The Birth Of SEAL Team Six

Sarah Pruitt at History.com offers a piece on the birth of SEAL Team Six.

IF much of the history and operations of the U.S. Navy’s special operations forces, or Navy SEALs, remain shrouded in secrecy, that’s especially true for Team Six, the highly classified group that carries out some of the world’s most dangerous and difficult military missions. The Pentagon barely acknowledges the group’s existence, and doesn’t call it by the name Team Six; it’s officially known as the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, or DevGru for short. From World War II to today, we trace the history behind one of the nation’s most elite and most secretive military organizations.

You can read the rest of the piece and watch a video clip via the below link:

http://www.history.com/news/the-birth-of-seal-team-six

You can also read my Counterterrorism magazine piece on the history of the Navy SEALs via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2015/04/a-look-back-at-history-of-us-navy-seals.html

And you can read my Counterterrorism magazine piece on the WWII UDT frogmen who influenced the modern Navy SEALs via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2013/06/a-look-back-at-world-war-ii-us-navy.html

Happy Birthday To The U.S. Navy: 241 Years Of Protecting America.

Happy 241st birthday to the United States Navy.

Born in Philadelphia in 1775, the U.S. Navy has protected America throughout our history.

As the son of a WWII U.S. Navy UDT frogman and a former U.S. Navy enlisted sailor who served on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War, I'm proud of our history.

I'm also thankful for the diligence and sacrifice of our current U.S. Navy sailors who are "on watch" around the world.

You can learn more about the history of the U.S. Navy via the below link to the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command:

https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/commemorations-toolkits/navy-birthday/Highlightsandimages.html

As they say, you can take the boy out of the Navy, but you can't take the Navy out of the boy.

First SEALs: A Look Back At The WWII OSS Maritime Unit

Patrick K. O'Donnell, author of First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit, offers a piece on the World War II OSS Maritime Unit in National Review.

Today, the Navy SEALs are the stuff of Hollywood legend: The last two years alone have seen them featured in both Zero Dark Thirty and American Sniper. But few people know the history of America’s first swim commando teams. 

It all began with a kick in the ass. On the night of December 19, 1941, a 709-ton Auda-class Italian submarine surfaced in Alexandria Harbor, and six Italian frogmen mounted three miniature submersibles that contained massive warheads. Clad in wetsuits and wearing breathing devices, they each received a ceremonial kick in the backside from their commanding officer, Prince Junio Valerio Scipione Borghese, as they exited the submarine. Later called “The Black Prince,” Borghese was the leader of Decima MAS, an Italian special-operations unit that included these underwater swim commandos.

Invisible from the surface, these men entered the home of the British fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean and detonated their warheads, sinking two British battleships and a tanker. As a result of their daring attack, the balance of maritime power in that part of the world shifted, setting off an underwater arms race. Other nations rushed to develop their own capabilities and the means to support them.

The United States was perhaps the farthest behind when the need for this capability became apparent. In 1942, America didn’t have special-operations units. To solve that problem, the U.S. government turned to its Office of Strategic Services, or OSS. At the time, no technology for underwater combat swimming existed in a military-operational form in the American arsenal. The OSS Maritime Unit (MU) would have to develop it and the teams needed to use it, overnight — with a whopping budget of $500.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/397167/history-seals-patrick-k-odonnell

Note: In addition to the OSS' MU, the U.S. Navy also developed two groups who were also the forerunners of today's Navy SEALs. The Naval Demolition Unit (NDU) lead the way for the D-Day invasion of Europe, and the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) lead the way for the invasion of the Japanese-held islands in the Pacific.

You can read my Counterterrorism magazine piece on how the Underwater Demolition Team frogmen contributed to the forming of the modern Navy SEALs via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2013/06/a-look-back-at-world-war-ii-us-navy.html 

Happy Fathers Day To My Late Father

On this Fathers Day I'm thinking of my late father, Edward M. Davis, who died in 1976.

My father was a proud UDT frogman during World War Two (the old chief appears in the center of the above photo).

Wounded and medically discharged after the war, he became a lineman and an electrician. He was a good father.

Happy Fathers Day to my late father and all dads.

Note I wrote briefly about my father in a piece on the UDT orgins of Navy SEALs for Counterterrorism magazine. You can read the piece via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2013/06/a-look-back-at-world-war-ii-us-navy.html

A Look Back At Former Navy SEAL Marcus Lantrell's 'Lone Survivor'

In light of Peter Berg's Navy SEALs film Lone Survivor coming soon to the big screen, I'd like to offer my Counterterrorism magazine piece on former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell.

