JSOC / SOCOM Commanding
Officers
Under construction
(soon to add CSMs)
U.S. Special Operations Command,
MacDill AFB
1989-90 Gen. James J. Lindsay, USA
1990-93 General Carl W. Stiner, USA
1991 Deputy - Major General Thomas Eggers
1992 Operations Director Major General Guest
1993-96 General
Wayne Downing, USA
1996-1998 General
Henry H. Shelton, USA
1998- General
Peter J. Schoomaker, USA
Deputy Commander
1996 Rear Admiral Irve C. LeMoyne, USN
Joint Special Operations Command,
Ft. Bragg.
1980s Brigadier General Richard A. Scholtes
1985-89 Major General Carl Stiner
1989-90 Major General Gary Luck, USA, Commanding
General
1990-91 Major General Wayne A. Downing, USA
1992-94 Brigadier General William F. Garrison, USA
1995-96 Major General Peter J. Schoomaker, USA
1997-present Brigadier General Michael A. Canavan,
USA
Deputy Commander
1995-97 Brigadier General Maxwell C. Bailey, USAF
Delta Force
1977-81 Col. Charlie Beckwith
1980s Col. Rod Parschall
Col. Sherman Williford
Col. William Garrison
1991-92 Col. Peter Schoomaker
1992- Col. Jerry Boykin
SEAL Team 6 / Dev Group
TART MOB 6 1970s-1980 Lt. Commander Norm Carley
1980-1983 Captain Richard Marcinko
1983-1986 Captain Robert Gormly
1986-1987 Captain Thomas Murphy
U.S. Army Special Operations Command,
Ft. Bragg.
1989-90 Lt. Gen. Gary Luck
1990-91 Lieutenant General Michael F. Spigelmire
1991-93 Lieutenant General Wanye Al. Downing
1991 Deputy - Brigadier General Harley Davis
1992 Deputy - Brigadier General Richard Potter
1993-96 Lieutenant General James T. Scott
1996-1997 ??
1998- Lt. Gen. W.P. Tangney
U.S. Army Special Operations Agency,
Pentagon
1993 Major General Joseph W. Kinzer
1994 Brigadier General Peter J. Schoomaker
1995 Brigadier General Greg Gile
1996 Brigadier General D.L. Grange
1997 Brigadier General Ronald F. Rokosz
Chief, Special Operations Division
1993 Col. B. Bartholomes
1994 Col. F.E. Watson
1995 Col. Roger Slaughter
1996-97 Col. Harvey Teston
Chief, Psychological and Civil Affairs
Division
1993-95 Col. A.W. Keener
1996-97 Col. Gary N. Cassidy
U.S. Army Reserve Special Operations
Command, Ft. Bragg.
1990 Brigadier General Joseph C. Hurteau
1st Special Operations Command (later
US Army Special ForcesCommand, Ft. Bragg.
1982 Brigadier General Joseph Lutz
Deputy - Col. Paul Fisher
1987-88 Major General Leroy Suddath, Jr.
Deputy - Wayne Downing
1989-91 Brigadier General James Guest, Commanding
General
1992 Major General Sidney Shachnow
1992-95 Brigadier (later Major) General H.C. Davis
1997 Lieutenant General Peter J. Schoomaker
John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center,
Ft. Bragg.
1961 Brigadier General William Yarborough
1980-82 Brigadier General Robert Wiegand
1987-88 Brigadier General James A. Guest, Commanding
General
1989-92 Brigadier General David J. Baratto
1992-94 Major General Sidney Sachnow
1995-96 Major General William Garrison
1997-98 Major
General William P. Tangney
1998- General
Kenneth Bowra
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne),
Ft. Lewis.
1970s Col. David Baratto
1988 Col. John Blair, Commanding Officer
1989-90 Col. Eddy J. White
1991-93 Col. Richard A. Todd
1993-94 Col. Siefried Hildebrandt
1995 Col. Russell D. Howard
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne),
Ft. Bragg.
1991-92 Col. Peter Stankovich
1993-94 Col. Philip Kensinger
1995 Col. Mark D. Boyatt
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne),
Ft. Bragg.
1980-82 Harley C. Davis
1988 Col. Lawrence W. Duggan, Commanding Officer
1988-90 Col. Harley C. Davis
1990-91 Col. James W. Kraus
1992-93 Col. Kenneth R. Bowra
1994-95 Col. John W. Noe, Jr.
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne),
Ft. Bragg.
1988 Col. John D. Waghelstein, Commanding Officer
1989 Col. Robert C. Jacobelly
1989-91 Col. Hugh F. Scrugg
1992-93 Col. James A. Pulley
1994-95 Col. James S. Roach
10th Special Forces Group (Airborne),
Ft. Devens.
