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INSIDE THE
NAVY SEALS
Gary Stubblefield
with
Hans Halberstadt
(cJJloforBoo^ ^nhmational)
^^^^^^^^H
Publishers
& Wholesalers
>4,
This book
First
dedicated to
is
best friend
and
wife, Suzie
my
Gary
PO
Box
1,
Osceola,
WI
54020
&
Wholesalers,
USA
Stubblefield, 1995
review no
Motorbooks International
is
Patent Office
in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All
recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or
Publisher, who also disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of
The information
this
We
recognize that
mentioned herein are the property of the trademark holder. We use them
identification purposes only. This is not an official publication
for
Manager
at the
Pubhsher's address
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stubblefield, Gary.
Inside the
p.
US Navy SEALs/Gary
Stubblefield.
cm.
Includes index.
ISBN
1.
0-7603-0178-6 (pbk.)
United
VG87S76
On
at the
Printed and
Tide.
a closed-circuit Draeger
I.
1995
95-36496
359.9 dc20
On
Navy. SEALs.
States.
bound
Mark
The
author.
in the
ocean wearing
Commander Gary
Stubblefield.
is
Table of Contents
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
Acknowledgments
One
SEAL
Operations-the Good,
the Bad, the Ugly
33
and Morality
CHAPTER
Ethics
CHAPTER
Leadership and
CHAPTER 5
13
47
NSW
53
65
Photo Gallery
66
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
121
127
171
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER
70
BUD/S and
CHAPTER
11
The
final
Index
SEALs
Now
Training Issues
98
110
189
191
Acknowledgments
by
Gary Stubblefield
not a writer as so
and opportunity
my
to
it
many
But
to.
work with
More
all
the professionals
knew
career.
importantly, this
me
my
first
kept
me
and from
through
many
my
Norm
Carley became a
may
differ
He is a proven com-
partner. Steve
Acknowledgments
my
respected most in
BUD/S class and subsequent Vietnam and other area deployments. He has become like a brother over the past twenty-five
years and remains one tough customer even today. Gary Gal-
my command
lagher,
master chief
at
SEAL Team
Three, was
gotten
more about
ever learn.
He
is
forI'll
in
my
commercial security
He
tive retirements
con-
me
He
life after
closely with
roles.
issues since
work
our respec-
is
gentleman.
warrant
and continues
through
CPO
officer, is
to
BUD/S
Dave
instructors
new
ready our
ever encountered
prospective
SEALs going
Billings,
who
left his
SEAL
was
to
Margrethe
Command who
He
And
community.
finally got
me
Many
off the
thanks are
dime
to
owed
to
begin writing.
co-authored
patience to
my wife.
saint
this
book
is
a hallmark
throughout the
effort.
Preface
Defense (DoD). In
many
respects, these
romantic
relic
intercontinental
weapons, of
needs these
missiles,
invisible fighters
little
and Mach 3
bands of riflemen?
We
fighters,
do, as
it
who
really
turns out.
silence;
fairly
new community,
Naturally,
and
less
how
they do
it.
It is
and the
exploits of
when
first
started hearing
much
SEALs
combat
their
about the
larger
exploits intrigued
Army "Green
many
strip;
its
similar
thing,
The
that has
media
at
a distance.
result, predictably,
little
the teams.
tradition of
Preface
SEAL
former
say, "I
can
tell
what he
really did
ya but then
tell
the
whole
gotta
kill
Ask a
story.
he'll likely
Gary Stubblefield
is
one of the
first
make
naval officers to
SEALs and Naval Special Warfare. He fought in Vietnam and commanded SEAL Team
Three, Special Boat Squadron One, and Task Unit PACIFIC
in the Persian Gulf. Unlike many officers who used time in the
SEALs as a kind of career "ticket punch" qualification as a wara cradle to grave career in the
He
unusual
is
(if
man who
actually has
who goes on
an "operator;" that
way
is
out on the very pointy end of the spear. You'd think such
operators would be
common
Naval
few of the
California,
Special Warfare
And
Gary
the
retired as a
that's creating
retired,
is
Special Warfare.
And
a problem.
still
part of
although he
who
some
feelings.
needed
to
Political correctness
be
said,
gleefully,
even
if
senior
how Gary
they hurt
some
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
US Navy
SEALs. Gary, like other operators I know, doesn't swear much, doesn't exaggerate much, and
doesn't beat around the bush on important issues. He upset his
colleagues,
he
even with
retired as a
Although
commander,
retired
that's
why
from the
SEAL
Maybe
active
Navy, Gary
is still inti-
SEALs, develops
training
He
conducts studies of
for use in
SEAL
missions
and elsewhere.
So here
one of the
a
full
is
first
US Navy SEALs,
and operators
told
to retire
by
from
by Hans Halberstadt
Preface
my
experiences as
after retiring
ten
some of the books that were being writabout our community and how so many of them failed to
tell
in 1990,
began
Within some,
into
to see
what
consider to be a
we are a bunch
own perspective
that
is
to
make
sionals; intelligent
Then
realistic perspective.
way
My
to serve
He had heard
that
not only
like
and appreciate
him
personally, but
more
better, I
grew
importantly, to trust
honest a portrayal as
Sometime during my helping him, we began to disthe need for a book that told the SEALs' story from the
possible.
cuss
good points and those that are often not mentioned. He had
the talent to write, and I had the experiences to write about.
With a more than generous amount of time, he has over the
past many months helped me to lay out a story that will not
"tell all" or serve to be an expose; but rather to say what hasn't
been
knowing what
I
hope
it is
that
like
to
be a Navy SEAL.
and
feel
some
of them-
selves in the writings of this story and that they don't get too
thin-skinned
of my personal perceptions
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
right or
been.
also
learned over
hope
that in
as
some
of
life.
SEALs
hope
some
areas,
of the lessons
tight spot or
or those
you
First,
a brief run
to the
was commissioned
my
and
US military today.
through my resume before
in the
first
assignment as a
introducing
new
called
ing at Coronado.
mand Naval
charge of
Special Warfare
NAVSPECWARCOM,
Command.
fare
later
(NSW)
went on
Class 54 was, in
to great
the
fact,
US
who
accomplishments in
first
was assigned
to
and
it
was
although
my
fun; they
it
was
first
jump
school at
Ft.
Benning,
My
cold there at
graduation.
Benning.
slot in Kilo
Then
Platoon
it
was back
to
commanded by
chief
petty officer at the time but did have the services of an experi10
Preface
officer,
POl Wade
Puckett.
in the
came back
a kind of
SEAL Team
to
Korea
fare
UDT
as the
test
SDV
One.
came back to take over as research and develand evaluation (RDT&E) officer for Special War-
three-year tour
opment,
later.
to take
in the
Mk
Swimmer Life Support system and numerous combat swimmer weapons systems. Then it was off to
become executive officer (XO) for SEAL Team Two the last of
develop the
15
the lieutenant-grade
for later discussion.
School, followed
officer
and
XOs
for the
Then
by a tour
SEAL
was on
it
as the first
Naval Postgraduate
to
detailer.
Then it was off to a unique group called the Special Development Unit. I participated in that for three years and I won't
tell you the details of that later, but I will talk about some of the
lessons learned there. Then it was off to take command of
SEAL Team Three from 1986 to 1988. I went from there to
take
command
of a
SEAL
it
was back
Two months
after
to take
completing
January of 1990.
services to
NSW
started
two companies
and other
commercial-businesses
I still
to
clients both
over
my
retired, in
provide consulting
government and
operate today.
11
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
Now,
that brief
is
SEALs. And
ly
spend
tions
since
my whole
about
this
Navy
it
officer in today's
first officers
to actual-
career in the
little
SEAL officer is
years)
because
also
it is
we
(a little
over twenty-five
still
serving,
how they do it
ment.
But
war
you think
stories
naval
call
if
am
about the
officer, as
and respect
people
who
for,
the people
serve now,
I feel
who
me in the past,
served with
is
to
to,
the
keep
quiet, to
keep
when something
needs saying. As one of the first professional SEALs to retire
after a full career in the new community, as somebody who's
fault.
for
at
it
seems
to
some-
how enhance the legend. And we are funny about our legend
we make a big deal about keeping a low profile, then walking
12
Preface
US
with
ball caps
and
T-shirts
need
emblazoned
an
issue
we
to discuss.
SEAL
elements of the
sellers are part
story.
And my
associate
all
SEALs
some
things
ent kind of
inside the
We
US Navy
SEALs
whole story
are
as
and what
it
looks to
book about
well,
special warfare,
US
Navy-style, a look
SEALs.
by Gary Stubblefield
13
CHAPTER
One
We
We
We don't do
we
try,
By keeping
we
good
at
fact,
is
to
is
hard
to detect, easy to
fectly suited to
We
water.
many
kinds of
we
command and
critical
try to
be extremely
combat
control,
and per-
operations.
from submarines,
on
Delivery Vehicle);
we
medium to
all missions for which we
targets.
These are
and equipped.
(a.k.a.
the
14
Operations
organization has
its
own
One Foot
in the
Water
We train
we may
and we are
is
close to the
what are we
really
good
at?
We
missions, the
blow up a
ship, take
duct reconnaissance.
Persian Gulf;
when we
it
down
We
we
are very
good
at this mission.
We
members
of foreign
"force-multiply,"
it!
While not
foreign food,
in
all
of us are
good
results
we
from
it
and we
are beginning to
do
it
15
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
be
fast, light,
anybody
traditionally
light,
Service (SAS)
That's
on occasion
for
what we learned
It
do
in
was a
patrols.
Vietnam, and
was part
young
One
Navy's
As soon
humping
else, starts
ity to
during Vietnam
and
me
made
tell
it
and a
looked
lot
like to
of
Gary
16
Stubblefield's
One
One Foot
month
operations in a six
period.
Out
of
in the
Water
five
wet.
We
paddies,
We
we
we
went
VC
after the
North Vietnamese
against, or encountering.
Our
Army (NVA)
platoon's base
units
was a subtenant
directly to
on a
them.
If
we knew
we heard that
specific night,
if
our platoon.
We
we made a
few points, and this had also a psychological impact on the VC.
We did best, I think when we captured one of their guys,
go
try to
grab him.
didn't score
all
got information from him, then went back into their areas and
We
had a
lot of success
that.
The
rules
changed almost
daily.
In
fact, just
before
I left
to
of
modem
operations.
The KISS
Principle
When we
tion,
went out
lot of water,
and normally
little
or
no
food.
We planned to
17
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
we
stay
M16
AR15, with
or
rifles
on
M60
the squad
We
40mm
machine-gun, in a
high volumes of
fire.
had a
We
and
cut-
and the
usually car-
last-ditch sur-
will take
basis.
Our
objective
first
about the
to
go out and
enemy "intelligence," we
we went
ond,
was
call
it
collect information
tion for
there
dies in the
not,
lar
and
that
impression of what
every
in the
enemy
we
do,
SEALs
popu-
we still do today.
When we got information
we
the kind
specific area
that the
VC were operating in a
lot of choices
else stopping
them.
We
began by
collecting
all
the information
One Foot
tain
hours
like
If
in the
Water
we came up with
US Air Force
was mixed
intel
we need
no more than
the
six.
reports;
for
clear heads,
we prepared
all
The
if
Plan
fire
sup-
A fell apart.
was available
at the time.
Then
them
to
us
if
19
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
get
time than
is
familiar with
we
already
cific
all
all
were already
knew
the area,
we needed
all
information pertinent to
to
and
We had
all
men
to
do things
critical part,
component of the
go out ready
to
the area
we
to
con-
we'd leave
go in on
we
after
lots
Crafts
we
best way.
helicopter,
everybody
little
we
could
off,
but
that's
not subtle
or the
in the
same
little
20
One Foot
The US Navy
go get your own.
My
Water
in the
you have
to
U Minh forest. John found a boat moving along the river, loaded down with a VC taxman and money.
an op in a river near the
and
stains,
and room
idea that
it
for a
if
Even with
you look
in a
you look
like
1,
Mod
and
level of safety
freedom
Mk
and think
US
more if
Navy SEAL.
lot
Insertion
It
many gun
fights
with the
later
what we learned:
We
allies
into the
they
when
back and
to sneak, invisible
We
by
learned to
and inaudible,
made numerous
false insertions
bow
us, the
boat
in to shore for a
few seconds.
To any
us
SEALs
it
21
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
When we
finally
we
would be eased
all
or whatever boat
we were
rounds and with the "pucker factor" right up around 100 percent.
all
the
weapons
stations
and every-
we
down
with
Movement
to the Objective
Now we
formed up
leading, followed
security
rear.
security's leg.
man
by
to the
ambush
moved
site
man
a movie, but
it is
country and
when there is
slow.
that's
up
the
movement
You sometimes
quite exciting
Out on Patrol
It isn't
we were
of emergence
into
political
call
it,
correctness,
here's
how
it
(and
still
are)
an early example
US
Navy-style.
works:
We'd get a mission to go out to a specific spot where something was known to be happening with an assignment to collect
22
One Foot
information,
kill,
or capture
like that is
a job for a
one
and
officer
But the
six enlisted.
able;
more
Water
in the
full
avail-
was okay,
and more
control easier
was
effective.
Since
command and
as large, but
it
was
control
as effective; the
easier to put
on
target.
M60
machine-gun with
its
heavy
bullet
high rate of
its
fire
against
CAR- 15
rifle the
XM148
contest
the point.
XM203 40mm
man on
or
one of the
was won by the M203, used by the teams and other units
today.)
Fire Support
and
fore-
SEAL missions.
all
had a mix of
Mk
19 grenade launcher,
LAAWs light
and
machine guns, an
First
anti-armor
and sometimes
fire.
There were
LAAWs
fired;
were found
to
first
helicopter gunships
23
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
guns and rockets. These gunships were very good, were flown
We
fire
bases
sometimes
them because
trated with
to
be careful with
VC
infil-
coordination could be advertising your intentions to the opposing side. Part of our learning curve on this happened early dur-
up operations we were
first
ambushed both
times,
dangerous
link.
two
Vietnamese
We fixed that by
full
units
seemed
to
be the weak,
them where
we
us.
