America’s particular operators, from the Army’s Inexperienced Berets and Rangers to the Air Power’s Fight Controllers, Particular Reconnaissance, and Para-Rescue to the Marine Corps Raiders and the Navy’s SEAL Groups, are all distinctive.
They’ve completely different choice, evaluation, and coaching standards. However the tenets of every unit are remarkably comparable. They need bodily match, self-confident operators who can suppose on their toes beneath extremely annoying circumstances and can by no means, ever stop.
The Navy’s SEALs are in all probability probably the most well-known of any of America’s particular warriors. Previously two or so a long time, they’ve been the topic of numerous books, movies, tv reveals, and information tales. Actually, Hollywood is presently making ready to inform the story of one other SEAL hero who gave his life to guard his countrymen and workforce members.
Whereas SEAL Groups can function anyplace, from desert environments, jungles, mountains, and even Arctic terrain, the SEAL’s (which stands for Sea, Air, and Land Groups) major mission is that of maritime. They arrive from and return to the ocean.
Historical past of the Navy’s SEAL Groups
The Navy’s SEAL legacy, just like the Army’s Special Forces, stems from the bloody combating of World Battle II. With the U.S. island-hopping marketing campaign throughout the Pacific in opposition to the Japanese highlighted the necessity to reconnoiter and clear seashore obstacles in addition to reefs, the Navy started the Frogman program.
These large-scale amphibious operations had been new, and the navy was studying on the job. The Frogmen changed into the Underwater Demolition Groups (UDT). These and the Maritime Unit of the OSS are the forerunners of as we speak’s SEAL Groups. They cleared seashores throughout the Pacific and in France for the Normandy (D-Day) invasion.
Korean Battle and Airborne Insertion Methods of the Fifties
Underwater Demolition Groups in Korea fought all through the battle, particularly clearing the way in which for the landings at Inchon in 1950. As early as 1951, UDT officers had been satisfied that airborne operations needs to be integrated into UDT coaching.
After chosen groups attended the Army’s soar college at Ft. Benning, it will later turn into an everyday incidence to see SEALs combined among the many Army’s troops throughout soar coaching. In 1959, UDTs joined the 77th (later the seventh) Special Forces Group for superior airborne coaching and would reciprocate with SCUBA coaching for the Inexperienced Berets. It started an extended fruitful partnership with Army Special Forces that will proceed when the UDTs transitioned into SEAL Groups.
SEALS and Special Forces additionally had a detailed relationship in Okinawa, coaching in airborne operations and numerous SCUBA methods.
These relationships would serve each models properly within the upcoming struggle in Vietnam.
SEAL Workforce Six. Picture Credit score: Inventive Commons.
The “Males With Inexperienced Faces” in Vietnam
SEALs had been despatched to Vietnam in 1962 to coach with and struggle alongside our South Vietnamese allies.
SEAL platoons, normally working autonomously from SEAL Groups One and Two, carried out day and night time ambushes, hit-and-run raids, reconnaissance patrols, and particular intelligence assortment operations. The Viet Cong known as them the “males with inexperienced faces” due to the face camouflage they used.
SEALS and Special Forces had been a part of the Navy Help Command – Vietnam, Research and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) and sometimes simply shortened to SOG. The casualty charges for SOG personnel had been over 100%. In all, 46 SEALS died in service in the course of the Vietnam Battle. Three SEALS, Lieutenant Bob Kerrey, Lieutenant Tom Norris, and EM2 Mike Thornton, had been awarded the Medal of Honor in the course of the struggle.
SEAL Groups From Grenada to the GWOT
SEAL platoons served with distinction in the course of the invasion of Grenada (Operation Pressing Fury), the operation to oust Panamian dictator Manuel Noriega (Operation Simply Trigger), and the First Gulf Battle.
As a part of the brand new Particular Operations Command (SOCOM), all the particular forces models within the U.S., in addition to our allied accomplice nations, labored collectively beneath a joint unified command that ensured joint interoperability in the course of the World Battle on Terror (GWOT) after 9/11. SEALs introduced the struggle to the terrorists from the seas to the mountains of Afghanistan to the arid land in Iraq.
In April of 2009, SEALs rescued Captain Phillips of the freighter ship Maersk Alabama.
In Might of 2011, the CIA pinpointed the situation of al-Qaeda head Usama bin Laden in a big home in Pakistan. Members of SEAL Workforce Six (DEVGRU) carried out a raid deep within Pakistan, eradicated bin Laden and a number of other of his followers, and exfilled again to Afghanistan with no lack of their very own.
SEAL Coaching … Not For the Faint of Coronary heart
The coaching to turn into a Navy SEAL is lengthy and hard; the SEALs wish to say that theirs is the hardest coaching for any particular operator within the U.S. navy.
The primary gate for candidate SEALs is the well-known BUD/S coaching that encompasses 24 weeks of intense bodily exercise. Throughout “Hell Week”, candidates are stored awake for practically all the 5 ½ days of coaching, the place they’re chilly, moist, and exhausted. That is the realm the place a lot of the DORs (drop on request) happen. After that, potential SEALs should full the Fight Diving and Land Warfare phases of coaching.
From there, an additional 27 weeks of coaching, which incorporates Leap College after which SEAL Qualification Coaching, ensues. On the finish of it, profitable candidates will obtain the coveted SEAL Trident after which be assigned to a SEAL platoon.
The commencement numbers, nevertheless, are a small share of those that volunteer. As one of many “truths” of all of the particular forces, “SOF can’t be mass produced.”
SEAL medics, like their Special Forces counterparts, are arguably probably the most valued members of every platoon. As with different models within the SOCOM neighborhood, SEALs usually function removed from standard assist. And SEAL medics are the lifeline for U.S. and host nation accomplice forces.
SEALs used to attend the Army’s Special Forces Medical Sergeants’ Course, however now have their very own excellent coaching, the Tactical Fight Essential Care (TCCC) and Extended Discipline Care (PFC) coaching beneath the auspices of the Tactical Medical Cell (TMC).
All SEALs and SWCC operators should full the Particular Operations Tactical Medic (SOTM) course. SOTM is a 28-week course that consists of 4 phases. The course covers the whole lot and something associated to TCCC and PFC, together with IV Remedy, Dive Drugs, Prehospital Trauma Life Assist (PHTLS), and Trauma, Airway, and Affected person Evaluation.
From the small groups of frogmen and UDTs of WWII, Navy SEALs proceed to serve our nations pursuits in all 4 corners of the globe. As their motto says, “The Solely Simple Day Was Yesterday.”
Steve Balestrieri is a 1945 Nationwide Safety Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO, and Warrant Officer earlier than accidents pressured his early separation. Along with writing for 19fortyfive.com and different navy information organizations, he has lined the NFL for PatsFans.com for over 11 years. His work was commonly featured within the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle and Grafton News newspapers in Massachusetts.
