Advanced Force Operations in Iraq with 10th Special Forces Group | Mark Giaconia | Ep. 129

[@toms.7913]

I spent 30yrs in SF. Most of it 10th Group. My ODA was split between birds 1 and 2 for the ugly baby. I was on bird-1 and it was shot up pretty good, smoking with gas pouring out of the wings. Last week was the 20 year anniversary of ugly baby.

[@rc123theycallme]

On the night of March 19, 2003 Bush let loose Shock & Awe. That night, I was a light infantryman PFC from 10th MTN 2-14 INF pulling a 24 hour CQ duty. The following morning I was relieved from duty at 0900. An hour later there was pounding on my barracks door - an emergency packing list. Soon thereafter I found myself staged in Constanta, Romania hitching a ride on a nasty flight path called Ugly Baby. My first time on a C130. Hugging my 240B while taking sporadic AA fire. We were banking so hard I thought the bird was going to rip apart. Eventually we landed rough and I found myself surrounded by mountains, Operators, Spooks, Kurds, ammo and many unanswered questions to this day. Mark looks very familiar. I honestly think I shared a vehicle with him during an early patrol to Mosul - I brought 4,000 rounds. He kindly explained to me this ride costs a 6,000 round minimum. Amazing times.

[@justinm.791]

I really appreciate the honesty regarding the change of heart/perspective. Coming up in a place of hard chargers who are built to kill and destroy, it must be extremely difficult to come to terms with something like that. Having the balls to be honest with yourself and make changes is to be applauded.

[@niellroystannard8017]

Type in mark gioconia fire fight for search subject and the tune pops right up if ya wanna listen; it's cool.

[@regularrory4692]

Met a bunch of 10th group guys at a bar who were attending broken axle on Bragg back in 05 06 era. Those dudes were squared away. I was super impressed.

[@dylanharrington395]

This guy is a boss! His self reflection is amazing . Legend

[@greybeard8831]

I must say that this video really hit home! Even being in ABN light infantry in both OEF/OIF during the early and mid-years of GWOT I saw and participated in enough to change me as a person (moral injury/PTSD). I too, like every 11B was a badge chaser and, once fully trained and sent off to war to the country's biding, came to the brutal realization that it wasn't what I wanted. I too have/had resentment of my time in service, the mission outcomes on a longer-term scale etc. At the same time, I realize that if I hadn't been a part of GWOT I would have had a lifetime of regrets! Hats off to the channel and MG for telling his incredible journey in SF and post military life!

[@ChristopherM-fl6ln]

Incredible interview-this gentleman is either Jack’s spirit animal Or older brother. Great chemistry here. God bless SF!

[@skizzity7180]

I was on one of those ugly baby birds. 20 years later I still think about that night everyday.

[@DaleKallio-jk9wo]

..about an hour in; the mention of Kurds watching the spaceship land, reminds me of the military machine set in motion where subsistence living is king..wow. Nation Builders!

[@cooltools007]

Hey what a heritage,.. thank all your family for your dedication 💯💯👍👍👊🏻

[@veugeler72]

Metal, and war is stupid! I like this guy

[@ColKurtzknew]

Great guest and interview! For a small state Ct. has produced some serious Tier 1 level men. Dave's schtick during the Manscape sell was nearly standup level.

[@drhodes380]

Jack reads the books, Dave pours the drinks. All is good.

[@anthonyledington3143]

Spent alot of time up there in 08. Interesting hearing about the beginnings with pku.

[@cooltools007]

That was the biggest operation that the green berets got involved with awesome job for sure 💯👍👊🏻

[@generalkrang7138]

Mark Giaconia is awesome. Love the book

[@RANDYFRANCISMMA]

Shout out from Griswold 🤘

[@cooltools007]

It was epic that all got captured on film, awesome job for sure

[@pinkyellowblue007]

I like how he speaks of being multi dimensional, I've always sensed a need for that myself with hobbies and other interests to balance out.

[@sd09gfh8sfgjmsf9yhkm]

UW= unconventional warfare, took me a second to figure that one out. Great guest, would you ever consider having a few guests on at once to deconstruct an engagement or operation? (takur ghar, COIN operations, fallujah) Honestly just hearing you guys talk about stories or conflicts you have heard or read about would be super interesting in my opinion.

