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121-660: Former Senator Bob Kerrey was named a co-chair of the Concord Coalition in January 2002. Robert L. Bixby has been the executive director of the Concord Coalition since 1999. Since 2006, the Concord Coalition has organized the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour , visiting cities to message to citizens and elected officials about the country's debt and fiscal future. Participants in the tour include representatives from The Brookings Institution , The Heritage Foundation ,

242-439: A free-fire zone by the U.S. military. Kerrey's SEAL team first encountered a villager's house. Later, according to Kerrey, the team was shot at from the village and returned fire, only to find after the battle that some of the killed appeared to be under 18, clustered together in the center of the village. "The thing that I will remember until the day I die is walking in and finding, I don't know, 14 or so, I don't even know what

363-618: A pedestrian bridge connecting Omaha, Nebraska with Council Bluffs, Iowa was named in Kerrey's honor by the Omaha City Council. In 2011, Kerrey was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The New School . In 2016, Kerrey received an honorary doctorate and delivered the postgraduate commencement address for Southern New Hampshire University . United States Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land ( SEAL ) Teams , commonly known as Navy SEALs , are

484-534: A SEAL team, they would undergo a SEAL Basic Indoctrination (SBI) training class at Camp Kerry in the Cuyamaca Mountains . After SBI training class, they would enter a platoon and conduct platoon training. According to founding SEAL team member Roy Boehm , the SEALs' first missions were directed against communist Cuba . These consisted of deploying from submarines and carrying out beach reconnaissance in

605-442: A Viet Cong guerrilla. Kerrey expressed anguish and guilt over the incident, saying: "You can never, can never get away from it. It darkens your day. I thought dying for your country was the worst thing that could happen to you, and I don't think it is. I think killing for your country can be a lot worse. Because that's the memory that haunts." He was awarded a Bronze Star for the raid on Thanh Phong, after his unit falsely reported

726-563: A builder and businessman. He attended the public schools of Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School in 1961. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1966. Kerrey pledged Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and during his senior year he was admitted into the Society of Innocents , the chancellor's senior honorary society of spirit boosters. Kerrey served in

847-530: A combined strength of 300 men. During the "Forgotten War" the UDTs fought intensely, employing demolition expertise gained from World War II and using it for an offensive role. Continuing to use water as cover and concealment as well as an insertion method, the Korean Era UDTs targeted bridges, tunnels, fishing nets, and other maritime and coastal targets. They also developed a close working relationship with

968-615: A complement of seven officers and 45 enlisted men each. However, the UDTs were the only special troops that avoided complete disbandment after the war, unlike the OSS Maritime Unit, the VAC Recon Battalion, and several Marine recon missions. Because they were so integral to the success of missions in the Pacific during the war, the U.S. Navy did not publicize the existence of the UDTs until post-war. During WWII

1089-411: A coordinate location, the SEALs operated close to their targets. Into the late 1960s, the SEALs were successful in a new style of warfare, effective in anti-guerrilla and guerrilla actions. SEALs brought a personal war to the enemy in a previously safe area. The VC referred to them as "the men with green faces," due to the camouflage face paint the SEALs wore during combat missions. In February 1966,

1210-702: A fleet of hired Greek wooden fishing vessels—called caiques—covertly supported OSS agents in Albania, Greece, and Yugoslavia. After Italy surrendered, the MU and Mariassalto , an elite Italian special operations naval unit, operated against the Germans. In the Far East, the MU operated in conjunction with an Operational Group to attack Japanese forces on the Arakan coast of Burma. They jointly conducted reconnaissance missions on

1331-727: A friend's successful campaign for a seat in the state legislature. In addition, he served as a member of the city of Lincoln's Human Rights Commission. In 1982, Kerrey ran for Governor of Nebraska ; he easily won the Democratic nomination 71 percent to 29 over state senator George "Bill" Burrows, then achieved a narrow victory over incumbent Republican Charles Thone , 51% to 49%. He served as one term, 1983 to 1987, and did not run for reelection in 1986. During his governorship, Kerrey pursued policies including welfare reform, education reform, job training, and environmental conservation. Several of these programs became models for other states and

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1452-550: A heated controversy, in view of Kerrey's role in the Thạnh Phong massacre of 1969. Outspoken Vietnamese critics of the appointment of Kerrey included Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh , a former ambassador to the European Union, and the award-winning Vietnamese-American author Viet Thanh Nguyen . On the other hand, Kerrey's appointment was endorsed by Đinh La Thăng , who at that time was Communist Party Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City and

1573-478: A high degree of proficiency in unconventional warfare (UW), direct action (DA), and special reconnaissance (SR), among other tasks like sabotage, demolition, intelligence gathering, and hydrographic reconnaissance, training, and advising friendly militaries or other forces. All active SEALs are members of the U.S. Navy. Although not formally founded until 1962, the modern-day U.S. Navy SEALs trace their roots to World War II . The United States Military recognized

1694-466: A medical student offering the use of his technology to the secretive organization in 1942. In 1944 he was commissioned as an Army officer and later joined the OSS as an operational swimmer. Lambertsen himself led the OSS Maritime Unit on covert underwater missions to attach explosives to Japanese ships. Dr. Christian Lambertsen is remembered today as the 'Father of Military Underwater Operations'. Along with all

