Specialoperations

The extraordinary exploits of the OSS Maritime Unit and the relentless bravery of men like Walter Mess laid the foundation for the modern Navy SEALs, blending raw ingenuity with a fearless spirit that still defines America’s most elite warriors today.

The FN FAL, known as ‘The Right Arm of the Free World,’ defined Cold War battlefields with its 7.62x51mm firepower, earning a place in military history as a symbol of freedom in the face of Soviet aggression.

Born from the failure at Eagle Claw and forged by handpicked shooters, DEVGRU is more than a test bed, it is the Navy’s quiet, exacting blade that takes the best of the SEALs, breaks them again in Green Team, and sends them to do the nation’s hardest work from the sea, air, or land.

Special Operations favors the one who thinks under fire, starts before he is told, and pulls others with him.

Sayeret Matkal is Israel’s most elite special operations unit. It has been setting special operations standards since its creation.

Flying with the Night Stalkers, whether fast-roping from a Black Hawk, thundering in a Chinook, or clinging to the skids of a Little Bird, showed me firsthand why these aviation professionals are the lifeline of America’s most elite warriors.

From singing to goats to reenacting Disney scenes, soldiers find humor and absurdity to survive the long, boring hours between the battles.

Rangers on Ambien at 36,000 feet—sleepwalking, eating unpeeled oranges, and even climbing the C-17 mid-flight.

Hanging by a cheek on an MH-6 Little Bird, a sniper recalls the cold, chaos, and grit of flying with the Night Stalkers.

MARSOC operators once hunted Taliban on motorcycles, turning enemy tactics into a deadly advantage in Afghanistan’s remote hills.

MARSOC Marine Raiders are the pointy end of the spear for the Marine Corps. Learn more with our complete guide written by special operators.

Special Forces history holds numerous obscure tales, like the unique joint US Special Forces-Russian Spetsnaz combat mission.