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50S FROGS
ZINE
Volume 13 Page 10 (Cont)
Even though the PRU Chief was in charge, the PRU Advisor had a
considerable amount of power, in that he was responsible for paying the PRU operators.
Some advisors actually paid the money out, while others observed it. This was
especially important in South
Vietnam as corruption at
all levels was a problem, and if given the freedom, it was likely that some
of the PRU Chiefs would take a “cut” of the PRU operators pay.
Also the PRU Ad-visors had a good deal of freedom with who they paid,
and most of the bonuses for significant results. This could be capturing
weapons, capturing or killing high level Viet Cong, or what ever was
important in the province. The bottom line was that if the PRU operators
worked and did their job, they got paid more, sometimes a lot more. If they
“sat on their butts”, they just got their basic pay. This method
of payment, paying for results, was responsible for a major part of the
success of the PRU’s experienced.
It further developed, Bob Wagner went back
to Vietnam
Binh PRU Advisor. It was in Vinh Binh Bob Wagner was killed in action during
a PRU operation. Bob Kelly eventually took the PRI Advisor training and with the
help of some other people developed an excellent training program, that
covered intelligence trade craft, the Viet
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Cong, Viet customs and traditions, tactics and all the other things that a PRU Advisor need to know.
Upon return to SEAL Team One following
deployment as a PRU Advisor many of these men were assigned as
instructors for the PRU training classes. Their current understanding of the
Program and the ability to teach lessons learned made this training extremely
effective..
Roger Clapp is the Naval Special Warfare Historian and he wrote the
above article with the help of former PRU Advisors ,
especially Carl Swepston. If you were a PRU Advisor
he would welcome your help in documenting SEAL
involvement in the PRU program. Also since he is on West Coast and was a West
Coast SEAL,
he is especially interested in getting more East Coast involvement, no matter
where you were. If you have something of interest, he wants to document
it. His email is
Roger.Clapp@navsoc.navy.milTele: 619-437-0772
Brotherhood doesn’t come in a package. It is not a commodity to
taken down from the shelf with one hand---- it
is an accomplishment of soul searching prayer and perseverance. (Oveta
Culp Hobby)
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