[@nicholastudor934]

Takur ghar and fallujah would be awesome to hear about!

[@waynetrotter6836]

Bosnia "96 3/4 CAV Squadron division change around March/April and we became 1/4 CAV Squadron. Was a very intresting mission.

[@jackcloud4728]

I love when people with insane stories say I won’t bore you. Like please bore me this is an awesome story

[@Zooka208]

Also, This is a great channel. Every podcast provides interesting people, with great stories.

[@sleepingtiger5662]

Please ask him if he knew SGM Arthur Byrne from Bay Minette, AL? I met him and he was a Green Beret for 27yrs, 33yrs total in service. He enlisted in 83 and told me he was in Bosnia for awhile in the 90’s. Rest In Peace Major! Great guy and his brother is a Senator for Alabama who ran for Governor.

[@skipmooney5732]

I read his book years ago, loved it. I felt for him, and I was hoping he turned out ok after awhile. I see it worked out after all, I’m glad.

[@BronzeAgePuritan]

I just listened to his music. Very good stuff.

[@F3PIZZA]

Perfect sponsor. Manscaping aka Advanced Force Operations.

[@HeathenFitness]

Man i have been binge watching episodes for a day now and it is freaking amazing. Love you guys have been following since 2019/2020 think I found out about this channel just by being in the depths of KZbin videos on spooky spook activities hahahha great interviews. Thankful for these men and women talking about these awesome stories

[@benjaminphilips7506]

Good stuff guys! Love it

[@gman52712]

I don't understand how Jack was in the army in 2002. He doesn't even look like he's in his 40s- he just looks like a 24 year old thats had a rough life.

[@p9833]

Solid interview. Mark is a hella interesting dude to.

[@InvisibleHotdog]

I heard the original Bosnia story as a Russian getting killed then the others asking the Americans for help, great to hear it again and in proper context along with the rest

[@josezerpa8177]

Guys thanks again for putting me in the direction of another great book. I just got my e-copy on Amazon. Please keep an eye on Mr William E Taylor, Vietnam Vet who wrote an awesome combat memoir titled "On Full Automatic'. Cheers from Canada.

[@savagehenry7873]

That was a good book pretty intense lol

[@Zooka208]

I was apart of Operation Airborne Dragon, the largest heavy armor airlift into combat in human warfare history. We have some stories about those 10th group guys (fucking legit)! The spooks though, were straight shitters. Bashir Airfield though, was where we dropped in. 173rd and task force dragon (b co 2/2 inf and 1/63 ar) (qrtf). That deployment was fucking tits, brothers! Between the invasion, all the raids or al hawija battle, it was amazing. Those 10th group guys though, always left their "work" covered with a poncho.. lol... come across an AO and see the john Wayne gang made it there first. We called em the john Wayne gang because when they did drive conventional vehicles it was tagged up with the Duke. Their hq was close to the airfield in Kirkuk on the airforce side of things. God damn boys, those were the days. I heard they took away the mustard stain for the 173rd on that jump....

[@rc123theycallme]

Yep. DZ was already secure. Me, a dirty nasty leg, my AG and a bunch of Operators and Spooks were already there, racing around the north in Land Rover technicals. Rumor has it 173rd was supposed to drop somewhere else but some troop released sensitive info about the operation open onto the internet. They say the mission was to be totally different before this OPSEC violation.

[@cowetareserve]

Thank you for all your hard work sir! Your father sounds like a great man; and your grandfather would be PROUD 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Ready for this one! Thanks for the late night content dudes. It’s a pleasure as always!

[@Zooka208]

Also, I'm sure 10th captured turkish SF units operating in Kirkuk later that summer. I remember turkey was threatening war if the unit wasnt released. Some crazy shit went on up north. ;)

[@joesgotya9930]

Team House never disappoints.. Jack thank you and Dave for this 🙏

[@ryanjones4917]

I need to get his book. It would be interesting to compare this to Sam's. The GIS part was surprising. My wife is a Geospatial analyst and I'm working towards getting into it. It's pretty interesting but very repetitive.

