World War II US Navy Special Warfare Units

by Eugene Liptak, Johnny Shumate (Illustrator)

Overview

When the United States entered World War II, it was apparent that the war would only be won by taking the fight to the Axis, in the shape of large-scale amphibious landings. Accordingly, the US Navy developed several types of specialized unit to reconnoiter potential landing areas, degrade the enemy's ability to resist, and assist the landing forces on to the beaches. These operatives had to get there first, alone, and carry out their missions before the GIs and Marines could land with any chance of success.

Formed in September 1942 and active in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific theaters, the Scouts and Raiders were forerunners of the SEALs; they used canoes to secretly reconnoiter beaches before combat landings, and placed marker beacons. In the Mediterranean and the Philippines, the Beach Jumpers made elaborate simulated landings to fool the enemy as to real locations, including radar and sound deception.

Active in the Mediterranean, Normandy, and the South West Pacific, the Naval Combat Demolition Units cleared beach obstacles in advance of combat landings, and guided landing craft to their destination, while the Underwater Demolition Teams carried out similar tasks in the Pacific theater only. In co-operation (and sometimes competition) with the Office of Strategic Services, Naval Group China gathered intelligence in that theater, and trained and fought with Chinese guerrillas behind Japanese lines.

All these special warfare units played vital roles in the prosecution of the Allied war effort across the globe. Their distinctive uniforms, insignia, special clothing, equipment, and weaponry are illustrated and described in this engaging study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780960531
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	10/21/2014
Series:	Elite , #203
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.11(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Eugene Liptak is the author of Office of Strategic Services 1942-45. His interest in military history comes from reading, movies, collecting 1/6th-scale military action figures, and visiting museums. He is a librarian in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona. The author lives in Tucson, AZ.

Table of Contents

Amphibious Scouts & Raiders 4

Origins, Weapons and equipment

Operations, Mediterranean and Europe: North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Adriatic Sea, Normandy, Southern France

Operations, Pacific: Marshall Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, Philippines

Beach Jumpers 13

Origins, Weapons and equipment

Operations: Sicily, Italy, Southern France, Philippines

Naval Combat Demolition Units 21

Forerunners: North Africa and Sicily, Establishment of NCDUs, Weapons and equipment

Operations, Pacific: Admiralty Islands, New Guinea, Philippines, Borneo

Operations, Europe: Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Southern France

Underwater Demolition Teams 33

Origins, Weapons and equipment, Transportation: APDs and LCP(R)s

Operations: Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Borneo, Japanese surrender

Naval Group China 50

Origins - Cdr Milton Miles, "Happy Valley", Inter-service rivalries, Navy/Air Force cooperation

Operations: Guerrilla training and operations, Pact Doc, Weather stations, Coast-watching, French Indochina, Japanese surrender

Select Bibliography 63

Index 64