From Army Rangers to Green Berets to the U.S. Navy SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden, this book explains what makes Special Forces "special," covering the rich and varied history of elite formations in American military history and describing their recruitment, intense training, and equipment in depth.
From the militiamen who contributed to the demise of King Philip during America's colonial period centuries ago to the elite soldiers who face our most inveterate enemies and dangerous terrorist organizations today, Special Forces have played an intrinsic part of the U.S. military throughout history.
Most civilians have only a vague idea of what the U.S. Special Forces are all about—who they are, how they differ from our "normal" military forces, what they've accomplished throughout our history, and how they operate today. Fighting Elites: A History of U.S. Special Forces examines the rich and varied history of U.S. Special Forces, identifies their contributions to specific conflicts from colonial times forward, and highlights their present operational excellence.
In this first-ever reference guide to U.S. Special Forces, military historian John C. Fredriksen provides a carefully balanced presentation, describing all units in their own detailed section that discusses their origins, recruitment, training, tactics, and equipment, and defining military engagements, if known. The text also contains 20 biographical entries of noted personalities associated with special purpose activities.
Features
• Initial chapters provide an overview of all American special purpose units
• A bibliography points to additional reading and sources of information
• 50 illustrations of famous leaders, uniforms, and troops in the field
• A highly detailed chronology of all known special forces activities
Highlights
• Provides comprehensive historical coverage of all known special purpose units in American employ
• Organized chronologically and alphabetically for ease of access
• Presents extensive bibliographic coverage of all the latest literature
John C. Fredriksen, PhD, is an independent historian. He is the author of 30 books and reference encyclopedias on military history. His publications include ABC-CLIO's American Military Leaders: From Colonial Times to the Present and America's Military Adversaries: From Colonial Times to the Present. Fredriksen has also authored a series of chronologies detailing the histories of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
Reviews
"This is a unique guide that will be useful in all sizes of academic and public libraries."—ARBA
"Fighting Elites accomplishes its goal of being a 'one-stop reference guide . . . that affords extensive historical and bibliographic coverage yet is easy for lay readers to access.' Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers."—Choice
"With clear, pertinent, and up-to-date information (including the killing of Osama Bin Laden), Fredriksen’s Fighting Elites is a valuable asset for larger collections and media centers supporting a military/terrorism curriculum."—Booklist
"Fighting Elites closely examines the rich and varied history of the U.S. Special Forces in a very readable fashion; it's unusual that I sit and read what is essentially a reference work in one sitting, but Fredriksen's easy style draws you in and makes you want to read further. This book is a must for any military enthusiast or historian, and will give an insight to any serviceman or woman who wants to truly understand who U.S. Special Forces are, and where they have come from."—Raider Magazine
