Donald Blackburn Brigadier General Donald C . " Don " Blackburn ( United States Army , retired ) ( September 14 , 1916 – May 24 , 2008 ) was a United States Army Special Forces officer , best known for his significant command and developmental roles in the U . S . Army Special Forces . He was also the commander of the highly classified Studies and Observations Group from 1965 to 1966 . Since most of his military career involved clandestine operations , many of Blackburn ' s exploits remain unknown to the general public . Army service . Donald Blackburn was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry Reserve on May 30 , 1938 , and entered into active duty with the Army September 22 , 1940 , assigned to the 24th Infantry at Fort Benning , Ga . At the outbreak of World War II , he was serving as an advisor to a battalion of the 12th Infantry Regiment , Philippine Commonwealth Army . Upon the fall of Bataan in April 1942 , he evaded capture with his friend Captain Russell W . Volckmann , and until October 1945 conducted guerrilla warfare on the island of Luzon . During this latter period , he reorganized and commanded the 11th Infantry , Philippine Commonwealth Army , which was integrated in October 1945 as a regular unit in the Philippine military establishment . Following World War II Blackburn served in various command and staff assignments . He was assigned to the Department of Military Psychology and Leadership , Tactical Department , United States Military Academy , in 1950 . During 1953 , he attended the Armed Forces Staff College , Norfolk , Va . He was then assigned to NATO ' s Allied Forces Northern Europe , Oslo , Norway . On return to the United States in 1956 , he was assigned as commanding officer , 3rd Training Regiment , Fort Jackson , S . C . In 1957 , he was assigned to MAAG , Vietnam , and served as the senior advisor to the commanding general , 5th Military Region ( Mekong Delta ) . In October 1958 , he was assigned as commanding officer , 77th Special Forces Group ( now the 7th SFG ) where he was instrumental in initiating Special Forces operations in Southeast Asia . He attended the 1960 class of the National War College . He served as deputy director of developments for Special Warfare , Office of the Chief of Research and Development from 1961 to 1964 , and then was reassigned to the office , Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations as Director of Special Warfare . Blackburn was SOG Commander ( Studies and Observations Group ) Military Assistance Command , Vietnam , from May 1965 to May 1966 . He served as assistant deputy director , Defense Communications Planning Group from August 1966 to August 1967 . He was the assistant division commander , 82nd Airborne Division from September 1967 to October 1968 . He was the Director of Plans and Programs , office of the Chief of Research and Development from October 1968 until his retirement in 1971 . In retirement . Following his retirement from military service , Blackburn took a position with Braddock Dunn & McDonald , where he served as vice president , special projects until he retired in 1979 . Medals and decorations . Brig . Gen . Blackburn was awarded the Silver Star , the Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters , Bronze Star , Army Commendation Medal , Air Medal , the Gold Star Medal ( Philippines ) , the Medal of Merit ( Philippines ) and the Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Medal . He is authorized to wear the Distinguished Unit Citation with three Oak Leaf Clusters , the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation , the Combat Infantryman ' s Badge and the Master Parachutist Badge . References . ROXANNE M . MERRITT Director , JFK Special Warfare Museum 910 - 432 - 4272 / 1533 ; DSN : 239 910 - 432 - 4062 fax merrittr @ soc . mil ; Roxanne . M . Merritt @ us . army . mil Roxanne ' s note : While 77th / 7th SFG ( A ) Commander , he assembled the first Operation White Star Mobile Training Teams . The first itieration was led by Bull Simons whom he had first gotten to know from the Philippines . He was the director of plans and programs , office of the Chief of Research and Development from October 1968 until his retirement in 1971 . While in the position , he authorized and oversaw the initial election of the Son Tay POW for Operation Ivory Coast , briefing LTG Wheeler . He was part of the briefing with Dr . Henry Kissinger . He is the one that chose BG Manor ( Air Force and overall commander of the Raid ) , Bull Simons , Dick Meadows and " Doc " Cataldo . After the Raid , he was the one that navigated the furor over the fact there were no prisoners . Blackburn ' s exploits as a guerrilla leader during World War II in northern Luzon , Philippines , were chronicled in the following book : " Blackburn ' s Headhunters " by Philip Harkins ( W . W . NORTON & COMPANY INC . , 1955 ) . ( Christopher L . Turner ) The Harkins book was made into a film called " Surrender - Hell ! " with Keith Andes playing Blackburn and released in 1959 by Allied Artists films . Blackburn was the technical advisor on the film .