United States Navy Seals

A Special Operations Component

The previous page was: "SAS"

The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, now commonly known as the Navy SEALs. They are today the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and are part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.

In the War on Terror, SEALs have been utilized almost exclusively for land-based operations, including Direct Action, Hostage Rescue, Counter Terrorism, Special Reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and foreign internal defence operations.

The Navy's SEAL program originated during the Second World War when the United States Navy recognized the need for soldiers to reconnoiter landing beaches, note the enemy's obstacles and defences, and ultimately guide the landing forces in.

As a result the Amphibious Scout and Raider School was established in 1942, jointly by the Army and Navy at Fort Pierce, Florida. It was intended to train explosive ordnance disposal personnel, with experienced combat swimmers from the Army and Marine Corps, becoming the Naval Combat Demolition Unit.

The Seals were first employed in Operation Torch with the British Commandos during the invasion of North Africa in 1942. This unit became the 'first group' specialized in amphibious raids and tactics in the United States Navy.

SAS

Operational By 1943

The Amphibious Scout and Raider School had expanded to include underwater demolition. Following the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943, when offshore coral reefs and other obstacles in the surf resulted in many of the Marines drowning or being hit by enemy fire, because their landing craft could not reach the beach.

Rear-Admiral Richmond K. Turner directed the formation of nine Underwater Demolition Teams mostly composed of navy personnel from the Naval Construction Battalions.

President John F. Kennedy, aware of the situations in Southeast Asia, recognized the need for unconventional warfare and special operations units as a measure against guerrilla warfare.

The Navy needed to determine its role within the special operations arena. In March 1961, Arleigh Burke, Chief of Naval Operations, recommended the establishment of guerrilla and counter-guerrilla units. These units would be able to operate from sea, air or land.

Newly Named Navy Seals

At the beginning of the Navy SEALs many SEAL members came from the Navy's Underwater Demolition Team units, who had already gained experience in Commando warfare in Korea; however, the Underwater Demolition Teams were still necessary to the Navy's amphibious force.

The first two teams were on both US coasts: Team One at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, in San Diego, California and Team Two at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Men of the newly formed SEAL Teams were trained in such unconventional areas as hand-to-hand combat, high-altitude parachuting, demolitions, and foreign languages. The SEALs attended Underwater Demolition Team replacement training and they spent some time training in Underwater Demolition Teams.

Upon making it to a SEAL team, they would undergo a SEAL Basic Indoctrination training class at Camp Kerry in the Cuyamaca Mountains. On completion of training, they would enter a platoon and under-go platoon training.

The CIA's highly secretive Special Activities Division and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group recruits its operators from the SEAL Teams.

Joint Navy SEALs and CIA operations go back to during the Viet-nam War. This cooperation still exists today and is seen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And more recently in the finding and killing of Bin Laden in Pakistan.

The Viet-Nam War

The Pacific Command recognized Viet-nam as a potential hot spot for unconventional forces. At the beginning of 1962, the UDTs started hydrographic surveys along with other branches of the US Military, the Military Assistance Command Viet-nam was formed.

In March 1962, Navy Seals were deployed to South Viet-nam as advisors for the purpose of training Army of the Republic of Viet-nam Commandos in the same methods they were trained themselves.

The Central Intelligence Agency began using SEALs in covert operations in early 1963. The SEALs were involved in the CIA sponsored Phoenix Program where it targeted key North Viet-namese Army personnel and Viet-cong sympathizers for capture and assassination.

The SEALs were initially deployed in and around Da Nang, training the South Viet-namese in combat diving, demolitions, and guerrilla/anti-guerrilla tactics.

As the war continued, the SEALs found themselves positioned in the Rung Sat Special Zone, where they were to disrupt the enemy supply and troop movements and in the Mekong Delta to fulfill riverine operations, fighting on the inland waterways.

Combat with the Viet Cong was direct. Unlike the conventional warfare methods of firing artillery into a coordinate location, the SEALs operated within inches of their targets.