1815-509: A member of the Politburo, but in January 2018 was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 13 years in prison on corruption charges. In May 2018, H. Kim Bottomly , former president of Wellesley College , was appointed to succeed Kerrey. On December 27, 2011, Political Wire reported that Ben Nelson , who had succeeded Kerrey in the Senate, would not seek re-election, and asserted that Kerrey

1936-410: A mission to capture important members of the enemy's area political cadre known to be located on an island in the bay of Nha Trang. In order to surprise the enemy, he and his team scaled a 350-foot sheer cliff to place themselves above the ledge on which the enemy was located. Splitting his team in two elements and coordinating both, Lieutenant (jg) Kerrey led his men in the treacherous downward descent to

2057-416: A prelude to a proposed US amphibious invasion of the island. On at least one occasion, Boehm and another SEAL had smuggled a CIA agent ashore to take pictures of Soviet nuclear missiles being unloaded on the dockside. The Pacific Command recognized Vietnam as a potential hot spot for unconventional forces. At the beginning of 1962, the UDTs started hydrographic surveys and along with other branches of

2178-557: A run, but that an aide had confirmed that he was now filing to seek election to his old Senate seat. He won the May 15 Democratic primary against four minor candidates. However, he was defeated on November 6 by Republican state senator Deb Fischer . in a landslide. Kerrey narrowly won the state's two largest counties, Douglas and Lancaster —home to Omaha and Lincoln, respectively—but only won three other counties. His margin in Omaha and Lincoln

2299-420: A silver star and all the enlisted received bronze stars with Vs for Operation Forager (Tinian). For UDTs 3 and 4 every officer received a silver star and all the enlisted received bronze stars with Vs for Operation Forager (Guam). Admiral Richard Lansing Conolly felt the commanders of teams 3 and 4 (LT Crist and LT W.G. Carberry) should have received Navy Crosses. As the first to often make amphibious landings,

2420-792: A small SEAL Team One detachment arrived in South Vietnam to conduct direct action missions. Operating from Nhà Bè Base , near the Rung Sat Special Zone, this detachment signalled the beginning of a SEAL presence that would eventually include 8 SEAL platoons in country on a continuing basis. SEALs also served as advisors for Provincial Reconnaissance Units and the Lein Doc Nguio Nhia, the Vietnamese SEALs. SEALs continued to make forays into North Vietnam and Laos and covertly into Cambodia , controlled by

2541-560: A swimmer to remain underwater for several hours and to approach targets undetected because the LARU did not emit telltale air bubbles. The LARU was later refined, adapted, and the technology used by the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and NASA. The Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School at Key West, Florida, the home of Special Forces maritime operations, draws its roots from the Maritime Unit. Lambertsen began his involvement with OSS as

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2662-593: A university in New York City. In May 2010, he was selected to become the head of the Motion Picture Association of America . The MPAA, however, could not reach an agreement with him and chose former Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd instead. In 2012, Kerrey sought election to his old Senate seat to succeed his successor, the retiring Democratic incumbent Ben Nelson . He lost to Republican nominee Deb Fischer . In 2013, Kerrey joined

2783-406: A week after accepting a position as head of Democrats for Bloomberg in support of Michael Bloomberg 's re-election as Mayor of New York City , Kerrey publicly stated that he was considering running against Bloomberg in the 2005 New York City mayoral election . Three days after announcing his interest, Kerrey announced that he would not run for Mayor, focusing instead on his position as President of

2904-619: Is set in Nebraska), which won the 1983 Oscar for Best Picture . When confronted with intense questioning by the press over the nature of the relationship, Kerrey famously replied; "What can I say – she swept me off my foot", alluding to the fact that the lower part of one of his legs was amputated because of injuries sustained in his Medal of Honor action in Vietnam. Kerrey is friends with fellow Vietnam veteran Jim Webb . In 2006 he became involved in convincing Webb to run for

3025-604: The Caroline Islands during August 1944. Three of the men failed to make the rendezvous point for extraction. They were reported captured in Japanese communications and identified as "BAKUHATAI" – explosive ordnance men. They were never seen again and are listed as MIAs . The first units designated as Underwater Demolition Teams were formed in the Pacific Theater . Rear Admiral Kelly Turner ,

3146-915: The Committee for Economic Development , the Progressive Policy Institute , and the American Enterprise Institute . Former Comptroller General of the United States David M. Walker serves as an advisor to the tour and participates in its public events. The group's executive director, Robert Bixby, has noted that the federal deficit "is not some abstract issue in Washington" and that it "has real-world consequences for what's going to happen in state and local governments." The Coalition's efforts to raise public awareness, with Bixby touring across

3267-618: The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act which repealed the Glass–Steagall Act in 1999, defending his position against opposition by stating, "The concerns that we will have a meltdown like 1929 are dramatically overblown". Most famously, Kerrey cast the deciding vote in favor of President Bill Clinton's 1993 budget plan. After his retirement from the Senate, Kerrey served on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon

3388-608: The Nebraska Army National Guard to park a tank on the tracks at the Kansas-Nebraska border to ensure that the train did not proceed. After Kerrey's chief of staff and the head of the state patrol met with federal authorities in Kansas, the train was allowed to proceed, with representatives of the federal government agreeing to notify state officials of the dates, times and routes for similar trains in

