From prepping the beaches of Normandy to inventing Hell Week the Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDUs) produced a dramatic and valuable legacy playing a short; but, essential role in the evolution of the SEAL teams. Normandy: The deadliest day in Naval Special Warfare’s history Approaching shore in small rubber boats ladened with explosives the brave men of the the Naval … [Read more…]
The MP5 sub machine gun is one of those guns that even non gun enthusiasts can easily recognize. It was a trailblazing cutting edge serious piece of military hardware when it was released in the mid 1960's. Even though over 40 years has passed and it's been largely replaced by reliable short barreled rifles like the AR15 based MK18 rifle by Daniel Defense, it still holds a … [Read more…]
Cry havoc… Since the time of Greece and the Roman Empire, the dog has been a valued and trusted member of the military. The Romans used a breed of Mastiff that is now extinct. Then, they covered their canines in armor with spiked collars and used them to wreak havoc on their enemies. The use of military dogs by the United States was largely an unknown to the general population … [Read more…]
There were 600 of them. All belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway's 9th Parachute Battalion, and were cramped aboard thirty two transport planes winging their way over the English Channel on this momentous night of June 6, 1944. They'd gone over their assignment during maneuvers, studying maps, and photographs and replaying everything they could remember in their … [Read more…]
Infiltrating secret agents, supplying resistance groups and engaging in sabotage was the job description of The Office of Strategic Services Maritime Unit (OSS MU). If we were to cite a single source that generated the attributes of modern day SEALs, and their missions, we wouldn’t need to look any further than the OSS MU. On July 11th, 1941 a former Army colonel named … [Read more…]
Submachine guns had been Russia's forte' during the Second World War, when several million copies were produced of the PPSH-41 and PPS-43 variants. With millions available, tactician's found that employment of such weapons spurred creation of a new doctrine of warfare, where firepower was favored over accuracy. This innovation would peak with the development of the AK-47 … [Read more…]
British Air Ministry engineer William Godfray De Lisle came up with the concept of an integrally suppressed rifle while working at home in 1942. He created a prototype chambered in .22 caliber and based on a Browning semi-automatic rifle to hunt small animals for food. After much success, he realized the extreme quiet of the rifle might fulfill his intended role for it, after … [Read more…]
“...We are what we repeatedly do, Excellence then is not an act but a habit” Aristotle One of the biggest questions we get here at SpecialOperations.com and over at SOFREP for the aspiring SOF candidates is, “What do I have to do to get Selected?” It is a legitimate question if a bit simplistic. There is no one specific thing that a candidate has to do to pass but many. … [Read more…]
Recommending gear is always a difficult proposition. Why? Because everyone is different, has different tastes, is built differently and certain gear that may work perfectly for one guy, won’t work a bit for someone else. Caveat aside, one thing that we’ve harped on is having comfortable, tough, versatile boots on your feet. In Special Forces, your boots and your feet are your … [Read more…]
The Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) is the principal SOF unit for Israel. Sayeret Matkal is also tasked with counter terrorism and hostage rescue beyond Israel’s borders. The unit is modeled after the British SAS. In the IDF it is known as “the Unit.” The Israeli Army’s Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Commando Unit) began life in 1957 as part of Aman … [Read more…]
A friend is leaving in a matter of days for basic training, followed by Airborne School and then on to one of our Special Operations Units where, hopefully, after he navigates the Selection and Assessment courses, will get qualified and serve as a member of one of our very best units in the force. But first comes basic training followed by advanced individual training, i.e. … [Read more…]
It may seem a little strange, having "Combat Weathermen", but in an age when so many operations involve airborne (para-) or helo-driven delivery of direct action and recce assets, knowing the weather to the last detail is imperative (consider the fact that the 173RD probably wouldn't have jumped when it was supposed to in the early days of the invasion of Iraq, if it hadn't … [Read more…]
