by Orr Kelly
RPG: Rocket-propelled grenade.
RPG7: A type of rocket-propelled grenade.
ruff puffs: Nickname for Vietnamese regional force soldiers.
Rung Sat Special Zone: See RSSZ.
RSSZ: Rung Sat Special Zone. An area between Saigon and the South China Sea where the SEALs conducted many of their operations, keeping open shipping lanes to Saigon.
SADM: Special atomic demolition munition. A forty-three-pound device small enough to be carried by a parachutist or delivered by a swimmer.
SAR: Search and rescue and the designation for a helicopter involved in such operations.
SatCom: See UHF/SatCom radio.
scrubber: The lime canister that removes carbon dioxide from exhaled gas in a closed-circuit diving rig.
SCUBA: Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Applied most often to the air tanks used by recreational divers but also applicable to more sophisticated systems used by SEALs.
SEAL: Name for navy frogmen, derived from Sea, Air, Land.
SDV: SEAL delivery vehicle, known earlier as swimmer delivery vehicle. A small vehicle capable of carrying up to eight combat swimmers. They are not shielded from the cold of the sea and must use breathing rigs.
Sea Wolf: Navy UH-1 helicopter gunships that often supported SEAL operations in Vietnam.
Seafloat: A SEAL base near Can Tho, in the southernmost part of Vietnam. It was based on barges anchored in a river. The base was later moved ashore and was known as Solid Anchor.
slick: A UH-1 Huey helicopter without the armament carried by a gunship.
Solid Anchor: A SEAL base near Can Tho, replacing the barge-based Seafloat.
Spectre: An AC-130 four-engine gunship carrying a 105mm howitzer and other guns. It succeeded the earlier AC-47 gunship.
SpecWar: Naval Special Warfare Command.
Spider hole: A concealed foxhole employed by VC or NVA soldiers.
Spooky: Nickname for the AC-47 gunship. Also known as Puff the Magic Dragon.
STAB: SEAL team assault boat.
Starlight Scope: A night vision device that intensifies ambient light.
static line jump: A parachute jump in which a line attached to the plane pulls the person’s rip cord, opening the chute. Also known as a rope jump.
Stoner machine gun: A light rapid-fire machine gun often carried by SEALs in Vietnam. It was not issued to other troops because of the care needed to maintain it properly.
Swedish: Swedish-made light machine gun used by SEALs in Vietnam.
T-10 Area: The northeastern section of the Rung Sat Special Zone, an area so dangerous that few Americans, except for SEALs, entered it.
T&E: Test and evaluation.
TOC: Tactical operations center.
turtle back: Term used when a swimmer lies on his back on the surface, swimming slowly and conserving his energy.
UCMJ: Uniform Code of Military Justice.
UDT: Underwater demolition team, the name given to navy frogmen in World War II in the Pacific. The first SEALs were drawn from UDT ranks and the UDT units were incorporated into the SEALs in 1983.
UHF/SatCom radio: A radio capable of using both ultra high frequency and satellite communications channels.
Uzi: An Israeli-made light machine gun.
VC: Viet Cong, local military units in South Vietnam allied with North Vietnam.
VCI: Viet Cong infrastructure.
Viet Minh: The Vietnamese force that opposed the French.
wet suit: A rubberized suit that helps keep a swimmer warm even though it is permeable to water.
XO: Executive officer. Second in command in any command.