And
could
ships in range or
didn't
have
from
call
on
at the last
air
cavalry
outside our
to time.
the bear;
The
Kill
some days
Zone
the bear gets you; well,
plenty of
the
unhappy experience of being had by the bear and it is something we avoid by being as stealthy as possible. Once we ooze
24
One Foot
up
to
our ambush
site,
we
field
fire.
my role
to trigger the
is
ambush by
a lot
you
there, in
light.
aren't shooting
our
little
firing at
comes
and
center,
to
it
by,
to
make
So we
was
a crucial moment.
bad guys
first
We sit
trail.
Instead, there
might be hon-
headed
and
stay
The
to his fields.
refrain
It
latter
we have
alert
We
can even
off.
alert. If
So there
is
let
six guys,
a lot
more
to
trail,
stay
a tug
somebody to come
where you can hide five or
and waiting
for
men
You need
tie
line will
So we
on the
dark
to identify in the
by.
or road
est
trail
like
the clas-
But an ambush
sit
up an ambush but
sic is
wood-
of ways to set
lots
Water
in the
where a
is
for
an ambush
is
trail
It is
where you can maximize your firepower, where you can have
good cover and concealment, and where traffic volume sug25
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
good
gests a
The ambush
can't, for
needs
site
example, walk up a
come
man
The
ly.
In an open area
make
to
attacks
trail
in daylight
maximum
"kill
We
position, then
The
potential.
zone"
effective-
men
Spacing between
and
to
or dusty
carefully for
machine-gunners need
You
muddy
will give
in to the site
position each
be
to
enemy.
we
varies,
normally based on
all
ier to destroy.
kill
zone
terrain.
if
the
is
terrific
audible "klatch" as
it
is
safety
own
distinctive,
Odor
though
quieter,
likewise provides
ample warning
could
didn't
fit
enough
an
alert
enemy
all
into the
(with a
it all
cig-
normal
routine.
few exceptions)
to
While no
off in the
SEAL
is
dumb
on before an
conditioner; if you don't
put smelly
26
to
arette,
get
click too.
warning
stuff
One Foot
There are
lots
in the
Water
at
many
of the
new
their bodies.
such as
it
ammo
ing dozens of
away
more
life
little
its
see
around
like
wear-
Actually, there
them and
is
mud and
foliage
can
create malfunctions.
bad where we
operated that they actually degraded our ops. We wore mosquito head nets to keep the clouds of them out of our eyes and
noses, but
if
you
are sitting
still
so
your
position
made
it
of you.
hard
to
hear a
Initiating
An Ambush
leader
who
ambush. Typically,
enemy
that
force
is
is
done by the
inside the
kill
patrol
zone.
It
27
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
But
we
it
is
effect of the
triggered. That's
is
steel ball
Unless
trail.
it is
at the
M18
"Claymore"
When the
Claymore
same
ambush
"command-detonated"
like
the
when
down
time. It
is
kill
zone
devastating.
is
weapon.
six or so
blast.
SEALs conducting
the
if
One
in
ambushes
is
comes
explosive that
ditches
to
SEALs
sneaky thing
(a
learned to do
form of high
is
likely to
ambush is
tripped, once the survivors have recovered and made a dive for
the ditch with an intention of returning your fire, you pop the
seek shelter from our firestorm. Seconds after the
And
it is
real
need a prisoner
up
to take
back
all
all
the
enemy
28
you
up. Unless
first
if
he knows
contact,
and
his
elects
One Foot
to fight back.
About
gratulate yourselves
in the
Water
the time
he
is
he'll toss
little
hiding place,
even.
recommend
that
nobody
gives
we
him
the opportunity.
We
up a cou-
force; they
will reveal
police
VC leader we were
our
relate
after or if
soldiers. If
we
we went
a target
after
an
ambush might not be audible for more than a few hundred meters. Maybe, if you're feeling lucky, you will elect to
stick around. Maybe some more bad guys will dash up to see
what the fuss is about; perhaps you can bushwhack them, too.
of the
This
is
called a "stay-behind."
Now,
Maybe
the
your radio
enemy
quits
doesn't cooperate
by coming
elect to
would otherwise be on
platoon of
wouldn't
NVA
help
call if
parade past;
live to tell
Maybe
by.
a shot.
about the
everybody on both
extremely
common to
sit
all
it is
fire
29
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
Extraction
So the sun could come up on
ed SEALs ready to go home.
Claymore
make sure nobody was watching, then carefully move off to a new spot alongside the bank
wherewe sincerely hoped the boat would come back to pick
and the det cord, look around
to
we
we used
have an ambush
Sooner or
set
up
later the
to
ambush
spot
would
to get in since
somebody might
the ambushers!
The pucker factor for all hands would again be up over the red
line while we were most vulnerable, but with the last guy
aboard the coxswain reverses the boat back into midstream,
then advances the throttles and gets us
Although we could
still
we headed back
ly as
E&E
Plans
There
get hit
all
out of Dodge.
to base.
if
One Foot
that
we
usually
we
stick
them
in
anyway
when some
stories of
to in
heard the
Water
we
them. But
in the
calls for
distant
And we have
them.
last ditch
plan
that
swim
During one
nous
situation
where
at
had been
midnight.
training indige-
to
particularly close to
me
some
became
them took
to
haircut the
sport
to his
no
same
hair at
as mine. Well,
all.
This young
being
man
challenged,
follically
shaved
his
but
fall
Of
Merely move
course,
one of his
had
to a
we were
insisted
signal
it
He and
back
and returned
to the
to the
on an
E&E
come
gear.
and
the determina-
made
for leaving
sion planning
Somehow he made
my buddy
launchbase.
apart.
Of course
its
flashlight
that.
for
For exam31
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
pie, if the
the party
coming
into
in for a
My little friend kept his head and did what the plan called
for.
come
They saw
enough
to
and were
hesitant to
off
him
pick
up.
The
lesson learned
here
is
able
E&E
the rescuers to
know
its
legitimate.
Ranch
No matter how stressful
at the
thing done
cialists.
on return
Then
cleaned and
the
is
the
made ready
club no matter
first
intel spe-
are
low down
his hat,
Back
flying
was
how humble,
there's always a
clubfor a
for that
designator at a
one
32
is
minimum
if
there
it is
is
CHAPTER 2
SEAL
Operations-the Good,
the Bad, and the Ugly
Vietnam was such a large,
US
tory of
and me,
too, that
deserves
it
more
US Navy SEALs
attention.
The experience
all.
SEAL missions became a lot more diverse than even President Kennedy would have imagined. We were always a tiny
contingent in the grand scheme of battle but with an influence
greater than that of
most
We
ran the coastal interdiction missions, with and without the Viet-
namese.
We
facilities.
enemy
commanders,
We
infrastructure,
their logistics
found ways
to cut their
rivers
delta.
we
it.
us,
Ambush
Lessons Learned
SEALs
still
you don't move 5mi through enemy terriparticularly a maritime territory, with possible booby
or indigenous presence, to set up an ambush.
in training, but
it
tory,
traps
100 meters
33
Inside the
in
US Navy SEALs
to
control.
is
smaller,
an area
operations.
The
in the
enough
is
for
good
operations.
"briefing overkill."
all
that data.
need
think,
34
And
If
that's for
is
and
details
need
to
be covered. The
go
to
Navy SEAL's
an operation
tingencies
same depth
ture,
we
is
that
feel the
all
con-
real reason, I
SEAL
the senior officer present
I'll
bet that
hour or
who
are
if
so.
Train the
I will
Way You
Fight
in
NSW today, as
meant
to indicate that
we go along and
we
do.
life
my
how things
experience;
line
ought to be.
somebody with
My perspective is based on
we
we
do
that.
like to say
we
We
we keep one
foot
talk
those
Basic
skills as I
would
Load
If today's
SEAL
When you
left
think you'd
back
in the
combat region you learn to simplify and lighten up. Our riflemen go out with 200 rounds in their load bearing gear quite
often today; 140 rounds
SEALs
in the days
when
35
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
make you
a little more
sink a
tired a
the
We
radios,
deeper into
little
slower to
little
the enemy.
good, and so
we
light, that
the other
all
They
it all
are so
along with
have stopped a
SEAL
you
Meals, Ready
ture? All
need
really
to Eat
for a three
day op
is
this pic-
a couple of
that's
somewhere
it,
let's
go.
in the team,
Some
no more.
Who
the
operations or about
we wear
much
like the
same uniforms, carry the same weapons and equipment, and train to
execute many of the same kinds of basic recon, strike, and
interdiction missions. You see them doing swim ops and even
locking in and out of submarines; you see us patrolling deep
inland. What's the difference and if there isn't any, what do we
Green
Berets. After
need SEALs
fof,
all,
vastly
the
anyway?
pretty
tail" ratio
much
in part
of support personnel-to-oper-
more numerous,
different,
and
their talents
and
much more oriented to the "unconventional warand FID mission than we are. They tend to be specialists;
traditions
fare"
we
is
Our
turf
is
in
SEAL
the surf and
we
kill
that
experts;
we
and
neers,
indigenous personnel
we
or medics, or
ers,
the Ugly
and "drop
and
weapons
leaders.
We
are
or communications
specialists,
engi-
SEAL Ops
in the 1990s
SEAL
ducting
(unless
to
to
operations."
We
to
work,
left
generate our
own
con-
start
alone
stupid) to
missions.
something
quarters.
to
happen and a
When
it
does,
specific tasking
we hop on an
often
When Ray
SOC
(Special Operations
to use us.
specific tasking
now we have
Command). Ray
Now,
how
and
would
airplane or a boat
quite understand
and
to
go
to
have created
terrible
prob-
make
teracted
is
a big plus.
It is
air-
coun-
deteriorating capability to
do
37
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
"human
own
is
language.
it
initial
op if you
mission
don't turn
must now receive the mission taskfrom above; that goes into a package, and we
For example,
talking to
Then
have
to
work up
it,
asked
modify
allocate
it,
some
or
maybe
the concept in
the assets
you
for,
Finally,
to brief
is
without
Then we have
After
all
that
to ask permission,
you
still
have
and
that's
commander. He
Asset Allocation
be that the boat drivers lived alongside us. When
we were getting ready for an op we'd go over and say, "Hey,
we're going on a mission tomorrow night; you guys gonna be
It
used
to
ready?"
Now, all assets are coordinated in a joint arena, with all the
armed forces involved. If I need a boat in this brave new world,
even one
quarters
38
NSW
already owns,
have
to
go
to higher head-
SEAL
even service
unit or
and
may want
to use
it,
too then
the Ugly
must make
a formal request for the boat, even though the skipper might be
in the
bunk next
to mine. If
need a
owned by
helicopter,
the
far
planning before
planning cycle
makes
is
the
also ask-
The complexity is
and boats and
radios.
offset,
We
in all
could count on
today
era, that
day.
knew
that
if I
lived
got in trouble
probably don't
If
something goes
know me have the same kind of commitment as the guys who used to drink with me in the club?
Probably not. So we plan that into the operation, too, with secthese guys
who
ondary and
Commo
don't
tertiary extraction
mean
call for
if
plans.
Follies
Once
radios
and emergency
help
my boss,
that, if I
is
much more
or his boss, or
reliably. It also
can
means, unfortunately,
somebody way up
helpful advice
all
and suggestions;
that
happened
it
either
39
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
PRC-25
off.
In Vietnam
to
I like it
might have
or not.
Now,
it.
just using
the National
me
with
do
if
while
This, also,
In
am
is
fact, it isn't
our
in
little satellite
Command
call
Coronado on a
daily basis
for
if
radio.
on the ground
and asks
RADM
communications
calls
to
it.
Once you've
built
when he
it
who
is
If
Beckwith, telling
most of us
in the
SEALs
oper-
is
this
improve-
SEAL
ment
Some
communications.
in
in the
to say, "okay,
downward,
There
is
are
a ten-
The problem
if
the Ugly
SEAL community
dency
and
me is,
for
men who
to the
I still
have a respon-
me.
are with
When
their
lives,
far
we've had a
we
lot of
SEALs
way
warriors, masters of
combat
we
in a
is
all right,
but
we
cer-
mally while you are required to wait for some genuinely dangerous thing to happen. While
we
chamber, or going in
rine's lockout
subma-
Combat Rub-
almost always a
lot of
time to
sit
SEAL
cant effect
Fear
training
is
on the
op.
isn't
designed to be
and somebody
is
safe.
way
swim
surface
where the
it
When we
ops
signifi-
fires bullets at
the patrol
When we
mem-
do sub-
41
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
to say that
we
train the
way we
we
did we'd have to get people killed occasionally, for the sake of
realism,
them under
much
stress
We
what
little
will
is
so
that.
begin to experience a
we
to
you
much
is
probably
feel pretty
come
will
that
so,
Three only
time at
all!
five
And of those five, not all had seen anybody get hurt.
what
I
it is all
about.
The
rest
may be
five really
understand
can seem
like
is
fun,
playing war to
fast.
lot of
guys
It
seem like much fun anymore; see ya!" They got out of
the Navy and we had to get along without them.
doesn't
42
SEAL
When he drank he tended to bad-mouth everybody on the platoon. We couldn't have that, so we sent him home. He came
back right away, though, with another platoon.
LT Mike Collins, an experienced SEAL veteran, commanded that platoon, with CPO Bomar as the 2IC (second in
command). For the 2IC to be other than an officer was almost
unheard of, but Bomar was good enough to rate this assignment. Bomar was a huge, brilliant, super-aggressive operator
6ft
first
few months
this
wounded.
we
K.
officer, P.
rotated out as a
member of this platoon and lost his leg on one of its operations.
Collins was killed, and so was Bomar. And this was home for
"Bud-man," our reject. But when Bomar led a patrol into an
ambush, got shot and lay dying on the beach with an
leg
wound
as the
arterial
it
was
fire,
And we
patrol leader.
quickly forgave
when he was
He
got
him some
of
drunk.
One
the
most
is
also
one of
you an idea of how complicated, dangerand demanding our ops are, let me brief you on it.
