Vogel, Sam

Category: people
  • Last modified: 1969-12-31
  • Contributed by: PTW
  • Unit: Waco Rangers
  • Rank: Major
  • Nickname: "Rawhide"
See Also:
Waco Rangers
Waco, John
Waco, Wayne

Sam Vogel was a disgruntled Capellan soldier when his longtime friend and commander Wayne Waco formed the mercenary unit the Waco Rangers in 3007. Following Colonel Waco's lead, Vogel resigned from the CCAF and was given command of one of the new unit's battalions. Signing on with the Capellan Confederation, the Waco Rangers were assigned to defend New Aragon, along with seven other Liao regiments.

In late March of that year, New Aragon became the site of a massive assault by all five regiments of Wolf's Dragoons. Although things went poorly for the Dragoons at first, eventually they won the planet for their Davion employers. Among the casualties of this operation was Lieutenant John Waco, beloved and respected son of the Rangers' commander. During a fighting retreat, he was killed when he was forced to eject from his Wasp and was subsequently stepped on by a Zeta Battalion 'Mech.

Upon retreating from New Aragon, Waco's Rangers were distraught over John's death. Blaming Wolf's Dragoons for deliberately killing John, Col. Waco brought charges against them in front of ComStar's Mercenary Review Board, but the impartial investigation cleared them of any wrongdoing. Not content with this ruling, Col. Waco took an oath that he would never again serve with any Successor State that also employs the Dragoons and vowed to avenge his son's death. Most of the rest of the unit likewise swore the same oath and those who refused were belittled and pressured to do so. Major Vogel was one who could not be convinced. He knew the Oath was a bad idea and would lead to nothing but anguish for the Rangers. Unable to withstand the ridicule he was subjected to by those who wished him to take the oath and unwilling to stand by while his beloved unit marched headlong to their own destruction, the Major composed a letter of resignation on 9 May 3008 and quit.

The text of Major Vogel's resignation letter:

I have watched as our commander, a man whom I worked for and admired for years, slowly deteriorated in the grip of obsession. There is not a Ranger under his command who does not feel Colonel Waco's loss, and weep along with him for the death of his son. We all loved John, and I for one would gladly have changed places with him on that terrible day when he was crushed beneath the footfall of that Dragoon BattleMech.

But there are limits. War is cruel. War is unfair. War takes from us what we love the most and returns only sorrow. We are not the cause of war; we are only its instruments, its executors. To blame Jaime Wolf for the tragedy that has befallen Colonel Waco and the Rangers serves no useful purpose, and the currently proposed "Death Oath" only prolongs and perpetuates the agony of John Waco's death. It disturbs me greatly to think that Colonel Waco and his officers would conceive of such a thing. It disturbs me even more that my views on the matter have been, at best, ignored and, at worst, rudely criticized. After six weeks of pressure and contempt for refusing to take the Oath, I can remain silent no longer.

I can no longer in good faith continue to serve a regiment that seems intent on its own destruction or a commander who expects us to follow him, like Ahab, to perdition simply to fulfill his own personal vendetta. Though it pains me deeply, and in my heart I will always be a Waco Ranger, I must hereby resign my commission and leave the regiment. My thanks, my respect, and my love to all its members.

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