INDEX
A Shau Valley, 341
Aberdeen Proving Ground, 40
AC-47 gunship, 96
Achille Lauro, 246, 247
Adams, R. F., 293–94
Admiralty Islands, 14, 15, 17
AFF (accelerated free fall), 301
Aitape, 14
America, USS, 245
Anderson, Lloyd G., 13
Angkor Wat, 189, 190
Antoine, Frank, 155–57
Apollo 11, 58
Apollo 12, 63
Apollo 13, 63
Apollo 14, 58–61
Armstrong, William J., 13
Atkinson, Solomon D., 93
Australia, 14
Bahrain, 68, 212
Bailey, Larry, 118–19, 125–30
Bailey, Mike, 334–35
Baltic Sea, 250–52, 256, 257, 266
Banfield, Roger C., 67–68
Barndance card, 94, 96, 98, 123, 175
Barnes, Jim, 78, 82
Bassac River, 125
Beck, William G., 188
Beirut, 314, 315
Bennett, Michel, 58, 168, 211, 349
Bent, Christopher O., 55
Berry, Fred T., 219–20
Biak, 17–18
Binh Thuy, 131, 145, 159
Birkey, Sam, 233, 235, 236
Birtz, Pierre, 42
Black Ponies, 145, 182
Blackhawk helicopter, 316
Boehm, Roy, 325
Boesch, Marjorie E., 284
Boesch, Rudy, 41, 280, 284, 338
Borneo, 13, 17, 21
Bosiljevac, T. L., 1
Bosnia, 344
Boston Whaler, 78, 209, 308
Bouchard, Bob, 333
Boynton, Mike, 42–43, 112
Bracken, Tommy, 215
Braly, Sam W., 120, 121, 129
Brewton, John C., 91–94, 98–108
Bright Light, 178
Brown, Rick, 204–05, 208, 209
Bruhmuller, William N., II, 41, 45–46, 120–27, 333, 336
Bryson, A. Y., 103, 105, 106
Bucher, Lloyd M., 221
BUD/S (basic underwater demolition/SEALs training), 151, 207
Bump, Charles, 43–44
Burwell, Lowell E., 91, 98, 101–03, 108, 336, 339
Butcher, Kenneth, 312–13
C-4 explosive, 166, 179, 219
Callahan, John, 78
Camau, 103
Cambodia, 188, 190, 191–92, 199, 200
Camp McGill, 33
Can Tho, 122, 125
Cape Kennedy, 52, 55
Carlock, Rocky, 299
Carter, Jimmy, 245
Cavala, USS, 244
China, 35, 92, 103, 161–62
Chinese, 32, 34, 36
Chinnampo, 31
Cho Lach, 138, 139
Christopher, Robert D., 104–07
Chuting Stars, 271, 272
CIA, 42, 43, 218
Clapp, Roger, 142–43
Clark, Robert P., 91, 104, 276
Clendenning, Robert, 216
Combat Talon, 252
Conger, Bob, 229, 233
Coral Sea, USS, 245
Coronado, 29, 30, 80, 132, 138, 141, 211, 214, 215, 239, 241, 246, 272, 273, 293, 295
Cousins, James C., 215
Crumbo, Kim H., 150–51
CTF-116, 136
Cua Viet River, 172
Da Nang, 75, 172, 173, 179
d’Avout, François, 250, 251, 267
Dam Neck, 328, 330
Das Boot, 256
Davis, Hershel, 2, 7, 184
Dawson, William L., 11
DevGru (Naval Special Warfare Development Group), 298, 299
Devine, David E., 135
Devine, John A., 25
DeVries, Cornelius C., 13
Dien Bien Phu, 200, 220
DMZ, 71, 74, 75
dogs, 39, 95, 333–37, 341
dolphins, 211–14
Dominican Republic, 40, 45
Dong Tarn, 114
Dow, Neil G., 52
Draeger breathing apparatus, 252, 253, 267, 272
Dry, Melvin, 225, 229–32, 234, 235, 238
dry deck shelter, 226
Early, Bill, 78, 333
East Germany, 259
Eckernfōrde, 266
Edwards, Tom, 225, 232, 235,
236, 237
82d Airborne Division, 40
El Centra, Calif., 302
Ellis, Doug, 103
Eskridge, Harrison G., 13
Esmoil, Caleb, 265
Farmer, Lance G., 150–51, 180
fast-roping, 263
Fetzko, Frank, 204
Fisher, Robert, 26
fishnets, 34
Flying Fish, USS, 218
Flynn, Cathal, 214
Flynn, Frank, 148, 221
Folman, James J., 106
Fort Pierce, 12–14, 24, 30, 119
Fox, James Earl, 275, 293
Fox, Ronald G., 120, 121, 126
frogman, 7
Fulton, Robert E., Jr., 273, 274, 293–94
Fulton sky hook, 273–75, 293–94
Gallagher, Robert T., 42, 110–16, 123, 125, 128
Gemini, 51–53, 55–56
Glorietta Bay, 215–16
Gormly, Robert A., 130–31, 214, 299, 318, 320
Grabowski, Ted, 145