The sub comes in fairly close to shore not so close that it
43
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
risks
it is
to a
this op,
tle
depth of about
40ft;
SEALs
that permits a
the locker
is
few people
line so that
Once
on a
it is
line.
riding
The boat
on
this
tow
inflate the
is
inflated
line.
body has
start
and
to
When
since
it is all
is
is
safe
and
it is
Sound
like
Nobody
fun?
chamber is
full
likes
it,
it,
in the chamber.
to this
the
it
Once
this first
and rigged
The
or four will
lit-
to the surface
and
to follow.
compartment
element
at the
The
but a couple of
patrols,
is
flood-
is
popped and
While
While
it is
we
air
call this
it is
more
difficult
to
swim
SEAL
If you're
full
full cycles.
this
on the
is
first
it is
wind
ing.
is
ty of these
is
all
a radar
ious;
to
reflector, the
sur-
submarine skipper
his position as
little
rubber boat
be extremely anx-
will
As soon
target.
as every-
own.
is
everything in
this business. It is
happens
it
quick,
game plan
(the invasion of
at the
in
to
Manuel Noriega's
some-
be doing
Panama
The mission
that in training;
do
times
in
We
CAUSE
in 1989).
called for
to
be inserted out in
starters, the
the planning
body
is
was
already
still
late.
it off.
in progress.
When
moved up
that
while
happens every-
CRRCs malfunctioned.
You'd think, with all the time we spend with CRRCs and small
Then
the
motor
for
45
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
we wouldn't have
reliability
problems
there,
but the very slow speed needed for the insertion managed to
foul the plugs
it
runwhat would
who not
CRRCs,
traffic
only
that
do
to
commanded
was
firelight
CRRCs
know
to drive
in progress nearby.
were involved,
if
They
didn't
They got
ship's
especially
if
the
know
pier.
The
The
charges
fired,
the charges
firefight
they
shooting the
from Panamanian
sailors
on the
target vessel.
The
swim pair got back in the water and swam back out to the extraction site, not really sure if the balky CRRCs would be there to
meet them, but they were. In
training
we
world
lot
of real-
late.
Norm and
in training.
the
oxygen consumption
46
his
it
CHAPTER 3
and Morality
Ethics
As everybody
SEALs
knows, the
are a
tion,
own
organization.
and the
game.
all
We
spend a
at
It is
easy, dur-
of enjoyable adventure.
that in theo-
sometimes forgotten or
is
fun, a kind of
knows
lot of
be
Coronado.
We
get
good
tans
to
possibility that
later
one
all
levels of
that I
my best to
when you
have had
to
do
moral
issues of killing,
and
with yourself.
One
the ambush.
have
killed
It is
common
many hundreds
for
of
them
VC
to
and
SEALs
NVA by hiding in
amble up the
trail
the
or paddle
47
Inside the
down
US Navy SEALs
we machine-gun them.
This
it
too much)
whole range of
when
the shooting
seem
not a busi-
it
can
(if
you
like fun.
different ways.
about to
is
is
start,
mates suddenly decide they want to get out of the Navy and
sell
One
friend of
mine refuses to fish or hunt with me; Steve will not hurt an animal of any kind, spiders included. When I go spear fishing, he
goes along but won't take any fish; and he won't clean the fish
afterwards because he's afraid the knife will
inflict
pain on the
fish.
If you
had
to guess,
like that
isn't
friend
and posed
this
how we
One
tick.
poke around
interviewed
and
How
killing
"Not a problem.
my
would you
him?"
When
do
feel
about going
as a danafter that
that,
cold blood?"
"If this
guy
is
properly identified by
my
American chain
it
at
and Morality
Ethics
all.
That
is
and our
responsibility."
So said
my
fishing because
he doesn't
being the
90's,
me
during
care less.
my Vietnam
However, an incident
that
light.
My boss over there was reading the new hot novel which
had come out and was sent to him by his wife. For those who
were alive and reading back then, it was the extremely emotional romance called Love Story. I happened to walk in on my
boss just as he was finishing the last few pages and caught tears
in his eyes. I became so intimadated to read that book after
seeing his reaction that eventually
"closet reader" of that novel so that
came,
decided to become a
when
the
my reaction-
just in case.
Onward
Christian Sailors
known
chief,
operations
rific
guy
tions
to
to
religious,
He was
a great
who
had an unusual
But as
got to
He
think
liked having
a senior
Shop with a
knack
be very
officer.
have
it
is
espe-
him around.
religious.
49
Inside the
As
US Navy SEALs
commander
his
decision for
command
master
but
chief,
really
anguish for people in our profession in the past. While the chief
was great
operation, never
at
anybody. So
been
in
called
been on an
him
actual
combat
to actually shoot
in
lem.
"I
I
told him,
an organization
do.
As long as we're
situation, you're
sitting
what
if
you and
how
"Well
my
he
What
have
faith
next week,
we
feel
about your
this role?"
am very religious.
get
conduct an operation
with
teachings seriously
to
if,
to
we have
to daily
life.
take
But when
me to do."
He got the assignment; I had to take him at his word. But
still wonder how he could possibly reconcile the conflicts of
need
the mission
flict
there,
always wondered
defense" matter.
50
when
if
is
a moral con-
he would be a
trigger-
Ethics
Up
and Morality
all
of
fires at
an Iraqi T62, as
many
did, four
human
beings die an
at targets far
away, out of
sight.
But
SEALs and Green Berets and Rangers don't have that luxury;
we have to confront our enemy's humanity in the age-old way.
It
can be hard.
Generally,
it is
me
to (for
example) use a
sight,
than to
and
rifle
line
On
no moral
conflicts
be genuinely
fall
evil;
whatever about
killing
this business,
people
have
we know
rapists in particular
to
would
So Gary Gallager,
and
Week
used
at
to
go over
BUD/S.
my
master chief
at
SEAL Team
to talk to the
guys about to
what
them was:
Basically,
told
Three,
start
Hell
51
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
is
sadly mistaken.
ness.
Once you
be asked
to
You
will
If
you're thinking
spend a career
front of the
girls,
may be
injured
come home
and disabled
ability to
follow through."
52
if
you
for
complete
are
you
life.
lifting
most
aren't able to
CHAPTER
Leadership and
We
NSW
in
NSW
today that
cussed with
we
have
dis-
into
who
our organization
cream of the
officers.
we
train a
by the time they're trained they are lieutenants junior-grade. They get one or two solid deployments
where they actually get to lead troops; once they've had a shot
at leading a platoon of SEALs we jerk them out of the water and
send each off to a staff job or a development program or to
ensigns to do this job;
command and
how
to train for
and determine
this picture?
The Navy's
aviation
he came out
tion in support of
senior leader
don't do that
to
my barge
me and
is
One
the
Mk
it
Mod
We
SEAL-a human
53
Inside the
being
US Navy SEALs
who needs
to
be commanded by a leader
When Norm
combat ops
we both
Gulf
in the
Carley and
who
under-
were doing
We
were told
that the
com-
mander should stay well back, out of the action. Well, the
Israeli commanders have a pretty good record in war, and they
lead from the front; you'll find their combat leaders in the first
tank crossing the "line of departure."
My
Norm
the op.
did
it
in
Panama, and
position
is
that the
his
leaders,
trol
command
really
When
tactical
maneuver elements
mand, and control. But
the
all
of
way along
with everybody
else,
com-
offi-
ally participate
on an op,
Political Correctness
We
con-
knows
cers in
command and
what is
when
he can
to lead
from the
and BUD/S
civilian agencies of
government
gentler experience.
We
front.
by both
to turn
the
BUD/S
Navy and
the
into a kinder,
failure rate.
joint head-
54
Leadership and
NSW
forces,
predict success in
BUD/S,
candidates in advance.
so
We
we
could
weed out
the unlikely
isn't
any
guy would do
who make
one seems
to
is
way
well,
You'd think
and sometimes
through
BUD/S
are
it
clue.
out a
we need
think
to
keep
man who
is
very successful
statistics.
One
goofy
is
women
NSW
SEALs.
We
Navy
in
NSW
and
55
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
if
"swim
qualification
what they're
black soldiers
who want
gle
fail.
to
strug-
sad,
test. It is
unfortunate,
this is
how many
think of
One
typically
other reason
may be
who come
to
to us
activity
SEALs.
marginal minority
BUD/S
we
That's wrong,
and
SEALs
we
but
is
a problem.
also
little.
Once
to slide a bit
more.
ty
on the
join the
find
We
We
have some
have a tendency
to
terrific
minori-
keep people
who
Navy
staff to
increase the
numbers of
minorities, especially
is
indi-
and
to
become
SEAL
environment.
56
be successful
for
Leadership and
to see
something similar
if
ajunior Reserve
(JROTC) program
SEALs;
to
NSW
instituted
for
and
it,
before they
Dick Couch.
a touchy subject in
is
women
They
are valuable
ly qualified,
or
and aggressively
recruited.
units, high-
there
is
no place
for
women on
get through
women. There
Olympics
for
BUD/S but I
we have
separate events at
don't think
things
we
require well. So
what
it
listen better,
takes to being a
them
at the
divers.
But
that's
taught, tol-
very
little
of
SEAL.
women and
put them in a
set of greens,
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
them and throw them
then have them put a boat
an hour and a
half,
and
trials
women,
differences in
men and
Presidential
in reports
Commission on
the
our standards
special
little
The
made
tests, training,
and missions
and
politicians in
The
Schroeder, a
member
anything, a
little
if
to insure
result
is
racial
and gender
for
our
low.
to care
no
equity,
about the
concerned that
an
is
elite unit.
a poor
real- world
women
missions of
are included in
tactic to
SEALs
but
is
only
but
as
it
know,
in
These
women
you about
women
And
can
tell
NSW,
the
that's all I
it.
teams
women in the
in
Leadership and
"ticket-punch" syndrome. At
really
lot of
Then we
in the
to
first
wanted
NSW
UDT units
and the
if
you wanted
later
SEAL
to
teams
for you.
got fashionable.
We
politics,
Navy and
the civilian
we
slots.
of funding and
component of
started getting
was measured
These
officers,
interested in
all
and
component of a
in
"ticket
see
NSW,
are primarily
punches" that
membership
strategy to attain a
And
star.
will
in the
help
SEALs
they find
lots
in the
at
first
time
self-perpetuating.
who
decided to
actu-
recommend each
five
men
all
fact
some Army
combat decorations because they felt they hadn't been legitimately earned by traditional standards. During World War II,
59
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
much needed
to
do something
SEALs
it is
disgusting.
who
members
of elite orga-
nizations.
special,
The
first
was
rent
commander
ond
class, at
in
of
SEAL Team
was a petty
officer, sec-
the time
little
interrogation session.
Five,
Leadership and
ed
to
know.
ops.
NSW
in
little
"Who
secret
"No, not
really."
you
"Well,
are
is
and
no
SEAL Team
will give
Seven.
You guys
sec-
They put their drinks down and evaporated; we didn't see them again.
More recently I was up at a Navy installation at Adak,
Alaska. A little stocky petty officer, first class, met me and introduced himself. He'd been a SEAL, got injured, and had to get
a new line of work. But he introduced me to his boss, the base
onds
man who
security officer, a
SEAL
ber of the
both claimed
to
to
be a former
mem-
too!
in
'70 to '72,
and
in?"
asked.
MACV/SOG
Command,
(Military Assistance
Viet-
all
remember me."
"Well,
what
'Jeeze,
sir, I
was," he said
phony. You
BUD/S
class
and
in then?"
remember what
immediately knew
just can't
.
were you
that class
I
was
number
talking to a
BUD/S number as well as you know your social security number or your
home
address.
61
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
"Hmm,"
I said.
is
coming
in this
remember him?"
"Oh, sure," he said. "Of course I remember him!"
Gallagher showed up, and I briefed him on the problem:
afternoon;
was a
the guy
and
had just
given.
command
problem
started to politely
We
himself.
security
he
as
walked up
to
to
have been
in our
MACV/SOG
team and
during the
"Gosh,
MACV/SOG
Gallagher
it
off for
The
office,
it
"because /
And
take
said,
a hurry or
bet-
am going to
shine!"
took the
emblem
off.
to
end of the
the
story;
He had
actually
been a boat
driver but
like
the boats
Just in the
last
to fabricate a
couple of years
convincing
numbers and
in
story.
didn't
seem
social security
my
suspi-
to
SEAL
Leadership and
NSW
criticize.
Lots of us
much dishonesty, physical and moral cowardice, and deceit among the American news media back then
and since that we typically avoid everybody from the media as
we would an enemy. In fact some journalists and reporters
encountered so
to
Others just don't care one way or another; they just want
a good story.
case in
War was
a dangerous,
difficult,
and newsworthy
it
were super
secret.
got a message:
NBC
was sending
its
my boss.
"Sir,
nobody's supposed to
be out here!"
"I
know, Gary," he
said,
"but
this
seems
to
be some kind
63
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
woman
said as
we
as
"They don't
started discussing
what he wanted
SECRET."
are designated
and
want
mander
me
US
four-star
to cover.
said.
want out
here,
in Chief, Central
ME," Fred
CINCCENT
Command) and
(Com-
predecessor to Gen-
eral Schwartzkopf.
"Fm going to
where you can
young
call
my Communications Center
was detailed
sailor
Centerwhile
send you up to
made
him
tell
a dash for
my own phone
called
my
and Fred
lost
and
did,
Comm
Round One.
But he did get
didn't
eras.
tell
at
night and he
ate with
off the
lot to
cam-
at night,
it
evening news.
Francis
rial
would reveal a
it
to
and
his
to collect mate-
name
of the barge,
interviews with
that
had any control at all over the activities of these people on my vessel. We had to keep an "escort" on these people
every minute, or they would have taped anything they could
pull from our crew, regardless of what I had told them and withas
long as
safety.
CHAPTER 5
of the
is
that
9mm
or the .45cal?
came along
new, improved 10mm!"
The
Israelis
said,
My reaction to this
the issue
cial
is
irrelevant!
is,
The
pistol
is
issue
is
how
things
aren't operators
work on
CAR- 15
the pistol.
or
is
the assault
rifle,
The
preferably
Even
goose chase
so what?
so,
a weapon
we won't
^5
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
to go.
The temperature
hut the plant
is
life is
in the jungle.
break from
Vietnam predeployment
El
66
^^>
Photo Gallery
XV Swimmer
of the Mk
Life Support System,
A prototype
which
was
,-r-rr?^
^---
.**
-"'^"^"ijKtr''
The front door of Kilo Platoon's plush quarters near Rach Soi in Vietnam
1970.
67
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
miles ojfshorefrom
manned
Rach Gia
in
by South Vietnamese on
an island
several
IV Corps.
&i
ttr;
68
to
Vietnam.