3509-636: The New Hampshire primary in February 1992 , despite spending heavily on television advertising. He briefly rebounded after winning the South Dakota primary but soon dropped out of the race after finishing fourth in the Colorado primary. Kerrey was on Clinton's "short list" of vice presidential candidates, but Tennessee Senator Al Gore received the nod instead. Kerrey served as President of

3630-521: The New School from 2001 to 2010. During this time he more than doubled the endowment, taking it from $ 94 million in 2001 to $ 206 million. He also secured substantial federal funding for the school. Both of these factors helped the New School accomplish major academic growth and expansion in the decade that Kerrey was president. Kerrey presided over an ambitious program of academic development at

3751-632: The Pacific Theater. Thirty NCDUs had been sent to the Pacific prior to Normandy. NCDUs 1–10 were staged on Florida Island in the Solomon Islands (archipelago) during January 1944. NCDU 1 went briefly to the Aleutians in 1943. NCDUs 4 and 5 were the first to see combat by helping the 4th Marines at Green Island and Emirau Island . A few were temporarily attached to UDTs. Later NCDUs 1–10 were combined to form Underwater Demolition Team Able. Six NCDUs: 2,3, 19, 20, 21 and 24 served with

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3872-695: The Republic of Korea Underwater Demolitions Unit (predecessor to the Navy Special Warfare Flotilla) , which continues today. Through their focused efforts on demolitions and mine disposal, the UDTs refined and developed their commando tactics during the Korean War. The UDTs also accompanied South Korean commandos on raids in the North to demolish train tunnels. This was frowned upon by higher-ranking officials because they believed it

3993-423: The Republic of Vietnam as assistant platoon commander with Delta Platoon, SEAL Team ONE in January 1969. Kerrey was seriously wounded and lost the lower part of his right leg in combat on Hon Tre island near Nha Trang Bay on March 14, 1969. While suffering shrapnel wounds and blood loss, Kerrey organized his squad in a counterattack that killed or captured enemy Viet Cong. He was later medically discharged from

4114-587: The Studies and Observations Group . The SEALs from Team Two started a unique deployment of SEAL team members working alone with ARVN Commandos. In 1967, a SEAL unit named Detachment Bravo (Det Bravo) was formed to operate these mixed US and ARVN units. By 1970, President Richard Nixon initiated a plan of Vietnamization , which would remove the US from the Vietnam War and return the responsibility of defense back to

4235-531: The U.S. Navy 's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command . Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting small-unit special operation missions in maritime, jungle, urban, arctic, mountainous, and desert environments. SEALs are typically ordered to capture or kill high-level targets, or to gather intelligence behind enemy lines. SEAL team personnel are hand-selected, highly trained, and possess

4356-851: The United States Navy as a SEAL officer during the Vietnam War . He completed Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1967. He then received assignment to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado and subsequently completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training with class 42 in December 1967. He received direct assignment to SEAL Team ONE, a separate organization from the Underwater Demolition Teams to which new personnel were normally assigned. After extensive pre-deployment training, Kerrey deployed to

4477-487: The 2014 Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture as "unfair" and "partisan". In September 1991, Kerrey announced his candidacy for the 1992 Democratic nomination for president. In a small field of five second-tier candidates devoid of an early frontrunner, Kerrey was seen as the early favorite. However, his performance on the campaign trail sometimes seemed lackluster, especially in comparison to that of Arkansas governor Bill Clinton . Kerrey finished third in

4598-776: The CIA. Army Special Forces, founded in 1952 by former members of the OSS, established the first military special operations combat diver units nearly a decade before the SEALs were created in 1962. Some of the earliest World War II predecessors of the Green Berets and SEALs were the Operational Swimmers of OSS. The OSS Maritime Unit executed special operations, dropping operatives behind enemy lines to engage in organized guerrilla warfare as well as to gather information on such things as enemy resources and troop movements. British Combined Operations veteran LCDR Wooley, of

4719-652: The Carmen Group lobbying firm. Kerrey is a co-chair for the advisory board of Issue One , an organization that describes its mission as "fighting for real solutions to the problem of money in politics". In 1987, Kerrey was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board. Kerrey was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on August 27, 1943, the son of Elinor Fern (née Gonder), a University of Nebraska instructor, and James Henry Kerrey,

4840-510: The German defenses. The NCDUs suffered 31 killed and 60 wounded, a casualty rate of 52%. Meanwhile, the NCDUs at Utah Beach met less intense enemy fire. They cleared 700 yards (640 metres) of beach in two hours, another 900 yards (820 metres) by the afternoon. Casualties at Utah Beach were significantly lighter with six killed and eleven wounded. During Operation Overlord, not a single demolitioneer

4961-513: The Governor's mansion, the SEALs realized they had forgotten to load their cryptographic satellite phone . As Grenadian and Cuban troops surrounded the team, the SEALs' only radio ran out of battery power, and they used the mansion's land line telephone to call in AC-130 gunship fire support. The SEALs were pinned down in the mansion overnight and were relieved and extracted by a group of Marines

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5082-807: The Japanese-held coast, sometimes penetrating several miles up enemy-controlled rivers. The MU developed or used several innovative devices that would later allow for the creation of a special operations combat-diver capability, first in Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and later in US Navy SEAL units. Perhaps the most important invention in the realm of special operations diving was the Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit (LARU) invented by Dr. Christian J. Lambertsen . The Lambertsen unit permitted

