Michael D. Echanis

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Michael D. Echanis

Postby windwalker on Thu Mar 15, 2018 7:38 pm


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w4HiCrv2bI

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People often talk about MA in the military

Through a referral by another martial artists, Michael found Hwa Rang Do® and Dr. Joo Bang Lee, who’s headquarters was located in Downey, Ca. Echanis requested instruction from Dr. Joo Bang Lee, but was initially turned away.

Dr. Lee could see the lasting effect combat had on Michael, and was unsure about taking on the responsibility of mentoring someone who had suffered the external and mental scars of war. But Michael was persistant and Dr. Lee finally agreed to take him in, after 3 days of camping just outside the dojang.
http://hwarangdo.com/training-articles/ ... d-echanis/
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Re: Michael D. Echanis

Postby Michael on Sun Mar 18, 2018 6:08 pm

My favorite part was when he said the loyalty in America is with the soldiers.
Michael

 

Re: Michael D. Echanis

Postby yeniseri on Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:17 pm

Echanis was a colourful character made for the silver screen!
He did teach authentic Hwarangdo to designated units of US military but died in a plane crash in Nicaragua.
When fascism comes to US America, It will be wrapped in the US flag and waving a cross. An astute patriot
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Re: Michael D. Echanis

Postby windwalker on Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:41 pm

I remember reading about his death.

According to a Sept. 11, 1978, Argus article, Echanis’ parents, Frank and Pat Echanis, Ontario, said he was “in Nicaragua training troops in guerrilla or hand-to-hand combat” at the time of his death in an aviation incident with “sketchy” details. Echanis, the article continues, was a former member of the Army Special Forces, or Green Berets.


Remember reading some place it was shot down, a helicopter if I remember correctly.

"Spec 4 Echanis' aggressive spirit and undaunted courage were decisive in preventing the anhilation (sic) of the truck and its personnel. His actions, at the risk of his own life, were in the highest traditions of the military and reflect upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."

Those wounded in the ambush with Echanis were SSG Eddie L Roberts, Alfred L Carr, Robert W Ladeaux, Mark E Laughton (Company C, 75th Rangers). Echanis' head wound would partially blind him during the ambush due to blood running from his forehead into both of his eyes. He would offer afterward to his family that the enemy was close enough for him to reach out and touch when the helicopters arrived to rescue the men.

https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/ ... &ID=264369
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In October of 2013 a complete documentation packet of Echanis' official selection by the United States Army's Special Forces ("Green Berets") and United States Navy's SEAL Team 2 as these elite organizations' senior civilian H2H instructor was provided to Nagato Shihan in Japan by Echanis historian and retired "Green Beret" Greg Walker. Included was Echanis' unique programs of instruction for his military application of Ninjitsu training. Echanis Sensei's body of work is now safely and appropriately honored in the traditional birthplace, study and practice of Ninjitsu with his friend and fellow martial artist from their early days together in Ontario, Oregon, Toshiro Nagato.


Where is willie ;)

Echanis developed a three-week hand-to-hand Instructor combat course sponsored by the United States Army John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The program was authorized in December 1975 and Echanis was formally appointed the "Senior Instructor and Advisor to the USAJFCENMA Hand to Hand Combat/Special Weapons School for Instructors" in a Memorandum For Record signed by Major Jerry C. Williams, then Chief, PSD, at the JFK Center. Six courses were presented in 1976. Echanis' combatives program was titled the "Hwarangdo Hand to Hand and Special Weapons Program".

The USAJFKMA, then commanded by Major General Robert C. Kingston, issued formal Certificates of Participation in the "Hwarang Do/Hand to Hand Combat School" to include the Instructor Course the participant attended. Both MG Kingston and Colonel Timothy G Cannon, Chief of Staff, signed the certificates. Grandmaster Joo Bang Lee, founder and then leader of the International Hwarang Do Federation affixed his personal seal to each certificate which conferred Black Belt ranking on the participant.
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Re: Michael D. Echanis

Postby windwalker on Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:59 pm

color=#0000FF]]Echanis was historically a free style fighter and after his wounding and recovery he traveled both the west and east coasts challenging and successfully fighting a number of black belt ranked studio owners/operators in their own backyards.[/color]

Echanis served as the Martial Arts Editor of Soldier of Fortune magazine from 1974 to 1976. Echanis was vetted by now deceased San Francisco martial arts instructor SiGung Art Gitlin. This at the request of Soldier of Fortune publisher andeditor Robert K. Brown well before the 1978 printing of the SOF paid for book series. According to Gitlin he was to "smoke out" whether Echanis was just one many "ninjas" then coming on to SOF in the hopes of coverage or self promotion. SiGung Gitlin was very impressed by Echanis' martial arts abilities to include intense sparring and fighting.



