OFFICER'S PRIVILEGE: THE COL. GEORGE MARECEK STORY

Honor and Duty

Distinguished Service Cross

But it was in Korea, rather than Eastern Europe that Marecek had his first taste of Special Forces combat, and by all accounts, he distinguished himself. A decade later, he again found himself in combat, this time in Southeast Asia, where the United States had become embroiled with what amounted to a regional civil war in Viet Nam. Again, Marecek served with distinction, but the skill with which the Green Berets prosecuted their war in Viet Nam was not enough to offset the political losses, and in the end, America and the Green Berets were forced to evacuate the country.

Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald

By the mid seventies, Marecek was in his forties. He had a chest full of medals and the admiration of both his men and his superiors. But his personal life was in a period of upheaval. His marriage, which had produced three children was on the rocks and headed for divorce. Perhaps it was the rigors of military life; maybe there were other factors as well, though domestic violence, which first became an issue in the public mind with the case of Green Beret Jeffrey MacDonald, convicted of killing his wife and children, and even today remains a serious problem among some military families, was not, according to published reports, a factor in Marecek's divorce.