Other Nationalities in US Army - And Da Man

[Legbreaker]

Wasn't there quite a number of ex-Germans who joined the US military after WWII I seem to remember a fair few SS officers and men amongst them. :S

I could be wrong though.

[Canadian Army]

Wasn't there quite a number of ex-Germans who joined the US military after WWII I seem to remember a fair few SS officers and men amongst them. :S

I could be wrong though.

OK, I never thought my end less knowledge of War Comics would be of use on this board, but today I stand corrected. Issue #7 of The Nam(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_%27Nam) Good Old Days; Duong, a Kit Carson Scout, shares his insight with Ed Marks about the politics and struggles in Vietnam's history. During the story he tells Ed about how when the French (the French Foreign Legion) came to Vietnam they mostly ex-Nazis (Germans). Like many of the stories feature in series it was base on true events.

[HorseSoldier]

Yeah -- the Foreign Legion full of SS men post WW2 has been kicking around for a long time and is, I think, fairly well attested historically.

As for the US military, I haven't heard similar stories (except as hyperbole), but there was a big push to recruit Eastern European nationals for the nascent Special Forces. I could see that recruit pool including some guys whose resume included serving in foreign volunteer SS formations.

[Panther Al]

Larry Thorn, mentioned in my first post, not only was in the Finnish army he also was an officer for a while in the Waffen SS, when he died he was a major in the US Army

[dragoon500ly]

It is well known that the US military will accept recruits that don't have US citizenship. Although its not about the US Army, look at Generation: Kill, there is a US Marine in that who is Brazilian (he keeps speaking in Portuguese over the comms net in the heat of battle and no one can understand him).

When I was stationed in Germany in 1978, there was a Sikh truck driver, earning his US citzenship and yes he had the waivers allowing him to not cut his hair and bread, to wear his turban and to carry his knife.

[pmulcahy11b]

When I was stationed in Germany in 1978, there was a Sikh truck driver, earning his US citzenship and yes he had the waivers allowing him to not cut his hair and bread, to wear his turban and to carry his knife.

I'm sorry, but if you join the US Army, you need to integrate in, and look like the other troops. (Yes, I know there are grooming and other waivers for special ops, but that's a different situation.) He should never have been given those waivers.

[dragoon500ly]

I'm sorry, but if you join the US Army, you need to integrate in, and look like the other troops. (Yes, I know there are grooming and other waivers for special ops, but that's a different situation.) He should never have been given those waivers.

He was a Sikh, the reason that he was given those waviers was due to his religious beliefs. A recent issue of the Army Times reported that another Sikh had enlisted, was given the same waivers and is serving as an foreward observer. There is also a Orthadox Jewish rabbi that is being granted a waiver so that he can keep his beard, he will be serving as a rabbi. And that's been since the start of the year.

Hate to say it, but the times, they are a changing....

[HorseSoldier]

I'd heard there was at least one Sikh soldier in one of the SF Groups who was also allowed to keep his appearance IAW his religion. (18-series guy, no less, on an ODA). May just be a rumor or garbled story, as he was supposed to have been in the SFG I was assigned to and I never met him, and we had a couple non-Sikh Indians in the unit.

[rcaf_777]

here a little burp from wikipedia

Medals of Honor can only be awarded to members of the U.S. armed forcesalthough being a U.S. citizen is not a prerequisite. Sixty-one Canadians who were serving in the United States armed forces have been awarded the Medal of Honor, with a majority awarded for actions in the American Civil War. Since 1900, only four have been awarded to Canadians. In the Vietnam War, Peter C. Lemon was the only Canadian recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Here a website for Canadian that have won the CMH and it also has a link to thoses american's who have won the VC

http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/Mil...recipients.htm

[HorseSoldier]

Not to critique Canadians who got the Medal of Honor in the 19th century specifically, but that thing used to be handed out super casually compared to the 20th century. "Jumped in to help guy who fell overboard" just doesn't have quite the same ring to it as the citation for Sgt Lemon's actions.

Driving up here to AK from CONUS through portions of Canada I noticed that I'd occasionally pass houses and farms in Saskatchewan and Alberta where people were flying POW/MIA flags and similar that I assumed were from guys who'd served in the US military during the Vietnam era.

[dragoon500ly]

Not to critique Canadians who got the Medal of Honor in the 19th century specifically, but that thing used to be handed out super casually compared to the 20th century. "Jumped in to help guy who fell overboard" just doesn't have quite the same ring to it as the citation for Sgt Lemon's actions.

Driving up here to AK from CONUS through portions of Canada I noticed that I'd occasionally pass houses and farms in Saskatchewan and Alberta where people were flying POW/MIA flags and similar that I assumed were from guys who'd served in the US military during the Vietnam era.

In the 19th Century US Army, there were only two adwards for valor, the Medal of Honor and the Certificate of Military Merit, of the two the Certificate was the harder to get adwarded since it included a pay raise of $2.00 per month!

[Abbott Shaull]

I'm sorry, but if you join the US Army, you need to integrate in, and look like the other troops. (Yes, I know there are grooming and other waivers for special ops, but that's a different situation.) He should never have been given those waivers.

You know at times I agree total that if the troops are within the regular population of the troops, sailors, and airmen/women then they shouldn't be granted waivers.

Special Forces Operators on the other hand depending on the units mission. 75th Ranger Battalion, probably wouldn't see much in waivers there either. Seals, Operators in ODA and ODB, and certain Air Force Special Operational units. There are times these troops have to blend into with people they are operating amongst.

Yeah during the Cold War there were people who had immigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and other regions of the world where if they had the language skills were wanted by all Special Operation units including Ranger Battalions, Special Force Groups, various Seal Teams, and other various units that have been the worse kept secrets of Joint Special Operation Command. Then there are also the rumors/stories during the 1960s and 1970s where at time troops and Seals were selected to go and create sleeper cells behind the Iron Curtain. The main problem with these rumors it was more difficult for a person to be inserted/'defect' behind the iron curtain and operate than the Soviets and Germans to send this way.

One of the few interesting and well known secrets on both sides was lot of the long drivers bring goods from Eastern Europe were military Officers from Spetnaz and other units. While at the same time it was largely Special Operators who did the same thing, especially US/UK/France convoys to supply West Berlin. As well as the active observers that both sides allowed to verify things.

[HorseSoldier]

Special Forces Operators on the other hand depending on the units mission. 75th Ranger Battalion, probably wouldn't see much in waivers there either. Seals, Operators in ODA and ODB, and certain Air Force Special Operational units. There are times these troops have to blend into with people they are operating amongst.

The Ranger Batts went to relaxed grooming standards and dispensed with a lot of their more Big Army than Big Army silliness on about 09/12/01 to focus exclusively on warfighting.

[Abbott Shaull]

The Ranger Batts went to relaxed grooming standards and dispensed with a lot of their more Big Army than Big Army silliness on about 09/12/01 to focus exclusively on warfighting.

Yeah honestly about that time everyone should had their Big Army silliness stowed away for the long haul...

[HorseSoldier]

I agree that it should be, but, sadly