BEAUMONT, Texas — A unique group of veterans met in Beaumont, relishing on the fact that they can finally share their stories from overseas after years of mandatory silence.
The veterans served in Detachment 'A' and PSSE Special Forces Berlin, two top-secret Green Beret units that worked to fight communism in west Germany. The men worked and lived in west Germany as undercover spies from 1956 to 1984, when Detachment 'A' was compromised.
"Actually worked with Det A when they were compromised to close them down,” one of the veterans said. “So, we went in with a different cover. We went in as MPs so the Russians wouldn't notice us, and they would think we were just a regular MP unit."
The men are filled with patriotism and pride, and the unit is credited with quietly winning the Cold War.
The 90 task members of the Green Berets were all across Europe, operating key missions during the Cold War. However, because their work was top secret, the special forces unit did not "officially exist."
For years, the men had to remain silent about their work. Both groups were eventually declassified by the military in 2000.
Now, the group of veterans meet annually to share their stories to make sure they don't get forgotten.
The group of veterans has traveled all over the country to hold their reunions, made special by their years of mandatory silence. On Friday, they met in Beaumont and swapped stories about the excitement and dangers of working undercover.
Most of the time, they were unrecognizable. The veterans operated like locals and learned many different languages to blend in.
Team Leader John Lee feels that it is a blessing that so many people from the units can still get together.
“When we were there, we didn't know each other,” Lee said. “We may have been in the same room as somebody. If they were on a mission or what their rank was, now that it has been declassified, Det. A in 2000, and PSSC in 2014. The military declassified it, so now we can talk about it. We can share stories about it."
Sometimes reminiscing on the past brings about sad memories for the veterans. Every reunion, the group takes a minute to honor the men who are no longer with us.
"Two more this morning passed away," a veteran said. "So before we all pass away, and the story is not told, we think it deserves to be told. So, we try to go to every couple of years to a new city. This is the first time we have come to the southeast."
An empty chair sat in the middle of the room on Friday to honor the friends they've lost along the way.