The Shawn Ryan Show #276 Nick Brokhausen - The Deadliest Stories From Vietnam with MACV-SOG
14 snips
Feb 2, 2026 
Nick Brokhausen, a highly decorated U.S. Army Special Forces veteran who served with MACV-SOG and wrote We Few, recounts clandestine reconnaissance and direct-action missions in Vietnam and Laos. He talks about intense combat missions, life with Recon Team Habu and Montagnard allies, inventive field weaponry and gear, the emotional toll of war, and efforts to preserve special operations history.
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Decentralize Authority And Standardize Gear
- Give operators latitude and avoid micromanagement to let innovation emerge at the tactical level.
- Standardize gear to reduce redundancy in procurement, training, and logistics.
Special Forces Selection And Tradecraft
- Nick described Special Forces selection phases: Camp McCall basics, MOS weapons and heavy-weapons training, then Phase III team methods.
- Training compressed many foreign weapons, mortars, and fieldcraft into intense courses.
SOG Was A Tiny Combat Core
- MACV-SOG's actual ground recon footprint was very small versus the organization's full roster.
- Roughly 36 Americans ran recon teams, making it an ultra-small, elite fraternity with high casualties.
