Origins and Vietnam
The SEAL teams are a recent addition to the Special Operations community. Their precursors were forged in the amphibious operations of WWII. In the island invasions of the Pacific and the D-Day landings on Normandy, heavy beach defenses would stall troop landings. Without an avenue of escape, the soldiers and marines were cut down before they could fight the defenders. Highly trained Navy swimmers were deployed in advance of landings to remove these defenses. They were called the Underwater Demolition Teams, UDT, and blew up anything in their way. On Normandy, they destroyed tank traps, land mines, and concrete barriers before the invasion began. In the Pacific, they created paths through coral reefs and rocks. The UDT facilitated all Allied landings and prevented mass disasters.
With the rise of the Cold War, the UDT teams found themselves evolving to a more direct and unconventional role. The new role resulted in a new name, SEALs. The new SEAL teams would not be limited to the water or beaches but would fight on the sea, land, or in the air. They were officially created by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 as a counter to brush wars and numerous communist revolutions across the globe. 16 The Cold War was shifting away from large scale conventional and nuclear confrontation and into small, localized wars to protect the interests of the superpowers. President Kennedy saw this shift and needed a unit to fight this new type of war. The SEAL's original mission was unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, and clandestine operations. US Navy UDT in WWII
Image from US Navy SEAL history
(http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-history.aspx#.UMPNFIO_HnY)
With the rise of the Cold War, the UDT teams found themselves evolving to a more direct and unconventional role. The new role resulted in a new name, SEALs. The new SEAL teams would not be limited to the water or beaches but would fight on the sea, land, or in the air. They were officially created by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 as a counter to brush wars and numerous communist revolutions across the globe. 16 The Cold War was shifting away from large scale conventional and nuclear confrontation and into small, localized wars to protect the interests of the superpowers. President Kennedy saw this shift and needed a unit to fight this new type of war. The SEAL's original mission was unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, and clandestine operations. US Navy UDT in WWII
Image from US Navy SEAL history
(http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-history.aspx#.UMPNFIO_HnY)
It wasn't before long that SEALs were being deployed to Vietnam. Besides serving in an advising capacity, they conducted direct action against Viet Cong targets. They utilized unique boats operated by the Special Boat Squadrons to infiltrate deep into the rivers and waters of the Mekong Delta. The multiple rivers and streams had prevented the South Vietnamese army from entering the area and the Viet Cong had operated unopposed. The SEALs changed that and were quickly disrupting VC operations and killing their guerrillas. They began making effective use of the VC tactics of the ambush. SEAL teams would gather their own intelligence and then set up nightly ambushes or patrols. They would hit VC returning to their bases or infiltrate villages and eliminate the enemy where they thought they were safe. 17
The units would conduct their ambushes and after the noise, would call for extraction. Either Patrol Boats or Huey helicopters would recover the team and bring overwhelming firepower on any VC still around. The SEALs avoided the call for fires until after they were done with the mission. They carried enough firepower to protect themselves and they needed to remain covert. They made heavy use of weapon suppressors or silencers in dispatching VC scouts and guards while on patrol.
While the SEALs proved their use in the jungles and rivers of Vietnam, the conventional forces around them never followed suit. Gains made by the SEALs weren't capitalized on and the SEALs fought to US Navy SEAL Team in Vietnam. Image from US Navy fix the conventional failures. The small number of SEALs in existence prevented their influence upon SEAL history (http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-
the total war effort. The lessons learned in the jungles were ignored by the larger Army and Navy but history.aspx#.UMPNFIO_HnY)
they were not lost on the SEALs themselves.
The units would conduct their ambushes and after the noise, would call for extraction. Either Patrol Boats or Huey helicopters would recover the team and bring overwhelming firepower on any VC still around. The SEALs avoided the call for fires until after they were done with the mission. They carried enough firepower to protect themselves and they needed to remain covert. They made heavy use of weapon suppressors or silencers in dispatching VC scouts and guards while on patrol.
While the SEALs proved their use in the jungles and rivers of Vietnam, the conventional forces around them never followed suit. Gains made by the SEALs weren't capitalized on and the SEALs fought to US Navy SEAL Team in Vietnam. Image from US Navy fix the conventional failures. The small number of SEALs in existence prevented their influence upon SEAL history (http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-
the total war effort. The lessons learned in the jungles were ignored by the larger Army and Navy but history.aspx#.UMPNFIO_HnY)
they were not lost on the SEALs themselves.
Modern SEAL teams
After the US withdrawal from Vietnam, the SEALs found themselves tasked with operations against conventional targets. During the invasion of Grenada in 1983, SEAL teams were tasked with reconnaissance of the airfields at Salinas where US Army Rangers were tasked with capturing. Logistical errors and poor planning hindered the mission, forcing the Rangers to parachute into a hot drop zone without the necessary intelligence. Other teams were sent after a radio station and the Governor's House. Both teams secured their objectives but were hit by strong enemy counterattacks. They lacked the necessary air-support to defend their prizes and the radio station was retaken. Despite the early SEAL successes in Vietnam, they once again had their noses bloodied and they needed to learn.
