On this particular mission, they were ambushed by an RUF contingent. This stretch of road had to be secured if they had to hold onto their training camp (Camp Charlie) deep within bandit country. On 17 February, MacKenzie led a convoy of vehicles from their base camp 91 miles from Freetown, the capital, to Mile 47, a town which had a government garrison. Andy Myers is second from left, kneeling. MacKenzie (standing, wings on hat) with some of the Sierra Leone Commando Unit he was training with the Gurkha Security Guards. This incident infused the SLCU with new confidence. Surprised by such determined action, the RUF forces broke and ran. MacKenzie, Borlace and Tarawali went ahead on their own, and their soldiers later followed. McKenzie and the co-director of GSG, Borlace, wanted to pursue the rebels however, the inexperienced troops were reluctant to do so. On a scouting patrol to assess possible locations for the training camp, MacKenzie, Tarawali and an escort of would-be SLCU came upon a village that had been burned by the rebels. MacKenzie's first order of business was to locate an appropriate camp on which to base the troops. The country's leader, Valentine Strasser had begun to organize a force to counterattacks by the RUF rebels and his right-hand man, Major Tarawali had contracted sixty Gurkhas of the GSG ( Gurkha Security Guards Limited) to train approximately 160 green troopers that would form the nucleus of the SLCU.
MacKenzie arrived in Sierra Leone in the end of January, 1995. Their opposition in that African country was the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), an insurgent army then plaguing rural Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone's leader, Valentine Strasser, MacKenzie took command of a training troop, the Sierra Leone Commando Unit (SLCU) in cooperation with Strasser's right-hand man, Major Abu Tarawali and sixty Gurkhas of the Gurkha Security Guards. He also trained and fought in Central America, Croatia and Bosnia. In Mozambique, he worked with RENAMO, securing the release of seven Western hostages. Brown employed MacKenzie as contributing editor for unconventional operations, and MacKenzie continued his unconventional career. In 1985, after 15 years serving abroad, he returned to the United States. In 1983, Lesotho security officials accused Mackenzie of training Lesotho Liberation Army members. The following year, he joined the Transkei Defence Force as second-in-command, Transkei Special Forces Regiment. In 1970, MacKenzie traveled to Rhodesia in Africa, and passing the rigorous selection course, enlisted as a foreign volunteer in the Rhodesian Special Air Service, where from then on until 1980, he rose through the ranks from Trooper to Captain and SAS Squadron Commander.ĭecorations received during this time served with the Rhodesian SAS include the Bronze Cross of Rhodesia for "gallantry and determination in action" and the Silver Cross of Rhodesia for "conspicuous gallantry and leadership in action." When the Rhodesian Bush War ended with the Lancaster House Agreement, MacKenzie resigned from the new Zimbabwe National Army and joined the South African Defence Force as a Special Forces Major. MacKenzie receives the Silver Cross of Rhodesia in 1979, "for conspicuous gallantry and leadership in action."
His last duty assignment was with Co B 1st Bn(ABN) 327th Infantry, 101st ABN Div. After a year in the hospital, the US Army declared him 70% disabled and he was permanently retired. On, a bullet wound suffered storming Mother's Day Hill ended his army service. By 1967, he was airborne-qualified, had completed the Jungle warfare course in Panama and was sent to Vietnam. At the Army Recruiting Station in San Diego, California, he enlisted as an infantryman. He, however, opted to join the Army, not wishing to miss out on the Vietnam War. At the time of his death, he was in command of and training the Sierra Leone Commando Unit (SLCU).Īfter finishing high school at the age of 17 in 1966, MacKenzie was awarded an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy.
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE MAGAZINE RHODESIA PROFESSIONAL
Robert Callen MacKenzie SCR BCR (30 November 1948 – 24 February 1995) was an American professional soldier whose career included service as an infantryman in the United States Army during the Vietnam War, the C Squadron 22 (Rhodesian) SAS, the South African Defence Force, and the Transkei Defense Force.Īs a contributing editor for unconventional operations for Soldier of Fortune ( SOF) magazine, he was sent to cover conflicts in different hot-spots around the globe, including Mozambique, Central America, Croatia, Bosnia, Russia, Thailand, Suriname, Taiwan and Cambodia.
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