5203-573: The Korean coast. The UDTs specialized in a somewhat new mission: Night coastal demolition raids against railroad tunnels and bridges. The UDT men were given the task because, in the words of UDT LT Ted Fielding, "We were ready to do what nobody else could do, and what nobody else wanted to do." (Ted Fielding was awarded the Silver Star during Korea, and was later promoted to the rank of Captain.) On 15 September 1950, UDTs supported Operation Chromite,

5324-503: The Kuwaiti Navy in exile. Using these new diving, swimming, and combat skills, these commandos took part in combat operations such as the liberation of the capital city. The United States Navy contributed extensive special operations assets to Panama's invasion, codenamed Operation Just Cause . This included SEAL Teams 2 and 4, Naval Special Warfare Unit 8, and Special Boat Unit 26, all falling under Naval Special Warfare Group 2; and

5445-677: The NCDUs. However, at Kwajalein Fort Pierce protocol was changed. Admiral Turner ordered daylight reconnaissance and CEC. ENS Lewis F. Luehrs and Seabee Chief William Acheson wore swim trunks under their fatigues anticipating they would not be able to get what the Admiral wanted by staying in the boat. They stripped down and spent 45 minutes in the water in broad daylight. When they got out they were taken directly to Admiral Turner's flagship to report, still in their trunks. Admiral Turner concluded that daylight reconnaissance by individual swimmers

5566-734: The NCDUs. UDT training was at the Waipio Amphibious Operating Base, under V Amphibious Corps operational and administrative control. Most of the instructors and trainees were graduates of the Fort Pierce NCDU or Scouts and Raiders schools, Seabees, Marines, and Army soldiers. When Teams 1 and 2 were initially formed, they were "provisional" with 180 men in total. The first underwater demolition team commanders were CDR E.D. Brewster (CEC) UDT 1 and CDR John T. Koehler UDT 2. The teams wore fatigues with life-vests and were not expected to leave their boats—similar to

5687-537: The Navy SEALs. His announcement was actually only a formal acknowledgement of a process that had been underway since the Korean War. The Navy needed to determine its role within the special operations arena. In March 1961, Admiral Arleigh Burke , the Chief of Naval Operations , recommended the establishment of guerrilla and counter-guerrilla units. These units would be able to operate from sea, air or land. This

5808-614: The Navy did not have a rating for the UDTs nor did they have an insignia. Those men with the CB rating on their uniforms considered themselves Seabees that were doing underwater demolition (Fig. 11). They did not call themselves "UDTs" or " Frogmen " but rather "Demolitioneers" which had carried over from the NCDUs and Lt Cdr Kauffman's recruiting efforts from the Seabee dynamiting and demolition school. The next largest group of UDT volunteers came from

5929-479: The Navy's top amphibious expert, ordered the formation of Underwater Demolition Teams in response to the failed invasion at Tarawa and the Marines' inability to clear the surrounding coral reefs with Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVTS). Turner recognized that amphibious operations required intelligence of underwater obstacles. The personnel for these teams were mostly local Seabees or others that had started out in

6050-430: The New School. On December 10, 2008, it was announced that Kerrey had received a vote of no confidence from the university's senior faculty. This was perceived to have come as a response to his management style. The no-confidence vote was largely a symbolic gesture. The Board of Trustees offered their unanimous support for Kerrey at a meeting following the faculty vote. On December 16, 2008, dozens of students took over

6171-713: The North Africa campaign the following November. Operation Torch was launched in November 1942 off the Atlantic coast of French Morocco in North Africa. The first group included Phil H. Bucklew , the "Father of Naval Special Warfare," after whom the Naval Special Warfare Center building is named. Commissioned in October 1942, this group saw combat in November 1942 during Operation Torch on

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6292-445: The North African Coast. Scouts and Raiders also supported landings in Sicily , Salerno , Anzio , Normandy , and southern France . The second group of Scouts and Raiders, code-named Special Service Unit No. 1 , was established on 7 July 1943, as a joint and combined operations force. The first mission, in September 1943, was at Finschhafen in Papua New Guinea . Later operations were at Gasmata , Arawe , Cape Gloucester , and

6413-406: The Royal Navy, was placed in charge of the OSS Maritime Unit (MU) in June 1943. Their training started in November 1943 at Camp Pendleton , California, moved to Santa Catalina Island , California in January 1944, and finally moved to the warmer waters of The Bahamas in March 1944. Within the U.S. military, they pioneered flexible swimfins and diving masks , closed-circuit diving equipment (under

6534-422: The SEALs mission was to conduct counter guerilla warfare and clandestine operations in maritime and riverine environments. Men of the newly formed SEAL Teams were trained in such unconventional areas as hand-to-hand combat , high-altitude parachuting , demolitions , and foreign languages. The SEALs attended Underwater Demolition Team replacement training and they spent some time training in UDTs. Upon making it to

6655-422: The Scout and Raider school at Fort Pierce, Florida . They formed the core of what was envisioned as a "guerrilla amphibious organization of Americans and Chinese operating from coastal waters, lakes, and rivers employing small steamboats and sampans." While most Amphibious Raider forces remained at Camp Knox in Calcutta, three of the groups saw active service. They conducted a survey of the upper Yangtze River in