Right into the late 1960s, the SEALs were successful in a new style of warfare, they were effective in anti-guerrilla and guerrilla actions.

Seals brought a personal war to the enemy in a previously safe area. The Viet Cong referred to them as "the men with green faces," due to the camouflage face paint the SEALs wore during combat missions.

SEALs continued to make forays into North Vietnam and Laos, and covertly into Cambodia, controlled by the Studies and Observations Group. The SEALs from Team Two started a unique deployment of SEAL team members working alone with South Vietnamese Commandos.

In 1967

A SEAL unit named 'Detachment Bravo' was formed to operate these mixed US and Viet-Nam units, which were called South Viet-namese Provincial Reconnaissance Units.

At the beginning of 1968, the North Viet-namese and the Viet- Cong orchestrated a major offensive against South Viet-nam: the "Tet Offensive".

The North hoped it would prove to be America's Dien Bien Phu, attempting to break the American public's desire to continue the war. As propaganda, the Tet Offensive was successful in adding to the American protest of the Viet-nam war.

However, North Vietnam suffered tremendous casualties, and from a purely military standpoint, the Tet Offensive was a major disaster for the Communists.

By 1970, President Richard Nixon initiated a Plan of Vietnamization, which would remove the US from the Vietnam War and return the responsibility of defense back to the South Viet-namese.

It was seen as a war America could not win. Conventional forces were being withdrawn; the last SEAL advisor left Viet-nam in March 1973, and Viet-nam eventually fell to the communists in 1975.

The SEALs were among the highest decorated units for their size in the war. SEALs were awarded 2 Navy Crosses, 42 Silver stars, 402 Bronze Stars, 2 Legions of Merit, 352 Commendation Medals, 3 Presidential Unit Citations and 3 Medals of Honor.

Invasion Of Grenada

In 'Operation Urgent Fury' both SEAL Team 4 and SEAL Team 6, the predecessor to DEVGRU, participated in the US invasion of Grenada. The SEALs' two primary missions were the extraction of Grenada's Governor-General and the capture of Grenada's only radio tower.

Neither mission was well briefed or sufficiently supported with timely intelligence and the SEALs ran into trouble from the very beginning.

One of their two transport planes missed its drop zone, and four SEALs drowned in a rain squall while making an airborne insertion with their boats off the island's coast. Their bodies were never recovered.

After regrouping from their initial insertion the SEALs split into two teams and proceeded to their objectives. After digging in at the Governor's mansion, the SEALs realized they had forgotten their SATCOM gear; it was on the helicopter.

As Grenadian and Cuban troops surrounded the team, the SEALs' only radio ran out of battery power, and they used the mansion's land-line telephone to call in AC-130 fire support.

The SEALs were pinned in the mansion overnight and were relieved and extracted by a group of Force Recon Marines the following morning.

The team sent to the radio station also ran into communication problems. As soon as the SEALs reached the radio facility they found themselves unable to raise their command post.

After beating back several waves of Grenadian and Cuban troops supported by BTR-60s, the SEALs decided that their position at the radio tower was untenable. They destroyed the station and fought their way to the water where they hid from patrolling enemy forces.

After the enemy had given up their search the SEALs, some wounded, swam into the open sea where they were extracted several hours later after being spotted by a reconnaissance plane.

Operation Prime Chance

During the closing stages of the Iran-Iraq War the United States Navy began conducting operations in the Persian Gulf to protect US flagged ships from attack by Iranian naval forces.

A secret plan was put in place and dubbed 'Operation Prime Chance'. Navy SEAL Teams 1 and 2 along with several Special Boat Units and Navy EOD teams were deployed on mobile command barges and transported by helicopters from the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

Over the course of the operation SEALs conducted VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure) missions to counter Iranian mine laying boats. The only loss of life occurred during the take down of the Iran Ajr.

Evidence gathered on the Iran Ajr by SEALs and EOD techs later allowed the US Navy to trace the mines that struck the USS Samuel B. Roberts.

