American Naval Group China

• Secretive Beginnings: The American Naval Group China (ANGC) was a clandestine unit established in 1942 during World War II, tasked with supporting Chinese resistance against Japanese forces. • Nicknamed “Sino-American Cooperative Organization” (SACO): The ANGC was also known as SACO, a cover name to mask its intelligence and guerrilla operations in China. • Joint American-Chinese Operations: The unit was a partnership between the U.S. Navy and China’s Nationalist forces (Kuomintang), led by U.S. Navy Captain Milton E. Miles and Chinese General Dai Li. • Training Chinese Guerrillas: ANGC trained over 3,000 Chinese guerrillas in sabotage, demolitions, and intelligence gathering to fight behind Japanese lines. • Weather Stations for the Pacific War: The group established weather stations in remote Chinese locations, providing vital meteorological data for U.S. Navy operations, including the planning of Pacific campaigns. • “Rice Paddy Navy”: The ANGC operated boats, junks, and even mules to transport supplies and personnel through China’s rivers and rugged terrain, earning the nickname “Rice Paddy Navy.” • Rescue Operations: The unit was responsible for rescuing hundreds of downed Allied airmen, often under dangerous conditions behind enemy lines. • Covert Radio Networks: ANGC set up and managed extensive radio networks for intelligence gathering and communication with U.S. forces and Chinese resistance. • Involvement in Opium Suppression: The group attempted to suppress opium production and trade in conjunction with Chinese authorities, though with mixed success due to the complexities of wartime China. • Disbandment and Legacy: After WWII, the ANGC/SACO was disbanded in 1946, but its legacy lived on through the close ties formed between U.S. and Chinese military personnel and its contributions to Allied victory in Asia.