An in-depth, behind-the-curtain look at one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. Part 1 takes us through the incredible history of the SEAL's predecessors in WWII and Korea--the underwater demolition teams that helped secure the beaches of Normandy and the Pacific--through their evolution into elite warriors, fighting in the jungles of Vietnam, the formation of SEAL Team 6, executing secret missions in Panama and Grenada, all the way up to 9-11-- the event that will change the way America fights wars.
A look at how the SEALs were instrumental in the battle of the War on Terror, where they undertook missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and executed high-profile rescues of Captain Phillips from pirates and Jessica Buchanan in Somalia, plus the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan.
Disciplined, determined, and deadly: Navy SEAL snipers may well be the most dangerous predators on earth. Their exhaustive training not only makes them world-class marksmen, but also experts in small arms combat under every conceivable condition. But most importantly, SEAL snipers develop the experience, judgement, and temperament to make split-second, life-or-death decisions: take the shot, or not?
Before any enemy can be destroyed, it first has to be found. Reconnaissance is one of the SEALs’ many areas of expertise. Their training includes extreme stealth, camouflage tactics and most importantly, operating on their own in hostile environments. SEAL SR teams remain invisible while gathering Intel on the target–then strike with lethal force when the moment is right. While the main purpose of reconnaissance is to hide and watch, SEAL history has shown this mission can turn deadly in an instant.
A terrorist insurgency turns Iraqi cities into cauldrons of violence, but the Navy SEALs help turn the tide. Street fighting is notoriously chaotic, confusing and violent, but the SEALs expertise in small-unit tactics, physical endurance and sheer grit make them an invaluable asset to the U.S. Army and Marines. Teaming up with conventional forces, the SEALs participate in "clear-and-hold" operations against a determined, ruthless foe: Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The Navy SEALs pursue America's enemies all across the globe, hunting down the worst of the worst and bringing them to justice. Working together with U.S. intelligence agencies, as well as conventional forces and coalition allies, the SEALs are unmatched in their abilities to find, to fix and to finish the enemy.
Extreme training and combat expertise are only part of what make the SEALs the world’s most effective fighting force. What truly sets them apart is their warrior ethos: a code of honor combining courage, discipline, and unhesitating willingness to risk life and limb to accomplish the mission or aid a fallen fellow soldier. This ethos has been tested like never before over the last two decades, with relentless, unprecedented periods of combat in which the SEALs have played out an outsized role. Many SEALs carry permanent injuries, and many have lost their lives–but none of them regret helping defend their nation and their brothers in arms.
Whether it is one of their own, or a civilian caught in the chaos of war, combat rescue is one of the most important–and dangerous–roles at which the Navy SEALs excel. Using the three traits they are best known for–speed, surprise and violence of action, the SEALs are sent across the globe to take on rescue missions few others would dare attempt. From the jungles of Vietnam to the mountains of Afghanistan, the SEALs have proved time and again that when it comes to risking their own lives to bring the good guys back home, they are a breed apart.