This chain of events lead to Operation Praying Mantis, the largest US Naval surface engagement since the Second World War.

During 'Operations Desert Shield and Desrt Storm' Navy SEALs trained Kuwaiti Special Forces. They set up naval special operations groups in Kuwait, working with the Kuwaiti Navy in exile.

Using these new diving, swimming, and combat skills, these foreign SEALs took part in combat operations such as the liberation of the capital city.

United States Invasion Of Panama

For the start of 'Operation Just Cause' The United States Navy contributed extensive special operations assets to the invasion of Panama, which was code named 'Operation Just Cause'.

This included SEAL Teams 2 and 4, Naval Special Warfare Unit 8, and Special Boat Unit 26, all falling under Naval Special Warfare Group 2; and the separate Naval Special Warfare Development Group.

The destruction of Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) naval assets in Balboa Harbor and the destruction of Manuel Noriega's private jet at Paitilla Airport, collectively known as 'Operation Nifty Package' as well as isolating the Panamanian forces on Flamenco Island.

The strike on Balboa Harbor by Task Unit Whiskey is notably marked in SEAL history as the first publicly acknowledged combat swimmer mission since the Second World War.

Prior to the commencement of the invasion four Navy SEALs, Lt Edward S. Coughlin, EN-3 Timothy K. Eppley, ET-1 Randy L. Beausoleil, and PH-2 Chris Dye, swam underwater into the harbor on Draeger LAR-V rebreathers and attached C4 explosives to and destroyed Noriega's personal gunboat the "Presidente Porras".

Task Unit Papa was tasked with the seizure of Paitilla airfield and the destruction of Noriega's plane there. Several SEALs were concerned about the nature of the mission assigned to them being that airfield seizure was usually the task of the Army Rangers.

Despite these misgivings and a loss of operational surprise, the SEALs of Task Unit Papa proceeded with their mission.

Almost immediately upon landing, the 48 SEALs came under withering fire from the PDF stationed at the airfield. Although Noriega's plane was eventually destroyed, the SEALs suffered four dead and thirteen wounded.

Those killed were Lt. John Connors, Chief Petty Officer Donald McFaul, Torpedoman's Mate 2nd Class Issac Rodriguez, and Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Chris Tilghman.

The War In Afghanistan

In the immediate aftermath of 11th September attacks, Navy SEALs were quickly dispatched to Camp Doha, and those already aboard US Naval vessels in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters began conducting Very Basic Search and Seizure operations against ships suspected of having ties to or even carrying al Qaeda operatives.

SEAL Teams 3 and 8 also began rotating into Oman from the United States and staging on the island of Masirah preparing for operations in Afghanistan.

One of the SEALs' immediate concerns was a lack of adequate organic land mobility platforms to conduct special reconnaissance missions in the rough, landlocked terrain of Afghanistan.

After borrowing and retrofitting Humvees from the Army Rangers also stationed on Masirah, the SEALs inserted into Afghanistan to conduct the Special Raiding of what would become Camp Rhino, as part of 'Operation Enduring Freedom'.

These early stages of 'Operation Enduring Freedom' were commanded by a fellow SEAL, Rear Admiral Albert Calland. Task Force K-Bar SEALs at one of the entrances to the Zhawar Kili cave complex.

The Special Raiding mission in the region of Camp Rhino lasted for four days, after which two United States Air Force Combat Control Teams made a night time HALO jump to assist the SEALs in guiding in Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit who seized control of the area and established a Forward operating base.

While at Camp Rhino, the CIA passed on intelligence from a predator drone operating in the Paktia province that Taliban Mullah Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa was spotted leaving a building by vehicle convoy.

SEALs and Danish Jægerkorpset Commandos boarded Air Force Pave Low helicopters and seized Khairkhwa on the road less than two hours later.

War In The Afghan Mountain Range

The SEALs continued to perform reconnaissance operations for the Marines until leaving after having spent 45 days on the ground. Task Force K-Bar SEALs while searching found munitions in the Zhawar Kili cave complex.

