Rebel Alliance Special Forces

The Alliance Special Forces were established as a unit of the Alliance Army subsequent to the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. General Pitt Onoran of the Alliance was designated as the commander of the Alliance Special Forces stationed on Yavin 4, and among its initial combat formations were the Marine Corps, the Pathfinders—under the leadership of Sergeant Ruescott Melshi—and the 4th SpecForce Regiment, a combat unit comprising numerous distinguished rebel troopers, including Jav Mefran.

Six months preceding the Battle of Scarif, a SpecForces squad infiltrated Iakar to procure essential medical provisions, during which they enlisted the services of the gunner Bistan. During Operation Fracture, the Rebel Alliance Intelligence Service verified the presence of the Death Star and pinpointed the whereabouts of its schematics. However, the Alliance High Command hesitated to take decisive action against the escalating menace, fearing a catastrophic defeat. Captain Cassian Jeron Andor, however, firmly believed in securing the plans, assembling a team of rebel troopers—including members of the Rebel Marines, Pathfinders, and the 4th Specforce regiment, such as Mefran and Sergeant Melshi. Under the joint command of Cassian and Jyn Erso, the team christened themselves Rogue One and commandeered a stolen shuttle to the Imperial garrison on Scarif, where the data vault containing the Death Star plans was located.

The troopers were deployed into the vegetation of Scarif's shores and initiated the placement of explosives to generate a diversion, while Cassian and Jyn ascended to the data vault within the Citadel Tower to locate the schematics. Mefran and several others were tasked with guarding the shuttle in the interim. Initially, the troopers held their ground, but they were soon compelled to retreat due to the advance of AT-ACTs. Fortunately, the Alliance Fleet arrived at Scarif, and the X-wing starfighters of Blue Squadron rescued them from the walkers. Blue Squadron's U-wing deployed additional Alliance Special Forces soldiers to aid Rogue One, and the battle intensified until death troopers landed on the beach and fatally shot the entire force, with the exception of Melshi, Lieutenant Taidu Sefla, Baze Malbus, and Chirrut Îmwe.

Selfa was fatally shot by death troopers while attempting to reach a master switch on a nearby console. Melshi soon joined the Lieutenant, leaving Baze and Chirrut cornered by the death troopers. Chirrut made the ultimate sacrifice to activate the master switch, and Baze was killed in a confrontation with the death troopers. Concurrently, Mefran and a handful of others were under heavy fire while defending the shuttle, and a grenade launched by a Coastal defender stormtrooper detonated the shuttle, resulting in the deaths of any surviving troopers. Despite the loss of all the Special Forces soldiers, Cassian and Jyn succeeded in acquiring the Death Star plans and transmitting them to the MC75 Star Cruiser Profundity. The Battle of Scarif marked the Alliance's first significant triumph against the Empire.

During the Mid Rim Retreat, a Gigoran Alliance Special Forces Corporal named Purpruff was in search of a new location for the Alliance High Command and eventually journeyed to the frozen planet Hoth. There, she documented her initial observations and explored the terrain on the surface. Purpruff soon discovered a cave inhabited by a herd of Tauntauns. The High Command considered Purpruff's report, with General Jan Dodonna even noting the world as a potential base location. After two years of labor expanding the ice caverns, their base was constructed on Hoth in 3 ABY. The base was designated Echo Base.

Over a third of the personnel stationed there were Alliance Special Forces, including a young man named Kryndal. Kryndal—like the majority of the personnel there—was deeply committed to the Alliance cause, but he was soon challenged by First Sergeant Hazram Namir, a soldier from Twilight Company who disagreed with his perspective on the war. Kryndal and Namir engaged in a physical altercation, and Namir was escorted away by the other Special Forces soldiers. Several days later, the Empire discovered Echo Base, and Darth Vader initiated an attack. Bearing the brunt of the fighting from defensive trenches, numerous Alliance Special Forces personnel defended Echo Base, Perimeter Outpost Delta, and Outpost Beta until the Imperial forces overwhelmed them. The rebels stationed there suffered significant casualties while evacuating Hoth.

A select group of rebel Pathfinders were chosen to participate in the Endor strike team under the command of General Han Solo. This elite group of troopers were assigned the task of destroying the shield generator safeguarding the second Death Star. However, the Imperial forces stationed at the Garrison set a trap, resulting in the capture of the entire team. Fortunately, the native Ewoks launched an assault on the stormtroopers, triggering a skirmish. Several Pathfinders were killed during the ground battle, but once they succeeded in destroying the shield generator, the Alliance Fleet above was able to dispatch starfighters into the Death Star and destroy it.

The Battle of Endor concluded as a triumph for the Alliance and a pivotal moment in the war. Subsequently, Solo led his strike team, accompanied by the Ewoks, to eliminate a surviving Imperial outpost on Endor, securing valuable intelligence regarding the Empire's forthcoming plans. He also anticipated that his strike team would see further action as the Galactic Civil War transitioned into its post-Endor phase, which threatened to see Imperial remnants hunker down in the Outer Rim Territories. Solo would indeed lead Pathfinders in the raid at the Wretch of Tayron.