COL James N. "Nick" Rowe, true American Hero

Today is the 26th anniversary of Nick Rowe's death by assassination by the New People's Army insurgent/terrorist organization in the Philippines. Unless you have been in hiding for the last 40 years, you should have an appreciation of what Nick Rowe did for Special Forces.

Rowe was a West Point graduate of 1960 and was subsequently commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. In 1963, then First Lieutenant Rowe was deployed to Vietnam as Executive Officer of Detachment A-23, 5th Special Forces Group. The mission of A-23 was to organized a Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) for a basecamp in the Mekong Delta.

On October 29, 1963, Rowe was captured by Viet Cong elements along with Captain Rocky Versace and Sergeant Daniel Pitzer. Rowe spent 62 months in captivity in the U Minh Forest, most of this time in a cage. Over powering a guard, Rowe escaped captivity on December 31, 1968, and during evasion, managed to signal a Huey helicopter for recovery. Rowe subsequently wrote his account of captivity in the book Five Years to Freedom. Nick Rowe retired from active duty in 1974.

In 1981, He was recalled to active duty as a lieutenant colonel to develop a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) course based upon his experience as a POW. The SERE course is now part of the required training for all Special Forces candidates in the multi-phased Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC). This course is universally considered the best SERE course in the U.S. Military.

In 1987, Colonel Rowe was assigned to the U.S. Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) in the Philippines providing training and advisory capabilities to the Filipino Army fighting the New People's Army (NPA), the communist insurgency.

In February 1989, Colonel Rowe warned that the NPA was planning on assassinating several prominent figures, himself included. On April 21, 1989 Colonel Rowe was assassinated in an ambush on his vehicle while traveling to JUSMAG headquarters.

Not only just the developer and driving force between the US Army Special Forces SERE school, there are facilities in the Philippines, Fort Huachuca and Fort Campbell named after COL James. N. "Nick" Rowe.

 Camp MacKall, the Special Forces Training base at Fort Bragg was re-named the Rowe Training Facility. The infamous obstacle course that every Special Forces Candidates grew to hate is called the "Nasty Nick" and fittingly is called the hardest obstacle course in the military. And last, but not least, a High School and major Boulevard in Nick Rowe's hometown of McAllen are named after him. Special Forces and indeed this Country, owe a huge debt to this man.

Ike Camacho, an American Hero - now being Published

The book, Isaac Camacho, an American Hero is being published (printed) now. CSM (ret) Billy Waugh will be taking 300 copies with him to San Antonio where he will conduct a book signing, with Ike and Gracie Camacho on 4th and 5th March 2010. Billy will also be in San Antonio for the SFA Chapter 15 Induction of Officers.

Billy plans on coming to El Paso, later in the spring, for another book signing.
You can order the book by going to the following web site and locating the book order instructions on the home page:

http://www.isaaccamachoamericanhero.com

Please visit this website and especially the last page of the Photo Section to view the dedication page, and listen to Dolly Parton singing the last stanza of the Ballad of the Green Beret.

Billy’s wife, Lynn Waugh, who has donated yearly to the Annual Chapter IX John McLaughlin Memorial Golf Tournament, is the owner of an LLC, and her LLC bought the rights to the book, and is handling the sales of the book which now, can be ordered. You can call the following number to order the book: (813) 909-0832.

When Lynn Waugh receives a call for a book, depending on where the person is located, she will quote a shipping price to that particular area.

Quote from Billy Waugh on his new book: “Isaac Camacho, in my view, deserves every plaudit and acclamation he can possibly receive, regardless of the fact that this escape occurred 45 years back; this escape is a lesson / a study for those men and women of our US Military; and what determination and resolve, in a horrendous situation, is all about; and, may give these military lads and lasses inner strength to draw on, should they become prisoners of an enemy force. Also, this book strums at the very heart of all Veterans and their families. I know it does this to my heart - as Isaac did well - to say it succinctly.”

Billy Waugh's New Book - Isaac Camcho, An American Hero

Billy Waugh briefing
his new book about
Ike Camacho at SFA
Chapter IX meeting
in El Paso, Texas.





Billy Waugh, CSM (ret), SF has written a book about Isaac Camacho entitled "Isaac Camacho, An American Hero". Go to http://www.isaaccamachoamericanhero.com to review selected Chapters.

Isaac Camacho - Chapter namesake

Isaac Camacho was a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant serving in an SF Base Camp, Hiep Hoa, SVN when the base camp was attacked and overun by the Viet Cong on 24 November 1963. Ike was subsquently captured with three other Army SF soldiers and marched over 150 kilometers to the COSVN POW Camp B-20 where he was shackled by the leg, chained to a tree, caged like a wild dog - in the triple canopy jungle. He is worked like an animal; tossed into the ‘punishment-hole’ often; routinely interrogated by a COSVN Commissioner; Interrogated by two Cuban Officials, a Chinese Official, and interviewed by an Australian Journalist, and along the way Isaac Camacho suffered from Falcipurm Malaria, Hepatitis “C”, and beri-beri, losing 50+ pounds of weight. Throughout 21 months of captivity in the open jungle Ike never lost his resolve, determination, or decidedness to escape his cage, for the purpose of living up to the Military Code of Conduct – and to ‘fight another day’ against an enemy of the United States. Isaac Camacho escaped during a driving monsoon rain - through the upper bars of his cage within 8 meters of the duty guard; evaded search by a Viet Cong patrol with dogs; making his way 50KM to the south, to a friendly US Army Special Forces A-Camp – at Minh Thanh, SVN on 13 July 1965. Chapter IX, SFA was named after Ike when it was believed he was KIA. Ike serves the community today, both the Special Forces community and the El Paso community at large with appearances at many events; talking to high schoolers about serving their country; through the Chapter's charitable events; and, through his suport of the Jerry Rainey Memorial Scholarship, named after Ike's close friend and lifelong Chapter member, Jerry Rainey, a former Special Forces medic.