U.S. Navy SEALs 101

The U.S. Navy SEALs—named for the three environments from which they operate (Sea, Air, and Land)—was organized and created during World War II and has taken the lead in many special operations missions protecting the United States over the past seventy years. In this quick read, Hans Halberstadt offers an overview of various SEAL teams, including Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), and Special Warfare Command (SPECWARCOM), detailing their headquarters, training tactics, and place within the SEAL organization. He describes the typical skillset of a Navy SEAL, the different types of missions they carry out, and the shifting role of the SEALs since their official inception fifty years ago. Halberstadt goes on to explain how the history of American naval combat in WWII and the Korean War led to the official formation of the SEALs in 1962 with support from then-President John F. Kennedy. Finally, he narrates short stories of intense SEAL assignments carried out in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and the Persian Gulf. With black-and-white photos throughout, the centerpiece of this gripping quick read is the tale of an ambush against decorated Captain Bob Gormly’s SEAL platoon in Vietnam.