Introduction and Brief History of 1st, 14th PsyWar/PsyOps Battalions and The 7th PsyOp Group

by Tim P. Yoho

I served as a member of the United States Army Broadcasting and Visual Activity Pacific (USAB&VAPAC), 14th Psychological Warfare (PsyWar) Battalion on Okinawa from 1961-1963 and in August 2004 decided to research the history of this unit. My search on the Internet turned up very little if any information.

I therefore decided to piece together some history and events based on my experiences and included photos and documentation from my personal collection..

Since beginning the project in 2004, the original page has grown. I was pleasantly surprised to hear from numerous individuals who provided additional information in the form of pictures and accounts.. The page was expanded to include the reorganization of the 14th PsyWar Bn to the 14th PsyOp Bn and the 7th PsyOp Group... The page was expanded (1/06) to include the 14th Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Battalion, the predecessor to the 14th PsyWar. .Shortly thereafter I added the 1st Radio Broadcasting and leaflet Battalion that served in the korean War. The most recent addition is 14th Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Company that moved from Hawaii and set up operation on Okinawa from 1958-59 prior to the reorganization to the 14th PsyWar Battalion in which I was a member.

A roster of 1,352 officers, enlisted personnel and civilians have been identified and listed to date (4/13/20)

The roster of names can be found in "Organization and Roster' which follows in menu..In some cases information and current e-mail addresses are provided with the names. If you would like your name added or know names of former members, please contact me.

A unit lineage and brief history of the each unit appears below followed by more detailed information in the Menu.. I have also added a "Where Are They Now" Page which lists known present status of members.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who would like to contribute to the history of these units.

 I arrived on Okinawa a Pvt. and left Okinawa and the Army as an Sp4.. I later completed a Ph.D. in Insect Physiology and Biochemistry.. In 2004 I retired from Lock Haven University of PA after 30 years as a Professor of Biology..

I presently live near Lock Haven in central PA... Visit my Homepage to see other interests and activities.

PFC Tim Yoho 1961
Dr. Tim Yoho 2014

Unit Lineage

The Initial PsyOp Unit: The 14th PsyOp Battalion 1943-1945

The first link in the chain of units leading to the 7th PsyOp Group was the 4th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company designated the 14th Psychological Operations Battalion in 1943.. Other than campaign participation credit in Rhineland: Ardennes-Alsace, nothing is known about this first unit....Any information about this unit would be greatly appreciated.

The 1st and 14th Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Battallions and The 14th PsyWar Battalion

The history and organization of units comprizing the 14th has been expanded to include the 1st and 14th RB&L. Battallions. The 1st RB&L was formed in 1950 and served in the Korean War. It was deactivaed in 1954. In 1956, the command structure of the 1st was renamed Broadcasting and Visual Activity (B&VA) and became the 14th RB&L battalion stationed in Hawaii. The 14th PsyWar Bn was formed or reorganized from this group. As early as 1958, the 14th were moving equipment and personnel to Okinawa....Although the 14th PsyWar did not officially come into existance until 1961, they were in operation as part of the 14th RB&L.

Information (3/15) indicates that the 14th RB&L had HQ and Barracks in Sukiran Okinawa in 1958 and 1959 and perhaps until 1961 when the reorganization to the 14th PsyWar Battalion occurred and the unit moved to new barracks and communications compound in Machinato Okinawa.

Evidence also reveals that The Korea Detachments of the 14th PsyWar did not originate from the 14th RB&L but were "descendants" of the 1st RB&L which was the major PsyOp unit functioning during the Korean War.

Further Information and history of the 1st and 14th RB&L and the 14th PsyWar Battalions can be found in menu below.

Reorganization to the 7th PsyOps Group

The 14th PsyWar Battalion became the 14th PsyOp Battalion in 1965 and all components known as B&VA became the 7th PsyOps Group. The 7th Group remained part of the active army until 1975 when it was transferred to the active reserves. The history of the 7th Group is included in the menu.

The role of the 14th Bn after the reorganization to the 7th Group was that of a support unit to the 7th Group. More about this reorganization and the role of the 14th Bn can be found in Menu item "Reorganization of 14th PsyWar to 14th PsyOps and 7th Group".

Past Unit Mission

Since I began this page in 2004 as a history of the 14th PsyWar Battalion, I have retained below the "Mission" summary that was in operation during my tour. The mission was expanded during the reorganization to the 7th Group and can be accessed in the menu.

The "Mission" of our Battalion in the Cold War was to monitor and research information, and to broadcast and disseminate "the truth" to mainland China, North Korea Vietnam and other asian countries. .We also "entertained" the troops with local broadcasts consisting of news and music.

The Battalion Headquarters for the 14th was on Okinawa but there were detachments in Japan and Korea. In Korea the unit was known as VUNC or The Voice of The United Nations Command. Headquarters Company was located in Seoul and two VUNC broadcast sites were located near the DMZ.

