 30 June 1972, 8th SFG was deactivated and redesignated 3rd Battalion, 7th SFG.

7 HQ, U.S. Army Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, LO 7-198, SUBJECT: Movement-PCS of Org/Unit dated 5 July 1962, copy in USASOC History Office Classified Files, Fort Bragg, NC, and SAFLAN 1970, 7.