Soldier of Fortune: The Magazine of Mercenaries and Controversies

Origins and Evolution

In 1975, a new kind of magazine emerged from the depths of Boulder, Colorado. Soldier of Fortune, subtitled The Journal of Professional Adventurers, was the brainchild of Robert K. Brown, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Army Reserve and a Vietnam Special Forces veteran. What began as a modest circular for mercenary employment in turbulent Oman soon snowballed into a glossy, full-color periodical. Its mission? To report on conventional warfare, low-intensity conflicts, counter-insurgency, and counter-terrorism across the globe.

By 1976, the magazine's allure was undeniable, selling 120,000 copies monthly. It wasn't just a publication for mercenaries and adventurers; it was a window into a world of conflict, attracting a diverse readership, including what Brown candidly referred to as the "Walter Mitty market"—those who fantasized about a life of danger and intrigue.

Controversial Themes and Cultural Impact

The magazine's rise coincided with a shifting cultural landscape. Historian Kyle Burke posited that Soldier of Fortune’s popularity was a backlash against the rise of feminism and the civil rights movement. The magazine, often featuring stories of white mercenaries triumphing over black guerrillas, was criticized for perpetuating thinly veiled racist fantasies, reinforcing the superiority of white men and glorifying the machismo of the mercenary lifestyle.

Brown was an ardent supporter of the Rhodesian government, painting it as a bastion where traditional values prevailed. During the Rhodesian Bush War, the magazine played a pivotal role in recruiting foreign nationals for the Rhodesian Security Forces. Soldier of Fortune was a lifeline for a Rhodesian military struggling with manpower shortages amid a growing insurgency.

International Recruitment Efforts

Brown’s personal journey to Rhodesia in 1975, where he met with a friend serving in the British South Africa Police, inspired him to use Soldier of Fortune as a recruitment platform. He collaborated with Major Nick Lamprecht, the Rhodesian Army's chief recruiting officer, to lure American volunteers with promises of adventure, camaraderie, and even potential matrimonial prospects.

While some recruits, like Vietnam veterans L.H. "Mike" Williams and Michael Pierce, found success in the Rhodesian Army, others, unfamiliar with the harsh realities of war, deserted quickly. An estimated 80% of American recruits abandoned their posts within months.

Expansion and Influence

Soldier of Fortune's success spurred a wave of similar publications in the late 1970s and 1980s. By the early 1980s, it boasted 190,000 subscribers. The magazine ventured into other global conflicts, such as promoting American involvement with the Contra rebels in Nicaragua during the 1980s, amidst the constraints of the Boland Amendment. Brown, under the guidance of General John K. Singlaub, utilized the magazine to recruit American volunteers, skirting U.S. Congressional restrictions.

Transition to Digital

With the April 2016 issue, Soldier of Fortune bid farewell to print, transitioning entirely to the digital realm. Under new ownership by Susan Katz Keating, the online publication continued to engage readers with original reporting from conflict zones such as Ukraine, Serbia, and Israel. Keating's innovative section, The Fire Pit, offered veterans a platform to share their war stories, further cementing the magazine's legacy.

Legal Battles: The "Gun for Hire" Controversies

Soldier of Fortune’s notoriety wasn't confined to its content. In the late 1980s, it faced multiple lawsuits for publishing classified advertisements from individuals offering "guns for hire." One infamous case involved the 1985 murder of Sandra Black, orchestrated by her husband through an ad placed by John Wayne Hearn. The subsequent wrongful-death lawsuit led to a $9.5 million jury award against the magazine, though this verdict was later overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals due to ambiguous wording in the ad.

Another high-profile suit revolved around the murder of Richard Braun in 1985, resulting in a $4.37 million judgment upheld by the Eleventh Circuit. The Supreme Court's refusal to review the case marked the end of Soldier of Fortune's classified advertisements, a significant shift for the publication.

Present Day

Despite its controversial past, Soldier of Fortune remains a unique fixture in the realm of military journalism. Its evolution from a print magazine to a digital platform reflects the changing tides of media consumption, yet its core mission—offering a lens into the world of professional adventurers—endures.

Sources

For further reading, visit the Wikipedia article on John Wayne Hearn.