World War II US Navy Special Warfare Units
World War II US Navy Special Warfare Units

Author: Eugene Liptak

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2014-10-20

Total Pages: 147

ISBN-13: 1780960557

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With the need for large-scale amphibious landings to decide the outcome of World War II the US Navy developed several types of specialized unit to reconnoitre potential landing areas, degrade the enemy's ability to resist, and assist the landing forces on to the beaches. The Scouts and Raiders were the forerunners of the SEALs, Beach Jumpers made elaborate simulated landings to distract the enemy, the Naval Combat Demolition Units and Underwater Demolition Teams cleared obstacles to amphibious landings and Naval Group China fought alongside Chinese guerrillas behind Japanese lines. This book uncovers the fascinating history of these units, the unique gear they went into theatre with and the vital roles they carried out throughout the war.

US Navy Special Warfare Units in Korea and Vietnam
US Navy Special Warfare Units in Korea and Vietnam

Author: Eugene Liptak

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-11-25

Total Pages: 136

ISBN-13: 1472846931

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During the Korean War and the Vietnam War, US Navy Special Warfare units played a variety of vital combat roles amid two of the deadliest conflicts of the Cold War. In Korea, underwater demolition teams (UDTs) surveyed beaches for amphibious operations, cleared sea mines from harbors, conducted seaborne raids against inshore targets, and served as scouts for the infiltration of Korean guerrillas and British Royal Marine Commando raids along the North Korean coast. In South Vietnam, UDTs surveyed beaches and demolished Viet Cong bunkers, supply caches, and river obstacles in the Mekong Delta. The SEALs (Sea Air Land teams) deployed entire platoons into the Mekong Delta and the Rung Sat Special Zone to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Viet Cong that included ambushes, reconnaissance, and capturing leaders and supply caches. In addition, the SEALs also played important roles in the Phoenix Program and in rescuing prisoners of war. Fully illustrated throughout, this study explores how the US Navy's specially trained naval commandos accomplished their missions in Korea and Vietnam.

Scouts and Raiders
Scouts and Raiders

Author: John B. Dwyer

Publisher: Praeger

Published: 1993-03-17

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13:

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The history of the Scouts & Raiders of World War II is the story of the original ancestors of today's elite SEAL teams. As the Navy's first special warfare commandos these highly trained and skilled officer/enlisted boat crews conducted pre-assault recons of landing beaches, hydrographic recons, marked assault beaches, and guided in assault waves from 36-foot Scout boats, rubber boats, and kayaks at North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Southern France, and Normandy, earning numerous decorations for heroism, including 8 Navy Crosses. In the Mediterranean, S&Rs trained elite units such as Rangers and the 1st Special Service Force, and were assigned to Special Operations Task Group 80.4 and the Adriatic Special Operations Group, working with Allied units supporting Tito's partisans. In the Pacific, S&Rs served as Scout Intelligence Officers, Amphibious Scouts, Beachmasters, and with Underwater Demolition Teams with 5th and 7th Amphibious Forces from Kwajalein to Okinawa and in the Philippines campaign. They served in Admiral Milton Miles' U.S. Naval Group, China, training Nationalist Chinese guerrillas, participating in raids and ambushes and conducting behind-the-lines overland recons, disguised as coolies to escape detection by Japanese forces. Highly trained, skilled and brave, the Scouts & Raiders were the Navy's first special warfare commandos. This book will be useful for anyone interested in military/naval history, amphibious operations and special warfare. It tells, for the first time, the story of the Scouts & Raiders, a unique World War II unit.

The SBS in World War II
The SBS in World War II

Author: Gavin Mortimer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-09-20

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 1472804813

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A gripping history of Britain's Special Boat Squadron in World War II, drawing on veteran interviews and including rare photographs from the SAS Regimental Association. The Special Boat Squadron was Britain's most exclusive Special Forces unit during World War II, and yet its exploits have been largely forgotten. This book tells its story. Highly trained, totally secretive and utterly ruthless, the SBS was established as an entity in its own right in early 1943. Unlike its sister unit, which numbered more than 1,000 men, the SBS never comprised more than 100. Led by men such as the famed Victoria Cross recipient Anders Lassen, the SBS went from island to island in the Mediterranean, landing in the dead of night in small fishing boats and launching savage hit and run raids on the Germans. Through unrivalled access to the archives of the SAS Regimental Association and interviews with the surviving members of the unit, Gavin Mortimer has pieced together the dramatic feats of this elite fighting force. In this new and updated paperback edition, featuring additional content including new text and photographs, the unit and its members are finally granted the recognition that they so richly deserve.

