Arrived Vietnam: November 1967
Departed Vietnam: March 1971
Location: Da Nang
Command and Control North
(CCN) was formed by MACV-SOG in late 1967 as an expansion of its Da Nang Forward
Operations Base (FOB) which included launch sites established as early as 1964
at Hue - Phu Bai, Khe Sanh and Kham Due. CCN, always the largest of the three
MACV-SOG field commands, was command- ed by a lieutenant colonel. It was
assigned conduct of classified special unconventional warfare missions into Laos
and North Vietnam. CCN was organized along the lines of CCC and was
composed of Spike recon teams (RT), Hatchet forces and lettered SLAM
companies. Missions into North Vietnam were initiated as early as I February
1964 under Operation Plan 34A. Operations into Laos commenced in September 1965
as part of Operation SHINING BRASS, renamed PRAIRIE FIRE in 1968. By this time
MACV-SOG had at its disposal two battalions of American-led Nung tribesmen as
reaction forces capable of performing large combat missions. CCN often operated
in conjunction with the CIA-trained Meo tribesmen of Gen. Vang Pao. In 1971 the
Laotian operations were given the code name PHU DUNG, and in March of that year
MACV-SOG created Task Force I Advisory Element to replace its three field
commands. This task force was located at Da Nang.