The Crippled Eagles
Encyclopedia
The Crippled Eagles was the informal name of a group of American expatriate
s that fought with the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War
. The name and emblem came from author Robin Moore
who offered a house in Salisbury as a meeting place for the Americans who served in all units of the Security Forces, but never had their own unit. The name of "Crippled Eagle" and badge was meant to symbolize their abandonment by the US government. Robin Moore and Barbara Fuca tried to publish a book with the same title, but because of the political controversy the book was refused by publishers and appeared only in early 1990s. The book was then published as The White Tribe, in 1991.
citizens to join the Crippled Eagles was the Soldier of Fortune Magazine report about both the Rhodesian Bush War
and the means of entry into of the Rhodesian Security Forces. From 1976 to 1980 almost every issue contained one or more articles about the ongoing conflict. The first issue of the magazine in 1976 actually contained two such articles prompting some Americans
to travel to Rhodesia
. After 1980, their attention turned to Angola
, Soweto
and other hotspots around the world.
Numbering approximately 300 men, some with previous combat experience in Vietnam and other theatres of war, others with none, volunteered to fight in the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War
. They did so not as mercenaries but as ordinary soldiers for a pay packet in local currency. The Americans
suffered seven combat fatalities and many others were wounded in combat, some maimed for life.
citizens died in Rhodesia
:
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s that fought with the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...
. The name and emblem came from author Robin Moore
Robin Moore
Robert Lowell "Robin" Moore, Jr. was an American writer who is most known for his books The Green Berets, The French Connection: A True Account of Cops, Narcotics, and International Conspiracy and, with Xaviera Hollander and Yvonne Dunleavy, The Happy Hooker: My Own Story.Moore also co-authored...
who offered a house in Salisbury as a meeting place for the Americans who served in all units of the Security Forces, but never had their own unit. The name of "Crippled Eagle" and badge was meant to symbolize their abandonment by the US government. Robin Moore and Barbara Fuca tried to publish a book with the same title, but because of the political controversy the book was refused by publishers and appeared only in early 1990s. The book was then published as The White Tribe, in 1991.
Background
One of the reasons for many AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizens to join the Crippled Eagles was the Soldier of Fortune Magazine report about both the Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...
and the means of entry into of the Rhodesian Security Forces. From 1976 to 1980 almost every issue contained one or more articles about the ongoing conflict. The first issue of the magazine in 1976 actually contained two such articles prompting some Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to travel to Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
. After 1980, their attention turned to Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
and other hotspots around the world.
Numbering approximately 300 men, some with previous combat experience in Vietnam and other theatres of war, others with none, volunteered to fight in the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...
. They did so not as mercenaries but as ordinary soldiers for a pay packet in local currency. The Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
suffered seven combat fatalities and many others were wounded in combat, some maimed for life.
Members killed
During the course of its existence the following AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizens died in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
:
| Family Name | First Name | Rank | Rhodesian Force Number | Date Killed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coey | John Alan | Corporal | 725702 | John Alan Coey John Alan Coey John Alan Coey was a former U.S. Marine who later went on to serve in The Crippled Eagles, a group of Americans fighting for the Rhodesian government during the 1970s in that country's Bush War. After being killed his journal was published under the name, A Martyr Speaks.-Biography:Originally from... graduated from Ohio State University Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States... in 1972 and flew to Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... the day after he graduated. He first served in the Rhodesian Special Air Service, and afterwards in the Rhodesian Light Infantry Rhodesian Light Infantry The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland... , in the 2 Commando, with the attached Rhodesian Army Medical Corps. He was Killed in Action on July 19, 1975 by a gunshot wound. He was the first American out of the Crippled Eagles to die for Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... . His journal, A Martyr Speaks was published in 1988, posthumously. |
|
| Clarke | George William | Trooper | 728197 | He was born in Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... , he came from a large family of 9 children. He lived in South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... , and later in Southern California Southern California Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego... , according to some sources. He was a Vietnam Veteran Vietnam veteran Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or... , serving in the United States Marine Corps United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... , and was decorated with the Purple Heart Purple Heart The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York... twice during his Marine career. He was aged 28 when he was KIA. He served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry Rhodesian Light Infantry The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland... , in the Support Commando. He was Killed in Action on May 15, 1977 around Mtoko, in the then Tribal Trust Land, inside Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... proper. |
