RIP Richard Marcinko, 1st CO of Seal Team 6

[Akimbo]

Richard Marcinko passed away on Christmas Day at 81 years old. Condolences to his family, friends, and team mates.

 

[2stroketony]

Fair winds and following seas Dick.
The guy stirred controversy but made things better.
I remember the headlines and stories circulating in 1980 on about the new team and Red Cell missions. They got aboard the naval weapons station and held the CO and his wife hostage to prove it could be done.
They bought dozens of Tekna reg sets open purchase and took them home as expendable.
That started to push the regular Navy over the line and it was trouble for him henceforth.

 

[Akimbo]

They got aboard the naval weapons station and held the CO and his wife hostage to prove it could be done.

I remember an episode of JAG (TV series in the US) that was obviously inspired by that "demonstration". He was one tough sailor: YouTube videos

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Never read any of his books, but I have read Combat Swimmer: Memoirs of a Navy SEAL, which was written by his immediate successor at Seal Team SIX, Bob Gormly (who led the team during Grenada in 1983 and the 1985 attempt to grab the Achille Lauro hijackers). Gormly didn't paint a particularly flattering picture of Marcinko; if I recall Gormly claimed Marcinko admitted during their time in Vietnam that he wrote his own recommendations for combat awards (which Gormly characterized as well-deserved, but it's frowned upon to put in for awards yourself). Gormly describes SIX as having discipline issues and needing housecleaning when he took over in 1983; between some alleged procurement shenanigans and attempts by Marcinko to meddle with SIX after his departure it seems like the 1986 Red Cell incident at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach was the final straw.

Navy Weapons Base Guard, Wife Recall 30 Hours of Terror

A civilian security officer at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, who claims that he was kidnaped at his home and beaten during a military exercise last year, said Friday that the man who captured him should have been shot.

www.latimes.com

I suppose there's a certain element of hearsay to all that and there's no denying Marcinko had "been there and done that" in service to his country, but he perhaps had more swagger and disregard for the rules than was good for him or the service. The line between earned merit and self-hype can get blurred in those cases.

 

[AfterDark]

A real American war hero, maligned, framed and imprisoned by corrupt cookie pushers. Men like Richard Marcinko is why our country is great.

Do we still produce men like Marcinko?

Thank you Richard Marcinko, you live on in our country's history along with the others of your caliber! RIP.

 

[CT-Rich]

Never read any of his books, but I have read Combat Swimmer: Memoirs of a Navy SEAL, which was written by his immediate successor at Seal Team SIX, Bob Gormly (who led the team during Grenada in 1983 and the 1985 attempt to grab the Achille Lauro hijackers). Gormly didn't paint a particularly flattering picture of Marcinko; if I recall Gormly claimed Marcinko admitted during their time in Vietnam that he wrote his own recommendations for combat awards (which Gormly characterized as well-deserved, but it's frowned upon to put in for awards yourself). Gormly describes SIX as having discipline issues and needing housecleaning when he took over in 1983; between some alleged procurement shenanigans and attempts by Marcinko to meddle with SIX after his departure it seems like the 1986 Red Cell incident at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach was the final straw.

Navy Weapons Base Guard, Wife Recall 30 Hours of Terror

A civilian security officer at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, who claims that he was kidnaped at his home and beaten during a military exercise last year, said Friday that the man who captured him should have been shot.

www.latimes.com

I suppose there's a certain element of hearsay to all that and there's no denying Marcinko had "been there and done that" in service to his country, but he perhaps had more swagger and disregard for the rules than was good for him or the service. The line between earned merit and self-hype can get blurred in those cases.

I hope the couple won their lawsuit. I don’t see how beating up a civilian guard added to the effectiveness of the exercise.

 

[Bob Evans]

I was proud Dick wore Force Fins. A true American hero. Our friend Gene Kelly ran some of his operations.

operations.

 

[Catito]

A real American war hero, maligned, framed and imprisoned by corrupt cookie pushers. Men like Richard Marcinko is why our country is great.

Do we still produce men like Marcinko?

Thank you Richard Marcinko, you live on in our country's history along with the others of your caliber! RIP.

“…buying dozens of Tecka reg sets open purchase and taking home as expendable.” Not corrupt? Framed? Hearsay?

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Born to Raise Hell

Born to Raise Hell

people.com

 

[Wookie]

W

“…buying dozens of Tecka reg sets open purchase and taking home as expendable.” Not corrupt? Framed? Hearsay?

Working with then is a bigger PITA than working with commercial divers. Especially for a nuke. SEALs think they are the best. Nukes KNOW they are.