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SCUBAPRO Sunday – Special Forces Watches in the NAM

Sunday, April 26th, 2020

When I first joined the Navy, they were switching from a version of the Type l, and ll to the Timex Iron man watches. I had never seen any of the Type l and ll, (Patch’s Watson had one he always had on at the reunions) but what I do remember is walking thru the compound and seeing one of the supply people sitting out onside with a hammer breaking all the watched that looked like type l and ll so that we could get more Timex. You can’t buy new ones until the old ones are gone. I have always heard that Rolex had made a watch for the Teams. I would love to have one of those watches, knowing the history of what it has seen, and it had been a part of.

The Benrus Type l and later the Benrus Type ll was explicitly made for US Special Forces. They were mainly a dive watch, but they did make ones for land navigation, but they were also waterproof. Here are two articles that talk about watches. Some of the most iconic pictures from the early days of SEAL teams and Special Forces, you can see them wearing the watches.

Even Aldo Ray wore one in the movie The Green Berets. Why do I point that out? Well MSgt Muldoon rocks in that movies, and he was UDT in WW II. When he rips into the reporter about communist domination, that is one of the best scenes ever. I am not a fan of reporters.

huckberry.com/journal/posts/the-special-forces-watch-that-never-existed

wornandwound.com/benrus-type-i-and-type-ii-mil-w-50717-military-dive-watches

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, History, Watches | Comments Off on SCUBAPRO Sunday – Special Forces Watches in the NAM

ANZAC Day 2020

Saturday, April 25th, 2020

This year’s ANZAC Day will be a solemn one indeed. Normally there are parades and ceremonies, but this year is one for introspection.

I’ll tip back a pint this evening in memory of all the ANZAC troops, from World War One’s Battle of Gallipoli to the battle fought today. I’ll think of friends in both the Australian and New Zealand militaries and good times deployed to bad places.

Posted in History, Memorial | 4 Comments »

Operation Eagle Claw – 40 Years On

Friday, April 24th, 2020

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Operation Eagle Claw. In the early morning hours of 25 April, 1980 President Carter announced to a stunned world that the United States had undertaken an ambitious raid into Iran to liberate 52 American hostages held illegally at our Embassy compound in Tehran. The assault force can be seen here, loading C141s.

Unfortunately, Operation Eagle Claw was unsuccessful and we lost eight American servicemen in a horrible aircraft ground collision.

However, their deaths were not in vain. The hostages were eventually repatriated and the accident was the watershed event that created, over the next several decades, the world’s preeminent Special Operations capability; USSOCOM and its components. Forty years later, we wouldn’t be where are without the determination of that fledgling task force. Join me in remembering those that had the guts to try.

Posted in History, SOF | 8 Comments »

“No Ordinary Dog” – The Tale of a K9 and his Handler in Naval Special Warfare

Tuesday, April 21st, 2020

“No Ordinary Dog” is the amazing story of a K9 and his Handler in who served in Naval Special Warfare.

Navy SEAL Will Chesney covers his military training and service with particular attention on his becoming a Naval Special Warfare K9 Handler beginning in 2008 after six years in the Teams. His new partner was named Cairo who did everything right alongside his human counterparts. Unfortunately, that included being shot on one operation.

Although Cairo looks like a house pet, this military working dog served on numerous raids and is famous for participating in Operation Neptune Spear at Chesney’s side. A lot has been written about Cairo’s role in the mission to kill bin Laden and a lot has been wrong. “No Ordinary Dog” sets the record straight.

After the raid, they both stayed with the Command, with Cairo serving as a backup dog and Chesney returning to his role as an Operator. Unfortunately, Chesney was injured in combat in 2013, suffering a brain injury and PTSD. Traditional medicine gave little relief to his list of ailments which included migraines, chronic pain, memory issues, and depression. Teaming back up with Cairo proved cathartic for Chesney as he began to heal himself and step up to help others.

About the Authors

During his service as a SEAL, Will Chesney was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart. Now he helps his fellow veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injuries.

Co-Author Joe Lauren an award-winning journalist and writer who helped Will Chesney tell the story. His books include the New York Times bestseller “As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride”.

Get your copy (ebook or hardbound) at www.amazon.com.

