S.O.G.

"Looks don't count for shit in the jungle. This is 'Nam, baby!"

- Frank Woods to Alex Mason

"S.O.G." is the 5th single player level in Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Overview
In the beginning of this mission, Jason Hudson informs the player that Woods has arrived. The player then steps outside of their tent to see many helicopters flying overhead. As Woods approaches, they make jokes about their appearances and walk over to a jeep. Woods then informs the player of how MACV-SOG was created and when. As they finish their conversation, bombs explode and their jeep is overturned, causing Hudson to get shellshock. The player then carries him to a bunker and the actual gameplay begins. One section involves the player crawling along trenches with enemy flamethrowers blazing overhead. At one point a North Vietnamese soldier jumps on the player and the player must repeatedly press the use button to punch him and pull the pin of a grenade on his webbings. Use of Fugassi Mines(napalm barrels armed with explosives) to hold back the North Vietnamese Army are demonstrated by Woods, the player can then choose to use it themselves - 2 detonators can be pick up along the path, once the cue is display press the button for a well-timed detonation, frying lots of NVA troops; if you failed to execute a well-timed detonation, you will not fail the mission, just more NVA troops to plow through or shoot at you, whichever comes first. Follow the path up to the defensive position and not long after 3 T-55 tanks rolls over the hill and advancing towards the line; you must pick up a M72 LAW to deal with them. One hit will finish a T-55. When this part of the mission is done, follow Woods to another line under heavy assault.

The player then fights his way down a hill to a weapons bunker and then to the lower ridge to roll 2 drums of napalm into the trench at the bottom. Many players get stuck at this point, as the objective is not clearly defined. However, listening to the conversation Woods has with a pinned down soldier makes everything clear. Towards the bottom of the hill are two barrels stood on their ends. The player must walk up behind them and press the action button, prompting a short clip where Mason stabs the barrel, scrapes his knife on the top to ignite the napalm, then rolls the barrel down the hill to prevent the NVA from continuing their attack. Until you complete this, the enemy on this front will keep coming.

Upon completing this, the player must climb another hill while friendly mortars rain down around you. Towards the top of the hill you have the opportunity to pick up an AK-47 with an attached flamethrower. Just as they've made it to the top of the hill, the player will get shell-shocked from an incoming round and will only have a few seconds after recovering to save Woods from a NVA soldier with a Python.

thumb|300px|left|Start of "S.O.G." The player then runs through a tunnel, to a jeep with a mounted TOW Missile launcher that works similarly to Valkyrie Rockets. The player must fight enemies with an M60 machine gun and a China Lake grenade launcher automatically given to him upon entering the jeep, using the TOW to destroy T-55 tanks when they show up. Destroying the six tanks with only six TOW rockets will reward the player with the achievement/trophy "Tough Economy".

Starting Loadout
The player seems to be carrying a Python throughout the level, because he pulls one out to save Woods.

Found in Level
The following weapons can be found with and without attachments.

Trivia

 * Call of Duty: Black Ops is the only game in the series to feature a weapon jamming as Frank Woods' M16 jams just before he can shoot an NVA soldier in the back. This could be a reference to the M16 being notorious for constantly jamming on American soldiers during the Vietnam War. This incident could also be the main reason Woods used the Commando in the missions to follow until his and SOG's capture.
 * Although the American soldiers fighting to defend Khe Sanh are U.S. Marines, indicated by Woods addressing them as Marines throughout the mission, if the player looks closely at a Marine's left breast tab, it will read "U.S. ARMY," indicating the soldiers are in the Army instead of the Marine Corps. The M and Y in the word ARMY is covered by equipment, however.
 * SOG is one of three missions to feature a Python. The other missions are Victor Charlie and Payback. The Python seems to be Mason's sidearm of choice for Vietnam as he is the only one in the entire campaign to shoot one.
 * The music that plays in the beginning of the mission is Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival, a very synonymous song often associated with the Vietnam War. The only other time the song can be heard in-game is during the credits sequence.

Walkthrough
300px|left 300px|right