It is unlikely that the words
"peace" and "prayer" are often uttered during conversations about Special
Forces soldiers or their brothers in the Special Operations units of other
military branches. However, the truth is that most of these soldiers
are men of peace with strong beliefs in a supreme being, regardless of the
name by which they address him. This was especially true for the men
of Special Forces Detachment A-502.
Camp Trung Dung and its outposts were home to highly
trained men with exceptional military skills and a wide range of religious
beliefs. This seemingly contradictory combination of individual qualities
is actually a very common blend for the men in our country's most elite and
experienced military units. The reason is really very simple. It
is because these men understand or have witnessed the horrors of war and,
in many cases, have stared into the face of death themselves. These
are men who know fear intimately and do not want to die any more than those
they have left behind at home, those who pray for peace and the safe return
of their loved ones.
There were members of A-502 wearing the camoflagued
uniforms of a Special Forces soldier who had previously worn the cassocks
of either an acolyte or altar boy. There were also men who were so
proud of their faith that they had given themselves nicknames to proclaim
their religion. Larry Freedman was such a man.
Larry was Jewish and so proud
of that fact that he nicknamed himself "Super Jew" . . . and he was. The
attitude displayed in the picture above was encountered by his A-502 teammates,
day-in and day-out. While he was trained with all the skills of any
other "Green Beret," he also had the additional skills of a combat medic.
He was an intelligent, dedicated man with an exceptional sense of humor
that can almost be felt when looking at his picture. Larry's dedication
was such that, after surviving Vietnam, he remained in the service and continued
to serve as a medic. When United States forces were sent to Somalia,
he was a member of one of the units involved. Regrettably, Larry was killed
in Somalia when the vehicle in which he was a passanger hit a land mine.
In many ways, Larry Freedman and men like him put the
"special" in Special Forces. This "Peace & Prayer" page has been
made a part of this website so that family members, friends, and researchers
will have a balanced view of Special Forces soldiers. It has been
said by others, but is very true of the men who served at A-502. They
trained for the missions of war . . . but prayed for peace.
Prayer was so important to early members of Special Forces that
one was created specifically for the unit. That prayer is posted on the Special Forces
Search Engine website. Click on the link below to see the prayer and read its
history.
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Special Forces - The Silent Professionals
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Please email us with any questions or comments you may have regarding United States Army Special Forces Detachment A-502.
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This website is a tribute to those who served at Special Forces Detachment A-502 in the Republic of South Vietnam.
Copyright 1999-2020 - Special Forces Detachment A-502. All rights reserved.
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