Special Ops: Four Accounts of the Military's Elite Forces

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Special Ops: Four Accounts of the Military's Elite Forces Page 69

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.

 

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