Subsequent SEAL operations during the invasion of Afghanistan were conducted within Task Force K-Bar, a joint special operations unit of Army Special Forces, United States Air Force Special Tactics Teams, and special operations forces from Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Turkey, under the command of Navy SEAL Captain Robert Harward.

Task Force K-Bar conducted combat operations in the massive cave complexes at Zhawar Kili, the city of Kandahar and surrounding territory, the town of Prata Ghar and hundreds of miles of rough terrain in southern and eastern Afghanistan.

Over the course of six months Task Force K-Bar killed or captured over 200 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, and destroyed tens of thousands of pounds of weapons and ordnance.

Navy SEALs participated extensively in Operation Anaconda. During insertion, AB1 Neil Roberts was thrown from his helicopter when it took fire from entrenched al Qaeda fighters.

Roberts was eventually killed after engaging and fighting dozens of enemies for almost an hour. Several SEALs were wounded in a rescue attempt and their Air Force Combat Controller, Technical Sergeant John Chapman, was killed.

Attempts to rescue the stranded SEAL also led to the deaths of several US Army Rangers and an Air Force Pararescueman acting as a Quick Reaction Force.

SEALs were present at the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi alongside their counterparts from the British Special Boat Service. Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the battle.

Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after his four-man counter-insurgency team was almost wiped out during 'Operation Red Wings' in June 2005.

Iraq War 2003

The Al Faw and Iraqi oil infrastructure had to be captured before it was destroyed. Command of this operation was entrusted to the Royal Marines. The U.S. Navy Seals worked alongside the R.M. Special Boats Section, also attached were the Polish GROM, other Royal Marine Commandos and U.S. Marines.

Several days before the beginning of the invasion of Iraq two SDV teams were launched from Mark V Special Operations Craft in the Persian Gulf. Their objectives were the hydrographic reconnaissance of the Al Basrah (MABOT) and Khawr Al Amaya (KAAOT) Oil Terminals.

After swimming under the terminals and securing their Mark 8 mod 1s the SDV SEALs spent several hours taking pictures and surveying Iraqi activity on both platforms before returning to their boats.

On 20th March 2003, the Navy SEALs launched what is the largest single SEAL operation in history from US Naval vessels, Ras al-Qulayah Naval Base and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait as part of a mixed force of British Royal Marines, US Navy SEALs, US Marines and Polish GROM.

Their targets were not only the ABOT and KAAOT platforms but their respective onshore petroleum pumping locks and the Al Faw port and refinery. Each force was to be inserted via helicopter or boat on the perimeter of the targets and then assault the main facilities.

The First Attacks

Occurred at the pumping locks for each offshore terminal. At MABOT's pumping lock the team's landing zone was covered in concertina wire that was unreported by their intelligence and so the SEALs and Royal Marines were forced to hover several feet off the ground.

The Royal Marines, led by a Provost Sergeant, were the first off the helicopter followed by the SEALs and all immediately became entangled in the obstacles. In this exposed position the SEALs and Marines began taking fire from the platform's garrison.

The landing at the KAAOT pumping lock ran into similar problems with their landing zone but both teams at both locations regrouped and successfully assaulted the pumping locks taking the main buildings and several occupied bunkers.

After securing the facility an Iraqi armored vehicle approached the SEALs' position. Their embedded Air Force Combat Controller coordinated with an Air Force A-10 and destroyed the vehicle. In total five Iraqis were killed and sixteen captured.

The assault on the offshore platforms were carried out by SWCC manned rigid-hulled inflatable boats carrying the British SBS, SEALs and SWCC manned Mk Vs carrying the GROM. The SBS and SEALs were assigned MABOT and GROM the KAAOT.

Two days before the launch of the operation the Iraqis had replaced the MABOT garrison with their elite Republican Guard troops.

With this last minute change in opposition in mind, and the added fear of the Republican Guard blowing up the platforms upon attack, the force decided to adapt its plan to quickly take out all opposition before physically securing MABOT.

