Back to - US Army Art   CIDG HUNTER-KILLERS Original 11"x 15" Graphite/Pencil Drawing Early in the war in Vietnam, Project Delta was instituted in the I Corps Area, south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The project formed many ten-man civilian irregular defense group (CIDG) hunter-killer teams to penetrate across the Laotian border into the tangled region of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These Army 5th Special Forces-led teams, consisting of two American "Green Beret" advisors and either eight Nung or eight Montagnard (Mountain People) tribesmen, lived together, trained together, and performed every function together, as "brother soldiers." The primary mission of these small team patrols was reconnaissance, however, they had the option to exploit any advantage, and attack the enemy forces in his rest sanctuary. This scene shows the aftermath of an attack on a Vietcong staging camp in Laos. Prisoners were taken for interrogation.... but not all would choose to surrender. These Special Forces advisor/leaders wear brass bracelets on their wrists, a sign that they have participated in a ceremonial rice beer drinking ritual.... an assurance of loyalty within their close-knit team.