RIP Sergeant Major (retired) Ed Trout

Special Forces and indeed the Nation lost one of their finest on 1 October 2023, when Sergeant Major (retired) Edward Albert "Ed" Trout passed away. Ed was a long time Chapter member of Chapter 9, the Isaac Camacho Chapter of the Special Forces Association. Many things could be said to describe Ed,....Vietnam Veteran and Silver Star winner; member of the classified Det A unit of the 10th Special Forces Group in Berlin during the Cold War; plank holder in the newly formed 2d Ranger Battalion, and after he retired he still served the Nation as a Customs and Border Protection Officer until his death. SGM Trout was a towering figure who reguarly attended Chapter 9 functions.

His Special Forces assignments included: 

 3rd Special Forces Group, November 1964 to July 1965

7th Special Forces Group (Pre Mission Training for RVN), July 1965 to January 1966

5th Special Forces Group (Republic of Viet Nam) serving on A107 and A109, February 1966 to February 1967

10th Special Forces Group (Bad Tolz Germany) serving in C Company, March 1967 to April 1968

10th Special Forces Group (Bad Tolz Germany) serving in Det A, May 1968 to May 1969

5th Special Forces Group (Long Hi, Republic of Viet Nam), June 1969 to October 1969

5th Special Forces Group (Hospitalized for wounds received) October 1969 to January 1970

10th Special Forces Group (Bad Tolz Germany) serving in Det A, January 1970 to February 1974

Special Forces Training Group, Instructor in High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) Parachute Committee, February 1974 to December 1974

2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry Regiment (Fort Lewis, Washington), January 1975 to July 1976

12th Special Forces Group Advisor (Aurora, Colorado), August 1976 to November 1978

10th Special Forces Group (Fort Devens, Massachusetts) serving in both B and C Companies, 3rd Battalion, December 1978 to January 1981

10th Special Forces Group (Bad Tolz Germany) serving in Det A, February 1981 to August 1984

10th Special Forces Group (Fort Devens, Massachusetts) serving in C Company, 3rd Battalion, September 1984 to May 1987

Prior to becoming a Green Beret, Ed served in the following assignment: Co K, 130th Infantry Regt, 33rd Division, Illinois National Guard (1955-1958); Co C, 3rd Battle Group, 6th Infantry Division Berlin, Germany (1958-1960); 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas (1960-1962); Co C, 32nd Infantry, Camp Hovey, South Korea with 4 1/2 months TDY to 92nd Aviation in Nah Trang, RVN, 1962-1963; and just prior to joining Special Forces, serving as a Drill Instructor at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, 1963-1964.

SGM Trout retired in 1987 then later became a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, and not only was Ed a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, but he was a member of the CBP Honor Guard, graduating as Distinguished Graduate at the CBP Honor Guard Course in 2011. Ed Trout was also a Master Mason, Scottish Rite 32 degree.

Over his illustrious career, among other ribbons and medals, Ed has been awarded: the Silver Star; Legion of Merit; and, the Bronze Star Medal with V device for Valo; Purple Heart. SGM Trout also has earned: the Special Forces Tab; Ranger Tab; Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge; Master Parachutist Badge; Foreign Parachute Badges from Germany, Vietnam, Spain and Belgium; Freefall Parachutist Badge and Free Fall Badges from Greece and Spain; Combat Diver Badge; Pathfinder Badge; and Commando Badges from Belgium and France.