Previously Held MOS 11B10-Infantryman
11C10-Indirect Fire Infantryman
11C20-Indirect Fire Infantryman
30221-Communications Center Officer (SF Qualified)
31010-Combat Signal Unit Commander (SF Qualified)
2520-Training Officer
1542-Infantry Unit Commander
37A-Psychological Operations
35B-Strategic Intelligence Officer
01A-Officer Generalist
Special Forces Tab awarded on a retroactive basis on 2OCT84.
Previously Held MOS notes:
1. 37A-Psychological Operations - originally awarded as Specialty Skill Identifier 48B - Psychological Operations Officer on 28FEB85, since psychological operations was then part of the Foreign Area Officer functional area 48. It was later designated a separate functional area (39) and subsequently, a separate branch (37).
2. 01A-Officer Generalist - was for duty as a qualified detailed inspector general.
3. Awarded Specialty Skill Identifier 18A - Special Operations on 5FEB85.
Official Badges notes:
1. Assigned to the Retired Reserve on 11MAY98. Placed on the AUS Retired liston 18MAR09 (thus the post-2007 retirement badge).
2. Appointed as an ALARNG Recruiter, period indefinite, effective 11SEP74.
Ribbon Bar
Marksmanship badges for Rifle (Caliber 5.56 mm, M16A1), Pistol (Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1) and Mortar (81mm, M29A1) reflect original qualifications from BCT(1969) and AIT(1970).
Other
At least six of my eight great, great grandfathers (William Curlee, Lewis Kilgore, Thomas Holland, Edwin Sockwell, William Thompson and Noble Delashaw) served as Confederate soldiers in the War Between the States (all have TWS profiles shown below).
Special Forces Motto Information
The U.S Army interpretation of the Latin phrase De Oppresso Liber is generally considered to be "to free from oppression" or "to liberate the oppressed".
A more correct and/or literal translation of the Latin phrase de oppresso liber would be "from (being) an oppressed man, (to being) a free one".
Best Moment The 20th SFG(A) conducted annual training (AT) from 21JUL73 to 4AUG73 at Fort McClellan, AL. Since the Comm Center was a restricted area to virtually everyone, we showed movies there for our own entertainment!
Worst Moment Drilled at the old Graymont Armory until c. OCT73. Signal Company was then moved to Pell City, AL, with two platoons being detached to Detachment 1, Signal Company in DEC73.
Chain of Command LTC Billy R. Eidson (now deceased) was the original commander of the 4th SF Support Battalion, 20th SFG(A) when it was organized, effective OCT72 and served in that capacity until sometime in 1974. I served as Communications Center Officer for Signal Company, 4th SF Support Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
Other Memories Participated in the first CABAL THRASHER exercise in JUL-AUG73, at Fort McClellan, AL.
Motto of the 20th: "De Oppresso Liber" translated from Latin "To Liberate the Oppressed".
