South African Military Veterans Organisation of the USA

02/25/2022

Lieutenant General Derrick Mgwebi, a legend you've probably never heard of before. The fact he continues to wear his Maroon paratrooper beret, rather than the standard South African staff officer beret tells us a lot about his character. Technically, he's not supposed to wear it, but no one dares tell him otherwise.

Mgwebi is an unusual breed, a hold over from the original South African Defence Force, and still active duty in the modern South African National Defence Force.

What is known is that he joined the Transkei Defence Force in 1978, he completed SADF jump school, and recieved cross training with the Rhodesian Selous Scouts early in his career. It is highly likely that he was a founding member of the Transkei Special Forces, though this will likely never be verified. It is known that he was an active unit member at this time, answering directly to former Selous Scout Commanding Officer Ron Reid-Daly. Due to the clandestine nature of his work, the details remain murky.

What is known, is through various clandestine missions, "pseudo-ops" and coup d'etats, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Transkei Special Forces by 1988. He opted to stay in the new SANDF after the Bantustan's were amalgamated into the RSA. He quickly rose through the ranks, a "fighting general" defining his reputation, unlike many of his colleagues who received military credentials through political favours.

His prior service with Rhodesians, the former regime, and Transkei led him to be passed over for command of the UN MONUSCO mission in the Congo in 2013. Apparently, there was internal outcry within the South African military, and Mgwebi was made commander of the mission in 2015.

One of his first acts in the field, was to throw on a patrol pack, grab a rifle, and lead an infantry platoon in a patrol. His troops were concerned, asking why a Lieutenant General attached himself to their platoon in full kit. He responded something along the lines of "I need to know the ground where I'm going to be fighting".

Through his career, he has actively fought corruption and his status as a South Africa's truest "warrior general" has ensured that even former foes, and the ANC continue to respect him.

01/27/2022

Never forget. Never again.

12/29/2021

Photos from Remember The Heroes's post

12/08/2021

Pearl Harbor Survivors remember the "Day of Infamy", December 7, 1941

Pearl Harbor Survivors remember the "Day of Infamy", December 7, 1941

Dec 7, 1941On a quiet Sunday morning, the Japanese Empire launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The devastating attack r...

11/11/2021

Their ideal is our legacy – Their sacrifice our inspiration
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.

09/11/2021

06/29/2021

Good Morning Veterans, Friends and Supporters of the SA Defence Force Association.

Happy Birthday to our birthday friends of today.

Enjoy your Tuesday. Stay safe.

06/24/2021

Timeline photos

Lt Fred Zeelie grew up in the house what today is our offices in Alberton. We salute you.

FOR HIM HE LAST POST HAS SOUNDED

This morning we stand to attention, remove headdress and pause to remember 68343599PE Lieutenant Freddie Johannes Zeelie LWD from 1 Reconnaissance Regiment who was Killed in Action on 23 June 1974 at about 17h45 while engaged on anti-insurgent operations in Southern Angola. While combing thick bush on the left flank of a suspected insurgent position together with Lance Corporal Hillebrand, the insurgents suddenly opened fire with two machine-guns. L/Cpl Hillebrand was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire but Lieutenant Zeelie, without thought for his personal safety and in spite of the extreme danger to which he was exposed, immediately stormed the enemy position over a distance of approximately 50m forcing one machine-gun crew to withdraw and successfully neutralising the other, regrettably losing his life in the process. As a result of this selfless act of gallantry in the face of great personal danger, the left flank of the patrol was able to re-deploy. For his courage, determination and self-sacrifice, Lt Zeelie was posthumously awarded the Louw Wepener Decoration. Lt Zeelie was the first South African soldier to be Killed in Action during the Border War and the only member of Special Forces to ever receive the Louw Wepener Decoration. He was buried with Full Military Honours in Alberton. He was 22.

His name and sacrifice has not been forgotten.

06/06/2021

Their ideal is our legacy
Their sacrifice our inspiration.
At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning,
we will remember them.

06/06/2021

THANK YOU: We remember the bravery and the sacrifices 77 years ago today, D-Day. 🇺🇸

MORE: https://bit.ly/3inCqx8

05/30/2021

This Memorial Day we remember and honour those who made the supreme sacrifice.

When you go Home, tell them of us and say,
For your Tomorrow, we gave our Today

Their ideal is our legacy
Their sacrifice our inspiration.
At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning,
we will remember them.

