Vietnam Special Forces B-16 Mike Force Tigerstripe Shirt
Featured is a light weight tiger stripe camouflage shirt worn by Special Forces veteran SGT Bruce Ulricson while he was attached to the B-16 Mike Force (1st Mobile Strike Force Command) from 09/01/1969 to 03/01/1970. His tiger stripe shirt has his name and army tape machine embroidered on tiger stripe material, a Vietnamese hand embroidered set of US jump wings sewn on tiger stripe material, and a set of South Vietnamese silk woven (bevo) jump wings. SGT Ulricson remembered the name and army tapes being made up on a sewing machine at the B-16 compound, “where you could buy boonie hats and assorted items then have anything direct embroidered on them for little cost.”
SGT Ulricson also served as a radioman at Camp A-109 (Thuong Duc) from 01/01/1969 to 09/01/1969. I recently had the privilege of interviewing SGT Ulricson, where he relayed his experiences serving on an A-Team and Mike Force:
1. What was your motivation to volunteer for Special Forces?
What motivated me initially was the physical and mental challenge of being S.F. Also, being with the best trained soldiers in the Army. I spent 1 year in Training Group and served with the most professional NCO’s in the Army… dedicated, professional, motivated, pride and never whining about duty to our country. They realized their risk and went the extra mile. Some of these men came home in body bags. There are some things worth dying for…
2. What Special Forces Groups did you serve in chronologically during your Special Forces career?
Enlisted:
- PFC: Training Group 7/1967 – 6/1968
- Spec 4: 6th SFG(A) 6/1968 – 11/1968
- Spec 4 – SSGT: 5th SFG(A) 12/1968 – 3/1970
Officer:
- 1/10th SFG(A) ODA 31 (Team Leader) 4/1985 – 6/1987
- SOCOM (Ft Bragg) Project Officer, Training Exercises 1987 – 1989
- S3 – Training Group Spt Bn 1993 – 1994
- Retired 8/1994
3. What did you like/dislike about serving on an A-Team?
Likes:
Again, serving with the best. Working with our allies (e.g. Dutch, Canadian, SAS, Germans). I liked the physical and mental challenge. The diversity in the mission… operations from living in snow caves, jumping out of MC-130′s, living in the jungle with Rhade (Montagnards), rock climbing, weapons training, meeting people… never bored, a sense of accomplishing the mission(s), and surviving all of this. I have approximately 2 dozen friends’ names carved on The Wall. Life is precious.
Dislikes:
Dog and pony shows for VIP’s. Warm beer. Learning of a close friend’s KIA. The medic. Rats crawling on you at night… leeches. Dumb people; that could get others killed. People that give up.
4. What did you like/dislike about serving on a Mike Force?
The Mike Force was the Montagnards. Totally loyal to our missions and to us. Did not run away from enemy contact. Loved to party after combat operations. Watch cowboy shows. Play volleyball. They new the “bush.” Took care of me. The best fighters!
I liked my complete tour with the Mike Force. If not in the bush, I spent my free time with the Rhade; socializing, training, eating, drinking, partying – understanding them, as well as they understand me.
I honestly cannot recall any time I would put in the “dislike” category. (I’m sure there were some)
5. Any intersting stories you would like to share about training, camp, life, patrols, operations, etc?
My entire 6 months with the Rhade I could write an action story/novel. Following is a list of stuff I remember and share with you:
- Watching John Wayne/cowboy movies
- Drinking and partying with them (Rhade).
- I would buy gin at the PX on sale
- Playing volleyball… combat style
- Looking at Time/Life magazines together and explaining US customs, values, culture
- Chep (Rhade Co Commander) “appropriating” a mattress for him
- Being invited and participating in three Black Rock ceremonies with village elders. And receiving a montagyard bracelet
- Crossing rivers and throwing in concussion grenades to get a fish dinner that evening. Cut in two, stuffed in a canteen cup, heated with C-4 provides a yummy hot meal
- Crossing bomb craters by walking single file over the crater of a fallen tree. The one that falls in gets wet and we all get a good belly laugh out of it
- Rhade had a great sense for enjoying life and realizing “their” day with the Americans will end and probably not the way they want
My time in the Mike Force and with the Rhade will be forever etched in my being for my lifetime.
The following images were taken by a 173rd Airborne photographer who followed a Mike Force operation SGT Ulricson was on. Click on the images to read the captions SGT Ulricson provided.
