Branch United States Army Size ~5,500 active duty | Type Special forces | |
 | ||
Active 19 June 1952 – 15 September 1995 Country United States of America Role Primary tasks:
Unconventional warfare
Foreign internal defense
Special reconnaissance
Direct action
Hostage rescue
Counter-terrorism
Other roles:
Counterproliferation
Information operations
Humanitarian missions | ||
The 12th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was constituted 5 July 1942 in the United States Army as the 6th Company, 2d Battalion, First Regiment, 1st Special Service Force, a joint Canadian-American organization.
History
Activated 9 July 1942 at Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana.
Disbanded 6 January 1945 in France.
Reconstituted 15 April 1960 in Regular Army; concurrently, consolidated with Company C, 2d Infantry Battalion and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 12th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces.
Withdrawn 14 December 1969 from the Regular Army and allotted to the Army Reserve (organic elements concurrently constituted).
Group activated 24 March 1961 with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois.
Location of headquarters changed 19 January 1964 to Oak Park, Illinois; changed 1 September 1970 to Arlington Heights, Illinois.
The Group was inactivated, along with the 11th Special Forces Group, on 15 September 1995.
Many members of the 12th SFG transferred to 20th SFG following the group's inactivation.