01/28/2021

54 YEARS AGO TODAY: America's first space tragedy claimed the lives of three astronauts. We're remembering the Apollo 1 crew: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. 🇺🇸

MORE: https://bit.ly/3psbE7w

01/28/2021

Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick was the first woman to jump from an airplane.
Between 1913 and 1922 she completed over 1,100 jumps. She invented the ripcord and is the only female member of the Early Birds of Aviation.
In 1914, she demonstrated parachutes to the U.S. Army, which at the time had a small, hazard-prone fleet of aircraft. The Army, reluctant at first to adopt the parachute, watched as Tiny dropped from the sky. On one of her demonstration jumps, the static line became entangled in the tail assembly of the aircraft, so for her next jump she cut off the static line and deployed her chute manually, thus becoming the first person to jump free-fall. This demonstrated that pilots could escape aircraft by using what was later called a ripcord.

01/03/2021

Over this holiday season, one of the traditional movie line-ups in the UK is The Great Escape, and it highlights one of Hermanus' greatest sons - Squadron Leader Roger Bushell. Today, he is remembered on the Hermanus Cenotaph at the waterfront.

The third beer in our new beer line up of 'Old Tin Hat' is also making its debut in Hermanus over the Christmas holiday period.
Our Blonde Ale - and it celebrates Roger Bushell, a South African, known as Big X, who led 'The Great Escape' from Stalag Luft III during WW2.

The range supports The South African Legion - South Africa's oldest military veterans charity.

To lean a little more about Roger Bushell and why we are naming the beer 'The Great Escaper' here's his story:

Because of the famous movie ‘The Great Escape’ many believe the man who led the escape from Stalag Luft III Prisoner Of War camp was British, but he was in fact a South African. Roger Bushell was a RAF Squadron Leader during World War 2. His Spitfire was shot down behind enemy lines and he was captured, entering the German Luftwaffe Prisoner of War (POW) system for Allied Air Force personnel.

On his arrival at Stalag Luft camp he joined a committee responsible for all ‘escape operations’ and escaped, recaptured he landed up at Oflag X-C camp. Whilst transferring to Oflag VI-B camp he escaped again, only to be recaptured again. Roughly interrogated by the Gestapo secret police, Bushell was eventually sent to Stalag Luft III camp.

His bad treatment by the Gestapo only reinforced his determination to strike back at his captors as best he could. He became ‘Big X’ heading up the escape committee now committed to organising mass breakouts and disrupting Germany’s war effort.

The "Great Escape", was planned to allow 200 men to escape on a single night. To this end they resolved to dig three tunnels – known as Tom, Dick and Harry. The escape was unprecedented and involved 600 prisoners digging tunnels, converting uniforms to civilian cloths and issuing forged documents.
‘Tom’ was discovered, ‘Dick’ was abandoned, however ‘Harry’ was open. On the evening of 24 March 1944, the great escape went ahead. But things did not go as planned, with only 76 officers managing to escape.

Bushell and his partner where amongst the first to exit the tunnel and boarded a train at Sagan, they were caught in Saarbrücken awaiting a train to Alsace. On Hitler’s orders 50 of the recaptured escapees were murdered by the Gestapo, including Roger Bushell. Posthumously mentioned in Despatches, Roger Bushell is formally remembered on the war memorial located near his family home in Hermanus, South Africa.

12/08/2020

DAY OF INFAMY: On this day back in 1941, 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 wounded in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

MORE: https://bit.ly/33QxMQd

11/26/2020

Happy Thanksgiving, Veterans!
Wishes for a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

11/11/2020

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

11/11/2020

To all our Veteran's: Thank You For Your Service!

11/11/2020

To all Veterans: We Thank You For Your Service!

11/02/2020

8 MILLION hero horses were killed in First World War.
This incredible picture shows the poignant tribute hundreds of First World War soldiers paid to the horses who died fighting by their side.

06/16/2020

The first man to land on an aircraft carrier at sea was a South African

https://samilhistory.com/2018/04/28/the-first-man-to-land-on-an-aircraft-carrier-at-sea-was-a-south-african/

A South African holds a very prestigious place in the world of aviation firsts. Edwin Dunning was the first man to land an aircraft on a moving ship adapted to carry aircraft, a feat that at the t…

05/20/2020

Today, we destroy one of the oldest myths in aviation. Firstly, let's review the myth as it's often stated. It's been taken as an established fact that the Soviets invented a number of clever gadgets that revolutionized air combat. They invented IRST. They also invented the Helmet Mounted Sight (HMS) and the High Off Bore Sight (HOBS) guidance system for AAM's that, when combined with the HMS, allowed their fighter pilots to engage targets just by turning their heads and looking at the target which the HOBS sensor on the AAM would follow and actually lock on the target.

Unfortunately, like the IRST myth, which we demolished yesterday, the Soviets also DIDN'T invent the HMS or HOBS AAM. Instead, they stole both of the latter from the true pioneer, South Africa.