Peter Berg based his film on Marcus Luttrell's book.

I also wrote about the U.S. SEAL-UDT Museum in a sidebar to the Luttrell piece.

You can read the piece below:

Looking Back On Father's Day

On this Father's Day, I once again think back to my late father, Edward M. Davis.

He was an electrician, a lineman and a good father.

A member of what has been called "the Greatest Generation," my father stepped up and joined the U.S. Navy during World War II and became an Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) frogman.

I'm very proud of my father's World War II service.

I wrote briefly about my father in a magazine piece on the UDT frogmen and how they influenced today's modern SEALs.

You can read the piece via the below links:

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG3.jpg

Veteran's Day Is A Davis Family Affair

On this Veteran's Day my thoughts focus on my late father, Edward Miller Davis, who was a Chief Petty Officer and Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) frogman who fought in the Pacific during World War II.

My father (seen in the middle of his team in the above photo) was briefly mentioned in Francis Douglas Fane's The Naked Warriors and I briefly mentioned my father in a piece on the WWII frogmen and how they influenced today's Navy SEALs.

You can read the Counterterrorism magazine piece via the below links:

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG3.jpg

My older brother, Edward R. Davis, is also a veteran. He served in the U.S. Army in 1968-69 in Chu Lai, South Vietnam.

I'm a veteran as well, having served in the U.S. Navy on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War.

You can read an earlier post on my service to the country via the below link:

http://pauldavisoncrime.blogspot.com/2010/05/look-back-at-aircraft-carrier-uss-kitty.html

I'd like to salute all veterans and their families today.

U.S. Navy SEAL Raid On Bin Laden Reflects Tradition Of Grit, Secrecy

In light of the daring raid on Osama bin Laden by Navy SEALs, Bloomberg.com offers an interesting piece on the background and history of the SEALs.

You an read the piece via the below link:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-03/navy-seal-raid-on-bin-laden-reflects-tradition-of-grit-secrecy.html

You can also read a piece I wrote for Counterterrorism magazine on the SEALs via the below links:

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG2.jpg

92-Year-Old WWII Frogman Gets Grand Honor During Visit To National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum

TCPalm.com reports that Norval Nelson, a 92-year-old World War II veteran, was recently honored at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Nelson appears in the center of the above photo by Eric Hasert

Nelson was being honored as one the graduates of the Underwater Demolition Team School at the U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Station at Fort Pierce during World War II. He arrived under the auspices of Charity Stripe, an Illinois not-for-profit group that tries to fulfill final wishes, similar to the Make a Wish Foundation.

You can read more about Nelson's visit to the UDT-SEAL Museum via the below link:

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/apr/05/wwii-frogman-gets-grand-honor-during-visit-to-in/

My late father, Edward M. Davis, was also a graduate of the Underwater Demolition Team School during WWII and he went on to fight in the Pacific as a Chief in UDT 5. He passed away in 1976.

I wrote an article for Counterterrorism magazine about the WWII UDT frogmen and how the combat swimmers were the forerunners of today's Navy SEALs.

You can read the article via the below links:

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG3.jpg

You can also visit the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum's web site via the below link:

http://www.navysealmuseum.com/

Veterans Honored During Navy UDT-SEAL Muster XXV

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Trevor Andersen, Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Public Affairs

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (NNS) -- The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum hosted its annual Veterans Day ceremony and Muster XXV Nov. 6-7 at Fort Pierce, Fla.

The two-day celebration featured several events open to the public, including a 5K run, a memorial ceremony in honor of Veterans Day, and a live capabilities demonstration performed by East Coast-based Navy SEALs.

The Veterans Day ceremony included remarks from Adm. Eric Olson, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; Tom Norris, former SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient; and Chris Cassidy, a NASA astronaut and SEAL, who presented a challenge coin he carried with him on his recent space missions.

Retired SEAL Capt. Michael R. Howard, executive director of the museum, began the ceremony by recognizing naval special warfare personnel in attendance from every era of Navy special operations, beginning with World War II scouts and raiders, from underwater demolition teams, to present-day SEALs.

"This is a celebration of Veterans Day, first and foremost," said Howard. "I feel privileged to be part of the team that created a museum worthy of the great men it represents."

