Major General (Ret) Kenneth R. Bowra was commissioned a regular Army officer and assigned as Airborne Rifle Platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division after graduating as a Distinguished Military Student from The Citadel in 1970. After completing Special Forces training, he was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam, serving as a “One Zero,” (reconnaissance team leader) for RT Idaho and RT Sidewinder in MACV-Studies and Observations Group (SOG) Combat and Control North.
He later served as an advisor to the Cambodian Infantry Battalions in the US Army Vietnam Individual Training Group (UITG)/Forces Armee Nationale Khmer (FANK) training program. As an A-Team executive officer and commander, he trained, advised, and conducted combat operations with Cambodian troops. He returned to Cambodia in 1974, this time assigned to the Military Equipment Delivery Team Cambodia, after serving as ODA Commander of a HALO and SADM team in Company A, 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)(5th SFG(A)) at Fort Bragg, NC.
He remained in Cambodia until the fall of the Khmer Republic in April, 1975. Major General Bowra retired from the U.S. Army with over 33 years of service on 1 October 2003.
Timeline:
00:00:00 Introduction and Background of FANK training program
00:01:18 Long Hai Training Battalion, the training regime
00:03:57 Weapons and Equipment
00:07:02 Easter offensive
00:08:14 Differences between Cambodian and ARVN doctrine
00:09:35 Support assets
00:10:41 Thoughts about the chances for FANK
00:13:10 The Khmer Rouge were ruthless
00:14:00 The Killing Fields
00:15:50 Liberation by the NVA
00:17:01 Combat operations with FANK
00:22:12 Tracking the enemy
00:23:18 Cultural differences between Cambodians and other Indig troops
00:24:50 Phantoms on the payroll – corruption in FANK units
00:27:20 Capabilities of FANK units
00:27:52 A successful training regime
00:29:07 American support for FANK units in Cambodia – MEDTC
00:31:23 Surrounded enclaves, the end approaches
00:32:18 The aftermath of Operation Eagle Pull – the fate of friends after the fall
00:34:41 The letter from Jill
00:36:18 Harry and Jill surviving the Killing Fields
00:38:00 What could have been done differently?
00:41:40 Finish
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Amazing story, really looking forward to seeing this.
Cool to see the likes coming in early, well deserved for these Heros 🇺🇲🪖💥😎. Thanks, Bud for having one of the most interesting channels on YouTube 👏👏👏
I was trained by the 5th Special Forces Group at Base 43 in Phouc Tuy, then spent 4 years fighting against the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia until the fall of Phnom Penh on 17APR75. Can’t wait to see this video clip. God bless our troops and God bless America. 512/74FANK
Next S.O.G update will add reporter's hunting us down jk jk
Thank you guys for the video and history lesson
In 1974, before the fall of Phnom Penh, we were told to use our ammos sparingly because the American had decided to stop selling us food, weapons and ammos that we need to sustain the war against the Vietcong and the Khmer Rouge. That hurts a lot. God bless our troops and God bless America. 512/74FANK
Great interview Ken.
Thank you Rob.
Great interview on a lesser known subject. Many thanks for sharing your story.