Rach
Soi,
of which we
Photo Gallery
Our MSSC coming ashore on an island about 8mi offshore from Rach Soi
conduct an afternoon ofR&R, away from the canals and operations.
way
to
U Minh forest;
the
across.
69
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
its
MST (Mobile
their
VC supply
70
types were
known
to
have been in a
Photo Gallery
The
old,
no-longer-used
MK
VI
UDT
If we looked
like
71
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
The author peddling as hard as possible for as long as possible, and still not getting anywhere. This
how
long a
bottle
new
of oxygen.
diving
It
was
water.
The
rig,
the
Mk XV,
would
on a
US Navy
Mk XV prototype
being
swum
in the
out into the open water. Part of the long, arduous means of safety
ity testing
72
last
that
is
to
and
venture
reliabil-
Photo Gallery
Reconnaissance of a target "hooch"
can use
to
target by
Bend in
the
sampan.
the
the trian-
streets
in our cities.
with
B-52 bomber
in this photo.
73
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
site
coming
canal.
concealment
and
and
out.
SEALs
going
Corps mountain
course
nearMasan
of the peninsula.
74
warfare
training
Photo Gallery
A footbridge over the canal near the riverine support base at Rach Soi that was
used
to
^Ummmam
A
m.
seabag layout for deployment during the early 1970s shows the relatively
would take up
75
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
wm
of the fish traps crossing the Cai Lon where we met with the NVA
unit that was crossing the river the same night we passed by in the MSSC en
A photo
an ambush.
in
76
Vietnam was
in such
poor condition as
to be
unusable.
Photo Gallery
This helicopter
ly.
is
trying to
make
the back
using a
UH-60
Nightstalkers)
helicopter
and caving
flown by
the
US
(the
ladders.
11
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
that
we found dur-
was
CWO
Ron Fox
Vietnamese
with the
it
riverine
MSSC to test
on an operation
Note
the
78
it
before using
Vietnamese
background
support base
PBRs
in
the
Photo Gallery
come
in for
and
fore
Mk
III
PB
moored
aft.
prohibited from
beginning
from
to
SEALs
Gulf was
having any
hardware placed on
it
of the
because
more
it
was
and would
be
In
effect,
barge on a
we were
told to
put
the
diet.
79
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
and jumpers
out the
CRRC
back-known
as
SEALs who
ation. It
will de-rig
was an
it
upon reaching
The
it
CRRC
in the
is
80
to end.
on Grenada in 1983.
SEALs
were
Photo Gallery
A flock
US Navy facility
its
the headquarters
established to assist
various programs.
81
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
The
in the
ROK.
Korean
the
beneficial to the
82
US and
demolition
in a
Photo Gallery
Larger ship
cles
trajjic
Do
the passageway.
A former
vided
the
to
conflict.
exercises
craft that
It
83
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
ADM
Wimbrown Vll-a
Iran-Iraq war.
84
Wim-
mobile
Note
Photo Gallery
Left
A UH-60
helipad on
Wimbrown
Mk III PB in
VII.
ft)rward
Note the
Below
The author (bald head) and his units
fist-roping
from a
UH-60
(with a
85
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
more
difficult at night.
Thejamiues
was
86
his
man
TV Corps.
Photo Gallery
h
MR
^B iv
'i
[MM
.-^-
during a
William Crowe
visit
to the
by the
Carley
mobile seabase
Wimbrown
^^kj
and
CDR
N
1
Gary Stub-
Chiefs of Staff,
ADM
VII.
87
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
up
the
Then
LTJG
Richards,
now
Tom
"The
RADM
Hulk"
Richards,
dards of the
88
Zumwalt Navy
era.
monitor
supplies.
er.
to
traffic
and
hopefully deter
Photo Gallery
MSSC
that
we
carried
enemy along
the canals.
or
the banks
The mini-gun
is
of
still a
by the
war
being
waged around
it.
Playing in the
mud at
the
mudflats
89
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
VC and NVA
Can a
prisoner of
war
we
get peaceful
awaiting transfer
to
the local
90
from
outside of
troops.
received fire.
On
Photo Gallery
Ready
to
to
notice.
of the platoon's equipment, both personal and unit, could be staged on two
small airplane pallets. Nowadays, it takes at least ten pallets.
Looking down
the
SEAL and
CO
MST
of the
returning from conducting a recon-
pany of NVA
night before.
the
for a mission.
91
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
port base
to try to spot
VC setting up
to
out
a swimmer attack
We would
swimmers.
A US Navy
to
92
Rach Gia
to the
detachment assigned
Photo Gallery
scouts with
two of the
rockets
cap-
93
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
Well, actually,
we do
fire
But when
stress.
we
though
that's
One
what we
love
it, it's
go hunting, unlike on
home. So do the
rifles
rest of
tele-
SEALs. But
fight with.
in the dark!"
We got to be real-
extremely good.
He
used that
in
pistol to
VC. Ever
for
some
NSW.
My
point
is
that,
may be
a very handy
weapon sometimes, we don't hunt with it as a matter of routine and we shouldn't put a lot of time and resources into
something we are unlikely to use. We put a lot more time,
energy, money, and imagination into working with the com-
and
94
that's
a mistake.
weapon we
As much
as
are
like
more
likely to use,
when we were
fun,
Gulf,
the
getting ready to
do ship takedowns
in the
I left
CAR- 15
operations.
We
spend a
SEAL is,
weapon
for a
the one
we can
all
need
be able
to
and there
isn't
one.
The
best
weapon
else's
personal bias
between the
to share
M16
or
is
it
We
to pick
effectively.
CAR- 15,
is
mean
up somebody
My
lot of
the M-14,
needs something
and the
MP5
subma-
some
personal preference. In
rare situations,
it
might be more
tant factor
is
to
bad guys. The most imporplacing rounds where you want them!
and sound
like
AK47
The Rifleman
The
targets,
and M16s
in use today
to
be
Vietnam
ed
ammo
that full-auto
and
We learned
95
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
The Machine-gunners
The M60s provide "area" fire that will keep the enemy's
head down while we maneuver and engage. Automatic
weapons provide cover for us, suppressing the enemy's
and
fire
protecting ours.
Double-Tapping
You hear a lot
among combat shooters about "douThe idea is to fire one carefully aimed
of talk
ble-tapping" a target.
we
sent in combat.
ing
trip.
We
life:
LSSC,
ashore,
we suddenly
the shore;
applied
because the
full throttle;
jet
we were ready
fire
to
go
from
pump
inlets
as so
96
we
see
no enemy
engage in our
My
fire
coming
at us.
fields of fire. I
There were no
could
targets to
stopped shooting.
was
still
blazing away.
He
shooting?"
at," I told
him. Only
"full-
auto."
targets
An Even
Break
SEALs don't march in, line up in neat rows, and pick a fair
fight. Ideally, the enemy rarely knows we are present until the
battle is basically over and won. SEALs sneak in, set up on the
enemy, and unleash an overwhelming
hail of gunfire
onto the
We
most accurate
duel.
will
have always
pilots or
felt
in the
Its
is
battle.
is
a good
our missions.
and whoever
gunfighters or
trail like
We
is
the fastest or
way
to lose the
have a phenomenal
destiny
to effectively
we can
defend
except
when we
to
avoid contact
choose.
97
CHAPTER 6
Short History
of
World War
One
II.
Ocean over
of our
real
first
fifty
Marine Corps
first
assault
in 1943,
produced a
terrible disaster
the
US
when
the
by
Sand
bars and reefs prevented the landing craft from going closer.
The
the surf
fires.
There was no
more.
Terrible
It
Tarawa to every
US
Marine and
sailor.
was
that
amphibious
if
the
know for sure that they can get the troops to the
beach. The people who had planned Tarawa assumed a normal
beach gradient all the way to the high water mark; they
planners don't
Navy
little
unit of
combat swimmers
It
didn't take
long for these swimmers to get another job, the touchy prob-
lem of clearing
sives.
special
men
first
the Scouts
and Raiders,
later,
98
the
and SEALs
of underwater obstacles.
Initially,
these first-generation
American "frogmen"
didn't
jumped
slates
water,
enemy. SEALs
to
chart
to
watch the
still
slates, lead-lines,
They learned to
US Navy
long periods
among
the
men who
activity.
Although these
men
could hide
themselves in the jungle or local terrain, every time they transmitted their radios they offered a beacon to the enemy, pinpointing the exact location of the coast- watcher.
exceptional
it still
man to
does today.
execute
this surveillance
It
took an
The Rice
By
the
II there
Korea
Just five years
later, in
The
of
some veterans
US Navy
all
had
UDT units
to reinvent this
same
some of
99
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
mark
US
20ft,
felt
to rout the
es
sea.
We
lost
almost as
the role to
War II
good hydro-
North Koreans.
that the
assaults,
sites, fortifications,
many men
in
Korea
and
as in
rail
bridges.
Vietnam, but
you seldom hear about them today. But that was the time and
they were the men who started pulling together all the elements of the
Almost
SEAL mission
as
soon as the
of today.
to
speed and
mission effective, the Korean conflict was over, and the whole
its
huge investment
again.
less the
for
to the
United States
A
margins of
NATO
Pact.
Such
and SEALs
conflicts
were
conflicts,
impotent.
Kennedy knew
gency
the British
in the jungles of
unconventional military
Army was
defeating an insur-
quick-
US Army the
little
by
Col.
new skills
weapons
plus
some
"nation-build101
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
and
The
The
it,
parasites.
first
and
1962.
anyway, so "SEAL"
it
was.
was a process
worked
then,
and
called "force-multiplication."
it
It
sometimes
is
munity and
its
earned
multiplication" mission.
worked with
this "force-
also did
A
the
and SEALs
to
be
at
to collect their
in Saigon
fire.
They
We
to serve as
an
Early on,
the
interpreter.
SEALs worked
at the time,
Units.
PRU
called the
or Provincial Reconnaissance
outfit
were bandits,
and organized
ty or forty, with
one or more
sitting services
and
jails.
and
They were
about
thir-
training; the
CIA
then provided
thieves,
knew
so
much about
logistic
command and
the countryside
body's office
safe.
their
Of these
PRU
and Kit
didn't,
but that
LDNN
for us
all.
103
Inside the
First
US Navy SEALs
Blood
you hang around people
If
hear a
lot
is
we
you
learn
we work hard at learning from our own real-world experiences. One of those first
real-world lessons for me came when my commander took my
learned by our predecessors, and then
LDNN interpreter and our Kit Carson scouts out on an operation off the west coast of Vietnam,
called
down
IV Corps.
We were operating out of a little US and Vietnamese riverRach Soi, between the mouths of
two rivers, the Cai Bai and the Cai Lon. We knew a lot of
enemy weapons were being moved around the area in the
canals in small boats at night. The patrol boats operated inland,
along the rivers, but some of the activity had to be offshore. We
got reports that weapons were being brought in from Camboine patrol boat base called
dia, staged at
convoy of these
interference.
little
U Minh forest.
In fact a regu-
We
open ocean,
let
my platoon commander
they were
first
to
go
in a series of regrettable
SEALs
lessons to be learned.
We
had a
litde
submachine gun
"Why
are
lot of noise,"
he
weapon
who
cares?
this thing,
have you?
Why
make a
actually
Carson
to
said.
scouts, the
LDNN interpreter,
named
my
two Kit
K. Barnes
in
who was
new
firearms.
first
com-
to the country.
The
five of
inconspicuous vessel
ation just a few
we
weeks
earlier.
None
in our
little
sampan, an
VC during an oper-
of the rest of us
felt
it
com-
was
his
make.
bow-on,
restricting
body on
in the
fields-of-fire
Vietnamese
weapon
readied,
and
up,
all
what
to tell
of every-
canvas covering
flies off
and two
interpreter
was
105
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
The
killed immediately.
killed in the
who was
scout behind
same burst of
fire.
sound because
tossed the
it
The
little
didn't
fire;
weapon
ammo
malfunctioned. As he
aside
grab another
to
which had a
rounds per
minute. With his field of fire finally clear, Barnes stood up and
fired. "All I
there
could think
of,"
he told
me
later,
"was
to stand
hit,
knew
else
it
me and
was down,
it
sank
either
fast. I
VC
looked
dead or wound-
So
me
It's
vated,
The
106
MSSC
full
He lit a flare.
SEALs
mendation
We
He
told
The
helicopters
all
me
later, "that
that,
ever did." To
make
of
matters worse,
mine
after
still
Even
so,
LDNN;
multiplication.
We
got to be very
SEALs
of the
my
good
at
And
successful at
working with
we
VC very nervous.
lot
making
the
But a
lot
on their own.
That happened pretty early, before
of what
we
call "direct
action" missions
1967,
and even
earli-
perhaps a
changed
where, and
how
aggressively
and
its
to
The
little
mis-
effectively. It
patrolled
for
each
107
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
SEAL to
month
go out on
sixty to 100 or
six-
tour.
do
and
similar missions,
proper
been
name
Green Berets
thing, the
in
Vietnam
into
somewhat
Green
Berets)
(the
have always
far
much
has done a
too,
working
is
to
liv-
OSS
cation role;
we
did
it
in
would prefer
to
it
it
in the Persian
what we tend
just isn't
We
be hands on operators.
Kennedy had
although
we
we should
believe
get
and
more
We
to do.
we do them
into the
FID
role than
currently are.
Then we
commitments out of
Once
Now
again,
we came
SEAL in
we
to
started losing
US
good
at both.
We
filled
Army
ed
108
little
to advising again,
been good
Navy
and we were
tactical plan,
doing
at ... if
like ours,
which they
didn't.
SEALs
something
and we found
them.
After Action
Review
we managed
to
It
also required
it
was
keeping deployments
their
to
109
CHAPTER
get us in
SEALs themselves,
aren't
fleet.
tomed
as
movie every
fleet
night,
normally
and the
knowledge
are
guys in the
that the
breed.
be a
to
different
them were
The
terrific.
We
Minh
forest.
to use a
MSSC is a pretty big boat, with twin 454cid engines and a flat
bottom, great for cruising
down
where we wanted
the
MSSC;
to go.
110
tributary
little
Mekong
to the area,
and go the
rest of the
way
in that.
The
MSSC was
supposed
to stand
Now
wait-
stuff,
ing patiently for our return and serve as a radio relay with their
bigger radio.
We
moved
by
radar. This
MST
We
were
all
a bit gun-shy at
Marsh, and
MSSC,
The
this point.
