tip of the spear (pdf) - The Air Commando Association

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Tip of the Spear 32 Early Frogman (WWII) insignia sketch Underwater Demolition Teams prep demolition explosives during WWII By Petty Officer 2nd Clas Brian P. Biller, Naval Special Warfare Public Affairs January marked the 45th anniversary of the inception of the SEAL Teams. From those early days of the SEALs to today, it was the intense training and brother-like bond for their teammates that forged the core of the Naval Special Warfare community. Prior to 1962 there were forces in place which did some of the jobs of the SEALs, many whose roots and manpower were integral in the forming of the first teams. “The SEALs officially came from the Underwater Demolition Teams, but you can really trace the SEAL heritage back to the Scouts and Raiders and Naval Combat Demolition Units active only during World War II,” said Roger Clapp, Naval Special Warfare “When I went through I was the norm. I was a young kid, didn’t really fit into the college mold, and didn’t really want to start a 9-to-5 job - I wanted more. And now the young recruit comes in and usually has a college degree or some college. He’s a lot smarter, they ask a lot more questions, so the training has changed to meet what we need, but the rudimentary core elements of our training haven’t.” - Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Daniel Gearhart
SEALs in an early training shot Naval Combat Demolition Unit practicing carrying rubber raft Command Force Historian. “They needed 100 volunteers for this demolition outfit,” said retired Lt. Joseph DiMartino, who found himself a seventeen year-old seaman on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. DiMartino stayed in the community and eventually became one of the original members or ‘plank owners’ for SEAL Team Two. “It was a lot of training, I mean we had a line of schools we had to go through and they were fantastic,” he said. “Like Ft. Bragg special weapons, you know all kind of foreign weapons, HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachuting.” Back in the early days, the technology was not as advanced as today. “We had swim trunks, blue and gold shirts, coral shoes and a K-Bar,” said retired Master Chief Boiler Technician (SEAL) Peter Slempa Jr., SEAL Team One plank owner. “The only weapon reliable in the surf was the .45 cal. ‘Grease Gun’.” Slempa too echoed the rigorous training schedule. “The training pipeline was hectic,” he said. “We Saipan Invasion, June 1944, UDT in LCPR Crew members of UDT 10 on Submarine Burrfish at Peliliu (only UDT to use a submarine in WWII). UDTs prepare for combat swim on APB Fantail (WWII) Tip of the Spear 33
Page 2 and 3: Departments Tip of the Spear 2 Col.
Page 4 and 5: USSOCOM celebrates its 20th anniver
Page 6 and 7: aware of the dangers America faces,
Page 8 and 9: security for the camps, and Psychol
Page 10 and 11: Philippines and is almost exclusive
Page 14: Army Special Operations display are
Page 17 and 18: part of our history,” said Brown.
Page 19 and 20: task force. Gilpatrick was also res
Page 21 and 22: At the writing of this article, 7th
Page 23 and 24: Story by Lance Cpl. Joseph Stahlman
Page 25 and 26: teams have already deployed and ret
Page 27 and 28: for his career progression. He was
Page 29 and 30: The crash aftermath at Desert One.
Page 31: In 1987, Carney was hand-picked to
Page 35 and 36: SEALs patrol river environment SEAL
Page 37 and 38: (Opposite page, top left) Special W
Page 39 and 40: have to be trained in every possibl
Page 41 and 42: options to prosecute our targets di
Page 43 and 44: USSOCOM HEADQUARTERS SOF Memorial r
Page 45 and 46: We have many people familiar with s
Page 47 and 48: Q. Can you describe the Joint SOF W
Page 49 and 50: Col. William O. Darby, center, sitt
Page 51: who lost their lives g Freedom, Ira

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