CHAPTER ONE
The U.S. Navy SEALs were born in the cauldron of the Pacific War, when the Underwater Demolition Teams were formed to help the Marines land on hostile shores with the minimum of casualties.
Above: On December 7, 1941 the Japanese launched a devastating attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor. Navy divers involved in the rescue and recovery operations at Pearl helped to form the basis for the first U.S. Navy Special Warfare Units.
When the majority of people hear the word “seal” being used, they most frequently think of that mammal which is held in strange affection throughout the world—furry, cute, and usually to be found in the catalogs of soft toy manufacturers. They do not think of something far from cuddly—the U.S. Navy SEAL. He is a very different beast, at home in (or on) the sea, in the air, or on the land—hence SEAL (SEa–Air–Land). The U.S. Navy SEALs are among the finest fighting troops anywhere in the world. They undergo a rigorous selection course that has seen whole classes of would-be SEALs eliminated from the program. They receive intensive and highly realistic training that enables them to operate with equal facility in boats, on land, or parachuting into their target area. They are well armed, very aggressive when the need arises, and incredibly resilient. The SEALs and their predecessors, the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs), have served with distinction since World War II. While much of what the SEALs do and have done is still shrouded in the secrecy associated with special forces, there is enough information available to create a picture of what these professional and courageous men do, as the United States’ “tip of the spear.”
Popular legend holds that the story of how naval special warfare originated is quite straightforward and runs along the following lines. After the devastating blow sustained in the Japanese attack against Pearl Harbor, the United States waged war on Japan with particular determination. By 1943, the tide had turned against the Japanese. The Battle of Midway had left the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet devastated and the U.S. armed forces had enjoyed other successes, including Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Coral Sea. At the Allied meeting held in Casablanca during January 1943, it was agreed that the defeat of Germany would be the prime objective, ahead of defeating Japan. However, offensive operations in the Pacific were to increase in intensity as well. By the late spring of 1943, planning was well in hand for an amphibious assault on Japanese-held territory sometime in November. The location for the operation was not an easy choice. Initially it was intended that the Marshall Islands should be the first objective but a lack of intelligence information about the defenses was not helpful. Furthermore, the relative proximity of Truk—a well armed Japanese stronghold—meant that the risk of a robust Japanese response could not be ruled out. Finally, although American forces were much stronger than they had been in December 1941, landing ships were in short supply and many of the vessels supporting the invasion were likely to be obsolescent. These factors persuaded the planners that they needed to launch the first assault against a target that could be taken with the resources available at the time. Focus
