Episode overview

SOGCast 051: RT Idaho's John Trantanella on 2nd SOG Combat HALO Jump Into Laos.

Jocko Podcast · 1h 45m · 6 Egleze moments

Episode summary

John Striker Meyer interviews John Trantanella, a decorated Special Forces operator who participated in the second of only five combat HALO jumps conducted during SOG operations in Vietnam. Trantanella recounts the harrowing May 7, 1971 mission into Laos near the A Shau Valley where team member No Gas was catastrophically injured when toe poppers in his rucksack exploded upon landing, destroying half his buttocks. Trantanella saved Gas by rigging himself underneath as a human stretcher during helicopter extraction. The interview reveals Trantanella's unconventional entry into military service when his Pawnee-Chippewa grandmother had police handcuff the 18-year-old gang member and force him to enlist. His 22-year career included training Indonesian forces after they expelled Soviet advisors, classified missions training Korean CIA operatives using unmarked black aircraft for deniable infiltrations, and personally briefing President Reagan who expressed surprise that such covert capabilities existed. Trantanella accumulated approximately 2,900 freefall jumps and trained elite operators from multiple nations including the current King of Thailand. He describes technical innovations in HALO operations, near-fatal parachute malfunctions, and the extreme compartmentalization of Cold War special operations. The interview provides rare insight into SOG's most elite missions and the subsequent covert training programs that extended American special operations influence across Asia during the Cold War era.

Key points

John Trantanella participated in the second of only five combat HALO jumps in SOG history on May 7, 1971, jumping from 18,500 feet into Laos with unmarked equipment for plausible deniability
Team member No Gas suffered catastrophic injuries when toe poppers exploded in his rucksack on landing, destroying his left buttock; Trantanella saved him by serving as a human stretcher during extraction
Trantanella's Pawnee-Chippewa grandmother had police handcuff the 18-year-old gang member and force him to Army recruiting offices, launching his 22-year Special Forces career
In 1985-86, Trantanella led classified missions training Korean CIA operatives using completely unmarked black C-130s, helicopters with no identification numbers, and civilian clothes for deniable infiltrations
Trantanella personally briefed President Reagan on covert Korean operations; Reagan stated he didn't know such capabilities existed, revealing extreme compartmentalization of Cold War special operations
Over his career Trantanella accumulated 2,900 freefall jumps and trained elite forces from multiple nations including current Thai King, Indonesian military, and Israeli and Lebanese officers
Trantanella describes technical evolution from MC-1 round parachutes to square parachutes and innovations in HALO training including wind tunnel facilities that revolutionized instruction

Watch original episode More from Jocko Podcast

6 moments from this episode

Source-linked · editorially selected

Espionage

CIA-Trained Korean Operatives Using Unmarked Equipment and Black Aircraft for Deniable Missions

In 1985-86, Trantanella led a four-man team training Korean CIA operatives in high-altitude infiltration techniques using completely unmarked equipment, aircraft painted pure black with no identifying numbers, and civilian clothes for plausible deniability. Teams would land C-130s on South Korean highways at night with police blocking traffic, then launch operatives over the coast. He later briefed President Reagan, Chief of Staff of the Army, and Navy leadership on these classified operations.

Read this moment →

Military

SOG Veteran Recalls Second Combat HALO Jump Into Enemy Territory in 1971

John Trantanella describes participating in the second of only five combat HALO jumps during the entire SOG history on May 7, 1971. The four-man team jumped from 18,500 feet into Laos near the A Shau Valley with no identifying marks on their equipment, prepared for deniability if captured or killed. The mission aimed to conduct area reconnaissance in preparation for what would later become Operation Lam Son 719.

Read this moment →

Military

President Reagan Told Elite Operator: I Didn't Know We Had People That Did This

During a 1985 Hawaii briefing on his classified Korean CIA training mission, Trantanella personally briefed President Reagan, who expressed surprise at the existence of such covert capabilities. The operations were conducted under strict plausible deniability protocols, with the only official record appearing in his military evaluation reports. This moment revealed the compartmentalization between even presidential knowledge and deep special operations activities.

Read this moment →

Society

Indian Grandmother Had Police Handcuff Teen To Force Army Enlistment

Trantanella's Pawnee-Chippewa grandmother orchestrated his forced recruitment into the military by having police relatives literally handcuff the 18-year-old gang member and drive him to recruiting offices. They initially tried the Marine Corps recruiter, but it was closed, so they signed him up with the Army next door instead. This intervention launched a 22-year military career including elite Special Forces and SOG service.

Read this moment →

Military

Team Member's Toe Poppers Explode On Landing, Destroying Half His Body

During the May 1971 HALO jump, team member No Gas landed directly on his rucksack containing toe poppers which exploded on impact, destroying his entire left buttock and burning his leg. Trantanella rigged himself underneath Gas to serve as a human stretcher during helicopter extraction, taking the weight on his own body. Gas survived and later earned the nickname 'half-ass Gas,' eventually requesting and receiving a promotion to sergeant first class.

Read this moment →

Military

Special Forces Operator Completed 2900 Freefall Jumps Including Training Foreign Militaries

Over his career, Trantanella accumulated approximately 2,900 freefall parachute jumps (not including static line jumps) and trained elite operators from multiple nations including the current King of Thailand when he was crown prince. He spent five weeks training the entire Indonesian military in square parachute techniques after that country expelled Soviet advisors. His training missions included Israeli and Lebanese officers as jump partners, demonstrating the scope of U.S. Special Forces influence in allied nations during the Cold War.

Read this moment →