Fort Pierce has a significant place in the history and heritage of naval special warfare. Established in 1943 by Lt. Draper Kaufman, who is considered the father of naval combat demolition, the installation served as the very first training site for Navy frogmen.

"All SEALs, one way or another, can trace their lineage to Draper Kaufman and the training he established here," said Olson.

The festivities continued with a live capabilities demonstration by East Coast-based Navy SEALs, which showcased the specialized training and unique skills of naval special warfare operators. The SEALs demonstrated a fast rope insertion from a hovering helicopter, and performed a simulated fire-fight with role players.

Veterans and family members gathered at the beach just outside of the museum Nov. 7 to honor 82 members of the naval special warfare community, active duty and Retired, who have passed since last year.

At sunrise, retired chaplain, Capt. Robert Bedingfield, who currently serves as the museum's chaplain, read the names of all the 82 frogmen and led the crowd in prayer. A detail of SEAL swimmers then delivered the ashes of ten of the fallen to their final resting place at sea, in accordance with their wishes.

Following the muster, the museum board of directors hosted a dedication ceremony for the new UDT-SEAL memorial that took two years to research and build on the grounds of the museum.

The memorial featured a wall with the names of all 252 naval special warfare personnel who have died in the line of duty since WWII and a bronze statue of a UDT diver.

"Never has the country asked so much from so few, for so long," said Olson. "This memorial recognizes the human cost of extraordinary service."

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Below is an earlier post on the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum:

http://pauldavisoncrime.blogspot.com/2010/08/wwii-japanese-weapons-are-on-display-at.html

See the Declassified History of the U.S. Navy Frogmen at the UDT-SEAL Museum

The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida offers the declassified history of the World War II Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) frogmen and the modern Navy SEALs.

You can watch a good video about the UDT frogmen, the SEALs and the museum via the below link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLQU2jhk7YM&feature=related

My late father, Edward M. Davis (seen in the center of the above photo), was a World War II UDT frogman and he trained at Fort Pierce prior to seeing combat in the Pacific.

You can read my piece on the UDT frogmen and Navy SEALs that appeared in Counterterrorism magazine via the below links:

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/WWIIFrogmenJPG3.jpg

HBO's Taking Chance, a good film to watch on Memorial Day

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Every Memorial Day weekend, in between the barbecues, swimming, and laughing and drinking with friends and family, I try to think of the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country - they gave their lives in America's wars.

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I also try to watch a good war movie or two on TV over the Memorial Day weekend, which is my small way to honor those brave men and women.

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To kick off this Memorial Day, after my wife, my grown children and grandchild had gone to bed, I watched a midnight showing of Taking Chance.

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HBO offered a re-airing of their 2009 film about the true story of a Marine officer who escorted the body of Chance Phelps, an enlisted Marine who died in Iraq in 2004, home to be buried by his family.

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Kevin Bacon (seen in the below photo), a native Philadelphian, portrayed Lt Col. Mike Strobel, the officer who escorted Phelps home.

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Taking Chance was an intelligent and touching film. The film was a true tribute to our fallen Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen. I urge all to try and see this outstanding film.

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You can read about Taking Chance, via the below link:

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http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/02/marine_takingchance_022009w/

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Below is a photo of retired Lt. Col. Mike Stroble.

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Below is a photo of the late Lance Cpl. Chance Phelps.

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My late father, Edward M. Davis, served as a chief petty officer with the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) frogmen in World War II, and my older brother, Ed Davis, served in the U.S. Army in South Vietnam. Both of them were fortunate enough to come home from war, as did I, having served aboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War.

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But of course many American servicemen and women did not return home.

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We owe our freedom and liberty to those who sacrificed their lives defeating Nazism, Japanese imperialism, communism, Islamic fascism and other enemies of freedom.

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Memorial Day is a time to honor them.

First Memorial to Honor Fallen Navy SEALs and UDT Frogmen

The nation's first memorial dedicated to fallen Navy SEALs and Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) frogmen is being planned at the National Navy SEAL-UDT Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.

The planners hope that the memorial (seen in the above photo) will be unveiled on Memorial Day.

My late father, as I've noted here before, was a Navy chief and UDT frogman in World War II. He trained at Fort Pierce prior to hitting the Japanese-held beaches in the South Pacific.

Thankfully, he survived. This memorial will honor those UDT frogmen and Navy SEALs who died in combat in America's wars from World War II to the present.

You can read about the plans for the memorial here