Recommended readings on special ops.

• Author: Silbergeld, David L.
• Position: Book Shelf - Special operations forces - Brief Article - Bibliography

The central role played by U.S. special operations in the war in Afghanistan has many people looking for information about that particular military speciality. The following reading list might help:

* "Green Berets, SEALs and Spetsnaz: U.S. & Soviet Military Operations," by John M. Collins, Pergamon-Brassey's. Commissioned by the House Armed Services Committee, this work includes extensive notes.

* "Special Operations and National Purposes," by Ross S. Kelly, Lexington Books. Detailing special ops in Warsaw Pact and NATO scenarios, but written in light of the 1980s SOF reorganization, this volume touches on counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, guerilla warfare, counter insurgency, psychological operations, and direct-action missions.

* "SEALs In Vietnam," by Eric Micheletti, from Histoire & Collections (Combined Publishing), provides an excellent historical and pictorial record of SEAL teams during the Vietnam era.

* "The Green Beret: U.S. Forces from Vietnam to Delta Force," by Ashley Brown (Ed.), Villard Elite Forces Military Series. This volume describes the evolution of Special Forces.

* "Any Time, Any Place: A History of USAF Air Commando and SOF," by Philip D. Chinnery, Naval Institute Press. The author tells the story, from 1st Air Commando Group (of World War II fame)--supporting Orde Wingate's "Chindits" in Burma--to the Son Tay raid in North Vietnam.

* "Elite Warriors: The Special Forces of the U.S. and Its Allies," by George Sullivan, from Facts On File Publishers. This report covers U.S. Special Forces, SEALS, Delta, Rangers and Air Force Special Operations Forces; Great Britain's SAS Regiment, SBS Squadron and Commachio Group; Germany's GSG-9 and 1st Gebirgsjager Division, and special forces groups from Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands and Israel.

* "Delta: America's Elite Counter-Terrorism Force--Power Series," by Terry Griswold and D.M. Giangreco, Motorbooks Publishers.

* "Concise History of U.S. Army Special Operations Forces," by Geoffrey T. Barker, with an introduction by Lt. Gen. William Yarborough, from Anglo-American Publishing, Fayetteville, N.C., and the Fort Bragg Special Forces Museum.

* "Feet to the Fire: CIA Operations in Indonesia 1957-1968," by Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison, Naval Institute Press.

* "The Secret War Against Hanoi: Kennedy and Johnson's Use of Spies, Saboteurs and Covert Warriors in North Vietnam," by Richard H. Schultz Jr., Harper Collins Publishers. This volume tells the story of...