Sydnor, Elliot P., Jr., COL

Bud Sydnor was born on June 30, 1927, in Auburn, Kentucky (pop 850). He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 6, 1945, and after completing Submarine School, he served aboard the attack submarine USS Raton (SS-270) with the Atlantic Submarine Fleet out of New London, Connecticut, until his discharge from active duty on January 15, 1948.

He remained in the Naval Reserve until September 19, 1950. Sydnor received his commission as a 2d Lt of Infantry in the U.S. Army through the Army ROTC program at Western Kentucky State Teachers College on May 29, 1952, and went on active duty beginning August 25, 1952.

After completing Infantry Officer training and Airborne School, Lt Sydnor served with the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from February to December 1953. During this time, he completed Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

His next assignment was with the 160th and then the 23rd Infantry Regiment in Korea from January to September 1954, where he served as a Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Company Commander.

Lt Sydnor served with the 27th Infantry Regiment in Hawaii from September 1954 to December 1956, followed by service as an airborne instructor with the International Student Division at Fort Benning from January 1957 to August 1958.

After completing Special Forces training, Capt Sydnor served as a Team Commander with the 77th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from June 1959 to March 1960, and he then completed an exchange officer assignment with the British Special Air Service (SAS) in England from April 1960 to June 1961.

He served with the 7th Special Force Group at Fort Bragg from June 1961 to January 1964, and during this time he deployed to Laos as part of the White Star project from October 1961 to June 1962.

His next assignment was as a staff officer with the Infantry Branch at the Pentagon from January 1964 to January 1967. Col Sydnor attended Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, from January to August 1967, and then deployed to Southeast Asia, where he served as a battalion commander and executive officer with the 327th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in the Republic of Vietnam from August 1967 to August 1968.

After completing his Master's Degree at George Washington University and attending Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, Col Sydnor served with the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning from June 1970 to June 1973.

During this time he trained and commanded the ground forces for the Son Tay Raid, a clandestine mission to rescue American Prisoners of War held in North Vietnam, on November 21, 1970.

He served as Commander of the 1st Special Forces Group on Okinawa from July 1973 to September 1974, followed by service as Chief of the Infantry Branch with the Army Military Personnel Center in Alexandria, Virginia, from November 1974 to June 1976.

Col Sydner next served as Chief of the Company Grade Combat Arms Division with the Army Military Personnel Center from June 1976 to June 1977, and then served as Director of the Ranger Department with the Infantry School at Fort Benning from June 1977 to May 1980.

His final assignment was as Director of Plans and Training with the U.S. Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning from May 1980 until his retirement from the Army on September 1, 1981.

In addition to his U.S. badges, Col Sydnor was awarded the British Air Service Jump Wings, the Thai Army Jump Wings, and the Republic of China Jump Wings.

He was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame on June 18, 1992.