Secret societies have existed for millennia; their purposes myriad. Generally, they are exclusive and require members to take an oath to keep their organization and activities secret. They possess guarded means of identification and communication. Some exist in the open, their purposes known, their activities undisclosed, and their practitioners anonymous. The US Army Security Agency was a separate organization within the Army having its own installations, training, academic, logistic, communications and scientific institutions and members took an oath to keep the organization and its activities secret, their identity and communications guarded. Until the advent of the Vietnam War, their purpose was intelligence gathering for national strategic objectives.

As the US role expanded from advisory to active combat, intelligence support to combat units changed the structure and character of the Agency. Organizational secrecy, guarded communications, and member anonymity remained. The 265th Radio Research Company (Airborne) sentinels operated in the shadows, yet stood beside their warrior counterpart providing intelligence to the 101st Airborne Division. 101st Airborne units involved in the war are etched in the stone of their memorial at Arlington Cemetery. The 265th RRC (ABN), the only unit etched on the back, remains in the shadows. Nearly forty years have passed since the last Sentinel departed Vietnam. This is their story.

Praise for the Sentinel and the Shooter!

“Compelling and revealing- a saga of Vietnam’s silent warriors…true patriots all who provided the most actionable intelligence available to 101st Airborne Division forces.”
—Lieutenant Colonel David K. Reading, US Army (Retired).

We spoke not of our duties for four decades. The Sentinel and the Shooter by Doug Bonnot now speaks for us all who served with pride in the 265th Army Security Agency (ABN). I found the book to be very well documented for my time period with the company. Given this fact, I can only conclude that the entire story’s quality of detail is of the same caliber.
—Dan Johnson – 265th RRC (ABN) Signal Maintenance

“The time I spent as a “Sentinel” with the 265th and the men I served with, defined my career in the Army. This “band of brothers” served silently, with loyalty and dedication to their mission. Our deeds were in the shadows unknown to most but helped shaped the course of events for 5 years. After 40 years it is time for our story to be told. I love these guys.”
— Ken Manley, 265th RRC (ABN) Morse Intercept Operator

Been there, done that, long before that term became popular -- that’s what this printing is all about! Based on experience with one particular direct support tactical USASA unit, the author clearly describes the hardships and rewards of working directly with the Shooter. The hardships of field living and combat operations, many troops endured -- it was only the ASA Sentinel that endured the additional hardship of serving two bosses. In addition to a fascinating portrayal of the 265th operations and personnel, this printing equally addresses the ‘two bosses’ issue and much of the work-around that ultimately provided fully integrated all source MI tactical units.
—N. Alderman, Jr., Colonel US Army (Retired)

WingSpan Press, Inc. Livermore, CA 94551
ISBN 978-1-59594-395-8 Hard-cover
ISBN 978-1-59594-418-4 Paper-back

DOUG BONNOT was assigned as the 265th RRC (ABN) Operations NCOIC in the spring of 1970. He was trained as a cryptanalyst and spent 17 years performing tactical and strategic ASA assignments. His duties included oversight of the unit's intelligence mission, personnel, and distribution of tactical signal Intelligence to the 101st Airborne Division. He retired as First Sergeant of the 358th EW Company, 82nd Airborne Division (Fort Bragg, NC), after 22 years of service. After retirement from the Army, Doug joined a start-up company in Florida that designed electronic surveillance equipment. He retired from that company after 23 years, as President and CEO. He now resides in Jonesborough Tennessee.