Although some shows were taped and also broadcast live from Korea, the main VUNC studios were located on Okinawa. Shows were taped and sent to Korea for rebroadcasting by means of a 50 KW shortwave transmitter located at Deragawa Okinawa. The location of the first VUNC studio is unknown but was moved to Machinato in 1961 or 62.

The 14th consisted of fixed HF transmitters, fixed and mobile AM radio broadcasting stations, and printing, loudspeaker, language and research detachments.. Many of our broadcasts (in Korea) used the Call Sign VUNC or Voice of The United Nations Command.. AM Broadcasts on Okinawa were identified as "B&VA" (Broadcasting and Visual Activity)..

Besides producing PsyWar Leaflets, the printing detachment published a bimonthly newspaper the "Veritas" that was read by many troops on Okinawa. .The 14th and later the 7th Group also published a magazine about Okinawa life entitled "Shurei No Hakari"....

The men of "PsyWar" or "PsyWarriors" as we were called were highly trained and required a minimum of a secret clearance.

Our Battalion also traveled extensively throughout Asia as individuals, small groups, and company sized units to train others in the use of PsyWar equipment and methods. The 14th worked closely with units such as the 173rd Airborne, the 1st Special Forces, and various Marine Forces on Okinawa and throughout asia in various exercises..

We were encouraged to take jump training in 1962 and I regret that I did not opt to do so. According to Glenn Kump who served at 14th HQ company from 1963-1964, HQ Company went airborne in the summer of 1964. Personnel were given the option of taking jump training with the 173rd or transferring. "Advisory and Support, Airborne" was added to the Company designation. Col. Charlie Nahlik (Ret.) communicated that only the 18th PsyOp Company which served as HQ for the 7th Group were airborne during 1966-68 although individuals throughout the organization were jump trained.

Some members of our unit were among the first advisors in Vietnam including Lt. Richard Jump (15th Det. 62-63) and Capt Alan Bates Harriman who was killed in 1964 while on assignment with the 1st Special Forces. Six additional members of the 7th Group were also KIA during 1967-1970. Their names and other information can be found on "Where Are They Now" page.

Shortly before the reorganization of the 14th PsyWar Bn into the 7th PsyOp Group, seven officers and 17 enlisted personnel of the 14th were sent TDY to Vietnam as members of the 1st Psyops Field Support Detachment (Provisional) in July 1965...

The 14th Headquarters Company and Barracks was located in Fort Buckner Machinato Service Area on "Perimeter Road". This region is now occupied by Camp Kisner (blue arrow on above map).

The 16th Company to which I was assigned, moved to an Air Force site at Deragawa near Kadena in 1962 (Blue Circle on map). This site cotinued in operation after the reorganization to the 7th Group in 1965. Operations continued until at least 1972 and possibly until 1974 when the 7th Group was moved to the reserves. The land and facilities were returned to Okinawa some time after 1972.

Jim D'Amato served with the 16th from 1970-71 and said the company, himself included, was deployed to Cambodia/Thailand in 1970. Scott Peacock who also served with the 16th in Cambodia said the unit was in Cambodia'Thailand until 1973 or longer.

A history of the 16th including an account of my tour as well as the rediscovery of Deragawa in 2007 can be found in the menu. 

MISSION IN MIDDLE EAST

Received the following e-mail from LTC R. Eric Udouj 7th POG S3 on 7/18/08:

Read through your history on the web - and it was good reading....But it stopped prior to when the real history began again. It may seem to some that becoming a Reserve unit means doing fewer things - but that is a greater myth than anything PSYOP could create. The tactical PSYOP forces in the reserves harbor far more combat experience than our active duty brethren, and many have done three or more tours in Afghanistan and Iraq in the 7 years we have been at war. The deployments and missions are constant to CENTCOM - and the 7th POG also supports both PACOM and SOUTHCOM Global Combatant Commanders. The demands being made on the force have began yet the creation of a fourth company for each Tactical Battalion as well as the standing up of the new 17th Battalion (tactical) in TX and LA.

The 14th BN is currently the POTF in Afganistan and has been since the beginning of the year. They are engaging AQ and the Taliban there. The BN and the 301st TPC(ABN) and the 304th TPC were in the first phase of the war in Iraq. The 324th TPC was in the next rotation.

The 301st TPC(ABN) has been into Mindanao and further south in the Philippines as part of the Balikatan efforts that have supported the Global War on Terror efforts of Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines and the Philippine Armed Forces.

Soldiers of the 301st TPC(ABN) were part of the surge into Iraq ordered by President Bush to Baghdad and Mosul.

The 7th POG consists of:

Best regards from Moffett Field

LTC R. Eric Udouj
7th POG S3