Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Rolfe | CORONADO, Calif. (Aug. 3, 2018) Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Basic Training Command...... read more read more
This was Vietnam War Veteran Dennis Ingrim’s first visit to Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) since he graduated Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training there in 1961.
“The growth of it; it’s just phenomenal. It’s overwhelming, matter of fact,” said Ingrim, “The things that they’ve accomplished. And I think of things that we were working on, that they have built on. And I look at it and I’m just amazed.”
SEAL Teams trace their history to World War II. Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) were created in the Pacific for reconnaissance and the demolition of beach obstacles prior to island landings. The UDT “Frogmen” expanded their missions during the Korean conflict to cover operations both in the ocean prior to amphibious landings and on coastal behind-the-lines raids.
In January 1962, SEAL Teams ONE and TWO were commissioned to conduct unconventional and counter-guerilla warfare in maritime and riverine environments. SEAL involvement in Vietnam began immediately.
Today, Naval Special Warfare members will refer to themselves equally as “Frogmen” or “SEALs”.
Graduation SQT Class 326 started with 146 students. 50 graduated BUD/S and SQT.
Ingrim reminisced his own graduation with fervor. “See these young people step up. It just thrills me. 50 people, that’s amazing! We started with 87 and finished with 19 and that was the biggest graduating class in years.”
NSW facilitated a tour for Ingrim and his family after the graduation that included a visit to the SEAL obstacle training course and the NAB Vietnam Unit Memorial Monument.
Ingrim asked how long it took to complete one round on the obstacle course. The answer surprised him. “Two hours?!” he shouted and laughed.
The NAB Vietnam Unit Memorial Monument commemorates 2,564 Navy and Coast Guardsmen who died in Vietnam from 1960 to 1975. “Guys I knew way back then.” said Ingrim, “Now we’re dying off. I think that same character that I saw in my teammates, I saw today in these young men. And they’re just amazing and I’m so proud of them.”
| Date Taken: | 08.03.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2018 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 293035 |
| Location: | CORONADO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 695 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, U.S. Navy “Frogman” Returns to Birthplace After 57 Years, by PO1 Joseph Rolfe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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