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SCUBAPRO SUNDAY – Patriots Day April 19th and ANZAC Day April 25th

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Today is the 19th of April, also known as Patriots day. Today in 1775 we had had enough of being under the Crown. (well we had enough way before this) I can see know better way than to give everyone a link to the best way to tell the story. It might not be that factually correct, but you have to love schoolhouse rock.

Also, this week on the 25th of April, Austral and New Zealand observe ANZAC day. It is their Memorial Day to remember their falling, it starts with a sunrise service, followed by ANZAC biscuits, and beer with brothers and family.

ANZAC day started as a remembrance of the invasion of Gallipoli, now it is used as a Remembrance Day for all who have been lost to war. Gallipoli was a plan hatched by Winston Churchill the first lord of the admiralty in WWI. I had the privilege of spending an ANZAC day in Perth a couple of years back, and it was amazing to see how close we are to our allies in the pacific. So, on the 25th April raise a glass to all of our brothers that have helped support us in everything we have done and helped promote freedom in the world. The ANZACs are the only countries that have been with the U.S. in every war we have fought since WW1, to include Vietnam and the Global War on Terror.

ANZAC is the acronym formed from the initial letters of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This was the formation in which Australian and New Zealand soldiers in Egypt were grouped before the landing on Gallipoli in April 1915.

The acronym was first written as “A & NZ Army Corps.” However, clerks in the corps headquarters soon shortened it to ANZAC as a convenient telegraphic code name for addressing telegram messages.

I can never do justice telling the story of Gallipoli. Like most of WW1 and other battles, a lot of mistakes were made in the planning, but they were followed up by a lot of brave man doing whatever they had to do so their brothers would live another day. LLTBH.

www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/resources/understanding-gallipoli

nzhistory.govt.nz/war/the-gallipoli-campaign/introduction

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, History, International | Comments Off on SCUBAPRO SUNDAY – Patriots Day April 19th and ANZAC Day April 25th

Patriot’s Day Defines Who We Are As A Nation

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Each year, we remind our readers of the events of April 19th, 1775. Rebellion had been brewing on the North American continent for years. Finally, in the early hours of the day, an American Army fired on British troops, starting a war that would last for over eight years and see the ascendency of the American Eagle over this land we now call the United States.

This battle is also where we draw our concept of the iconic Minute Man from.

Each Patriot’s Day, we honor those men at Concord and consider what it must have been for them to stand there together, in the face of the world’s greatest army and take up arms in the defense of their colony from oppression.

This militia came together on that morning to protect their arms from seizure by an oppressive government. That is a fact.

“Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

-John Parker

Captain of Militia

As the initial volleys of fire were exchanged near daybreak on Lexington Green, colonial volunteers fell back in the face of over 500 occupying British troops. But as the battle moved on to Concord, the tide turned, and the redcoats were routed as more and more colonists joined the fray.

The British troops retreated through Concord where they were reinforced. Despite boasting a strength of 1700 men, they remained no match for the determined colonists who forced them to retreat to the safety of Charlestown in Boston. The militiamen continued their pursuit which transformed into the Siege of Boston.

Today, join me in remembering those American warriors who pledged their lives to give us our hard fought freedoms and this great land.

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SCUBAPRO Sunday – Roy Boehm (First SEAL) Birthday

Sunday, April 5th, 2020

Roy Boehm was born on April 9th, 1924. He served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He joined the US Navy in 1942 and was a hard hat diver and served in Pearl Harbor, working on the Arizona recovery bodies. In 1955 he went through UDT/ BUDs training. He then made the mistake of becoming an “O” Roy received his commission in 1960. He was selected to help stand up the new Navy commandos that JFK had authorized speech in early 1961. Depending on what coast you were raised on in the Teams (East or West). You will say SEAL Team 2 was the first team( By 3 hours east coast ) or SEAL Team 1 (well because One comes before Two and they say they received their message first authorizing them to stand up) I say that because there is an ongoing debate on what SEAL team is the oldest and who is the first SEAL. Roy Boehm was the first OIC of SEAL Team Two. Commander Franklin Anderson was the first OIC of SEAL Team ONE (1966-1968). I have attached a couple of articles about Roy.

www.veterantributes.org

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Boehm

special-ops.org/2362/lcdr-roy-boehm-first-seal

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