As early as 1975, the South African firm Kentron, which later became Denel Dynamics, started work on the world's first HOBS AAM, the Kentron V3B. It entered service with the South African Air Force in 1979. Production ended in 1985. Incidentally, the Soviet Vympel R-73/AA-11 Archer, only entered service in 1984. As we shall see, the R-73/AA-11 was directly based on stolen information on the Kentron V3B.

Concurrently, with the development of the V3B, the SAAF realised that they needed a targeting system that's capable of making full use of the performance promised by the V3B AAM. Hence, in the same year development started on the V3B HOBS AAM, the South Africans also started work on the Helmet Mounted Sight which is an integral part of the entire system. It's unclear if the requirement for a HOBS AAM lend to the HMS, or if it's the other way around. The system would be installed on the SAAF's Dassault Mirage F1CZ. Hence, it was NOT a Soviet fighter that was the first to have such a system. It was a French fighter that the South Africans modified with their own indigenously developed technology.

The entire idea behind the HMS and HOBS AAM combination would be completely compromised and sold to the Soviets by a highly placed spy in the South African government, Commodore Dieter Gerhardt who also compromised the Exocet missile amongst other things.

With the end of the Cold War, when South Africa established ties with Russia, they were able to examine an example of the Shchel-3UM HMS which is often claimed to be the first HMS ever, and found that it was an exact copy of the HMS they had developed back in 1975. It was established by the South Africans that a working example of their original HMS was stolen by Dieter Gerhardt and sold wholesale to the Soviets who reverse engineered the unit and claimed it for themselves. The information on the Kentron V3B AAM, which was also compromised, directly inspired the development of the Vympel R-73/AA-11 by the Soviets. ~Clorox.

05/01/2020

Congratulations to members on the anniversary of the establishment of 1SSB on 1 May 1933.

04/03/2020

It is deep regret that we I have learnt that General Constand Viljoen, a retired Chief of the South African Defence Force, passed away on his farm in Ohrigstad this afternoon. Our deepest sympathy and condolences are expressed to his family.
An officer and a gentleman. May he RIP. 🙏

10/29/2019

Agent Orange’s Long Legacy: Its Now Affecting Vets' Grandchildren

Agent Orange’s Long Legacy: Its Now Affecting Vets' Grandchildren

Beginning in 1962 and continuing until 1971, the United States military, with the approval of President John F. Kennedy, sprayed over twenty million

10/05/2019

06/06/2019

03/29/2019

🇺🇸 Today is Vietnam War Veterans Day. To those who served, we say thank you, and welcome home. ❤️

03/29/2019

Vietnam War Veterans Day becomes official

Vietnam War Veterans Day becomes official

02/19/2019

Agent Orange’s Long Legacy: Its Now Affecting Vets' Grandchildren

Agent Orange’s Long Legacy: Its Now Affecting Vets' Grandchildren

Beginning in 1962 and continuing until 1971, the United States military, with the approval of President John F. Kennedy, sprayed over twenty million

02/08/2019

SANDF identifies soldier killed in Ratel accident | Algoa FM

SANDF identifies soldier killed in Ratel accident | Algoa FM

The South African National Defence force has identified the soldier who died on Wednesday when the Ratel ZT3 he was travelling in, lost control and overturned with five members on board.The 37-year-old Corporal Randal Jacques Krynauw from Malmesburry in the Western Cape was stationed in Bloemfontein

02/02/2019

Alastair Robertson: 1949-2019

Alastair Robertson: 1949-2019
All SAMVOUSA members it is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of one of our members veteran Alastair Robertson .
A true gentleman, husband, father, grand-father, colleague and friend to many.
Our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children, grand-children, close friends and family.
Thank you for your selfless service to so many!

At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We shall remember them
Lest we forget.....
Salute!!

https://www.khl.com/access-international/alastair-robertson-1949-2019/136769.article

01/22/2019

Battle 31 Dec 1983 Cuvelai Ops Askari

Battle 31 Dec 1983 Cuvelai Ops Askari

During the attack on Cuvelai 31 Dec 1983 the 81mm Mort Platoon members did something spectacular. They tapped the radio conversations and the battle sounds f...

12/31/2018

Happy New Year 2019
Wishes to all Members, Veterans and their families for a Peaceful. Prosperous and Happy 2019.
From everyone at SAMVOUSA.

12/22/2018

The Border War & the Lockerbie bombing connection!

The Border War & the Lockerbie bombing connection!

You may be wondering, what the heck does the South African Border War on the SWA/Namibia and Angola border in the late 80’s have in common with Pan Am Flight 103 and the Lockerbie bombing? Well, t…