Adam Schwarze is a student pursuing his ALM degree at Harvard, and concurrently serves as a United States Navy SEAL officer and lieutenant. Having previously served with the Marines (since his local Naval recruiting office was closed at the time he enlisted), Adam Schwarze has long maintained an interest in the Navy SEALs and their history.
The Navy SEALs started during World War II as specialty organized maritime commando units. These units were formed at the Amphibious Training Base in Virginia in 1942 as part of the preparation efforts for amphibious warfare operations. Two special-mission units were created at this time, both of which had the goal of performing specific missions in Operation TORCH, which was the invasion of North Africa by the Allied Forces.
Known as the Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, these units performed several activities during Operation TORCH. These included guiding ships throughout the mission, conducting pre-assault operations in Normandy leading up to D-Day, and infiltrating an area in Morocco under the cover of darkness.
The Amphibious Scouts and Raiders were supported by the Office of Strategic Services Operational Swimmers, Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT), Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons, and Naval Combat Demolition Units. None of these five groups currently exists, but they all played an instrumental role in the United States’ success during WWII.
President Kennedy officially established SEAL Teams One and Two in 1962. These teams were formed from existing UDT teams and served as the basis for a Navy Unconventional Warfare capability. Early SEAL teams served as a maritime counterpart to the Green Berets and were immediately deployed in Vietnam’s rivers, canals, and deltas.
The Navy SEALs started during World War II as specialty organized maritime commando units. These units were formed at the Amphibious Training Base in Virginia in 1942 as part of the preparation efforts for amphibious warfare operations. Two special-mission units were created at this time, both of which had the goal of performing specific missions in Operation TORCH, which was the invasion of North Africa by the Allied Forces.
Known as the Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, these units performed several activities during Operation TORCH. These included guiding ships throughout the mission, conducting pre-assault operations in Normandy leading up to D-Day, and infiltrating an area in Morocco under the cover of darkness.
The Amphibious Scouts and Raiders were supported by the Office of Strategic Services Operational Swimmers, Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT), Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons, and Naval Combat Demolition Units. None of these five groups currently exists, but they all played an instrumental role in the United States’ success during WWII.
President Kennedy officially established SEAL Teams One and Two in 1962. These teams were formed from existing UDT teams and served as the basis for a Navy Unconventional Warfare capability. Early SEAL teams served as a maritime counterpart to the Green Berets and were immediately deployed in Vietnam’s rivers, canals, and deltas.