He commented in a phone interview years later with Fighting Knives and Full Contact editor and retired Special Forces NCO Greg Walker that he (Gitlin) was "most impressed by Echanis' heartfelt desire to discuss, train and then test martial arts theory and technique. If it didn't work Echanis wanted to know why" (Interview Sifu Art Gitlin / Greg Walker, Fighting Knives Magazine).

The beret was one he wore while working with Special Forces students and cadre during Robin Sage exercises,the last phase of the SF qualification course. This beret was gifted to Echanis historian and retired "Green Beret" Greg Walker in 2012 by the Echanis Family. Describing the Sandinista take-over of the Nicaraguan Congress in August 1978 by the FSLN Somoza describes "General Jose Ivan Allegrett and Major Mike Echanis stormed out of my office in anger. They wanted to lead the charge. These military men were afraid of nothing. With twelve to fourteen men they were going to take the Palace and, you know, they would have done it...". Clearly then President Somoza did not know or care regarding Echanis' use of a major's rank to both intimidate or impress.

President Somoza would not sign off on such a fate for the estimated 1200 hostages the FSLN held at the Palace. Somoza's first cousin, Luis Pallais Debayle, was being held and had been wounded in the head when the 25 FSLN guerrillas assaulted the palace. He was on the phone with the US ambassador when Pastora's unit seized the Congress chamber. Also held was Jose Somoza Abrego, son of General Jose Somoza and nephew to the President. Somoza knew many of those at the palace and he knew their families. He knew the vast majority were everyday office workers and administrators. In his book he states the projected time of the assault itself - 18–20 minutes in duration - killed any further consideration of Echanis' plan. He would not have the blood of "300-400" people on his hands over a flawed military operation. In the end 59 convicted FSLN prisoners were released by the government and a half million dollar ransom was paid to the FSLN.

Echanis' anger was in part based on the FSLN's successful repulsion of he and his commandos at the onset of the take-over. Arriving at the front of the palace Echanis' truck-borne commandos on their way to a firing range were effectively engaged by FSLN guerrillas with one of Echanis' captains in the lead vehicle was killed outright. FSLN Commander Eden Pastora, a hero of the Sandinista revolution, advised President Somoza by telephone that if the counter attack continued he would begin killing hostages. "Echanis, in communication with the Bunker by radio, wanted to assault the palace before the guerrillas could get organized, but he was ordered to pull back". Echanis did not know the FSLN had already captured and confined the Congress and were ready to kill all of them had he not obeyed the orders coming from the Bunker.


Jon Ronson, author of The Men Who Stare At Goats, cites associates of Echanis who contend the explosion in the aircraft was from an attempt to bomb a Sandanista camp with hand grenades by throwing them from an opened window in the plane and that the recovered aircraft showed evidence of a hand grenade going off inside the cockpit. However Ronson's account is not documented.

Randy Wanner said that when he heard of the team being killed, he was advised to go underground as no one in those early hours knew who was responsible or what else they might do. Wanner offered during one interview that notification of Echanis and the others being killed came from an official U.S. Government source and by phone. He took the warning seriously as did those other Americans working for the Somoza government in Nicaragua - all of whom left the country for the United States as soon as possible


What a life, his death a mystery except to those who knew.

He commented in a phone interview years later with Fighting Knives and Full Contact editor and retired Special Forces NCO Greg Walker that he (Gitlin) was "most impressed by Echanis' heartfelt desire to discuss, train and then test martial arts theory and technique. If it didn't work Echanis wanted to know why" (Interview Sifu Art Gitlin / Greg Walker, Fighting Knives Magazine)


"If it didn't work Echanis wanted to know why" (Interview Sifu Art Gitlin / Greg Walker, Fighting Knives Magazine"

true spirit of inquiry, a man finding his own answers.
Last edited by windwalker on Mon Mar 19, 2018 8:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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