The Tiger Man of Vietnam – Frank Walker

In The Tiger Man of Vietnam – Frank Walker tells the story of Barry Petersen, a young Australian officer, who was seconded by the CIA to travel into the remote highlands to build a guerrilla force of Montagnard tribesmen to harass and attack the Viet Cong. It was an extraordinary secret mission…

The Vietnamese hilltribes made him a demi-god. The CIA wanted to kill him. This is the remarkable true story of Australian war hero Barry Petersen. In 1963, 28-year-old Australian Captain Barry Petersen was sent to Vietnam as part of the 30-man Australian Training Team, two years before the first official Australian troops arrived. Seconded to the CIA, he was sent to the remote Central Highlands to build an anti-communist guerrilla force among the indigenous Montagnard people. He was sent off with bagloads of cash and a vague instruction to ‘get to know the natives’.

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Petersen took over the running of the paramilitary force that had been started by the local police chief and started to earn the Montagnards respect. He lived drank and ate with the Montagnards, learned their language and respected their skills. The Vietcong dubbed Petersen’s force ‘Tiger Men’. When Petersen he heard this, he had special badges made for their berets and supplied tiger print uniforms. The Montagnards loved Petersen and flocked to join his force but the CIA were worried. They thought he was out of control and too close to the Montagnard people…

In this brilliantly researched and gripping biography, Frank Walker takes us through Barry Petersen’s life and tours of duty and reveals how:

• Petersen’s time with the Montagnard people building a ‘Tiger Force’ was so successful that the CIA saw a way of using his influence to create an elite assassin force. Petersen refused.
• This elite assassin force was an early version of the notorious Phoenix Program. Aspects of this program are still around today and have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• In 1965 the CIA, threatened by Petersen’s victories and growing reputation and thwarted by his refusal to follow their directive, were prepared to eliminate Petersen if he did not leave the highlands quickly and quietly…He was lucky to get out alive.
• As respect for Petersen grew, Village chiefs started sending warriors to him to join his growing band. By 1965 he had more than 1200 men.
• He was made a chief by tribesmen and given the name of a legendary demi-god, Dam San.
• The Viet Cong named Petersen’s band the Tiger Men after the camouflage uniforms they wore. When Petersen heard this, he had special badges made for their berets that celebrated the TIGER MEN.
• There are remarkable parallels between Petersen’s story and that of Marlon Brando’s character Colonel Kurtz in APOCALYPSE NOW, and many believe Petersen to be the  inspiration for the Kurtz character.

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Related posts:

1. The Songs of Sapa: Stories and Recipes from Vietnam – Luke Nguyen
2. A Ghost at the Wedding – Shirley Walker
3. Billy Thorpe’s Time on Earth – Jason Walker