MSSC
carrying
over five
go home.
to
first
my
night of
boss,
John
his
slightly
And
was a tremendous
it
mile or
river, 60ft
in the
ahead of us.
to
We
anyone on the
could see
fish traps
it
at all until
it
we
safe.
started to close
on the radar
started to pass
through the
passes,
different
it
Now we could
with an
see,
left
and
right.
us.
all
loaded
Rocket-propelled grenades
Water spouts
all
just
111
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
like in the
movies!
We
it!" I
told the
much encouragement to
rifles,
give
it full
and
left
throttle.
NVA to
the
didn't
need
We roared through
disrupted crossing.
who
to take forever
than a
less
minute.
Safely upstream,
we took
inventory.
to the boat?
Seems
Anybody
to
Nope.
hit?
be okay. In
we
fact,
that shooting!
We
had
to
to
them?
what
do now? By
to
them
that shore! I
"The
down
by.
But
this time,
off
sir,"
am NOT
do not want
helm
to get killed!"
NVA aren't down here," I told him, " they're all back
all
on foot they
aren't
want
manding
I
to
go any
the boat,
Ron
this for
helicopter gunships
downstream.
112
further.
not going."
chimed
"I'll
officer
take
you
com-
in."
go back
But the
am
the gunner
CW03
thought about
let's
here now."
I
called the
we
through
start
this
place
this
is; I
danger area
can spot
I will
it
on radar.
send up a
flare
Now
When
while
we
Over
the radio
hysterically.
I
Why
aren't
you shooting?"
demanded.
"Because you guys are putting so
room
is left
my bullets
for
We made
it
much
to get through!"
stuff
out there no
he called back.
more because
officer,
and
told them,
now!
trust
pulled
as far as I
Special Boats
While
can't
them
shook
all in,
am
have
more
to
off
in
duty right
do with you.
can't
that."
have a
have never, so
and
including their
that
me up
you, and
really
far as I
know,
left
lot
They
SEALs have
weapon or body
SEALs behind. Now, there
way back
help fighting
extraction, including
We
little
many under
fire.
era: the
STAB
113
Inside the
(SEAL
US Navy SEALs
MSSC,
bunch
in
my
SEAL
insertion water-jet
mon
in
combat
NSW
on a lack of
less likely to
occur
com-
actual
But
that's
nothing new.
ing in Vietnam
it
will
When SEALs
was with
happen.
first
started operat-
adapted to close-in
SEAL
LCUs
craft,
LCM-6s
(Landing Craft,
Utili-
RPG rounds,
armor, and
.50cal machine-guns.
While those
114
craft
we
didn't
own
them.
We
just
our
little
inflatable s
Now
and a
we worked
came up
new
designs.
We
we were coming
developed
made
example, that
it
into the
all
mud unseen,
kinds of tactics-
tough to
know where
war ended,
all
constructed the
Mk
Patrol
III
as
if it
Armored Troop Carrier (ATC), which was another jet boat, formerly owned and operated by the Marines; a slow, cumbersome boat capable of only about 18kt unless you spend lots of
dollars for a souped up re-engine job.
Boat speed is important to the life-expectancy of a SEAL;
when you get bushwhacked from the bank while you're moving along a river, the "kill-zone"
erate quickly there's a
But
ly
if
the boat
away
(as
your hull
is
stalls (as
the
LSSC
for
what seems
like
an
at
eternity.
squadrons are
The
It is
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
one
less Special
when
the past,
ever, heavily
coasts will
it
folks than in
funded and
is
receiving lots of
new
Mk
III Patrol
It is,
how-
hulls.
Both
ships,
Mk V
Boat
be
will
retired,
and
Seafox
The Seafox was
end of my tour
just at the
cial
Warfare Group
SEAL
part of the
It
as the
was developed
Two (NSWG-2)
capability to insert
little
about 1977,
We were in
LCPL
which had
very
in
and
extract
SEALs
for missions.
had been used for decades to drop and pick up UDT swimmers in the old traditional method seen so often on TV and in
the movies, but it was slow and not very stable in any sea. The
NSW hierarchy decided to budget some money and ask the
It
Navy's architects
at the
Command to devel-
would provide speed, command, control, communications, and firepower to insert and extract Special Operop a boat
that
ations Forces.
The
test
and
uation (OT&E).
and
He and
sits
at rest
with
Tom and
it
were
took place
My friend, Tom
Coul-
boat that
the
much
craft
its
We
bow
is
inher-
At the completion of
the post critique with CAPT Ted
116
Tom
told
them of an
incident of
its
lead-
crossing a
Tom
the
flat
Now
windshield ahead of
he was not
known. After
Lyons
told
recommendation
his
him
to
that
sit
we
let his
opinion be
craft,
money had
numerous
injuries over the years and one death in 1988 while I was the
SBR-1 Commodore. Finally, the Navy woke up and severely
notably, windshields being smashed, resulting in
limited
use. It has
its
The
now been
is
when we
ask
SEALs
to test
We
to listen
and
simply cannot
afford to
equipment produced
that
to
be flawed.
The
is
new "commissioned"
and
tion (CPI)
thing with
it
SEAL support.
given
its
don't think
smaller
MK V
is
a hull that
ventional surface
crisis,
but had
we
many
fleet.
Yes,
in
it
is
Its
relatively slow,
and not
SEALs
than the
we
of
inserting
and extracting
con-
MK V in inventory
it
could
117
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
easily
even
in 1968 the
was a
faster, better
thing. In fact,
craft
than
class)
we have
in the
PC
When we
more
today.
we
make
craft,
to
PC
getting
is
from the
senior leadership.
Mk V
While the
to
be easy
to maintain.
As
its
primary mission,
it
handle up to sixteen
on
too brightly
It is
"stealthy" in that
it
doesn't
show up
radar,
you
can't
a significant
observability.
will
have
be
to
chosen, or
The
it
that wasn't
to this design to
current
refitted
weapons system
way
Mk V,
fea-
approximate low
is
inadequate and
that
it
crisis
One
of the lessons
and the
ability to
manning
118
plan.
isn't
part of the
MK V
Now
The RIBs
the
The
inventory.
by
and
personnel
and extraction
to insertion
SBU
RIB
be
RIBs do have
vulnerabilities. They lack adequate guns for any heavy engagement, and they are susceptable to radar, infrared, and thermal
of the short-range operations envisioned. These
detection systems.
of a
RIB
is its
enhanced performance
with the rigid hull characteristic. This type hull provides better
mainstay
detachments.
themselves.
(CRRC)
SEAL
SEALs
Craft
pallets
and parachuted
side of
into the
major vessels
at sea.
They carry a fire team. And due to their low silhouette they are
more difficult to detect by radar and the naked eye when coming over the horizon.
range, firepower,
What they
gain in
flexibility,
SEAL
is
they lose in
familiar with
little craft.
One
SEALs
Every
is
the
launch
site
in the future
little
their
backwater Third
radar.
119
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
Even
boat
the
at
little
is
common and
means we
too. This
tionally expected
Then
some
lose
infiltrator
would
and
fog, at greater
like.
have
lots
of Cold
is
no need
al threat
need
to
worry about
envelope. Such
is
who
have
community say
infiltration
that
and
industrial military
120
states
we
complex
use. It
on the horizon.
is
We
solv-
one of
CHAPTER
Seal Delivery
Vehicles (SDV)
harder than ever, thanks
the target
getting in
Soadvances
in and proliferation of detection technology. Our
to
primary response
nology
to
is
is
to
And
the
most
SDV
SDV.
Operation
It
was
off the
coastline,
and we were
these canopies
mon
to
if
MK VIII,
was
still
light
were
available. In fact
it
sealife
see out of
The
the
SDV
boat,
is
rested
When
the sled
comes up on step
quickly from one location
it
rather
sled
SDV sled.
is
to another.
Lessons learned
121
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
the hard
way demand
stantly.
the
to the
follow
the contour of the island coastline to the pier from about 15-
20ft depth.
use
of the
the
coast,
It
depth control.
we began
Mac was
oxygen
good
toxicity
pilot
such a
who
pilot.
if
used
much
could maintain
As we neared
the
was phenomenal
to
mouthpiece. Outside
schools of fish
we
swimming
as
we passed through
it
with the
moonlight backlighting.
Once
at the pier,
we bottomed
out.
We
objective,
us.
We swam to
returned to the
SDV
memorable and
beautiful of
Its
and
the
SDV runs I
A few months
later,
fleet
my CO, Dan
of amphibious
ft
ships
122
coming
at lOkt to the
We
set
off
moved
to the
site
was the only navigation aides we employed other than an occasional surfacing to see landmarks. Again,
the pilot.
my new SDV
wetsuit which
was
3/8in thick in the trunk area and l/4in thick in the extremities
with no zippers.
to
have that
area.
No
we were
Little
suit.
did
realize
After 2hr,
ships could
we
was a blessing
it
50ft away.
literally.
We
more
in disguise
hours,
come
in,
and
Now we
in until they
action.
we began
we were
to question if
in
the right area as the landing should have taken place 2hr earlier.
We
how
to re-link with
our mother
LCPL
little
They were
as surprised as us to see
one another
in the fog.
fog.
The
landing had been canceled due to the fog, and they had been
trying to locate
and recover
us.
For anyone
who
has
swum
off
summer,
differ-
ence between
cold to
themselves worthy.
place the
we were
We
could
in,
still
word
to
the sled.
staff at
US
1993,
made
Special Opera123
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
Command (USSOCOM)
tions
about
this issue,
a decision
new SEAL
known
port platform
as the
and
and
ASDS.
that
secure.
sup-
Navy, a
lot of
extremely high-value
much
of a mission, and
The more
the SEAL community can adapt these vessels and keep them
busy the more secure the submariners will be and the more
a need to justify
its
Navy
role in the
politically secure
NSW will
is
be, too,
of the future.
if
the submariners go to
way these
that's the
things
work.
Now,
it
adapt
this
ASDS mini-
We
more, there
the world.
will
The
ASDS
situation
all
ASDS
money on
of our
and leaving a
be few of these
who
large
gap
then. Further-
available to
go around
other options.
We
we want
to go.
We
could be using those boats currently; the guys running the ops
would be granted a
Instead, the decision
insertion
methods
technologies.
124
to
was made
from surface
this
become an
albatross
capability) of the
Let
This
is
(initial
operational
ASDS.
much more
little
and
IOC
it
While
it is
expensive
an
interest-
SDV/ASDS con-
but
ly
on
this
ASDS
and projected
it
target to
the
be
in
tactic that is
who
will
be supporting
us.
will
be converted, a couple
for
Second,
its
it
support.
each coast, so
The ASDS will only hold a maximum of eight SEALs, and the
SEALs all must be extremely proficient at diving. This is
because they have
ter, infiltrate to
to
be able
to exit the
same way
to potentially
to
draw unwanted
ASDS
equipment
likely return
to get
away, only
problems
for the
SEALs who
ride
it
in
on a mission:
waterproofing problems for the gear, pressure-proofing problems, the problems of cold
and exposure
125
Inside the
ASDS
the
US Navy SEALs
and
op and
coming
after
all
to
not have
ashore.
ASDV,
rely
on
this
ASDS when
it
at
If
comes on
be conducted
SEAL
we go
line to
ops can
craft.
which could be
in use
and
we
natives
on
Once
was discarded
for
what
alter-
made life
more
choices of ingress
anytime.
126
CHAPTER 9
an odd problem in
at
all.
We
The problem
is
that
Eighty percent of
craft.
we
We
all
that,
aren't available at
in the future,
and
tical limitations.
that will
You have
to
wonder
if
tac-
somebody's smoking
something fanny.
I
planned.
I will
still
ASDS
will
ever develop as
if
we
don't
127
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
world threats
practical, real
to
SEAL
heritage.
to go.
They can
With them
we
is
proverbially "putting
all
At
had
this
UDT
UDT 21
and 22
in Little Creek;
Coronado. The
SEAL
and
we
Coronado, SEAL Team Two in
involved in what
we now
11, 12,
or unconventional
and counter-insurgency. We
but a split developed between the
ations,
didn't notice
it
at the time,
UDT and the SEAL commands: conventional operations for UDT and unconventional
operations for SEAL teams. Then, in about 1971, UDT 13 and
22 were decommissioned signaling the beginning of the end
UDT era.
of the
in
my
opinion.
The
was
to
UDT
13, half
128
for
we
kept forward-deployed at
team
States. Until
all
XO
and the
way we
commander
were formed up
any emergency
in the
for
into platoons
units.
Western
frigates as
NSW
unit in
Okinawa,
at
we
On
the
SEAL
was
teams,
set
up a
1974,
it
in support of
we were
per-
We
billet,
an
EOD
(explosive ordnance
you are out of here!" Several of my classmates were involved and at least two of them got out of the
Navy and went into commercial diving. They, and the rest of
the twenty four, were literally tossed out of the SEAL teams
disposal) billet, but
tremendous morale-buster.
We
SEAL experience and platoon leaders who didn't have adequate SEAL training, and who
did not lead very well. We had officers going for second or third
started to get
tours leaving
from a
COs
without
UDT
who wanted
to
lit-
129
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
dozen operations
operating.
even think
deployment.
shooting
squad,
in a six-month
and the
job included
with a five
man
officer-in-charge pro-
bers of the
SEALs decided
mem-
I left
and went
to
1972 and
The SEAL
started
changing pretty
radically.
While we
originally
had
lieu-
commanding a team, now it was a lieutenant commanderand creeping upward. As the grade of the leadership
tenants
same or
actu-
ally shrank!
This,
and other
alterations,
were
when
NSW became
With
130
that change,
we
all
earlier, in
professionals.
new community
this
designation,
for individuals
who
stay aboard,
its
basic missions.
Command
achievement. While
ple
SEAL
of a
it
team
is
a rather over-glorified
train peo-
for operations,
and resources;
ater
commanders.
they
call
up
When
theaters
for the-
SEALs on
command and
commander
control
of the
less latitude
We
are
now
it's still
when
at the point
manders running
changed;
than
SEAL
teams the
size of the
commander
rank.