|
| Biederman | Richard L. | Sergeant | He was from Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... , first he served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry Rhodesian Light Infantry The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland... , in the 2 Commando, and afterwards he was granted to enter the Rhodesian Special Air Service. He was killed on Active Service on December 6, 1977, in Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest... , during an accidental shooting, but sources vary. |
||
| Battaglia | Frank P. | Trooper | 728515 | He was born in Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... , but later was a New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... er. He was a Vietnam Veteran Vietnam veteran Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or... having served with the US Army United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... 173rd Airborne, and reportedly wounded twice in the Vietnam War Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... . He also served a full contract with the Spanish Foreign Legion. He came to Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... with his wife, and went to C squadron SAS training troop. After SAS training he joined the Rhodesian Light Infantry Rhodesian Light Infantry The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland... , the 3 Commando, 14 Troop. He was Killed in Action on March 6, 1978, around Kavalamanja in Zambia Zambia Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west.... during Operation Turmoil by a ZIPRA ZIPRA Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army was the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, a political party in Rhodesia. It participated in the Second Chimurenga against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia.... machine gun nest. Frank P. Battaglia's wife served with the Rhodesian Air Force, packing parachutes. He was an avid poker Poker Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker... player and gave some young Rhodesian soldiers poker Poker Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker... lessons while playing for matches. |
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| Byrne | Joseph Patrick | Trooper | 728721 | Joseph Patrick Byrne was an Irish-American from Kearney Kearney - Companies :* A.T. Kearney, management consulting firm* Kearney & Company, American accounting firm* Kearney and Black Hills Railway, a short line railroad between Kearney and Callaway, Nebraska- Places :* Kearney, Ontario, Canada... New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... . He joined the Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... n Army in October 1977. He was a regular in the crowd of foreign volunteers that socialized in the Monomatapa Hotel and a friend of American author Robin Moore Robin Moore Robert Lowell "Robin" Moore, Jr. was an American writer who is most known for his books The Green Berets, The French Connection: A True Account of Cops, Narcotics, and International Conspiracy and, with Xaviera Hollander and Yvonne Dunleavy, The Happy Hooker: My Own Story.Moore also co-authored... . He joined 3 Commando, Rhodesian Light Infantry Rhodesian Light Infantry The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland... on March 24, 1978 from Recruit Intake 162. He was Killed in Action on Operation Repulse at the age of 26, on October 26, 1978 around Middle Sabi or Lower Sabi inside in the Mutema Tribal Trust Land, in Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... proper when his patrol came under fire in an open area devoid of cover. |
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| Dwyer | Stephen Michael | Trooper | 729803 | Stephen Michael Dwyer was from Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... , Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... . He served a Tour with the U.S. Marine Corps in Korea Korea Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the... . He joined the Rhodesian Light Infantry Rhodesian Light Infantry The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland... , the 3 Commando. He was Killed in Action, at the age of 27, while coming to the aid of fatally wounded fellow American United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... comrade, Hugh John McCall, on July 16, 1979 on the Buffalo Range Area, in Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... proper. |
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| McCall | Hugh John | Sergeant | 727941 | Hugh John McCall was a Vietnam Veteran Vietnam veteran Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or... having served with the US Army United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... 173rd Airborne. He was Killed in Action on July 16, 1979 on the Buffalo Range Area, in Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... proper. A well-known book on the Rhodesian Bush War Rhodesian Bush War The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia... , authored by Chris Cocks is dedicated to his memory. |
External links
- The Outnumbered, the Crippled Eagles from which most of the above information is taken
- Rhodesian Bush War historical research / discussion forum
- Salute the Troopies
- Sgt. Maj. Mike Kelso's look-back