6776-558: The Scouts and Raiders method of nighttime rubber boats. In order to implement these changes and grow the UDTs, Koehler was made the commanding officer of the Naval Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base on Maui. Admiral Turner also brought on LCDR Draper Kauffman as a combat officer. Seabees made up the vast majority of the men in teams 1–9, 13, and 15. Seabees were roughly 20% of UDT 11. The officers were mostly CEC. At war's end 34 teams had been formed with teams 1–21 having actually been deployed. The Seabees provided over half of

6897-405: The Seventh Amphibious Force and were the only remaining NCDUs at the end of the war. The Naval Special Warfare Command building is named for LTJG Frank Kaine CEC commander of NCDU 2. Much like their brethren in the US Army Special Forces (aka Green Berets), the Navy SEALs claim a lineage to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) . The OSS was a paramilitary organization and also a progenitor of

7018-435: The South Vietnamese in combat diving, demolitions and guerrilla/anti-guerrilla tactics. As the war continued, the SEALs found themselves positioned in the Rung Sat Special Zone where they were to disrupt the enemy supply and troop movements and in the Mekong Delta to fulfill riverine operations, fighting on the inland waterways. Combat with the VC was direct. Unlike the conventional warfare methods of firing artillery into

7139-469: The South Vietnamese. Conventional forces were being withdrawn; the last SEAL platoon left South Vietnam on 7 December 1971, and the last SEAL advisor left South Vietnam in March 1973. The SEALs were among the most highly decorated units for their size in the war, receiving by 1974 one Medal of Honor , two Navy Crosses , 42 Silver stars , 402 Bronze Stars , two Legions of Merit , 352 Commendation Medals, and 51 Navy Achievement Medals Later awards would bring

7260-430: The UDT's were considered an indispensable US military special operations unit, and Navy planners in the Central Pacific relied heavily on the UDT's reconnaissance reports and demolition activities to clear the way for landings. The last UDT operation of the war was on 4 July 1945 at Balikpapan , Borneo . The rapid demobilization at the conclusion of the war reduced the number of active duty UDTs to two on each coast with

7381-432: The UDTs began making signs to welcome the Marines, indicating they had been there first, to foster the continued friendly rivalry. In keeping with UDT tradition, UDT 21 created a sign to greet the Marines landing in Japan. For Operation Beleaguer UDT 9 was deployed with the III Amphibious Corps to Northern China. In 1965 the UDT 12 put up another beach sign to greet the Marines at Da Nang . Operation Crossroads UDT 3

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7502-592: The US Military, the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) was formed. In March 1962, SEALs were deployed to South Vietnam as advisors for the purpose of training Army of the Republic of Vietnam commandos in the same methods they were trained themselves. The Central Intelligence Agency began using SEALs in covert operations in early 1963. The SEALs were later involved in the CIA sponsored Phoenix Program where it targeted Vietcong (VC) infrastructure and personnel for capture and assassination. The SEALs were initially deployed in and around Da Nang , training

7623-499: The US Navy due to his wounds. On May 14, 1970, President Richard Nixon awarded Kerrey the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions. His Medal of Honor citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 14 March 1969 while serving as a SEAL Team Leader during action against enemy aggressor (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. Acting in response to reliable intelligence, Lieutenant (jg) Kerrey led his SEAL Team on

7744-686: The US Senate. Webb entered the Virginia Democratic Primary, and Kerrey volunteered to serve as Webb's National Finance Chair. Webb went on to win the extremely close election in Virginia, defeating George Allen . Kerrey also endorsed and appeared at campaign events for Al Franken in his bid for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota . Kerrey married Sarah Paley in 2001. They have a son, Henry. He has two children from his previous marriage: Ben and Lindsey. He has multiple grandchildren, including Will, Evelyn, and Thomas Kerrey. A 2012 The New York Times op-ed by columnist Frank Bruni states that Kerrey describes himself as an agnostic . On September 9, 2008,

7865-399: The United States Naval Service. In 2001, The New York Times Magazine and 60 Minutes II carried reports on an incident that occurred during Kerrey's Vietnam War service. On February 25, 1969, he led a Swift Boat raid on the isolated peasant village of Thanh Phong, Vietnam , targeting a Viet Cong leader who intelligence suggested would be present. The village was considered part of

7986-455: The United States, commonly known as the 9/11 Commission . The commission was created by Congressional legislation to investigate the circumstances of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and to provide recommendations of actions that could help prevent future similar attacks. It was a bipartisan commission of five Democrats and five Republicans. The commission issued its final report, the 9/11 Commission Report on July 22, 2004. Kerrey criticized

8107-400: The United States. Kerrey's time as president concluded on January 1, 2011. He was succeeded by David E. Van Zandt . Kerrey was then appointed President Emeritus. While visiting Vietnam in May 2016, then Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the United States had appointed Kerrey to be chairman of the Board of Trustees of Fulbright University Vietnam . This announcement unleashed

8228-492: The Vietnam War. In 1974–1975, UDT-13 was redesignated; some personnel established Underwater Construction Teams , and while others joined special boat detachments. On 1 May 1983, UDT–11 was redesignated as SEAL Team Five, UDT–21 was redesignated as SEAL Team Four, UDT–12 became SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One (SDVT–1) , and UDT–22 was redesignated as SDVT-2 . SEAL Team Three, was established 1 October 1983 in Coronado, California. United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)