Once the assaulted started on MABOT via rigid-hulled inflatable boats the Republican Guard forces immediately began to surrender. The GROM on KAAOT encountered the same unwillingness by the Iraqis to fight allowing both platforms to be taken with no deaths.

Subsequent inspection on MABOT showed that the Iraqi forces had not primed their explosives having been unwilling to destroy the facility.

Al Faw Attacks

The assault on the Iraqi positions on the Al Faw peninsula consisted of a DPV mounted SEAL force at the refinery and port with a larger force of US Marines from the 5th Regimental Combat Team of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force attacking Iraqi positions farther north in the Rumaila oil fields.

The teams went ahead and landed with their DPVs straight off the helicopters but their fears were confirmed when the oil soaked and muddy ground on the peninsula rendered their underpowered, rear wheel drive vehicles useless.

Now on foot and surrounded by approximately 300 entrenched Iraqi soldiers and armored vehicles the Force relied on their Combat Controller to call in air strikes.

In coordination with close air support the Force swept the entire facility on foot fighting through enemy positions. At day break with 42 Commando of the British Royal Marines. A total of several hundred Iraqis were killed, 100 were captured and all the armored vehicles destroyed.

Coalition military planners were concerned that retreating Iraqi forces would destroy the Mukatayin hydroelectric dam northeast of Baghdad in an attempt to slow advancing US troops.

In addition to restricting the maneuver of Coalition forces, the destruction of the dam would deny critical power needs to the surrounding area as well as cause massive flooding and loss of Iraqi civilian life.

A mixed SEAL/GROM/SBS force was called in to seize the dam. This force was flown several hours by US Air Force MH-53 Pave Lows to the dam.

The Force employed DPVs into blocking positions to defend against counter-attack and roving bands of Iranian bandits that had been crossing the border and raiding Iraqi towns. As in Al Faw the Force found their DPVs to be ineffective and this marked the last time they would employ them in Iraq.

The whole Force fast-roped out of their helicopters and immediately stormed the dam. The minimal Iraqi security forces on site surrendered, and with the exception of a GROM operator who broke an ankle during the insertion, the operation went off with no casualties.

After several hours of searching the dam for remaining hostile forces or any explosives, the Force fully secured the dam and were later relieved by advancing elements of the US Army.

Somali Pirates On 12 April 2009

In response to a hostage-taking incident off of the coast of Somalia by Somalian pirates, three Navy SEALs from DEVGRU simultaneously engaged and killed the three pirates who were closely holding the hostage, Captain Richard Phillips, of the freighter ship, the Maersk Alabama.

The pirates and their hostage were being towed in a lifeboat approximately 100 yards behind the USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), when the three pirates were killed by three DEVGRU snipers with single shots to each of their heads.

Abbottabad, Pakistan

The Death of Osama bin Laden, in the early morning of 2nd May 2011, local time, a team of 40 CIA-led Navy SEALs from DEVGRU, 24 on the ground, successfully completed an operation to kill Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan about 35 miles (56 km) from Islamabad, the country's capital.

The Navy SEALs were part of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, previously called "Team 6". President Barack Obama later confirmed the death of bin Laden, but did not directly mention the involvement of DEVGRU, saying only that a "small team" of Americans undertook the operation to bring down bin Laden.

The unprecedented media coverage raised the public profile of the SEAL community, particularly the counter-terrorism specialists commonly known as SEAL Team 6. The Walt Disney Company tried unsuccessfully to trademark the name "SEAL Team 6" the day after the raid.

Wardak Province Helicopter Crash

In 2011 a Chinook was shootdown in Afghanistan, on 6th August 2011, 17 Navy SEALs, were killed when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by an RPG fired by Taliban Soldiers.

The SEALs were en route to support Army Rangers who were taking fire while attempting to capture a senior Taliban leader in the Tangi Valley.

Fifteen were SEALs belonging to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. The two others were SEALs assigned to a regular naval special warfare unit. Eight other Americans and eight Afghans were also killed in the crash.

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