Many lessons were learned and applied for the Invasion of Panama in 1989 where SEALs were tasked with destroying dictator Manuel Noriega's routes of escape, a personal jet and yacht. SEAL divers succeeded in destroying the yacht from the water and escaped without loses but the platoon assigned to the plane wasn't as lucky. The SEALs encountered heavy resistance and took several casualties. The plane was destroyed but at the cost of 4 dead and 8 wounded.18
US Navy SEALs during Desert Storm
Image from US Navy SEAL Missions
(http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspx#.UMPirYO_HnY)
The SEALs had little time to rest though as the situation in the Persian Gulf descended into war. SEAL teams were deployed into the area to keep the sea lanes open for oil shipments while Iraq and Iran battled for control. After Iraq invaded Kuwait, it was back to reconnaissance missions. SEAL teams were tasked with gathering intelligence on the shores of Kuwait and identify a suitable landing site for an amphibious invasion. Although Desert Storm became a pure ground war, the SEALs created a diversion on the coast to mimic an invasion. This deception kept Iraqi forces focused on the sea and not the coalition forces on their flanks. SEAL actions bought the coalition valuable time in their offensive and helped make Desert Storm a complete success. 19
Many lessons were learned and applied for the Invasion of Panama in 1989 where SEALs were tasked with destroying dictator Manuel Noriega's routes of escape, a personal jet and yacht. SEAL divers succeeded in destroying the yacht from the water and escaped without loses but the platoon assigned to the plane wasn't as lucky. The SEALs encountered heavy resistance and took several casualties. The plane was destroyed but at the cost of 4 dead and 8 wounded.18
US Navy SEALs during Desert Storm
Image from US Navy SEAL Missions
(http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspx#.UMPirYO_HnY)
The SEALs had little time to rest though as the situation in the Persian Gulf descended into war. SEAL teams were deployed into the area to keep the sea lanes open for oil shipments while Iraq and Iran battled for control. After Iraq invaded Kuwait, it was back to reconnaissance missions. SEAL teams were tasked with gathering intelligence on the shores of Kuwait and identify a suitable landing site for an amphibious invasion. Although Desert Storm became a pure ground war, the SEALs created a diversion on the coast to mimic an invasion. This deception kept Iraqi forces focused on the sea and not the coalition forces on their flanks. SEAL actions bought the coalition valuable time in their offensive and helped make Desert Storm a complete success. 19
Iraq and Afghanistan
After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, Navy SEAL units were rapidly deployed to Afghanistan. While US Army Special Forces and CIA teams were fighting alongside the Northern Alliance, SEALs moved into southern Afghanistan. The established the first US base at Camp Rhino and were quickly operating against the Taliban insurgency. SEAL teams would move out from the base and patrol for locations on Al Qaeda or Taliban forces. They would observe villages and transportation routes for enemy activity. When enough actionable intelligence had been gathered, the SEALs would raid the area and eliminate any hostile forces. They would capture enemy weapons catches and explosives, resulting in the destruction of 500,000 pounds of enemy supplies.
Iraq saw the continued use of SEALs against strategically important targets. The opening hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) consisted of SEAL teams capturing offshore oil platforms and securing the Khawr Abd Allah and
US Navy SEAL in Afghanistan. Az Zubayr waterways. citation These actions prevented a massive environmental disaster like Desert Storm when Image from US Navy SEAL Missions Saddam Hussein set fire to the oilfields. This would be the last of their conventional style operations. As the Iraqi (http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals- insurgency took hold, the SEALs were back to direct action raids and special reconnaissance.
missions.aspx#.UMPo6oO_HnY)
SEALs have continued to provide a direct action for that conducts raids against High Value Targets in the Al Qaeda and Taliban command structure. Utilizing intelligence from their own special reconnaissance missions and information gathered from other sources in the intelligence community, they have been important in eliminating the terrorist networks. While most of these operations remain classified, one main operation has been made known to the public, Operation Neptune Spear. After CIA operatives had identified a 50-50 chance at the location of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, they called in the elite Naval Warfare Special Warfare Development Group or DEVGRU. The men of DEVGRU or formerly known as SEAL Team Six, are the elite members of the SEAL community. They have been trained extensively in counter-terrorism and raids against High Value Targets. The raid on bin Laden was the one they had trained for. The operation on May 2nd, 2011, had the platoon of SEALs fly by helicopter deep into Pakistan to Abbottabad. Despite poor weather delaying the mission by 24 hours and one helicopter crashing on the target building, the mission was a success with no American casualties and Osama bin Laden killed.
Iraq saw the continued use of SEALs against strategically important targets. The opening hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) consisted of SEAL teams capturing offshore oil platforms and securing the Khawr Abd Allah and
US Navy SEAL in Afghanistan. Az Zubayr waterways. citation These actions prevented a massive environmental disaster like Desert Storm when Image from US Navy SEAL Missions Saddam Hussein set fire to the oilfields. This would be the last of their conventional style operations. As the Iraqi (http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals- insurgency took hold, the SEALs were back to direct action raids and special reconnaissance.
missions.aspx#.UMPo6oO_HnY)
SEALs have continued to provide a direct action for that conducts raids against High Value Targets in the Al Qaeda and Taliban command structure. Utilizing intelligence from their own special reconnaissance missions and information gathered from other sources in the intelligence community, they have been important in eliminating the terrorist networks. While most of these operations remain classified, one main operation has been made known to the public, Operation Neptune Spear. After CIA operatives had identified a 50-50 chance at the location of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, they called in the elite Naval Warfare Special Warfare Development Group or DEVGRU. The men of DEVGRU or formerly known as SEAL Team Six, are the elite members of the SEAL community. They have been trained extensively in counter-terrorism and raids against High Value Targets. The raid on bin Laden was the one they had trained for. The operation on May 2nd, 2011, had the platoon of SEALs fly by helicopter deep into Pakistan to Abbottabad. Despite poor weather delaying the mission by 24 hours and one helicopter crashing on the target building, the mission was a success with no American casualties and Osama bin Laden killed.