Compare
there,
an
in the
Army
mand
commander
While
has
lots
it is
is
Navy)
in the
it is
from anywhere
and complete
And
It's
com-
embarrassing, in a
team commander
security.
will typically
SEAL
Army:
of responsibility,
that to the
or
teams hasn't
already hold
still
commanding
the missions
lieutenantsjust as they've
commander, who
and sends them to the
the training
131
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
CO
field, is
the
need
be such a senior
to
just doesn't
officer.
we get "chopped" to somebody's theater command. When we go to the Middle East for
something like Desert Storm, we go as tactical task unit comrole unless we're in the field, unless
manders reporting
commander.
to the theater
submerge
behind desks.
senior,
was
could shoot as
from the
front,
Pirates 17,
still
better mentally,
straight.
drive ships
still
operate or want to
In other communities,
still
folks ever
I felt
more
and submariners
SEALs
that as
tend to hide
became more
why do we
to lead
quit operating?
US Navy
We
weren't
Now,
ad-hoc
classic
The
fiasco: the
intel
Marines
assault-
pre-
A
132
support.
pirates
LTJG Tom
Coulter,
commanded
go back
As an example
Tom
got a
call
do
"Why
sir, if
count.
because
said,
we
body
Tom
thing wrong.
dead
that!"
"Because,
up on
told to take
going
We'd
dead Marine?
better
aren't going to
it
the
other plan
that way!"
Naturally
down
the
ral's staff
conceded
that
Tom was
essentially correct
about the
in a long
with
terrorists.
One
How
forty-five
in prepared bunkers
Vietnam and
By
forgetting
earlier
The
all
and
the
wars and by
Change of Mission
It
didn't
happen
events like the Mayaguez incident and the failed attempt to res133
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
The
last
we
you do
effect, "If
up a
properly; we don't want any more of
kind of thing,
this
let's set
these fiascoes."
to
Some
moving around
E&E
NATO
and
Atlantic theaters:
we
We
port networks,
started
set
lines.
set
started getting smart about going into foreign areas. All that
who
weren't in the
US Navy
US Navy and
weren't supposed to
business, learning
really
134
good
what good
training.
intelligence can
do
for you. It
was
MOB
Six
A guy by the
name
you
hear
will
more about later) was the Navy's "point man" for the development of a counter-terror capability for Naval Special Warfare,
a process that began about 1979. Even before the SEALs' official CT unit or the later Red Cell unit was formalized, a small
group of SEALs was selected
op techniques
anywhere
Mob
unit that
might show
else they
called, then.
new
for a
was a very
Six.
on the high
their ugly
develop
all
tactics
for taking
heads.
little
It
and
was
of
and techniques
down
seas
would devel-
oil rigs,
ships
for
and
this unit.
The
Norm
steep.
learn-
helped
and
aircraft,
for assaulting
ble.
because they're
mention
this
is
still
these techniques
one
in use, but
resultant
can't describe
development I can
Rappelling
is
painfully slow
we
fast-roping
your gloves
fight.
off,
early work,
and
You burn
it is
came out
SEALs
of
Mob
but by the
Six's
Army
too.
UDT
and the Hydrographic Recon MissionThen, in 1983, the decision was made to get rid
It
happened
of
UDT.
in a kind of
135
Inside the
make
US Navy SEALs
all
the people in
was
that
some
UDT
SEALs were
warm and
for get-
remember
that this
was
feels like
suspect that
some of
these decision-makers
UDT
now be
"you
people
will
who really weren't all that excited about the SEAL mis-
want
to
were thinking,
to say so.
It
was apparent
that a lot
ly
want
to be here
well,
SEAL community
absorbed the
UDT people,
ARG,
UDT
class
136
with
its
all,
those
tasked to the
members
of the
to stay
away from
the
ARG platoons.
US
to support a
conduct six-month
units routinely
same time
with
the
all
heavy hardware
across a beach.
to
These amphibious
assaults
Countermeasures
we send
toon
is
that's
SEALs along
like the
now
Mine
idea or not. So
SEAL liaison
fairly senior
whether we
tasking,
a platoon of
ments, plus a
force.
officer.
This
ARG pla-
down
a radar
site,
for
example, or
units
still strict-
our assignment.
The
ARG
platoons have an
if
you look
to
1989.
be
first
odd reputation
for
being
far
on-scene for
all
on
it
Recon
It
was the
first
Kuwait
in
The
result of the
low
ARG
assignment
is
137
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
SPECWARCOM
good
at the
today as
ed
to
you-today.
We
we were
capability
will tell
The
finely
UDT organization
We
are,
honed
dedicat-
however,
attempting to counterbalance the loss of expertise by developing better technologies to address these missions.
SEALs, we now
ations,
as a result: since
we
While we are
in the
it
long time.
Grenada
By 1983
the
on the
all
intent-
138
when we
tried to execute a
Suddenly,
we
side,
on a
hostile
Hmm, we
thought,
straightforward
few miles
sion, that
all
primitive.
The
CT mis-
decision
was
made to drop the team and its boats into the water by parachute.
The op was a classic goat-screw. The drop was planned for
last-light but by the time the boats and SEALs departed the aircraft
it
was already
fully dark.
was
set
when
no
Although two
aircraft
were sup-
between them
effective coordination
None
of the
boats or the
link-up.
SEALs were
all
SEALs on
One
we
my
life I figured I
terrible
The
else was.
couldn't see a
ing experience of
ting
say,
the mission
destroyer standing
thing.
we
at
him
know one
calling,
We
were
was dead.
get-
had a
and he
fired his
weapon
still
three
139
Inside the
times.
him
US Navy SEALs
but
that drop,
One
start.
could
still
hear
dead, in
bodies.
The guys
how
now
to
get ashore to
they have to
makes
jump
To.
looked
said,
at
"You
map and
can't
go in there that's a
tion
intel
But the
Somebody
hillside,
intel officers
original plan.
and
it is
too steep
And,
after daylight.
As
in,
ZSU-
One
on the ground.
Even though they got shot up and pushed out of the radio station they were supposed to attack, they managed to make it
back to the beach and swim out to sea without losing anybody.
One, Kim Erskine, still has a chunk of his arm missing from
this
adventure.
by
the Marines.
It
140
on the
first
helicopter
by the team
(the
way
in
tem
it),
little
sys-
MX-300
An
them to
from the governor's mansion to the
op center
relay
at Fort
Bragg
was established
enterprising
young
petty officer
to assist the
mansion.
But not
all
the
SEAL
on Grenada;
assault
formed
as I
mentioned
earlier,
down.
It
way
occurred to
of situations the
it
was supposed
to
ARG
platoon,
They showed
up,
US Navy
ARG
last
ten
years or so,
it
and
that
go
That's
odd
these
ARG
since so
many SEALs
first
forward deployment
miss the "real action"
turned out, these are the guys who've been closest to the action
to
in
on Grenada were
to execute
trying to link
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
After
it
was
all
we
over
who
it
was
SEAL
were
and they
the time,
do anything!
Instead, the
maybe because
of all the
money
that
do a
in their training
it
good operators.
That mistake was compounded by another odd conclusion: instead of deciding to use
we had
to
make
sure the
with
tion
be paid
to
it.
Well,
if
you
it's
thor-
to this incredi-
once in a while
We
to
keep up
their motivation.
warrior.
and he
about
this,
it
but
tried to
think that
if
go
my
in with his
He was on
of
good
friends
One
the
team on the
Bob and
may
disagree
commander needs
to
be where he can
command and
It
would be
one operationbut
control to
different
if
all
on
on
that
it
is
important for the other ops going off about the same time. As
it
turned out,
rescue
Bob
most
after
all,
Bob
it
was
be on that mission-
to
was
have been a
to
vice communications
Army, and
talk to the
was a
the
Army
exercise
(CPX)
shelf,
few months
just a
complete with
all
the
as a
earlier; that
same
Navy that
was
on a
that this
command-post-
CPX was
lessons-learned,
sitting
and was
totally ignored.
supposed
The Army
didn't
to
be the professionals
need
to
be
there,
at this
who
kind of thing.
didn't either,
on
forces,
in,
the Marines.
One
of the things
too, without
is
that
143
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
Army
lot of
train to
people aboard.
work
didn't
It
either.
SEALs were
killed administratively,
We
guys
lost four
we
(DZ)
that's
a black
on people or
lights
do
to say
"no." Leadership
do something,
it
is
We
more than
lot
just telling
sometimes includes
do something.
can 't
learned a
people how
telling senior
lot
from
The formal
to
people they
We
this
it.
experience, and
we
talked
(AAR) generally
gave everybody glowing reviews. The AAR called for more
work on communications and interoperability. But the Navy
about
it
lot.
after-action-review
when it
and my company to do a
pulled
studied
all
NSW
them
all.
And even my
partner,
To sum
it
The report,
We
of course,
is
at
Norm
who
Carley
classified,
jump
Let's
learn
in the future!
II
who
as
sur-
Then,
sions
in Korea,
on the
really
amphibious
started
Vietnam we
we
in support of
beach.
Then
in
Vietnam we
downplayed the
strike mis-
started
ambushes. After
SEALs
in
CT missions.
well-documented
basic,
much more
taskings, the
exotic
and highly
covert ops.
We
covert.
to
SEALs in missions
carries ID cards, and tries
involve
is
obvious if you
US Navy SEAL
does during a
US Navy SEALs
anything
like
there are
no uniforms, no ID
armed
forces or
cards,
and no connection
States.
to the
Few SEALs,
maybe one SEAL out of 200, will ever go on a real- world covert
you an example, but there are
times when the government wants to take some kind of direct
action without publicizing it, and I have done such missions.
mission.
It is difficult to
Because of our
give
145
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
that
to
file
we go someplace else.
Here's an example. One friend of mine spent a lot of time
bumming around the Caribbean in a sailboat, acting like a rich
but
tion,
time.
He
lit-
like
an innocent boat
bum on
lines of the
US armed
nothing
kind of problem. In
ment
is
fact,
we do a lot
of
it.
up to civil authorities.
These ops are sometimes extremely dangerous.
is
If
you
you can get yourself in deep trouble. You'd think this would be worth big bonus points at promotion time, but it doesn't always work that way. During the
time you are assigned to these type activities, your personnel
file is usually classified. The promotion board generally doesn't get to review the file on your covert operation assignment,
so there is a "black hole" during that period where it might
look like you were snoozing on the beach, rather than the heroic deeds of daring you were actually performing.
The procedures for this kind of duty have been refined
and improved over the years. There are oversight and watchdog groups that monitor these assignments and one thing they
don't play your role perfectly
do now
is
try to insure
"hit" for
doing
Those of us
in the
NSW
community
is
get called
as formal
on
members
to
do
of the
as
We
for depart-
on
to
do
work
for other
branches of government.
Part of this
some
and
to
United
in lots of
ways-
of which
likely to
it
is)
Haiti,
things
important to be
fact,
we
get involved in
all
sort of things:
when
the
allies.
tionships
we
but
Brits,
little
we
the
satellites
have anybody on
operations.
We
should have
learned, for instance, from the British experience in the Falklands, to avoid using ships that
The
lessons learned
serious
by
burn
easily in a
theater.
combat
We
had
hit
to learn
Gulf in 1988
"Golden Age"
147
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
we
finally
had an
all
And one
commitment
to the
new
Marcinko.
Now,
profession;
we
most of us
like
much
never
you'll
know
the
in
being pretty
much
invisible.
my
and
somebody on
the con-
Of
a best
it is
seller for
"tell-all" story,
tell
about our
Dick
and
did,
Dick told
his
is
a celebrity
an adventure
could or would
course, Dick
and
little
SEALs
it tells
community.
It isn't
often
it
lots
that's
not
who
still
Dick
148
by the Navy.
both revered and reviled by people in
the
Navy
a visionary
and he was
has done
who helped
tried
jail
little
which he
for
NSW capability
construct today's
however,
am
and
in the middle,
I will tell
I,
now
Branch
was
sitting at
at the
a desk at
first
guy
OP 0-6 in
CDR.
Richard
his boss,
VADM.
Pentagon,
Marcinko.
"Ace" Lyons. Neither Dick Marcinko nor the admiral had graduated from charm school; both were abrasive, impatient, plainspoken, hard-charging guys. Both were real operators, and
thought a
each other; Dick told his boss what he needed to hear, not
wanted
He
make something
and the two were made
lot of their
sions,
and volunteered
show.
He
CT
to hear.
right in the
SEALs
to set
to
be involved
up and lead
in such mis-
CT
Army
much
the sole
developed and led by Col. Charlie Beckwith another charmschool dropout with a can-do reputation as an operator. Dick
149
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
Navy involved
in this
new
mission.
With the
support of the best admiral for the job behind him. Dick put
together a "business plan" for the Navy's role in
It
was a great
We
plan.
number
port, but as
it
mating something
were
lavish,
like one-to-one.
and he got
it
to
at the
little
on the low
side.
tics
thought
CT operations.
approved.
to see
than
like
have
to
beyond
look
terrorists.
the
normal
like a
tac-
able
expected to
fight
CT SEALs would
SEAL
US Navy SEAL if we
were some
It
was good
in
glitches.
young
right, or
really are.
look quite
They
right.
right
idea but since he hadn't done covert ops previously there was
and appear
at
wonder what's
team bar with long
to
another place
hair
and looking a
little
like
a civilian but
on the
base, along with a green ID card, you start to put two and two
together. The ruse starts to fall apart. We never were quite able
his car
to
still
has
all
150
civilians at the
needed
to get
anymore,
either). It
might be possible
when you've
Red
common
on a normal
units
base.
The
big secret
knowledge.
Cell
Red
needed
Cell
to
be done. Security
at
Navy
all
kinds of high-
the
time.
body we had.
office then,
in-between terrorizing
US Navy
bases.
the
program was
dozen to
to set
role-play the
up a small group
bad guys and to
and
commanders
terrorists.
Like
designed to
all sorts
test,
of
evaluate,
and
US Navy
people responsible
installations
Red
worldwide. And,
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
Contracted technicians
installation,
up video cameras
set
all
over the
stayed in
full
view
few days,
for at least a
to a
normal
until
everybody got
routine.
Then, in novel
or pizza
as
soon as
all
on
toward the smoke, they'd climb over the fence on the other,
suddenly unguarded
side.
fools
and
all
of the
for a while,
They'd run the video tape and show everybody the mistakes they'd
rassing.
The weak
in
felt
Red
to
have
first. It
suffered.
were
The
seriously
actually
was embar-
Enemies were
much
appreciated.
identified
became
to
and
rec-
to get out of
and began
too,
stories,
little
too
terrorists.
