5th Special Forces Group Commemorates 50 Years

FORT CAMPBELL, KY — Green Berets from 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) will recognize the 50th anniversary of the unit's activation during a ceremony Sept. 21, at 10 a.m., here at Gabriel Field.

During the ceremony, the Legion will also unveil 9/11 display, featuring two World Trade Center structural steel columns that were recovered from Ground Zero. The columns were presented to the unit by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey May 27, 2011, and placed on Gabriel Field on Sept. 11, 2011.

The ceremony is just one of many events held during the Reunion Week celebration, scheduled for Sept. 19-24. Reunion Week will include an airborne operation and multiple training demonstrations, sports competitions, a formal banquet and a unit picnic.

5th SFG (A) was first activated on Sept. 21, 1961, at Fort Bragg, N.C., and derives its lineage from a unit of World War II fame, the 1st Special Service Force, a combined Canadian-American regiment.

Since its activation, Green Berets from 5th SFG (A) have continuously answered the call, conducting combat operations in Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq, Somalia, missions in Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo, and after 9/11, continuous support to operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The unit is one of the most decorated units in the U.S. Armed Forces to date, with 18 Soldiers awarded The Medal of Honor.