Grayback, USS, 218, 225–30, 233, 235–38, 243
Greenland, 37
Grenada, 300, 307, 314, 316, 318
Grissom, Virgil I., 52, 53
Gulf War, 212
HAHO (high altitude, high opening), 281, 296, 298, 302
Haiphong, 219, 220, 224, 239
Haise, Fred, Jr., 64
HALO (high altitude, low opening), 272, 277, 278, 290, 296
Hamilton, William, 211
Hawkins, Thomas, 172, 176, 203
Hell Week, 30–31, 151
HMMWV, 346, 347
Hoist, USS, 247
Hollandia, 18
Holmes, Thomas, 341
Hornet, USS, 58
Hulse, Joe, 278–79
humvee. See HMMWV
Inch’on, 31, 34
Iwo Jima, USS, 67
Jackson, Larry, 317
Janecka, Stan, 278–79
Japanese, 11, 16, 18–19, 22–27, 33, 81
Johnson, Lyndon B., 40
Kaine, Francis Riley, 11, 13, 17, 20
kamikaze, 19, 33
Kampf swimmers, 250, 260, 266
Kauffman, Draper L., 12–13, 24, 28
Keith, Roy, 158
Keith, Thomas H., 106, 340
Khe Sanh, 341
Khmer Rouge, 188, 190–200
Khy Hak, 189–93, 198, 199
Kiel, 266
King (dog), 336, 337
Kit Carson Scouts, 148
Klinghoffer, Leon, 248
Kochey, Fred, 119
Koenig, John, 317
Kompong Thom, 188–91, 193, 194
Kopeln, 251
Korean War, 30–31, 36
Kurit, Cheryl, 108
Kuwait, 344
Lai day, 93, 136–37, 143
LDNN, 156
Leap Frogs, 271, 272, 298
leeches, 340
LeMoyne, Irve C., 215
Leonard, Lt. Wellington, 315, 319
Leyte, 18
Libya, 242
limpet mine, 243
Lippe, Brian, 246
Little Bit (dolphin), 211, 214
LOLEX (low-level extraction), 329
Lovell, James A., Jr., 64
Luksik, Jack, 71, 155
lunar module (LM), 65
Lundberg, Kevin, 309, 313
Lutz, John, 225, 228, 231–33
Lynch, Frank, 25, 28
MacArthur, Douglas, 17, 18, 34
MacDill Air Force Base, 286
Macione, Jack, 37, 40, 46, 160, 165, 186, 289, 326
MACSOG (Military Assistance Command Studies and Observation Group), 179
MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam), 161
Maguire, Joseph, 250–60, 262–67
Marcinko, Richard, 117–31, 276, 295, 299, 315, 318
Mark 8 hose, 75, 170
Mark 8 SDV. See SDV
Martin, Philip, 223–24, 239, 241
Matos, Santos A., Jr., 283, 286, 287
McConnell, Steve, 233
McCoy, Alyin F., 101
McDivitt, James A., 52
McGrath, Tom, 233, 235
McGuire rig, 157
McNabb, Bobby, 314
Mekong River, 139, 330
Mercury, 51, 354
Messall, Edward A., 13
Mike boat, 80, 81, 99, 117, 119–23, 125, 126, 129, 168, 339
Military Assistance Command Studies and Observation Group. See MACSOG
Military Assistance Command Vietnam. See MACV
Morris, Stephen, 313
Moscow, 252
Murphy, Tom, 299
My Tho, 109, 125, 135
Naval Coastal Warfare Center, 29
naval combat demolition units, 12, 13
Naval Special Warfare Task Group Central, 344
Nealy, Richard C., 163, 166
Nepper, Rick, 342, 343
New Guinea, 13, 14, 20
Nha Be, 92, 103, 133, 134, 157–58, 172
North Island, 241
North Korea, 34
NVA, 73, 85, 101, 154, 179, 180
OAS (obstacle avoidance sonar), 205
Oceana, 278
Ogden, USS, 72
Okinawa, 11, 22, 25–28, 223–25
Olpenitz, 250, 251, 256
Olson, Norman, 77, 271
Operation Jackstay, 77, 79, 82
Owl, Everett W., 52
Palma, Luco W., 67
Panama, 250, 344
Panama City, Fla., 29, 125
Pandopony, Sam, 13
panty hose, 340, 343
parachute, 3, 57, 60, 67, 186, 252, 271–73, 278–79, 281–83, 286, 287, 289, 292, 294, 295–302, 307–09, 329, 335
Paracommander, 277
Parks, James L., 29, 218, 220
Patrick, Donny, 135–36
Pensacola, USS, 247
Pentagon, 98
Persian Gulf, 344, 346
Petersen, Robert W., 109, 112
Philadelphia Naval Hospital, 116
Philippines, 11, 15, 18, 19, 29, 224
Phnom Penh, 188, 196, 198, 199
Pierce, Alan H., 13
Pierce, Ron, 255, 260, 265, 266
Point Man, 119
Pope, Walter, 134
