Two members of a covert reconnaissance unit pose in tiger-stripe fatigues at a forward base camp in Vietnam. This photograph is drawn from the personal collection of Gene McCarley, who commanded the ground assault element during Operation Tailwind, a September 1970 MACV-SOG raid into Laos against a suspected North Vietnamese Army command complex. Personnel of the Studies and Observations Group operated in small teams far from conventional support, relying on specialized gear, informal uniforms, and close-knit trust between American and indigenous or allied teammates. Project: 219480