RELEASE NUMBER: 141114-02
DATE POSTED: NOVEMBER 14, 2014
USASOC dedicates building to ARSOF legend
By Army Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Carter
USASOC PAO NCO
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Nov. 14, 2014) -- The U.S. Army Special Operations Command dedicated the new Special Operations Mission Training Center facility to a War World II Army Special Operations Forces legend during a building dedication ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., Nov. 14, 2014.
In memory of Col. Frederick Bradshaw, one of the founding members of the Alamo Scouts, friends and family gathered to pay homage to one of ARSOF's greatest leaders by dedicating Bradshaw Hall in his name.
Also in attendance at the ceremony, was Bradshaw's granddaughter Constance Morrill.
"I didn’t know my grandfather; he died when my mother was 10. But I certainly grew up hearing a lot about him," said Morrill.
Morrill went on to explain that as she was growing up, her mother had instilled in her principles to live by: "'If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.' Another one was 'remember your ancestors; live to be a credit to them.' When I heard today, 'never quit, and never give up,' it reminded me of some of the things that I grew up hearing."
Lt. Col. Gil Cardona, director of the Special Operations Missions Training Center, explained that after being given biographies and photos of many different outstanding leaders from ARSOF history, one individual stood out among the rest and that was Col. Frederick Bradshaw.
"More than seven months ago, as we knew that we were going to move into this building, we wanted to memorialize the building after someone who was involved in Army Special Operations from the very beginning and was directly involved with the training of SOF since that is our mission here at the SOMTC," Cardona said.
Bradshaw’s brilliant leadership, as the first director of training of the Alamo Scouts Training Center, set the standard for the selection and training of the Alamo Scouts in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II. He established and commanded the first ASTC on Fergusson Island, New Guinea, in December 1943, to produce an effective tactical reconnaissance and raider unit under the direct control of 6th Army commander, Lt. General Walter Krueger.
Under Bradshaw's command, the ASTC produced 138 operational scouts during World War II, who were directly involved in the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, Leyte Operation, and Luzon campaigns.
But the Alamo Scouts did their best work in the Luzon Campaign. In over 50 identified missions, the Alamo Scouts established intelligence nets, rescued downed airmen, and armed, supplied, coordinated, and participated in operations with U.S. guerrilla leaders Russell Volckmann, Bernard Anderson, Donald Blackburn, John Boone, and Robert Lapham, and with the Hunters, Vera, Marking, Turko, and other Filipino and Chinese guerrilla units.
Overall, the Alamo Scouts conducted 112 known missions and provided vital intelligence to conventional units. They captured more than 60 enemy POWs, recorded more than 500 direct kills, and liberated more than 600 allied Soldiers and civilians without losing a single man killed or captured.
"To this, we owe Col. Bradshaw our success for his part in training us and to the wonderful officers," said Jack Geiger, a former Alamo Scout and distinguished member of the Special Forces Regiment. "I would say that having been an Alamo Scout was an unforgettable period of my life and I believe all the other Scouts would agree."