Port Hueneme, 14, 212
Prince (dog), 334–35
Prout, James Gregory, 99, 100
Prouty, Sandy, 142–46, 149–50, 153
Prusaek, Timmy, 320
PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), 136
Pueblo, USS, 221
Puerto Rico, 203, 218, 245, 251, 296
Pusan, 32
Putman, Bobby, 209, 210
P’yongyang, 34
Qaddafi, Mu‘ammar, 242–44
Ras al-Mishab, 344
Reagan, Ronald, 242, 245, 307
Red Cell, 118
Rhinebolt, Henry J., 123, 130, 131, 160
Robinson, Kenneth C., 125
Rodger, Ronald J., 124
Rogue Warrior, 118, 124, 130
ROK (Republic of Korea forces), 174
ruff puffs, 138, 139
Sabino, Michael, 210
Saigon, 77, 92, 103, 106, 144, 163, 172, 199
San Clemente, 30, 212, 218
Sandy, James D., 13
Saudi Arabia, 344
Schaible, Dave, 141
Schamberger, Robert, 300, 313
Schropp, Jack, 203
Schwartz, Paul T., 162
Scoon, Paul, 312, 316, 321
Scott, Lenny, 155, 156
SCUBA, 56, 272
SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicle), 29, 203–10, 215–16, 224, 225, 227–28, 229, 233, 237, 243, 244–45, 246, 247, 248
SDV Team TWO, 203, 244, 247
Sea Wolf, 95, 106, 113, 114, 138, 145, 151, 156–57, 177, 342
Seabees, 16, 22
Seafloat, 144–46, 147, 153, 168
SEAL Team ONE, 71, 133, 136, 142, 147, 155, 178, 179, 221
SEAL Team TWO, 40, 41, 45–46, 91, 94, 103, 109, 117, 135, 172, 249–52, 276, 295, 325, 326, 33
3
SEAL Team FIVE, 1
SEAL Team SIX, 2, 118, 248, 284, 295, 296, 307, 312, 314, 315, 318
SEAL Team EIGHT, 1, 218
Seoul, 34
sharks, 15, 313
Sick, Roger, 169
Siem Reap, 189
Simmons, Larry W., 1
Slimpa, Peter, 273–74
Somalia, 344
South China Sea, 92
South Vietnam, 67, 71, 92, 172, 220, 221, 333, 335
Soviet Union, 34, 243, 252, 256
Special Forces, 41, 42, 272
Spectre gunship, 312, 319–21
spot report, 113
STAB (SEAL team assault boat), 117–27, 129–31, 326, 328, 331, 332
Starlight Scope, 40, 41, 46, 143
Stoner, 8, 95, 97, 118, 134, 150
Subic Bay, 29, 77, 227
submarine, 3–4, 12, 14, 19, 33, 203, 213, 217–22, 225–29, 238, 242, 243–44, 245, 250–54, 255–258, 261, 288
Swigert, Jack, 64
T-10 area, 92, 98, 99, 103
target hypnosis syndrome, 291
Tan Son Nhut, 83, 161
Teap Ben, 189, 193–97
Tet, 158, 159, 338
Thailand, 199
Thomas, Tony, 178
Tollison, J. P., 123, 131
Tonkin Gulf, 239
Trani, Frederick E., 330
Troy, Mike, 81
turtle back, 258, 261
Tuure, Richard J., 42, 112, 113, 115
U Minh forest, 144
U-boat, 252–53, 254, 257, 259, 261
UDT One, 31–32
UDT Eleven, 21, 22–25, 26, 27–28, 31, 60
UDT Twelve, 31
UDT Thirteen, 21, 64
UDT Sixteen, 22, 23, 25–28
UDT Eighteen, 21
UDT Twenty-one, 52, 56
United Nations, 34, 41
Van Hoy, 134
VCI (Viet Cong infrastructure), 134, 142, 147
Viet Cong, 68, 77, 83, 84–86, 92–96, 104, 117, 118, 125, 142, 143, 149–51, 152, 155, 158, 159, 161–67, 172, 178, 185, 325, 326, 329, 332
Vung Tau, 142
Walker, Johnny, 295, 307
Wallace, Mike, 54
Wardrobe, James Eugene, 132, 141, 142, 147–51, 152
Wasp, USS, 52, 56
Watson, James, 119, 121–23, 128
Westmoreland, William C., 75, 161
Weyers, Maynard, 220–22, 225
White, Edward W., 52–53
Wilhide, Jonny N., 13
Williams, Charles, 251–67
Williams, Dillard, 13
Williams, Lawrence C., 68
Willis, Claude, 134
Wolfe, Richard, 151
Wonsan, 31, 35, 36
Woolard, Richard P., 91–99, 103–04, 107–08, 249, 299
Wright, Bill, 216
Yeaw, Ronald E., 2, 109–10, 113, 116
Young, John W., 52, 53
Zephyr Hills, 286, 287
Zumwalt, Elmo R., Jr., 108, 144
Hornet
To the late Rev. Edward Shipsey, S. J. … Jesuit, teacher, friend and wise man.