Amphibious Landings Tokyo Bay, 28 August – 2 September 1945

 On 20 August 1945 UDT 21 ( now SEAL Team Four) embarked onto the USS Begor from Guam. They were going to be part of the occupation force heading for Japan. On 28 Aug 1945 UDT 21 became the first U.S military unit to set foot on Japanese home soil. They were going to recon the landing beaches and ensure that that all fortifications were neutralized. When they landed, LCDR Edward P. Clayton, (back to camera) Commanding Officer UDT 21, was presented with the first sword surrendered to an American force on mainland Japanese. It was given to him by an Army Coastal Artillery Major (opposite Clayton), at Futtsu-Misaki Point, across from Yokosuka Naval Base. When word got back to macarthur that LCDR Clayton, had received what could be considered the official surrender of all troop on mainland Japan, he ordered that the sword is giving back, so the general could expect it. ( yes I am not a fan of the general)

The next day UDT 21 landed at Yokosuka Naval Base. They cleared the docks for the first U.S. warship to dock in Japan. The team remained in Tokyo Bay until 8 Sept.  Then it was tasked with locating the remaining Kamikaze, two-person submarines. With the end of the war, the navy draw-down from about 31 UDT teams to just two, one on each coast: UDT Baker and UDT Easy.

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