1952 Col. Aaron Banks
1988 Col. Roger Seymour, Commanding Officer
1989-90 Col. Jesse L. Johnson
1990-92 Col. William P. Tangney (Persian Gulf War
CO)
1993-94 Col. Frank J. Toney, Jr.
1995 Col. Geoffrey Lambert
160th Aviation Special Operations
Group (Airborne), Ft.Campbell.
1989-90 Col. John N. Dailey
1990 Col. Billy Miller
1991-93 Col. Joseph A. Fucci
1993-94 Col. Bryan Brown
1995-97 Col. Dell L. Dailey
1997- Col. Howard Yellen
U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychologival
Operations Command,Ft. Bragg.
1991-92 Brigadier General Joseph C. Hurteau
1993-95 Brigadier General Donald F. Campbell
4th Psychological Operations Group,
Ft. Bragg.
1988 Col. Melvin Kriesel, Commanding Officer
1989 Col. William A. Depalo, Jr.
1989-90 Col. Anthoney H. Normand
1991-93 Col. Layton G. Dunbar
1993-95 Col. Jeffrey B. Jones
75th Infantry Regiment (Rangers),
Ft. Benning.
1986 Col. Wayne Downing
1988 Col. Joseph Stringham, Commanding Officer
1989 Col. Wesley B. Taylor, Jr.
1989-91 Col. William F. Kernan
1992-93 Col. David L. Grange
1994-95 Col. James T. Jackson), Hurlburt AFB.
23rd Air Force (later Air Force Special
Operations Command)
Major General Robert Patterson, Commanding General
1990-91 Major General Thomas E. Eggers
1992-94 Major General Bruce L. Fister
1995-97 Major General James L. Hobson, Jr.
U.S.A.F. Special Operations School,
Hurlburt AFB.
1989-91 Col. Richard Brauer, Commanding Officer
1992-94 Col. Michael M. Flynt
1995 Col. Terry R. Silvester
1st Special Operations Wing (later
16th Special OperationsWing), Hurlburt Field.
1990-91 Col. George A. Gray, III, Wing Commander
1992-93 Col. Charles R. Holland
1994 Brigadier General Maxwell Bailey
1995 Brigadier Maxwell Bailey
720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt
Field.
1990-91 Col. John T. Carney, Jr., Group Commander
1992-95 Col. Robert W. Neumann
U.S. Navy Special Warfare Command,
Coronado, CA.
1989 Rear Admiral Irve LeMoyne, Commanding Officer
1989-92 Read Admiral George Worthington
1993-96 Read Admiral Raymond C. Smith
1997 Rear Admiral Thomas Richards
U.S. Navy Special Warfare Center,
Coronado.
1989-90 Captain Thomas N. Lawson
1991 Captain Douglas P. Huth
1992-94 Captain Thomas R. Richards
1995 Captain James E. Parks
Naval Special Warfare Group ONE,
Coronado.
1985-87 Captain Raymond C. Smith
1990-91 Captain Ray C. Smith, Jr.
1992-93 Captain Joseph Quincannon
1994-95 Captain Robert C. Mabry
SEAL Team ONE
1972-74 George R. Worthington
1980-82 Thomas E. Murphy
SEAL Team THREE
SEAL Team FIVE
SDV 1
1985-87 Raymond C. Smith
SBS 1
Naval Special Warfare Group TWO,
Norfolk.
1990 Captain John F. Sandoz
1991-92 Captain Lewis H. Boink
1993-94 Captain Robert M. Rieve
1995 Captain Peter Tonnies
SEAL Team TWO
SEAL Team FOUR
SEAL Team EIGHT
SDV 2
SBS 2
Sources Used:
Air Force Magazine, annual USAF issue Sept. or Oct.
Army Magazine, annual USA issue Oct.
