SEAL Team One

SEAL Team One
Unit name	SEAL Team One
Dates	1960–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Special operations
Role	Direct action, unconventional warfare, reconnaissance
Garrison	Coronado, California

SEAL Team One is a United States Navy Naval Special Warfare unit established during the expansion of maritime special operations in the Cold War era. The unit has participated in multiple conflicts, collaborating with elements of the United States Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, SEAL Team Six (DEVGRU), and allied formations from British Special Air Service, Australian Special Air Service Regiment, and other NATO partners. SEAL Team One has operated in theaters including Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and counterterrorism campaigns across Africa, Middle East, and Asia.

History

SEAL Team One traces its origins to post-World War II maritime special-project groups that evolved from Office of Strategic Services maritime units, Underwater Demolition Teams, and the creation of Naval Special Warfare in the 1960s. During the Vietnam War, elements linked to SEAL formations conducted riverine and coastal operations alongside units from United States Marine Corps and Army Special Forces. In the 1980s and 1990s the unit adapted to new threats seen during Operation Just Cause and the Gulf War, coordinating with United States Central Command and Special Operations Command Europe. Following the September 11 attacks, the team expanded counterterrorism deployments under directives from Department of Defense, supporting operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and multinational missions with NATO partners. SEAL Team One has been influenced by doctrinal shifts from publications such as doctrine from United States Special Operations Command and lessons from engagements like the Battle of Mogadishu and maritime interdiction cases including Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa.

Organization and Structure

The unit is organized within the Naval Special Warfare Command hierarchy, aligning with other numbered SEAL teams, logistic elements, and support from Naval Special Warfare Group One, Naval Special Warfare Center, and shore-based detachments at Naval Base Coronado. Its internal structure mirrors special operations models found in United States Army Special Forces and United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, incorporating troop-level platoons, task units, and permanent liaison elements to Joint Special Operations Command and regional combatant commands such as United States European Command and United States Africa Command. Communications and intelligence support are provided in concert with Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service assets. Medical and logistical sustainment often coordinate with Battlefield Airborne Communications Node and Carrier Strike Group resources during maritime deployments.

Training and Selection

Prospective candidates undergo screening influenced by standards from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, BUD/S, with follow-on instruction at SEAL Qualification Training and specialized courses at Naval Special Warfare Center. Cross-training occurs with units such as Army Ranger School, United States Air Force Combat Control Team, and Navy Aviation elements for parachute and aviation insertion. Advanced skills are developed through courses at institutions like Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, Underwater Egress Training Unit, and allied exchanges with French Commandos Marine and Dutch Maritime Special Operations Force. Selection emphasizes maritime specializations—combat diving, small-boat operations, and close-quarters battle—complemented by language and cultural courses often run by Defense Language Institute and regional training centers tied to United States European Command pre-deployment programs.

Notable Operations

SEAL Team One elements have supported operations across multiple campaigns, including riverine interdiction during the Vietnam War, direct-action raids in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and counterterrorism engagements in the Horn of Africa and Horn of Africa counter-piracy efforts alongside Combined Task Force 151. The unit contributed to high-profile missions coordinated with Joint Special Operations Command and Central Intelligence Agency-supported task forces during post-9/11 counterterrorism efforts. Collaborative maritime interdiction operations were conducted with partners such as Royal Navy, Spanish Navy, and Italian Navy. SEAL Team One personnel have received individual awards including decorations from Department of the Navy and recognition alongside recipients of the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, and Bronze Star Medal for valor in special operations contexts.

Equipment and Tactics

The team employs maritime-specialized equipment common to contemporary special operations, including small craft from Mark V Special Operations Craft lineage and rigid-hulled inflatable boats used alongside MH-60 Seahawk and MH-47 Chinook aviation support. Personal weapon systems include variants from Mk 18 Mod 0, M4 carbine, HK416, and specialized suppression from Mk 46 and FN Minimi family light machine guns, with precision platforms such as SR-25 and M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System. Diving and submersible tools include assets inspired by SEAL Delivery Vehicle programs, closed-circuit rebreathers, and combatant diver gear interoperable with Underwater Demolition Teams doctrine. Tactics integrate direct action, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, and maritime interdiction techniques developed in tandem with Special Boat Teams and influenced by doctrine from United States Special Operations Command and allied manuals from NATO.

Culture and Traditions

The unit’s culture reflects traditions within Naval Special Warfare Command and broader naval heritage at Naval Base Coronado, emphasizing values codified in mottos and practices shared across SEAL units and allied special operators. Rituals such as deployment ceremo nies, qualification insignia exchanges, and memorial observances align with traditions observed by United States Navy communities, veteran organizations like Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and commemorations tied to historical events including Navy Birthday ceremonies. Interoperability and exchange programs foster ties with international units including British Special Air Service, Australian Special Air Service Regiment, Royal Netherlands Marine Corps commandos, and other maritime special operations forces, reinforcing a subculture of joint training, cross-deck operations, and persistent capability development.

Category:United States Navy SEALs