---
product_id: 2577754
title: "Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG"
brand: "john l. plaster"
price: "€ 26.72"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/2577754-secret-commandos-behind-enemy-lines-with-the-elite-warriors-sog
store_origin: IE
region: Ireland
---

# Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG

**Brand:** john l. plaster
**Price:** € 26.72
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG by john l. plaster
- **How much does it cost?** € 26.72 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ie](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/2577754-secret-commandos-behind-enemy-lines-with-the-elite-warriors-sog)

## Best For

- john l. plaster enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted john l. plaster brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51PnYNvjyfL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Sets the Bar for Recon Books
  

*by K***G on Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2020*

John Plaster’s intro to SOG Recon was being bumped from his first mission at the last minute by his team leader, who chose to take a friend instead.  The next day Plaster learned his squad-sized team had perished, attributed to an NVA anti-recon (hunter/killer) team and a trail left too easy to follow.  His unit’s highly classified missions inside Laos and Cambodia targeted the “Ho Chi Minh'' trail, enemy concentrations and munitions caches, as well as rescuing aircrews and other operations.  Well cloaked from the air, boots on the ground were necessary to gather strategic intel and to identify targets of opportunity for aerial attack or raids by platoon- to company-sized SOG “Hatchet” teams.The subject matter itself is intriguing, but this book stands apart for other reasons.  Plaster is an authority on the subject with three tours of duty, and the writing and editing is top notch.  The material is smartly organized and the narrative crafted for easy reading and relatively concise, providing what readers most want to know, with the right amount of detail.  The author also knows just where and how to introduce and expound on people, tactics, equipment, past events, etc. while keeping the story moving.  And the immersive writing gives life to individuals, their environment, and events in a way that readers feel witness to.The book is not simply a memoir or reminiscences of one’s Vietnam War experience.  Plaster incorporates the inputs and experiences of other SOG members and supporting USA/USAF aircrews.  He goes to lengths to identify them by name and describe them, adding authenticity while at the same time honoring these largely unknown heroes, whose covert stories of valor and sacrifice were suppressed for decades.  As an avid reader of war books, I’m sensitive to pitfalls that sometimes (if not more often) accompany this genre, e.g., adlibbing, the manufacturing of suspense, terror, shock, etc., and other embellishments designed to generate reader interest and emotions.  I found this book largely avoids them (and doesn’t need them).  And while higher ups (particularly intel officers) get their fair share of criticism, Plaster is not afraid to describe mistakes made by team members, including himself.  These are indicators of a book written with a high level of integrity in mind.Along with reliving the harrowing missions and other unique experiences of SOG Recon, insights are provided on the ever-evolving tactics, techniques, and technologies of the opposing forces to gain the upper hand.  Plaster also describes how he and others innovated and improvised on their own, and incorporated lessons learned to increase their odds of success—and coming back alive and whole.  But their stories show the odds were still stacked against them.  Despite their training, preparation, acquired knowledge, and latest gadgets in their tool box—one mistake and a host of other things beyond their control could end in disaster.  What SOG Recon required of them—going alone into the Dragon’s lair (repeatedly)—almost anyone else would consider “crazy” or “suicidal.”If the enemy ruled the night in Nam, they ruled both night and day across the border.  As testament to the criticality NV placed on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and their staging areas, and the threat posed to them by SOG—they applied extensive resources specifically to detect and neutralize these small bands of force multipliers.  They also placed bounties on SOG Recon heads in the field and sent large, highly trained “sapper” teams to kill them back at their home bases in Nam, along with snipers and ambushes targeting them along nearby roadways.There were no reinforcements to aid teams in the field.  A single Recon team (designated “Bright Light”) remained on standby primarily to search for missing Recon members and recover their dead, recover or destroy sensitive items, and rescue aircrews shot down.  There were also no fire support bases to call on, and they were without air support during darkness and when socked in by bad weather.  In Cambodia, no fixed wing support was allowed.  And with multiple teams in the field at any one time, they shared one FAC (“covey”) and the supporting slicks and gunships, which sometimes meant critical delays when the aircraft were actively supporting another team, or replenishing expended fuel and ammo.  Finally, while Indigenous team members played a crucial role and most did so honorably, some abandoned their American counterparts when things got hot, or tried to give their positions away to the enemy.Inevitably, the marked increase in resources by the NVA and lessons learned along with captured SOG Recon equipment, code books and maps, and likely some team members made it increasingly difficult for teams to insert undetected, and to evade and escape.  Consequently, an increasing number of missions ended before they began, quickly turning into a fight for survival.It becomes apparent while reading this book that SOG Recon members required an uncommon skill and mind set to succeed and survive.  It was not a job for the overconfident, impatient, or for those who lacked attention to detail or a cool head when the situation became hot or dire.  It also was not a job for those without a high tolerance level for physical pain, exhaustion, and discomfort, or for those who could not (or could no longer) effectively manage the high mental stresses associated with anxiety, lack of sleep, fear, horror, anguish, and guilt.  No real American will come away from this book without a profound sense of awe and pride for these men who were truly elite warriors—arguably America’s best...

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    outstanding
  

*by O***R on Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2023*

Absolutely the best book to cover combat operations in the Vietnam War. Hand salute to Plaster and his SOG brotherhood.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Awesome
  

*by G***S on Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2023*

American hero

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ie/products/2577754-secret-commandos-behind-enemy-lines-with-the-elite-warriors-sog](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/2577754-secret-commandos-behind-enemy-lines-with-the-elite-warriors-sog)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Ireland*
*Store origin: IE*
*Last updated: 2026-03-10*