[@Im-the-greatest]

Marks album is fucking fire

[@GeorgeBluthJr]

I was in Hungary, supporting the mission is Bosnia. The Hungarians had Palinka, home brewed. Absolutely brutal the next morning.

[@savagehenry7873]

Sounds like it'd work good for antifreeze too lol

[@antidoteify]

Slavic solution for local liquor ( slivovitz), hangover recuperation is drinking their (sorry the word game), natur drink yogurt.35:20 about that, it is so, frienship between russian and serbs is strong.

[@povjesnica-hrcro1109]

It's beyond me how US SF can swallow story about confused Bosnian Serbs by Croatian tank after Vukovar or Škabrnja (all before war in Bosnia began) Croatian tanks were in Bosnia after Srebrenica (maybe they heard about that😉) At the same time almost all top guys who planed and executed attacks on USS Cole, 9/11,... were getting Bosnian citizenship like: Halid Al Midhar, Muhamed Ata, Navak Elhamzi, Zijad Jarah, Khalid Sheik Muhamed and Remzi Bin Elsibiha were in A BiH (Bosnian army, third Corp, El Mujahid), or Osama got his citizenship in 93 in Wiena. And terrorists camp led by Iranians (Pogorelica) was within 100mi fom them. (Use Google, check all of this out)

[@goose33]

Crazy youd see this guy out in public and not even think he was in military let alone what he actually did haha

[@randym6439]

Which infantry unit was Mark in during his time in Hawaii? I served in the 4/27th Wolfhounds from 88-92.

[@markg_ogb]

I was 4/27 Wolfhouds as well. Until I think it was 93 or 94 that is got reflagged to 2/27. I was in A Co, then Scouts in HHC

[@randym6439]

@@markg_ogb Were Captain Steele and LTC McKnight still there or had they gone to the Rangers. When I ETSd in Feb 92, my old platoon leader was the XO of A Co. Good old boy from KY we called Uncle Buck because he looked like John Candy in Stripes. Did you know Ron Douglas or Rob Ferrara?

[@markg_ogb]

Capt Steele had just left (he was famous lol), but McKnight was my BC for quite a while… maybe a year or so. Great times in the wolfhounds, except for those f-ing centipedes

[@randym6439]

@@markg_ogb Re: Capt Steele. Some of his guys loved him. The rest of the battalion thought he was a dick. Jason Isaacs was playing him way down. Thought McKnight was a pretty good guy.

[@cooltools007]

Bosnia was really bad , and vicious as hell , they all wanted to be the most feared for sure, it’s where i saw the worst of what humans can do to each other, we did some similar operations like that,.. brutal place, I had been in vuccavar at the hospital seige,..then in osyick along the river some crazy contacts there, guy’s pulling up in vw golf cars with camouflage painted on it 💯💯👊🏻👍

[@cooltools007]

@john Dugan hey is it jumbo ? If it is do you remember that story I told about the Russian tank crew who came up the hill, with no markings that showed they where Russians not Serbs all using the same hardware

[@cooltools007]

That Russian guy was a bit thick then, I’m in the know about that incident Two weeks before 👍💯👊🏻👊🏻

[@cooltools007]

Was that Russian guy a bit thick,..and that’s how I found them to be,.. lots of big hills round there with property at the top 👊🏻💯👍

[@johnnyringo7928]

🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘 Hail from NOLA⚜

[@mrd7067]

How did you carry the V40 grenades ?

[@CptJET-he8nc]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@davidreeves8388]

We both use it together it's that kinda world 🤣

[@angloaust1575]

Having failed in vietnam Another door opens for them!

[@b.bruster1462]

Sulaymaniyah airport is a contradiction of terms lol. That area and up along the border to Ranya, Soran and Duhook was beautiful Nice show men. Some funny shit

[@MANC2311]

How are you guys not sponsored by Sheath underwear?

[@TheTeamHousePodcast]

We were…TEAM20

[@ronstallworth9421]

I wonder if Jack and David get along in real life…

[@TheTeamHousePodcast]

Lol

[@scr4370]

👍

[@MikeHunt-rw4gf]

Algorithm.