8349-406: The Wadi Sebou River during Operation Torch in North Africa. This enabled USS  Dallas  (DD-199) to traverse the water and insert U.S. Rangers who captured the Port Lyautey airdrome. In early May 1943, a two-phase "Naval Demolition Project" was directed by the Chief of Naval Operations "to meet a present and urgent requirement". The first phase began at ATB Solomons, Maryland with

8470-541: The amphibious landing at Incheon. UDT 1 and 3 provided personnel who went in ahead of the landing craft, scouting mud flats, marking low points in the channel, clearing fouled propellers, and searching for mines. Four UDT personnel acted as wave-guides for the Marine landing. In October 1950, UDTs supported mine-clearing operations in Wonsan Harbor where frogmen would locate and mark mines for minesweepers. On 12 October 1950, two U.S. minesweepers hit mines and sank. UDTs rescued 25 sailors. The next day, William Giannotti conducted

8591-404: The building, arresting 22 students and ending the occupation after five hours. In December 2012, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that in 2010, the year of his anticipated departure, his salary was more than $ 600,000, and his total take-home pay, including bonuses, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits, was $ 3,047,703, making Kerrey the highest-paid private college president in

8712-483: The businesses grew to include 10 restaurants, three fitness centers, a bowling alley, and other enterprises. Kerrey's other ventures included trading in cattle futures and a partnership that invested in commercial real estate including shopping centers. While engaged in his business career, Kerrey gained his initial political experience. These activities included working on a 1971 voter registration drive with anti-war activist Allard K. Lowenstein . Kerrey also managed

8833-406: The cafeteria in the 65 5th Avenue building; as the occupation continued, the group grew into hundreds of students from the New School, other New York City based universities, labor union members, and other supporters. Initially, the students stated that they would not leave the building unless several school officials resigned. Kerrey attempted to have a discussion with the students at the beginning of

8954-542: The dead as enemy guerrillas. The citation for the medal reads, "The net result of his patrol was 21 Viet Cong killed, two hooches destroyed and two enemy weapons captured." A display at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City is based on the incident. In reality, amongst the dead had been 13 children and a pregnant woman. It includes several photos and a drain pipe, which it describes as

9075-473: The direction of Dr. Christian J. Lambertsen ), the use of Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (a type of submersible), and combat swimming and limpet mine attacks. The OSS MU mission was "to infiltrate agents and supply resistance groups by sea, conduct maritime sabotage, and develop specialized maritime surface and subsurface equipment and devices." The MU operated in several theaters. In the Mediterranean,

9196-428: The east and south coasts of New Britain , all without any loss of personnel. Conflicts arose over operational matters, and all non-Navy personnel were reassigned. The unit, renamed 7th Amphibious Scouts, received a new mission, to go ashore with the assault boats, buoy channels, erect markers for the incoming craft, handle casualties, take offshore soundings, clear beach obstacles, and maintain voice communications linking

9317-402: The enemy's camp. Just as they neared the end of their descent, intense enemy fire was directed at them, and Lieutenant (jg) Kerrey received massive injuries from a grenade which exploded at his feet and threw him backward onto the jagged rocks. Although bleeding profusely and suffering great pain, he displayed outstanding courage and presence of mind in immediately directing his element's fire into

9438-466: The establishment of Operational Naval Demolition Unit No. 1. Six officers and eighteen enlisted men reported from the Seabee 's NTC Camp Peary dynamiting and demolition school, for a four-week course. Those Seabees, led by Lieutenant Fred Wise CEC, were immediately sent to participate in the invasion of Sicily. At that time Lieutenant Commander Draper L. Kauffman , "The Father of Naval Combat Demolition,"

9559-676: The federal government. In 1986, Kerrey served as chair of the Midwestern Governors Association . As governor, he was known for his transparency and criticism of "politics as usual" obfuscating and clichés. He was the subject of nationwide news coverage in July 1986, when he ordered the Nebraska State Patrol to halt a train after the federal government failed to notify him of a rail shipment of nuclear waste that would pass through Nebraska, and directed

9680-626: The first U.S. combat operation using an "aqualung" when he dived on USS  Pledge . For the remainder of the war, UDTs conducted beach and river reconnaissance, infiltrated guerrillas behind the lines from sea, continued mine sweeping operations and participated in Operation Fishnet, which devastated the North Koreans' fishing capability. President John F. Kennedy , aware of the situation in Southeast Asia, recognized

9801-403: The following morning. The team sent to the radio station also ran into communication problems. As soon as the SEALs reached the radio facility they found themselves unable to raise their command post. After beating back several waves of Grenadian and Cuban troops supported by BTR-60 armored personnel carriers, the SEALs decided that their position at the radio tower was untenable. They destroyed

9922-446: The future. In 1988, Kerrey ran for the U.S. Senate seat held by recently appointed incumbent Republican David Karnes . He won the Democratic primary with 92% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Karnes 57% to 42%. Kerrey won re-election to a second term defeating businesswoman Jan Stoney 55% to 45% Kerrey ran again for his old Senate seat after the retirement of Incumbent Democratic Senator Ben Nelson in 2012, but

10043-494: The heart of the enemy camp. Utilizing his radioman, Lieutenant (jg) Kerrey called in the second element's fire support which caught the confused Viet Cong in a devastating cross fire. After successfully suppressing the enemy's fire, and although immobilized by his multiple wounds, he continued to maintain calm, superlative control as he ordered his team to secure and defend an extraction site. Lieutenant (jg) Kerrey resolutely directed his men, despite his near-unconscious state, until he

