SOG Kontum

Secret Missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia 1968-1969

By: Joe Parnar, Robert Dumont

Narrated by: Corey M. Snow

The Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a highly classified, multi-service United States Special Forces unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War. The unit conducted strategic reconnaissance missions in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; carried out the capture of enemy prisoners, rescued downed pilots, and conducted rescue operations to retrieve allied prisoners of war throughout Southeast Asia; and conducted clandestine agent team activities and psychological operations.

This book tells the story of the Teams operating out of FOB2 Kontum, near the tri-border area, in 1968-69. From recon missions over the fence to the heroic, and sometimes fatal efforts undertaken to try and rescue missing SOG members, the events are told through the words of the men themselves, supported by previously unreleased official documents.

©2022 Joe Parnar and Robert Dumont (P)2023 Tantor

Not good

All of the books I have listen to this was the worst book in my library

Very matter of fact

Not bad but very matter of fact and dry. Narration was rough and almost seemed robotic. had to listen at 1.25 speed just to make it tolerable. Seems to me like the stories of these heroes deserved better Narration (see We Few and Whispers in the tall grass for an example of great Narration).

Brave men of SOG

another great book about US working along side indigenous folks that want to keep their way of life.

good stories

I had trouble with every thing jumping around. I'm more used listening about one person then several

Great SOG Stories of Bravery

Listened multiple times. Unbelievable courage and sacrifice. Well worth spending time with this book. Definitely recommend

Narration killed it for me.

The narration of this book sounds about as close as it could be to being read by AI without it being read by AI. Overall The book is good and the experience is captured are very important, but instead I would recommend Uncommon Valor. It is a better written book and has drastically better narration. I cannot express how much the narration of this book killed it for me.

Worst Narration I've Ever Encountered

This sounds like it was narrated by a speech-to-text program. Absolutely travesty to do that to a book about such legendary Soldiers.

Lack of preparation

I’m a Vietnam Vet that fought in many of the locations mentioned and it grinds on me that the narrator was not “coached” in the accuracy of names and locations in Vietnam. Pleiku is pronounced play Koo not Ply koo and Dac To is pronounced Doc Tow not Dack Tow. I doubt the supposed narrator of the actual team member was in fact him. No one in the Army (especially a SF member) would answer a CSM with a “Yes Sir” or refer to his 1911 45 as his “Gun” . I don’t ever recall a AR or CAR -15 called a rifle (but could be wrong) is was always his “Weapon”. Howitzers we’re “Guns”
Lastly The very secret unmarked aircraft were called SPAF’s not SPAZ or Spats. Not until chapter 8 was it referred to correctly. Sneaky Pete Air Force. Someone should have G-2’d the publisher. Just sayin. Otherwise it was a good representation of the brave and professional warriors of SF CIDG and MACSOG . Airborne!

Not as good as I expected.

I have read several SOG books, and learned things from this book that were not in the others, but I didn't enjoy the books format. It contains a lot of after action reports that aren't as engaging as the personal stories of the men involved would have been. One of the missions had several different reports, from different people, but it just wasn't exciting to me.
One good thing is that the book does suggest other SOG books, that I have read and highly recommend.