DEVGRU / Navy SEAL Team SIX save the day

U.S.S. Bainbridge, today's most popular vessel

"The world has become a much more dangerous place, and it's a problem that is getting worse all the time. We're all keenly aware that the ante has been upped."

~Joseph Murphy, who teaches anti-piracy tactics in his maritime security class at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and -- ironically -- whose own son is first mate to Captain Richard Philips


With all the insanity off the coast of Somalia, it worries me a bit that my nephew is about to major in Marine Transportation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy this autumn. But it's reassuring to know that if something were to happen to him while he's in the middle of the ocean "towing shit," as he so eloquently refers to his future profession, the U.S. military has this kid's back.

Today, with President Obama's permission on the condition that the captain's life was in danger, the Navy took care of business sniper-style by killing three of the four pirates holding hostage Captain Richard Philips, who also learned the captaining ropes at Mass Maritime. According to Fox News,

They established clear head shots on all three pirates: one was visible through the front window, and the other two were revealing their heads through the top hatch, presumably to get fresh air. It would be their last breath.

President Obama later called several military officials, including Vice Admiral William McRaven, Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The Joint Special Ops commander overseas the Army's Delta Force, the Air Force's Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), other secret teams that have yet to be disclosed -- and the Navy SEALTeam SIX. Which means that these SEALS are today's badass heroes.



SEAL Team SIX is also known as DEVGRU, for Special Warfare Development Group. It was founded in 1980 by Dick Marcinko. His website says:

Marcinko sold the idea and was eventually tasked with creating and commanding SEAL Team SIX, the Navy’s first and only counter-terrorist command. SEAL Team SIX engaged in highly classified missions from Central America to the Middle East, the North Sea to Africa and beyond, and established itself as the world’s foremost counter-terrorism unit.

These pics are of Mr. Marcinko. Think he's gotten into a few fights in his special ops lifetime? His poor nose sure seems to alude to that.

I'm glad these guys were there for Captain Philips. There's a lot of info about DEVGRU here in case you want to learn a bit more about them.