Special Forces Use of Pack Animals

[Rifleman]

In the late '80s and early '90s some SF personel attended packing clinics in the Rocky Mountain states instructed by civilian outfitters and guides. I guess it was an attempt to relearn things that the Army had let slip from it's institutional memory.

I used to work for a Wyoming outfitter who had instructed some SF. He was kind of a crotchety old drunk, although he knew his way around pack stock. I don't think SF sent teams to him more than a couple of times, for obvious reasons. I believe the teams were from 7th SFG (A).

[Uboat509]

It is still taught from time to time.

SFC W

[goesh]

You'd be surprised how much stuff a dog can pack. Burros are darn agile critters too and can carry a tremendous load. The best thing about them is they can both be eaten too. A husky mutt could come in darn handy in rough terrain I tell you. Let's say you've got a base camp at a lower elevation and an OP up higher, well all you have do is load Fido up with chow or canteens or clips and whistle him up then he can be whistled back down or kept up there at night for sentry duty. A dog's ears and nose can come in darn handy to alert you to movement on the perimeter. Dogs are pretty good morale boosters too. Maybe some burros and dogs could be drafted - the Public wouldn't complain too much about that....

[Jedburgh]

FM 25-6 Dog Team Transportation - 4 Jan 41

FM 25-7 Pack Transportation - 25 Aug 44

[Steve Blair]

Don't the Marines still have a pack animal program? When I was working for an organization in Kansas we got a request for copies of that 1944 FM jed linked to for a Marine course. All I remember now is that it was on the West Coast somewhere. This would have been in 1998 or 1999.

[Tom Odom]

Historically this was of course more the norm than the exception. That the former Sec Def chose to seize on such ops in Afghanistan just shows a lack of historical understanding.

Despite its fearsome reputation for mechanized warfare, the Wehrmacht was largely horse drawn, especially in the Infantry and Armored Infantry.

The Burma theater was a donkey's paradise: look at the 5307th Composite Unit "Merrills Marauders".

6th Ranger Battalion was originally a mule/donkey unit. They converted to Rangers because they had been handpicked as strapping farm boys.

Same thing in the ETO--especially Italy.

Besides I felt like a pack mule in Ranger school. Does that count?

Tom

[Bill Moore]

Tom,

On the lighter side thanks for the historical reference to the Rangers legacy tied to a much of asses. I'm going to use that one for a few of my buddies down the road. Bill

[El Machetazo]

The Marine Corps still runs an animal packing course at Bridgeport.

[J Wolfsberger]

The Burma theater was a donkey's paradise: look at the 5307th Composite Unit "Merrills Marauders".

My first wife's father was one of the mule skinners with Merril's Marauders. I may be misremembering, but he claimed that they were able to provide almost all the logistic support for the unit. (He still had his McClellan saddle. I admired the fortitude it took to spend hours on the d--- thing. )

[Tom Odom]

My first wife's father was one of the mule skinners with Merril's Marauders. I may be misremembering, but he claimed that they were able to provide almost all the logistic support for the unit. (He still had his McClellan saddle. I admired the fortitude it took to spend hours on the d--- thing. )

good paper here on the Marauders from a good friend Dr, Gary Bjorge

Merrill's Marauders:Combined Operations in Northern Burma in 1944

Also a Chapter in Research Survey #6 on Light Infantry on the Marauders and the Chndits Gary wrote this one as well.

Tom