Seapower (Almanac of Sea Power)
Federal Staff Directories from 1983-1997
Foreign Commanding Officers
Here are the Royal Marines's top officers names (and
the British andAustralian SAS CO below)
Commandant General Royal Marines
CO 40 Commando RM 1959-61 Ian Harrison
CO 45 Commando RM 1958-60 Francis Barton
1962-1966 CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1962-63 Francis
Barton
CO 42 Commando RM 1963-65 Ian Gourlay
CO 42 Commando RM 1965-66 Peter Whiteley
CO 43 Commando RM 1963-65 Patrick Kay
1966-1968 CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1966-68 Ian Gourlay
CO 40 Commando RM 1967-69 Robert Loudoun
CO 43 Commando RM 1967-68 Edgar Pounds
CO 45 Commando RM 1967-68 John Owen
1968-1971 General Sir Peter Hellings
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1968-70 Peter Whiteley
CO 40 Commando RM 1969-70 David Alexander
CO 42 Commando RM
CO 45 Commando RM 1969-71 Roderick Ephraums
1971-1975 General Sir Ian Gourlay
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1973-74 Roderick Ephraums
CO 40 Commando RM 1972-74 John Mottram
CO 42 Commando RM 1970-72 John Richards
CO 42 Commando RM 1972-73 Jeremy Moore
CO 45 Commando RM 1971-74 Steuart Pringle
1975-1977 General Sir Peter Whiteley
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1975-76 John Richards
CO 40 Commando RM 1975-78 Julian Thompson
CO 42 Commando RM
CO 45 Commando RM 1976-78 John Grey
1977-1981 Lieutenant General Sir John Richards
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1977-79 Jeremy Moore
CO 40 Commando RM 1978-79 Martin Garrod
CO 42 Commando RM 1978-80 Henry Beverley
CO 45 Commando RM
1981-1984 Lieutenant General Steuart Pringle
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1981-83 Julian Thompson
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1983-84 Martin Garrod
CO 40 Commando RM 1979-81 Robert Ross
CO 40 Commando RM 1981-83 Malcolm Hunt
CO 42 Commando RM 1981-83 Nicholas Vaux
CO 45 Commando RM 1981-83 A. Whitehead
1984-1987 Lieutenant General Sir Michael Wilkins
(7,700; 7,100; 7,100RM)
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1984-86 Henry Beverley
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1986-88 Robert Ross
CO 40 Commando RM
CO 42 Commando RM
CO 45 Commando RM 1985-87 Andrew Keeling
1987-1990 Lieutenant General Sir Martin Garrod (7,000
RM)
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1986-88 John Grey
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1988-90 Nicholas Vaux
CO 40 Commando RM 1987-89 John Chester
CO 42 Commando RM 1988-90 David Pennefather
CO 45 Commando RM 1987-89 Simon Pack
1991-1993 Lieutenant General Sir Henry Beverley (7,000
RM)
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1990-92 Andrew Keeling
CO 40 Commando RM
CO 42 Commando RM
CO 45 Commando RM Lt. Col. Jonathan Thompson
1994-1996 Lieutenant General Sir Robert Ross (7,000;
6,500 RM)
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM 1993-96 David Pennefather
CO 40 Commando RM
CO 42 Commando RM
CO 45 Commando RM
1996-Present Major General David Pennefather (6,500
RM)
CO 3 Commando Brigade RM
CO 40 Commando RM
CO 42 Commando RM
CO 45 Commando RM
Commandant General Royal Marines
1968-1971 General Sir Peter Hellings
1971-1975 General Sir Ian Gourlay
1975-1977 General Sir Peter Whiteley
1977-1981 Lieutenant General Sir John Richards
1981-1984 Lieutenant General Steuart Pringle
1985-1987 Lieutenant General Sir Michael Wilkins
1987-1990 Lieutenant General Sir Martin Garrod
1991-1993 Lieutenant General Sir Henry Beverley
1994-1996 Lieutenant General Sir Robert Ross
1996-Present Major General David Pennefather
British 22 SAS Regiment
1957-60 Anthony Drummond (Major General, Ret.)
1960-62 Ronald Wilson
1962-64 John Woodhouse
1964-66
CO, A Squadron Peter de la Billiere
1966-68 Lt. Col. John Slim
1968-70
1970-72 John Watts
1972-74 Peter de la Billiere (now General Sir de
la Billiere, Ret.)
1974-76
1976-78
1979-82 Michael Rose (now a General and equerry (sp?)
to the Queen)
1982-84
1984-86
1986-88
1988-90
1990-92
1992-94
1994-96
1996-98
Source: Who's Who, St. Martin Press (British ed.).
British Special Forces Director
1975 Brigadier John Simpson
late 1980s Michael Rose
CO, Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR)
1957-58 Major W.W. Gook
1958-60 Col. L. A. Eyles
1962-63 Major Alf Garland
1964-67 Lt. Col. Bill Brathwaite
1967-69 Lt. Col. Eyles
1969-72 Lt. Col. Lawrie Clark
1972-73 Lt. Col. I.D. McFarlane
1973-76 Lt. Col. Neville Smethurst
1976-77 Lt. Col. P.M. Jeffery
1977-79 Col. R.P. Beesley
1979-82 Col. R.G. Curtis
1982-85 Col. C.A.M. Roberts
1985-88 Col. T.J. Nelson
1988-? Lt. Col. J.J.A. Wallace
1993 Lt. Col. Tony Jeapes
Source: 1957-1988 Horner, P.M. SAS, Phantoms of the
Jungle: A History
of the Australian Special Air Service. Sydney: Allen
& Unwin, 1989.
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