#260 Dale Hanson - Why MACV-SOG Had an 85% Casualty Rate and 1-in-4000 Odds

2025-12-08

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Dale Hanson is a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran and Green Beret who served three years as a commando in the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), conducting extremely dangerous reconnaissance missions deep behind enemy lines. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Saco, Maine, with family ties to Minnesota's harsh winters, Hanson was influenced by his family's military legacy—his father, born in 1894, served and died when Dale was eight. Given the name "Kam Baw Ya Chin," mea...

Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Saco, Maine, with family ties to Minnesota's harsh winters, Hanson was influenced by his family's military legacy—his father, born in 1894, served and died when Dale was eight. Given the name "Kam Baw Ya Chin," meaning 'eternal life, never die,' by his Chinese mercenary counterparts, he led recon teams facing high casualty rates and earned numerous decorations.

Hanson is also an accomplished sculptor, MENSA member, black belt martial artist, author, pilot of fixed-wing and glider aircraft (including aerobatics), and Special Forces underwater diver.

He shares his experiences through his memoir Born Twice: Memoir of a Special Forces SOG Warrior (2016) and SOG Missions to the Well, highlighting the challenges, heroism, and lack of recognition for SOG soldiers. Hanson advocates for honoring veterans' sacrifices, preserving military history, and using personal stories to educate on the realities of covert warfare.

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Dale Hanson Links:

Studio Website - https://www.dale-hanson-studio.com

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dale-Hanson/author/B001KD7KE0

SOG Site - https://sogsite.com/product/born-twice-memoir-of-a-special-forces-sog-warrior

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