Aug 4, 2025 | NSW Historical Perspectives
Navy SEALs and Extortion 17 The Largest Single-Day Loss of Life During the War in Afghanistan By CDR (SEAL) Tom Hawkins, USN (Ret.) On 6 August 2011, the shooting down of a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter, call sign “Extortion 17” (pronounced “One Seven”),...
Aug 1, 2025 | NSW Historical Perspectives
Navy SEALs and the 1990 Gulf War By CDR (SEAL) Tom Hawkins, USN (Ret.) On 2 August 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s military forces invaded Kuwait, resulting in the deployment of a 33-nation coalition to stem Iraq’s aggression. Operation DESERT SHIELD was...
Mar 9, 2023 | NSW Historical Perspectives
The Teams Korea and Early 1960s By CDR (SEAL) Tom Hawkins, USN (Ret.) Although they survived doctrinally, the Navy’s post-World War II manpower reductions resulted in cutting the Underwater Demolition Teams by almost 95 percent. Austere budgets also hindered expanded...
Mar 7, 2023 | NSW Historical Perspectives
U.S. Navy “Seawolves” South Vietnam 1966-1972 Most Decorated Navy Squadron of the Vietnam War By CDR (SEAL) Tom Hawkins, USN (Ret.) The Navy SEAL Museum has undertaken a project to refurbish a Bell UH-1B “Seawolves” helicopter for display on the grounds of the museum....
Mar 7, 2023 | NSW Historical Perspectives
SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams Operations and Innovations By CDR (SEAL) Tom Hawkins, USN (Ret.) In a Navy Training Plan (NTP) developed the 1970s in parallel with major Naval Special Warfare development programs, it was envisioned that each UDT and SEAL Team would be...
Mar 7, 2023 | NSW Historical Perspectives
Combatant Submersibles – Part II A Photographic History: 1947 – 1960 By CDR (SEAL) Tom Hawkins, USN (Ret.) The Winter 2022 edition of Fire in the Hole outlined the World War II period surrounding development and employment of combatant submersibles for maritime...