10164-776: The joint Army-Navy Scouts and Raiders school that was also in Fort Pierce and the Navy's bomb disposal school in the Seabee-dominated teams. For the Marianas operations of Kwajalein, Roi-Namur , Siapan, Tinian, Eniwetok , and Guam, Admiral Turner recommended sixty Silver Stars and over three hundred Bronze Stars with Vs for the Seabees and other service members of UDTs 1–7 That was unprecedented in U.S. Naval/Marine Corps history. For UDTs 5 and 7 every officer received

10285-401: The landing beach. The unit was led by U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant Lloyd Peddicord as commanding officer, and Navy Ensign John Bell as executive officer. Navy Chief Petty Officers and sailors came from the boat pool at U. S. Naval Amphibious Training Base, Solomons, Maryland , and Army Raider personnel came from the 3rd and 9th Infantry Divisions . They trained at Little Creek until embarking for

10406-649: The members of the OSS Maritime Unit, he was made honorary Green Berets and recognized by organizations like the UDT Navy Seal Association for their heroic and critical work. In May 1944, Colonel "Wild Bill" Donovan , the head of the OSS, divided the Maritime Unit into four groups and approached General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz about using OSS men in the Pacific Gen. MacArthur had no interest at all. Adm Nimitz looked at Donovan's list of units and also said no thank you except he could use

10527-649: The men in the teams that saw service. The UDT uniform had transitioned from the combat fatigues of the NCDUs to trunks, swimfins , diving masks and Ka-bars . The men trained by the OSS had brought their swimfins with them when they joined the UDTs. They were adopted by the other teams as quickly as Supply could get them. These "Naked Warriors", as they came to be called post-war, saw action in every major Pacific amphibious landing including: Eniwetok , Saipan , Kwajalein , Tinian , Guam , Angaur , Ulithi , Peleliu , Leyte , Lingayen Gulf , Zambales , Iwo Jima , Okinawa , Labuan , and Brunei Bay . By fall of 1944,

10648-414: The name "Hell Week" by NCDU recruits, this rigorous course was integrated into UDT training and remains a part of modern-day Navy Seal training today. By April 1944, a total of 34 NCDUs were deployed to England in preparation for Operation Overlord , the amphibious landing at Normandy . On 6 June 1944, under heavy fire, the NCDUs at Omaha Beach managed to blow eight complete gaps and two partial gaps in

10769-405: The nation, plays a key role in the 2008 documentary film I.O.U.S.A. Bob Kerrey Joseph Robert Kerrey (born August 27, 1943) is an American politician who served as the 35th governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 1989 to 2001. Before entering politics, he served in the Vietnam War , as a United States Navy SEAL officer and

10890-657: The need for unconventional warfare and special operations as a measure against guerrilla warfare . In a speech to Congress on 25 May 1961, Kennedy spoke of his deep respect for the United States Army Special Forces . While his announcement of the government's plan to put a man on the moon drew most of the attention, in the same speech he announced his intention to spend over $ 100 million to strengthen U.S. special operations forces and expand American capabilities in unconventional warfare. Some people erroneously credit President Kennedy with creating

11011-476: The need for a beach reconnaissance force, a select group of Army and Navy personnel assembled at Amphibious Training Base (ATB) Little Creek , Virginia on 15 August 1942 to begin Amphibious Scouts and Raiders (Joint) training. The Scouts and Raiders' mission was to identify and reconnoiter the objective beach, maintain a position on the designated beach prior to a landing, and guide the assault waves to

11132-540: The need for the covert reconnaissance of landing beaches and coastal defenses . As a result, the joint Army, Marine Corps, and Navy Amphibious Scout and Raider School was established in 1942 at Fort Pierce, Florida . The Scouts and Raiders were formed in September of that year, just nine months after the attack on Pearl Harbor , from the Observer Group , a joint U.S. Army-Marine-Navy unit. Recognizing

11253-456: The number was, women and children who were dead", Kerrey said in 1998. "I was expecting to find Viet Cong soldiers with weapons, dead. Instead I found women and children." Kerrey denied personally participating in the operation, but admitted to his own complicity. In contrast, Gerhard Klann, a member of Kerrey's SEAL team, gave a different version independently supported by a separate interview with Vietnamese woman Pham Tri Lanh. According to Klann,

11374-507: The occupation, but the students voted down that option. The occupation ended after 30 hours when the two parties accepted a treaty; Kerrey agreed to amnesty for the students involved in the occupation, more student space, and more student input in school investments and decision making. Early in the morning of April 10, 2009, 19 students took over the 65 5th Avenue building, erecting an anarchist flag and demanding once again that Kerrey resign. A few hours later, about 20 police officers entered

11495-589: The operations in the Marshall Islands , Admiral Turner restructured the two provisional UDT units and created 7 permanent units with an allotted size of 96 men per team. In the name of operational efficiency, the UDTs were also made an-all Navy outfit, and any Army and Marine corp engineers were returned to their units. Moving forward, the UDTs would employ the reconnaissance method made successful in Kwajalein – daytime use of swimsuits and goggles instead of

