SACO (pronounced “Socko”) was estabilished during WWII with the approval of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Generalisimo Chiang Kai-shek. Highly secret, originally known as U.S. Navy Group, it was placed under command of General Tai Li, (Head of BIS – Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, i.e. Intelligence), as Director of SACO and then Commander (later to become Vice Admiral) Milton Edward “Mary” Miles as Deputy Dircector. The Chinese and American members of SACO joined in combined effort to perform Intelligence and Guerrilla operations. The group became known by the sobriquet “THE RICE PADDY NAVY.” SACO men were and are known as “SACO TIGERS” who served hundreds of miles behind enemy lines in China, establishing vital weather stations to the Pacific Fleet, coast-whatching to report on enemy shippiing, intercepting Japanese code, rescuing downed allied airmen and being involved in numerous other military, medical and humanitarian endeavors. The American personnel numbering approximately 2,500, were volunteers from serveral branches of service, but for the most part, Navy and Marine Men.
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