Shadow Warriors
Shadow Warriors

Author: Dick Camp

Publisher: Zenith Press

Published: 2013-07-14

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 0760344299

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"[This author] recounts the origins and special training of the Raider battalions and tells exciting stories of Marines behind enemy lines in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific"--P. [4] of cover.

The Frogmen of World War II
The Frogmen of World War II

Author: Chet Cunningham

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2007-11-01

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 1416595805

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The exciting story of the Navy's Underwater Demolition Team—also known as the Frogmen of WWII—who were the precursors to today's Navy SEALs, in their own words. As countless battlefronts in the Pacific, African, and European theaters called for direct amphibious assaults against islands and beachheads, a small corps of exceptionally skilled fighting men was formed—the U.S. Navy underwater warriors. Beginning in 1943, these men undertook never-before-attempted missions ranging from eye-to-eye recon of enemy-held positions to staging the demolition of shoreline obstacles and clearing the way for landing craft. Here, in their own words, are the true stories of these aquatic commandos, whose daring exploits and bravery would pave the way for thousands of American fighting men around the globe—and whose revolutionary training and fighting methods would evolve into the modern special forces known as the Navy SEALs.

Oppose Any Foe
Oppose Any Foe

Author: Mark Moyar

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 2017-04-25

Total Pages: 442

ISBN-13: 0465093019

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The epic story of America's most elite warriors: the Special Operations Forces. Born as small appendages to the conventional armies of World War II, the Special Operations Forces have grown into a behemoth of 70,000 troops, including Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Special Operations Marines, Rangers, and Delta Force. Weaving together their triumphs and tribulations, acclaimed historian Mark Moyar introduces a colorful cast of military men, brimming with exceptional talent, courage and selflessness. In a nation where the military is the most popular institution, America's Special Operations Forces have become the most popular members of the military. Through nighttime raids on enemy compounds and combat advising of resistance movements, special operators have etched their names into the nation's registry of heroes. Yet the public knows little of the journey that they took to reach these heights, a journey that was neither easy nor glamorous. Fighting an uphill battle for most of their seventy-five year history, the Special Operations Forces slipped on many an occasion, and fell far on several. Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama have enthusiastically championed Special Operations Forces, but their enthusiasm has often surpassed their understanding, resulting in misuse or overuse of the troops. Lacking clearly defined missions, Special Operations Forces have had to reinvent themselves time and again to prove their value in the face of fierce critics-many of them from the conventional military, which from the start opposed the segregation of talent in special units. Highlighting both the heroism of America's most elite soldiers and the controversies surrounding their meteoric growth, Oppose Any Foe presents the first comprehensive history of these special warriors and their daring missions. It is essential reading for anyone interested in America's military history-and the future of warfare.

Apollo's Warriors
Apollo's Warriors

Author: Michael E. Haas

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 1998-05

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 9780788149832

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Presenting a fascinating insider's view of U.S.A.F. special operations, this volume brings to life the critical contributions these forces have made to the exercise of air & space power. Focusing in particular on the period between the Korean War & the Indochina wars of 1950-1979, the accounts of numerous missions are profusely illustrated with photos & maps. Includes a discussion of AF operations in Europe during WWII, as well as profiles of Air Commandos who performed above & beyond the call of duty. Reflects on the need for financial & political support for restoration of the forces. Bibliography. Extensive photos & maps. Charts & tables.

Spec Ops
Spec Ops

Author: William H. McRaven

Publisher: Presidio Press

Published: 2009-02-04

Total Pages: 433

ISBN-13: 030754723X

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Vice Adm. William H. McRaven helped to devise the strategy for how to bring down Osama bin Laden, and commanded the courageous U.S. military unit that carried it out on May 1, 2011, ending one of the greatest manhunts in history. In Spec Ops, a well-organized and deeply researched study, McRaven analyzes eight classic special operations. Six are from WWII: the German commando raid on the Belgian fort Eben Emael (1940); the Italian torpedo attack on the Alexandria harbor (1941); the British commando raid on Nazaire, France (1942); the German glider rescue of Benito Mussolini (1943); the British midget-submarine attack on the Tirpitz (1943); and the U.S. Ranger rescue mission at the Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines (1945). The two post-WWII examples are the U.S. Army raid on the Son Tay POW camp in North Vietnam (1970) and the Israeli rescue of the skyjacked hostages in Entebbe, Uganda (1976). McRaven—who commands a U.S. Navy SEAL team—pinpoints six essential principles of “spec ops” success: simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed and purpose. For each of the case studies, he provides political and military context, a meticulous reconstruction of the mission itself and an analysis of the operation in relation to his six principles. McRaven deems the Son Tay raid “the best modern example of a successful spec op [which] should be considered textbook material for future missions.” His own book is an instructive textbook that will be closely studied by students of the military arts. Maps, photos.