One example
152
toilet,
real hostage.
official
who
as part of
Red
Cell's
practical application
Red
more
grace; in a
about 1992.
Tom Tarbox,
who had
personal friend
it
fall
from
continued until
twenty years active time, was pulled back to active duty for a
couple more years to run
wounded by
the excesses
show, but
this
We
sound.
ought
to
had, and
still
it
still is
the installation
way even
higher.
that
commander of
You don't make
now
and
allies that
if
among
SEALs. You will find many people, especially those who
worked with him on Red Cell or his last command who admire
his
lot
sober,
of heated discussion
work
to
improve
mitment
to his mission,
earned him a
Then
lot of
there
get or forgive
is
him
and
ber of the
com-
US Navy SEALs a
we
He
eye
is
who
will
after the
the best
never
for-
abuses and
known mem-
we
are.
He
is
faulted
153
Inside the
for
US Navy SEALs
people
He committed
exploits.
own
com-
but
maybe not
Marcinko had
tions to
NSWbetter
believe he
tactics, training,
because of him.
Operation
and the
One
EARNEST WILL
Pillars of
Hercules
of the highlights of
my
NSW
career in
was during
Operation Earnest Will. From 1987 to 1989 the United States provided security for ship
Gulf. Iran
traffic
out, shooting
it
aircraft or
quite unacceptable.
civilian vessels,
US
just
up
and
UN
oil
tankers
decided was
7.
We
were there
for
and out on
three-to four-month
my
career.
Everybody involved
had the
other.
at the
same
time;
Hercules
lift
em
an
Persian Gulf.
My
barge, the
Wimbrown
7,
was
my
by
barge
Hercules,
it
own
for
Our barge had TF117's AH-58 Warrior helos, the tiny gunships with the mast-mounted sight. They were wonderful birds,
with superb
pilots,
and they
Army's
Hercules,
just
heli-
Nightstalkers (the
who had
who had
fly
times
when
the
AH-
an engine
failed
over the water and the crew had to ditch. But the two
pilots
had a
These
little
little
at the time,
fighting machines,
The imaging
systems, in particular,
155
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
away
detail miles
at
mal systems. And if you've seen the movie US Navy SEALs ^nd
well,
the scene where the guys are able to see through walls
the AH-58 wasn't quite that good, but almost. (And since then
.
unclassified systems
Our
Mk III
When
oil
pen
in just
an hour,
Mk III)
we
things
too)
we
when
to the
handy. Then,
up
we
The
routes
tactics
for the
little
speedboats.
The enemy
little
little
Some
tubes for
free-flight rockets
When
little
boats
would sprint out, lob the rockets into the side of the hull, shoot
up the bridge of the ship with the cannon, then make a highspeed run for cover. Ordinarily, this would have been quite
effective. But we had learned a few things over the years, and
156
we were
starting to get
this
some
kind of
really "high-
threat.
enemy basically
And
the
while the
AH-58 Army
enemy
pilot
didn't
up
know we were
out there
their boat.
excellent
view of
it,
this
housing stays
still.
Inside are
TV cam-
at night.
While radar
mast-mounted
sight
(MMS)
we were
and
fog.
So
Silkworm Suckers
Naturally, they (the Iranians)
to
move
wanted
them from
We had
setting
up on
us; they
thing
we
called a
radar-reflectors
a patrol,
were
we
at least as
couldn't
tell
the
157
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
Of
morning
side
my
awoke
minesweeper
that
lOkt dragging
that
to see a
at
about
behind
reflectors
Iran Ajr
we
Before
process of putting anti-ship mines into the Persian Gulf, in violation of international
The
States.
ship
was
specifically
incident,
I'll
made
Hydra
enemy
crew. This
was the
its
cloud of sharp
this
target, the
little
first
and so
this
on
far
variety, but a
literally
only
nailed
(as far as
we
to dispense a
air
with
halt.
158
pretty
much brought
ship.
circled
SEALs hopped
overhead
to
in a landing craft
the extent
JTFME-NSWTU
an
effective
E&E
technique in
this case.
"PACIFIC"
About this time, 1988, I got orders to be relieved as Commander of SEAL Team Three and take command of Task Unit
PACIFIC in support of the Joint Task Force, Middle East. Norm
Carley had already gone over to take over Task Unit ATLANTIC.
We all knew it was going to be a tough deployment. The
Little Creek staff was saying, "We can't leave our guys out on
this austere duty for six months; they wear out so fast that we
want to rotate them out every 90 days. The Coronado staff
said,
"We'd
like to leave
them over
months but we
more
is
no escape.
I felt the longer tour just made more sense. It took you a
month to just get your bearings, then you got to operate at peak
efficiency, and then the last month everybody naturally started
anticipating going home. It seemed to me that the East Coast
guys were only really good for about a month of peak efficiency while the longer deployment served by the West Coast
SEALs produced about two or more months of peak efficiency. While this sort of thing might not seem very exciting, considerations like this expressed in the form of policies and procedureshas a lot to do with how effective we SEALs are at
recycled
often, so there
was
really
US Navy
us. It
is
SEALs.
159
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
CPO Jim
Gray
If you only know about SEALs and
moments
of
the
SEAL mission.
combat
(if
any)
some whose
involved,
NSW community
itself.
good
Before those
come months
by weeks of
or
plan-
who
were
stars
One
them
at
all.
if
billing.
named
chief, who
Dragon
Jim was
Jim
boat. I'd
been
in
command
for
arrived
fall
tions
really
humming. He and
else
his
men
clearly out-performed
everybody
at this guy,
and
it
to
in
weapons were
deck
off the
who
in
all
much from
He was
teaching the
is
officers
need
eat
and
revising
plates, too.
superb operations.
to
in perfect condition,
together as a crew,
how
was no
that
reservists,
expect
it
tactics in
the
SEAL or
Gulf and
command, on
isn't either
sailor.
like
crews,
and
all
who
is
required of
161
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
such big,
fat,
secret helicopters
and the
and
Iraq.
So we
set
made
us
up a layered
They
let
us
at great range,
commentary on
know when
activity in
fighters
launched from
airfields inside
movements far
horizon and kept an eye on possible threats on the
over the
With
this
air.
way) but
;
we were
much
we were
little
fishing
reefs
was
from
near our
position.
These
fishing boats
were a
real
all
clear, often
and turn
To counter these
threats
we used
and
heli-
by a contingent of
Marines. For airborne attackers we kept a Marine aloft on top
of the hanger deck 24hr a day, armed with a Redeye (Stinger)
copters, plus a close-in defense supplied
162
missile,
fire if
we
surface targets,
enemy
any enemy
also
had a
TOW
And
And for
missile ready to
finally
we had 20mm
blow
Vul-
can gatling guns that could shoot 4,000 rounds a minute and
cut
20mm weapon
1975, so
was a system
was delighted
to
jectiles
sandbagged bunkers on
effected
aft
by a
effect
this
at the fore
and
After that
tems
we were
Command
THIS
little
told
barge!"
We
AH-58
or passers-by.
It
helicopter gun-
be seen by
satellites
nations'
out, either
by
air
the Russians, while flirting with the approach angle, did not
Gulf to pro-
deployment time
immediately
One
my
my radar watch
the horizon. We
day,
coming over
personnel on
163
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
By
the time
arrived at
my position
atop the helicopter hanger roof where the Stinger missile team
was
located,
we could
unknown
was fast
approaching our position. We attempted to reach them by
radio, to no avail. We launched red flares to warn the helo off.
copter
We
to
of
carrying
identity
missiles
locked onto the helo with our Stinger system, so they had
know
As
it
came
into range,
upon
was recognized
to
if
necessary.
firing a Stinger in
be a French gunship.
it
all
is
that within the next couple days, the French reinstated rela-
We
the negotiations
felt
to
come
close
enough
in the past.
On
Down
USS
following day
took
command
of the
word
lier,
that
we were going to
retaliate.
Norm, who'd
oil
got
arrived ear-
platform that
prospective
planning
Commander
of
SPECWARCOM)
Navy
in the mission
scare
them put
all
their
up
ammunition. This
would
time (and
cell.
at the
the
"take-down" mission.
It
somebody
war,
but, in the
grand tradition of
AP ammu-
down
before
we
body aboard.
Welcome
Well,
ture, the
US Navy
got into a
little
ship
way we tried to
at
take
down
units.
These both
adven-
launched missiles
little
that
hit.
craft
were damaged.
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
from Coronado,
CAPT
got
word from
up
there
coincidence) that
to
USS
we had Silkworm
Gary, (the
missiles
be
visit-
me as we
name
inbound on
only
is
us!
lot of casualties."
The
missile was, at
The Silkworm
is
report,
first
a Chinese-manufactured, radar-guided
cue
It
real
mess of us.
all
"What do
do? Should
res-
targets besides.
We
of the
stations.
put on
my
told him,
My
mouth went
moment.
We
dry. I
was
NOT
42mi
a happy camper at
40mi
trained.
I'll
this
..."
I
told the
young
if
'lock
At 18mi the
guns and
USS
missile
40mm
"No,"
will
anti-
designed to blow
life
It is
fast.
effort
went
closing
fir-
Then
USS
and
closing!
The
skipper of
And
missiles closed
on
saw one go by
us,
us, their
fail. I
on the other side. Norm's Redeye gunner actually had a "lock-on" on the missile but couldn't
fire because the destroyer was in the line of fire.
Gary, then plunge into the Gulf
have
to fire the
and we
didn't
have
to get
rescued.
close call
in the Persian Gulf. Well, actually, the lesson wasn't quite over.
First,
we
all
35mi, '*'
sounded
came
in the
bit.
That evening we
the report
from the
USS
Gary.
made
The
fire-
We
went back
to
our
167
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
we
ADM
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came out to talk to us about the
incident.
The
talked to us about our role in the Gulf. "If those guys attack
you," he said, "we will respond with force." Well, the Iranians
already
HAD
launches;
sile
we
all
what we
alarm
just a false
Tom
saw
and we
we
all
all
you
tell
We
us
tracks, recordings,
saw them."
ADM
think
to merit a response."
have never
really
needed much
sleep, so I often
what
they're seeing
prowled
how
they
really
and was
was
prowling around
knew when
their
comman-
But the
about
168
my
first
night
I tried
that the
at night
alert.
maybe even
hangar,
That
first
night
climbed up
to the platform
Redeye and the guns. One of the Marine watchstanders came up and challenged me with "What are you
doing up here?"
look
at the
replied,
"Well, this
posed
to
"Because
I said.
it's
"You
"Why's
pride.
"it's
my station
too."
I'm sorry,
CO of the barge,
that's
in the
how
thought
told him.
sir,
them
aren't sup-
that?"
And
"You
vehemence and
"Well,"
it
said.
be up here!"
"Really?"
of
a firing station," he
is
middle of the
might drop
in
on
night.
all
damage
we
actually took a
and
ever
hit.
So
this
all
the crew.
we had
if
We
for
that to
make
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
That meant
at
We launched patrols
had
be
to
heli-
0400
to
when
awake was the frequent violation of our Imi exclusion zone. All kinds of boats and ships
blundered into our zone, and each was a potential threat.
Another thing
and we
to alert.
also
brought us
could attack
ally got
3hr
at night,
to a
all to
a high
state of alert
postage-stamp
it,
too,
because
after lunch.
restrict-
middle of the
so delivery
sailor,
marine, or airman.
lonely for
for
all,
The
felt
for
each
was
170
moments
after
upon whenever
the
CHAPTER
10
BUD/S and
Training Issues
most
thing
difficult and
in
my
life,
in high
are
if
if
It is
to
supposed
your limto
be the
you
off at
dents
like
program
to
mental.
up from
to leave.
a brutal, calculated,
sci-
start
stu-
there. If
that
But
It is
a tough, challenging
bad knees,
have
is
if
level,
problem
will
injury at
will
The major
part of
BUD/S
is
job
is
to
push you
will to
to,
until
you
quit,
they can
make
stress
And
if
anybody quit!
strain,
and
for
an example of the
designed into
BUD/S.
This
event involves taking the boats out at night, then bringing them
in to land
do.
The
on the rocks
Del Corona-
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
had one classmate
me. Guys broke ribs and legs on the
same rocks
to
who
is
to
tells
he
why even
stress for
"evolutions."
close attention to
injuries
everybody
When you
all
cautious.
what the
wave
this
Navy and
to
over again,
It
also
instructor
"Paddle
says,
The
more
think and to be
Those
his
make you
When
time.
same
at the
on one of these
is
he
dangerous training
first
place?
rest of the
the
Why?
We are in an inherently dangerous business. When a SEAL
where
they'll
have
sand, a rock, or a
to
come
cliff; it
ashore;
it
really
might be on
know
nice, soft
nice soft beach shows footprints and rocks don't; that can be
too,
and are
be heavily
By
less likely to
may be
less likely
come
BUD/S
the time
know how
to
small (IBS);
first
how
to
paddle
Then
it,
all
then
how
to
172
They
learn to
on the rocks
are a
to get
through the
make
landings on
work together
test;
again.
people
who
as
fail
Everybody knows
BUD/S and
how this
works.
It is scary.
And
the fear
is
Training Issues
wave you're
about to catch, but you can hear the booming surf on the rocks,
the hiss of the water retreating, over and over again. You listen
to this, knowing you have to go in; it is frightening. You can hear
the instructors ashore screaming "Get him out from under there!
Get him out!" The waves might be only 3ft high, but you think
they're 10ft high because of the night and the fear. I was lucky;
my class had to only deal with waves up to about 6ft, but the next
class rock-portage was conducted during a winter storm with
waves of 8- 10ft high. They had lots of terrible injuries.
Now, you're thinking. How awful! They shouldn't do this// But
At night you
SEALs
think
it is
It is
a grad-
uation exercise with real- world tactical value. People have had
to
do
this sort
again.
It
develops important
We
You can
let
in
me
my
skills.
class
who
people
and we
started in
lost lots of
my class,
they'll
have
to
do
it
and
and
quit in
will
one
swim
night!
Of
ashore!"
the 180
we went in on
the rocks.
somebody
all
costs
else.
having
something
I started. It
dad thought
failure that
Well,
my case,
to call my
In
it
was the
folks
and
last I
tell
wanted
them
was crazy
was unacceptable;
that kept
it
to
avoid at
didn't finish
me
to
go my
me
going.
did rock portage, but another guy in the boat said, "Aw,
let's
give
it
And
until the
we
first
173
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
great
felt
an extremely cold
tle.
