Daniel submitted a report on May 27 that suggested an organization, outlined a detailed training prospectus, and recommended equipment needed to supply an operational unit. These men were given a four-week course of instruction and sent immediately to participate in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, which occurred that July and August.

Six officers and 18 enlisted men reported for training at Solomons on May 14, 1943, and all came from the Seabee training camp at Camp Peary, Va. Daniel was selected as officer in charge, and the second phase of the project was very much contingent on the success of the first вЂ“ so he had a lot riding on his shoulders. 1, which was to be formed at the Amphibious Training Base, Solomons, Md. The first phase began with a letter to the Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks directing dispatch of eight officers and 30 enlisted men for duty with the Operational Naval Demolition Unit and Naval Combat Demolition Unit No. On May 6, 1943, the вЂњNaval Demolition ProjectвЂќ was directed by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) вЂњto meet a present and urgent requirement.вЂќ The CNOвЂ™s directive outlined a two-phase project. While the great majority of training was conducted at Fort Pierce, recently discovered documentation now portrays a larger picture. This story was perpetuated by newspaper articles and books written during the postwar period, and, as a result, it became the common understanding among the SEAL and UDT men for decades thereafter. There was for many years a prevailing understanding that UDT and SEAL Team origins derived from a school and training program set up at the Amphibious Training Base (ATB) at Fort Pierce, Fla., in June 1943. They were the Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, formed in August 1942 for amphibious reconnaissance and commando operations in Europe and the South Pacific Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDUs), assault demolitioneers formed in June 1943 and trained almost exclusively for beach obstacle-clearance operations at Normandy and Southern France Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs), combat swimmers formed in December 1944 to conduct hydrographic reconnaissance and demolition of obstacles before amphibious landings throughout the Pacific and the maritime operators of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Navy SEALs trace their capability origins back to four formidable legacy units formed during World War II. But who are these men? What is their heritage? And what is it that separates them from all others? From World War II and into the modern-day conflict, very exceptional men have volunteered for some very tough assignments, and many have made the ultimate sacrifice. Men donвЂ™t get assigned to a SEAL Team they volunteer for this routinely extreme and often arduous duty. Sadly, too, there have been equally devastating missions, including June 28, 2005, when 11 other terrific SEALs lost their lives вЂ“ also in Afghanistan вЂ“ during a foiled mission and doomed rescue attempt, where another Chinook crashed with all aboard. As a former SEAL Team operator, and with a son currently serving as a SEAL, this kind of news is simply the worst. This happened when their CH-47 helicopter crashed after being hit with a rocket-propelled grenade in AfghanistanвЂ™s eastern Wardak province. Army air crew, and an Afghan security element. Navy SEALs along with five other Naval Special Warfare (NSW) personnel, Air Force Special Operations support personnel, U.S. 6, 2011, to learn the devastating news that our nation had lost 17 courageous U.S. Most of us woke up on the morning of Aug. This article was originally published on Dec 28, 2011.

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