I have a very good friend who is a plank holder of Seal Team One. He inlisted in the Navy to be a diver and just kept volunteering for things and ended up a a founding member of Seal Team One He was the first man to test a Mcguire rig, trained a lot of indigs in Laos. Combat in RVN. Swam rivers and ports in SEA bugged Chinese and Russian ships in ports during war in RVN. He is a great guy, kind of quiet and certainly no braggert. He very rarely tells stories He was a very hard worker and in now retired working on his golf game.

I would venture to say that most vets (be they specops or not), especially combat vets, generally don't go out of their way to boast.

Right on the money. Have coworkers that were in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Shield & etc and don't even talk about it or comment on it when the topic comes up.  One guy recently retired and I didn't find out that he was a Seal until after he left.  He was very reserved, quiet, and didn't even hint about his background.  Then there are the "gung ho" types always talking about it  or war stories every chance they get  weren't all that involved.

in my experience, 99% of the guys who i have run into who talk about their time with SOCOM are talking about the Playstation game

Out of all the "Been there done that" type guys I have known, the one who probably has the highest body count of them all........Is the very last one you would ever suspect of being such.


Good luck Dave!

My Uncle was a LRRP in Vietnam......he's a short little Italian/polish guy, a frigging bantam rooster, and cocky.  He likes to tell short and nonspecific stories about being a Ranger (chest thumping), and his affinity for "beehive rounds", but never told us any real "war stories".  I saw my aunt and his wedding pic from the 60s, he is in uniform and has Airborne, Ranger, and SF scrolls.  His belief is that being a devout Catholic is what got him back alive after being shot to hell by a VC with an AK in an ambush.  Most of one of his calves is gone.  I've never seen him tell anyone that wasn't family about being a vet.  

I would venture to say that most vets (be they specops or not), especially combat vets, generally don't go out of their way to boast.

very true...   One of my wife's uncles was SF in  Vietnam; he NEVER talks about his experiences.

My father served in the Marines in Korea.   He occasionally will tell lighter stories, like the time he shot the rat he found drinking his hot chocolate.    Only once, on a quiet contemplative night,  he told me about the night he earned a Silver Star.   Some of the least gory details include burning his hands changing the barrel on his Browning MG, and getting out of his position between wave attacks to pull bodies down the hill to clear the field of fire.

He's been my hero my entire life; and if I live to be half the man he is, I will consider myself successful.

My dad's best friend and neighbor is former 7th GRP, was a CAPT in the 75th [2nd batt] before that. He's a small guy...I joke with him that he has little-man's complex, which is why he was driven to go through all that shit. He admits it's true...but he can also back it up. To look at him, you'd never know...HAHO, HALO, AA, Pathfinder, a ton of other schools etc. Can outshoot me any day of the week. He taught my wife to shoot, as a matter of fact.

Used to deer hunt with a kid who became a SEAL. Guy was quiet before, and after. Only thing is he is a big scary looking fucker with piercing eyes...but he was that way before!

Posers are teh gay.

A friends friend is was a SEAL, and was in the Navy for 11 years.  Never talked about it, would have never guessed but my friend told me.

I have a good friend who is currently a SEAL.

You'd never know it from talking with him.

SG

I havnt talked to any "real" S.F or SEAL guys, save for a single Canuck that was in the British Royal Marines in WWII.  He talked a little about his training and what he did, and even less about what he did in combat.  

I did have the unique opportunity to speak with a survivor of Dien Bien Phu.  I worked for the local public school system as a groundskeeper during my college years.  Another full time worker (a Korean War vet) told me "that guy" as he pointed toward an elderly Vietnamese janitor was a survivor of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.  He fought for the French, and was able to escape to Haiphong on foot.  That is all I know.  He didnt speak much English, but was able to tell a wee bit of his tale.

My step father, who I have known since I was 5 (I am 37 now) was a River Rat. 3 Tours. One bullet wound. in 32 years I have NEVER heard him utter more than 2 words about his duty there. "Bad, Son".

Upon returning from VN, he came into San Diego and started the Seal course. Finished and turned down the job. I asked why once, "I saw enough death, I just wanted to see if I could do it".

This man has been in Grenada, Cosovo, and god knows what else. I heard a few stories of Grenada, mostly about a medal he won after pulling a fellow out of a burning tent.  Having to blow up a stuck dozer, etc. Never any firefight stories other than "yeah, we had a few".

I remember when he retired , I think it was while stationed on the USS Barnstable County. The Skipper walked in and tripped over the table while looking at his medals, Skip, then PROUDLY stood and saluted this man as if he were the CIC! I didnt understand it til later in lfe.

He retired as a CWO4, with god knows how many medals, awards and such respect aboard any ship he was on , so much as I was given the same treatment as royalty when i was a kid ( I miss dependants cruises). I never saw an XO or CO that didn't damn near kiss his ass.

This man is about as quite as a mouse, rarely gets excited, and to this day has NEVER gone to a range to shoot with me.  I stopped asking years ago. Although it would be nice.

Funny, my Mom was also in the Navy, My brother was in the Marines. I couldn't get past MEPS, on MED, for hearing, even with a waiver. I'd still be in if they would have let me. The closest I have gotton is working BRAC, and numerous contracts of really cool deals. Like helping out in prepping the Nimitz for re-fuel. Closing down White Oak (anyone Know this place?). Now I just haul a lot of gubment goodies and help out during hurricanes for FEMA. Worked on most bases in the NOB area and for the Jarheads in  Cherry Point.

ANY Marine or Navy SpecOps has always gotton my 100% respect. Well most anyhow.
And to this day, if I hear ANYONE bad mouth a troop I start fighting, be it verbal or other.

OK-- bable over

OH, forgot to add when a few buddies were in the 82nd, I was introduced to a few GB's, beards and long hair, got noting out of them other than training was hell gettin in and We dont play like the rest of these Grunts. They do however have a really cool facility on Bragg.  OH, and DONT EVER try to stop in front of it, it is not a happy ending, M16's and 60's pointed at you makes you wish you had a pair of depends

Got a really good family friend who was a Ranger in Vietnam for 2 tours.

Got to meet Col. Moore a few times, said he was a good guy....


Did some missions with SF guys and whatnot, hasnt really talked about what all he did.  He's one of those types though that you could tell was cut out for that kind of work.  The only thing he's said about combat was "Once those bullets start flying, you find any cover you can.  You find out real quickly that your body can shrink behind a blade of grass or the button on your shirt."

I met a guy at the gunshow that was a Special Forces advisor in Vietnam, believe it or not he wasnt selling guns, he was selling action figures!