The Quiet Professional: Major Richard J. Meadows of the U.S. Army Special Forces

by Alan Hoe, Peter J. Schoomaker (Foreword by)

Overview

Major Richard J. "Dick" Meadows is renowned in military circles as a key figure in the development of the U.S. Army Special Operations. A highly decorated war veteran of the engagements in Korea and Vietnam, Meadows was instrumental in the founding of the U.S. Delta Force and hostage rescue force. Although he officially retired in 1977, Meadows could never leave the army behind, and he went undercover in the clandestine operations to free American hostages from Iran in 1980.

The Quiet Professional: Major Richard J. Meadows of the U.S. Army Special Forces is the only biography of this exemplary soldier's life. Military historian Alan Hoe offers unique insight into Meadows, having served alongside him in 1960. The Quiet Professional is an insider's account that gives a human face to U.S. military strategy during the cold war. Major Meadows often claimed that he never achieved anything significant; The Quiet Professional proves otherwise, showcasing one of the great military minds of twentieth-century America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813133997
Publisher:	University Press of Kentucky
Publication date:	09/11/2011
Series:	American Warriors Series
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Major Alan Hoe (ret.) served in the British Army Special Forces and is the author of several books, including Terrorism: Threat and Response and David Stirling: The Authorized Biography of the Creator of the SAS. He lives in the United Kingdom.

Table of Contents

Foreword General Peter J. Schoomaker xi

Preface xv

Prologue: Changing the Course of the Vietnam War 3

1 The Early Years, 1932-1947 11

2 The Young Soldier and Korea, 1947-1952 25

3 Special Forces, 1952-1960 37

4 A Lighthearted Interlude with the Brits, 1960-1961 45

5 Laos and the Learning Curve, 1962 61

6 Panama and the Fun Years, 1962-1965 69

7 Vietnam and RT Ohio, 1965 83

8 Vietnam Through an Officer's Eyes, 1966-1970 97

9 They'll Know We Cared: Son Tay, 1970 107

10 The Rangers, Mr. Meadows, and Delta Force, 1970-1980 129

11 "Agent" Meadows in Tehran, 1980 141

12 Footloose, 1980-1984 167

13 Entrepreneur in Peru, 1984-1989 173

14 The Golden Days in Peru, 1989-1991 189

15 The Bubble Bursts in Peru, 1991-1995 197

16 A Special Forces Marriage 211

17 The Last Patrol 215

Epilogue 223

Acknowledgments 227

Appendix: Research Notes on the Use and Effects of Agent Orange 229

Notes 233

Suggested Readings 239

Index 241

Photographs follow page 128

Editorial Reviews

"Dick Meadows' iconic status begins with his exploits in MACV-SOG and on the Son Tay Raid in Vietnam. This book documents his singular status in the Special Operations community and is a welcome contribution to the literature of the history of Army Special Operations."—Kenneth Finlayson, Ph.D., Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired)

From the Publisher

"A book about one of the greatest legends in the world of U.S. Army special forces, Major Richard Meadows"—Military Heritage

Military