The
strain.
summer
There
is
BUD/S
moonlit
this as
about
way
this,
though.
might back
if it
off a
lit-
up the
to get
through
The
evolution at a time.
PO 1
first
BUD/S
life:
is
same way a
the
one day
at
a time, one
be a thousand
graduating."
mental it
is
steps,
us, "If
He was
right, too,
by themselves,
of
BUD/S
much
because
often not
all
is
is
indi-
it is
tough.
moment you
arrive.
There
is
no gradual
Although the
been introduced
staff,
to the
and already
left.
lost
BUD/S
and
if
even
started,
we had
one
class leader,
staff liked to
they'd
stick,
and a
lot
in the
BUD/S and
water, singing songs
off to a different
and shivering
form of
Training Issues
torture.
and
Ray was
filled
now
are
the senior
man
in this class,"
told.
to
go lead your
class/ ''he
was
told.
around out
The
in the
water.
HIT
still
objected.
IT!"
"Yes, Instructor!"
of us,
Ray
Ray
replied
and jumped
obstacle course, or
O course,
at
is
one of the
BUD/S.
It is
instru-
first
a series of what
You run a
circuit of
one
to the next.
When you
arrive at
BUD/S you
you have
to stay in the
for
me, and
to
run the
keep
program.
will give
It
bet-
was
you an
The trainees were out on the O course one day, and a guy
named Jimenez, a little overweight, was on the slide-for-life station. The station requires a long transit along an inclined heavy
rope, about 20ft up on the starting end and 8ft up on the finishing side; the station
is
and by the time you get to it your hands are always in bad
shape, and they hurt. Jimmy (as we called him) got about half
way
across, then
fell.
it
again" the
175
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
He
instructor roared.
did
and
again,
it
fell
fell
again.
from about
an
instructor, saying,
"My
hands!
hurt
He
my hands!"
it
to
up
ran up to
he
said.
said.
right!"
He even
fin-
The
last
15ft
Jimmy
He had
bars, supervised
by then
PO
Terry
about as long as
Log FT
Log PT (physical training) also tests toughness, but in a different way from the O course. There is no way one man, or
even three, can lift one of those logs, no matter how big and
strong you are. But if everybody works together as a team, you
can get through
share, the
ter
it.
If
whole team
and about
16ft long.
The
pull his
Each seems
to
weight about
five tons,
lift
them
on
their
176
BUD/S and
Training Issues
fire.
to collapse,
air station,
way
fence.
to the
an orange
Mexican border
at the fence,
Now, 14mi
You
then back
down
all
the
and
make it that easy, even discounting the effect of the burnout PT. Whenever anybody started to
straggle and need a rest, we all had to get into the ocean and wait
for him. Then it was out again, and off down the beach loaded
down with sand and salt water in your boots and fatigues. The
sand abraded the skin, the salt water made the abrasions sting.
By the end of the run most everybody was bleeding and blistered in places more than their feet. Then two days later, before
anything gets to heal completely. Hell Week begins.
of course the instructors don't
Hell
Week
No
approximating something
brutal experience
bang!
It is
we
call
armed
SEALs
celebrate
forget;
it all
much
revere, the
starts
our Hell
and
out with a
Week began
The
instructors
there
is
screaming.
177
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
We
on
the concrete
us.
California, but
chilled,
COLD
was
it
on
in Southern
they got us up and ran us into the water over on the bay
bay we
be done with
will
from
this evolution!"
is
always a nice
current past this pier, ebbing or flowing. At that point our class
in
it,
all
wearing a
that
was
tried for a
enough
swim
it
jacket,
uncomfortable expression.
chilled,
freezing!
life
We
We
were
were
trunks,
even though we
let's try
they
some-
thing else."
and other
specialists to
Monday and
days,
well
and you
still
doing
You
think
it is
is
tough
to
Week
is
if
the
you can
all
maintain that
rest of Hell
that, all
two
functioning
still
first
to
BUD/S and
totally
numb
or delirious.
cranky, you're
still
The hard
part
is
Training Issues
We
demands on you.
all feel
still
a certain
amount of pride for going the whole week, but actually I don't
even remember much of anything of the last three days.
One thing you do during the last days of Hell Week is the
Treasure Hunt; you'd get a clue that required some reasoning
ability, then you and your boat crew paddle off to where you
think you're supposed to go. If you find the right spot someone
will hand you a new clue. Then you move off to the next place,
and that goes on all night long! You paddle, and you walk, and
then paddle some more, all over the place. And that boat goes
with you everywhere! If you aren't paddling it, you carry it on
your head! Well, that boat isn't light and the tall guys got unfairly loaded; the short guys had to try to find something to do
their share. Here's where you start to see real leadership; the
boat crews either pull together, or they
fall
apart together.
And
It
back
seems
to the
chow
hall for
doing
is
carrying
so,
week
is
many
years
later, as
And some
breakdown of
of us
still
inflicting
damage
have
The
that doesn't
always go away.
179
US Navy SEALs
Inside the
The Hell
I
in Hell
Fred Schmidt, in
BUD/S
it
was the
butterfly
Swimming long
frigid
had nothing
champion,
dis-
left; I
couldn't even
BUD/S has
I
my training.
Often
would have
to
crawl out on the sand on elbows and knees as the hands would
not work.
fins,
pulling
to assist
me
were so cold so
as to not
my
hands
the toughest
later
was the
star for
Of
a while!"
course people
Nobody
lasts long. I
ter Stubblefield,
"Oh, no,
you
can
still
sir!"
staff
when
you?"
BUD/S and
My
Lies
One
Training Issues
Me
Instructors Told
made
We
us
were
came up with
We assured him
we were
that
"Well
very cold,
thank you,
have an idea
sir!
warm you
for
We
up.
cold?" he asked.
all
paired.
warm you
And
up.
Wow,
beer that was quite a reward. So he started the tape player and
we
must have
we were
out in the
much
let
to
all
half.
little
alcohol does to
somebody
who's been awake for three or four days? Both the guys were
quickly basket cases!
were
virtually
is still
around
starts to hallucinate.
know what
themselves and
you're
still
Anybody who
treatment
They were
is
after four
The
instructors
you
try to
if
remember what
then
ENS, now
RADM,Tom
circles instead of
remember him
starts to
do strange
remember
trying to
things. I
to another. In fact, I
seem
to
jump overboard.
181
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
"Thank Goodness
By
about
six
Friday'' at
It's
boat crews.
Tom
Richards,
was
left.
last
man
Week
Ray
drawing a big
left
to
We got inside.
BUD/S
and be finished
it!"
was
they. I
hiding, pinned
was hoping
under both.
for a
chance
to
Tom
but pretty
much
hors d'combat.
One
circle,
of the instructors,
POl
Moy, wandered over with a boat paddle and started "motivating" Tom by digging sand and pouring it on his head.
Richards, who was then about 2051b of solid muscle,
leaped up, threw Ray Smith right out of the circle and took off
after Moy as fast as he could go, with mayhem on his mind.
Tom had
beach even
That
left
if
me
full
of sand.
fighter) quite
still
chased
a ways
Tom had
He
still
believe
Moy
down
the
him and
Moy was in
caught him.
(a
that
BUD/S and
nobody
just
really qualified, so
to you,
let
hell
you drop.
remember
much about
too
went back
we
was
it
to
still
we were
got
mal
all
the details of
finally secured,
for a
Training Issues
we were
all
back
to sleep
to a nor-
training routine.
brutal as
of
BUD/S
is.
It is
years,
or the
it is, I
hope we never
SEAL program.
It is
lose Hell
Week
way
it
little
original
others. It
is
The
as part
each night.
day midnight
physical challenge.
It is
just
They have to be there all the time, running along with the students. They watch closely to make sure nobody gets badly
hurt. The evolutions don't have any real tactical training usefulness, but they allow the staff to see how you perform under
stress.
the very
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
have always
felt
be standing
will
most part
Week
end of the
There
be dropped
ends, those
who
'
tion,
SEAL
when
is
Hell
men
the
at the
will
Hell
one or more
when
that
Week
can
feel
is
secured,
first
make
it
which most of
at
to graduation day.
this
Of
simply
isn't so.
is
will
activities,
the
activities
way.
basic
patrolling, mission
to
all, if
we
it
be
as
shooting,
of the
new
skills
warrior;
we
salt
will
have
to
will
become
and diving
become adept
skills:
demolition's,
which
expect that
whether
such
skills
will
it is
skills.
reasonable
in that liquid,
or fresh.
us while
we were
and
trying to
184
BUD/S and
Training Issues
all
our
monthly incomes.
Nowadays, the
to the luxurious
hall,
this
infested with
mice
that
we had
to
briefings. It
was so
getting in
Navy
issue
and
all
seemed
to
have of it.
in.
Standing on the
fear
that
Chuck Shinners
came back from the only drinking facility on the island only to
trip in the chow hall when he went in to find a midnight snack
and have six mouse traps snap on his hands in the dark room.
His yelling and hand waving as he ran outside with the traps
stuck on his fingers woke up the entire camp.
There were other niceties on the island that the instructors
arranged for us to enjoy our
took an "iron butterfly"
stay.
flight
up Mount
185
Inside the
ly
US Navy SEALs
camp. The
by
and be timed
the well-worn
on
that
trail
takeoff or turnaround
Then
dips
there
and back on
slope.
Crashing
flights.
set of
chow hall
Navy chow.
Actually
it
did serve to
pass the time and to strengthen us for the flight with the iron
butterfly.
think
it
how deep the water was under you, how many sharks might be
circling just
on our bodies
to
surface,
come up
to
perform
remove us from
its
its
local bull
territorial biting
brood of females
to
provide us the
The
on land and
The
final
where the beach obstacles and mines were along the surfzone;
then returning and planting live charges on them and blowing
them up. I recall some of them being as deep as 40ft and tying
in the detonation cord using the old breath holding technique
that
186
we have
traditionally
used since
WWII.
BUD/S and
Third Phase
Once we
to
new
class of instructors.
They
we encoun-
didn't
seem
to
instruction; in fact,
ensuring
Gills
tered a whole
want
The growing of
Training Issues
we
it
learned
seemed
how
to
be a
to dive.
sort of quiet
They
approach
to
swimming pool with open circuit SCUBA gear not unlike that
used by the sports diver, except in our day, the Navy was still
MK
MK
We
against a target
when
swim accurately
water surface, and to go deep
on
We
dream
Norm
Carley
when he sank
trainees
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
as slots
at least
188
For
we were
me
that
finally
first
out of
assignment
beginning of a challenging
CHAPTER
77
When
entered the
(NROTC)
way to
part a
Navy Reserve
Idaho in 1965,
in the University of
my
and
still
had
in part a
mind
was
it
to
in
way
grad-
UDT Train-
endeavor
it
tour in
By
it still
recognized that
eligible.
deci-
duty.
store, I
to the
20yr mark.
if
one
stops,
he gets 50
pay and
will get 75
actual
there
career
if
benefits. If
more time
one enters
14yr, I also
one
pay and
is
if
began
to
it
one plans
to enter the
after
to recognize that
my career to
enjoy
yr.
At
job market,
lots
was
fortu-
Inside the
US Navy SEALs
But
knew
that
when
I retired.
would be too
would be entering a career period that required being politically correct to compete successfully. At best I figured I would
(0-6)
NSW Group
or equivalent, and the rest of the time be placed in staff positions. Besides,
it
tary
if
he doesn't decide
his
own
to achieve a
difficult.
destiny of
when
to
throw
in
request,
allowed
me
my
actual retirement.
my
It
next
Now
having experienced
every military
man
this, I
to think
ahead about
life after
uniform.
more important
Work was
to
things, financial
planning
life.
tain
didn't
want
to
instill
190
proven
it
many
would be doubly
fulfilling.
While
a majority of
my
work
equipment procurement
the Outside
at least there is
who want
to
still
plenty of
experience
enough
thrills
and excitement
to
after
it
been
Index
AH-58, 157, 163
AK47, 105
ARG platoon,
18
ASDS,
ASDV,
126
137, 141
BUD/S,
JSAAP
183, 188
CAR- 15,
65, 67
Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA),
103
CINCCENT (Commander in
Chief,
Command), 64
Combat Rubber Raiding Craft
Central
(CRRC),
41, 45,
CRRC,
119, 127
Draegar
LAR V
46
LCM-6
nized), 114
LCM-8, 159
LCPL
LCU
closed circuit units,
187
LDNN
(the
17,
SEAL
Light
Log PT
20,68,
114, 115
191
11
LSSCI,
111
115
Patrol Coastal (PC), 116, 117
PBL (Patrol Boat, Light), 114
M-14, 67
M16,
65, 67
PRU
M60
Provincial Reconnaissance
Units, 103
machine-gun, 177
Red
M60, 68
MACV/SOG
(Military Assistance
(MSSC),
111
RPG,
114
SDV (SEAL
Delivery Vehicle),
115
III),
MK VI, 187
MK VII Mod
MK VIII, 121
SEAL Team
SEAL Team
117, 118
60
One,
102,
Three,
Two,
142
121
110,
111
Command
(NAVSEA), 163
Naval Special Warfare Group Two
NAVSPECWARCOM,
the
US
Com-
mand,
165
STAB (SEAL
160,
CAUSE,
45,
59
130,
US
Special Operations
124
(USSOCOM),
161
Operation JUST
UH-IH
Huey, 23
Special Boat Squadron One, 1
Special Boat Squadrons (SBR), 115
Special Boat Units (SBU), 115
Special Operations Command
(SOC), 14, 15, 35, 37, 54
Special Operations Craft (SOC), 116
Special Warfare Group Two, 1
114
(NSWG-2), 116
(NSCT),
Five,
156
MKVSOC,
MKV, 118
Seafox, 115
SEAL Team
SEAL Team
114, 115
192
11,
Wimbrown
7,
154, 155
Command
INSIDE THE
US NAVY SEALS
/'mide
"pup"
are
the
and what
and weaknesses,
and photos taken on actual missions. Inside the US Navy SEALs gives you
an unprecedented look at the inner workings of the SEAL community.
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SEALs
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time, a lifetime of a
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Commander Gary Stubblefield
Inside the
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