Uncommon Valor: The Recon Company That Earned Five Medals of Honor and Included America's Most Decorated Green Beret. By Stephen L. Moore.

Stephen L. Moore’s Uncommon Valor is a gripping and meticulously researched account of one of the most elite and secretive American military units of the Vietnam War: the men of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV)-Studies and Observations Group (SOG) who were stationed at Forward Operating Base 2 (FOB-2) in Kontum, South Vietnam, during what became known as the “secret war.”

Drawing from interviews, after-action reports, declassified documents, and personal letters, Moore tells not only accounts of the battles, but also stories of brotherhood, sacrifice, and the relentless dangers faced by SOG teams infiltrating Laos and Cambodia. This small recon company of handpicked Special Forces operatives volunteered for some of the most dangerous and classified missions of the war, deep behind enemy lines, earning five Medals of Honor and producing some of the most decorated Special Forces soldiers in American military history.

The “Kontum Thirty-Three”

Operating out of FOB-2 in Kontum, South Vietnam, a few dozen American Green Berets, who called themselves the “Kontum thirty-three,” formed recon teams of six to ten men and would insert into dense jungle, far behind enemy lines, to conduct reconnaissance, install wiretaps, sabotage enemy supplies, rescue POWs, and call in airstrikes. Ordered to remove all insignia from their uniforms, such as Special Forces patches, name tapes, rank chevrons, and qualification badges, all of their crossborder gear was exchanged for items of Asian origin.

If captured, they were to state that they had mistakenly crossed into Laos while searching for a downed aircraft. It was made clear to these volunteers that they were crossing into enemy territory on missions explicitly denied by the United States.

These missions, which routinely resulted in intense firefights, heroic rescues, and heartbreaking losses, were not officially acknowledged for decades, as the U.S. denied any involvement in Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam conflict. Moore tells the accounts of the extraordinary men who risked their lives for these covert operations and faced staggering odds in the deep jungles littered with North Vietnamese Army (NVA) troops. The book includes harrowing stories of these men evading enemy trackers for days, desperate firefights, and daring extractions under overwhelming fire.

Uncommon Valor begins with the creation of FOB-2 in 1966 and the first volunteers who laid the foundation for what would become one of the most decorated companies in the history of Special Forces. Moore describes the backgrounds, personalities, and stories of men such as Robert L. Howard, one of the most decorated soldiers in U.S. history, who earned his Medal of Honor by saving his team while severely wounded. He also writes of Jon R. Cavaiani, who held enemy forces so others could escape, sacrificed his own safety, and later endured captivity in North Vietnam.

Moore does not dramatize these stories, but rather tells them with a deep respect for the soldiers’ words, using a combination of first-person interviews, military records, and declassified reports. He confronts the cost of these operations and does not shy away from the consequences of this “secret war.” Many missions resulted in tragedy, and dozens of Green Berets were killed or wounded. Moore walks readers through periods when recon teams were hunted for days, suffered extreme casualties, or were forced to fight to the death rather than be captured. These passages are a sobering tribute to the ultimate price paid by these brave men.

Uncommon Valor in Vivid Detail

Each chapter recounts specific missions in vivid detail as Moore walks the reader through the planning stages, combat situations, and high-risk extractions. He also details the organization of command, support units such as helicopter crews, and the coordination of air assets in these hostile territories. While this book contains plenty of tactical and technical detail, the true emphasis is always on humanity, so that readers are not only educated, but deeply moved by the courage, fear, loyalty, and sacrifice of these men.

The title Uncommon Valor is no exaggeration. This unit earned 5 Medals of Honor, 8 Distinguished Service Crosses, and over 2,000 other valor awards. The perilous missions of this unique group of warriors were classified for decades, and through this book, Moore gives recognition to these brave men who are now honored as some of the most courageous soldiers in U.S. history. For those seeking to understand the courage and sacrifice of MACV-SOG, unwavering brotherhood, and the cost of the Vietnam War’s most dangerous missions, this thoroughly researched and authentic account told through declassified documents, firsthand interviews, and letters is an essential read. Uncommon Valor is recommended for military historians, students, and anyone interested in Special Operations Forces or Vietnam War history.