11616-404: The place where three children hid before they were found and killed. After his military service, Kerrey pursued a business career. From 1972 to 1982, he owned and operated Grandmother's Inc. a chain of restaurants known as Grandmother's Skillet. Another company, Kerrey Holdings, included several fitness centers and a bowling alley. After he ceded active management to his brother in law in 1983,

11737-412: The school to set university-wide standards for promotion, hiring, and faculty evaluation. Additionally, tenure was instituted for all academic departments. On April 14, 2005, Kerrey announced that the university was changing its name from "New School University" to "The New School", and rebranding its eight divisions as specialized, separate entities serving different constituencies. On April 17, 2005,

11858-613: The separate Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU). DEVGRU fell under Task Force Blue, while Naval Special Warfare Group 2 composed the entirety of Task Force White. Task Force White was tasked with three principal objectives: the destruction of Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) naval assets in Balboa Harbor and the destruction of Manuel Noriega 's private jet at Paitilla Airport (collectively known as Operation Nifty Package ), as well as isolating PDF forces on Flamenco Island. The strike on Balboa Harbor by Task Unit Whiskey

11979-502: The spring of 1945 and, disguised as coolies , conducted a detailed three-month survey of the Chinese coast from Shanghai to Kitchioh Wan, near Hong Kong . In September 1942, 17 Navy salvage personnel arrived at ATB Little Creek, Virginia for a week-long course in demolitions, explosive cable cutting, and commando raiding techniques. On 10 November 1942, the first combat demolition unit successfully cut cable and net barriers across

12100-664: The station and fought their way to the water where they hid from patrolling enemy forces. After the enemy had given up their search, the SEALs, some wounded, swam into the open sea where they were extracted several hours later after being spotted by a reconnaissance aircraft. During the closing stages of the Iran–Iraq War the United States Navy began conducting operations in the Persian Gulf to protect US-flagged ships from attack by Iranian naval forces. A secret plan

12221-489: The swimmers from the Maritime Unit to expand the UDTs. He was primarily interested in them for being swimmers, not their military training. The interest in the tactical applications of the OSS Operational Swimmers ' training only developed later but most of Group A's gear was put into storage as it was not applicable to UDT work. The OSS was very restricted in operations in the Pacific. ADM Nimitz approved

12342-748: The takedown of the Iran Ajr . Evidence gathered on the Iran Ajr by the SEALs later allowed the US Navy to trace the mines that struck USS  Samuel B. Roberts  (FFG-58) . This chain of events led to Operation Praying Mantis , the largest US Naval surface engagement since the Second World War. During Operation Desert Shield and Storm, Navy SEALs trained Kuwaiti Special Forces. They set up naval special operations groups in Kuwait, working with

12463-439: The team rounded up the women and children from hooches (shelters) and decided to "kill them and get out of there", for fear that they would alert enemy soldiers. He said Kerrey gave the order to fire. Kerrey responded to Klann's account by stating "it's not my memory of it", and accused Klann of being jealous that Kerrey had not assisted him in obtaining a Medal of Honor for a later mission. Kerrey also accused Pham Tri Lanh of being

12584-438: The total to three Medals of Honor and five Navy Crosses. SEAL Team One was awarded three Presidential Unit Citations and one Navy Unit Commendation; SEAL Team Two received two Presidential Unit Citations. By the end of the war, 48 SEALs had been killed in Vietnam, but estimates of their kill count are as high as 2,000. The Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, displays a list of the 48 SEALs who lost their lives in combat during

12705-484: The transfer the five officers and 24 enlisted men of Maritime Unit Operational Swimmer Group A led by Lieutenant Choate. They became part of UDT 10 in July 1944. LT Choate would become commander of UDT 10. The rest of MU Group A would fill most of UDT 10's command offices as well as many of the swimmers. Five of the OSS-trained men participated in the very first UDT submarine operation with USS  Burrfish in

12826-643: The troops ashore, incoming boats and nearby ships. The 7th Amphibious Scouts conducted operations in the Pacific for the duration of the conflict, participating in more than 40 landings. The third and final Scouts and Raiders organization operated in China. Scouts and Raiders were deployed to fight with the Sino-American Cooperative Organization (SACO) . To help bolster the work of SACO, Admiral Ernest J. King ordered that 120 officers and 900 men be trained for "Amphibious Raider" at

12947-486: The university. Under his leadership, the university launched numerous new academic programs, including several joint degree programs. Enrollment increased by 44% to over 10,200, and online course enrollment doubled. He also oversaw an increase in the size of the faculty. The number of full-time faculty members grew from 156 in 2001 to more than 372 in 2009. He also helped to establish the Faculty Senate, which allowed

13068-552: Was a non-traditional use of Naval forces. Due to the nature of the war, the UDTs maintained a low operational profile. Some of the missions included transporting spies into North Korea and the destruction of North Korean fishing nets used to supply the North Korean Army. As part of the Special Operations Group, or SOG, UDTs successfully conducted demolition raids on railroad tunnels and bridges along

13189-588: Was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in combat. During the action for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor, he was severely wounded, precluding further naval service. Kerrey was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992 . He retired from the Senate in 2000 and was replaced by former governor and fellow Democrat Ben Nelson . From 2001 to 2010, he served as president of The New School ,

13310-828: Was defeated by Republican candidate State Senator Deb Fischer . Senator Kerrey was a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Finance Committee, and was a member of the Appropriations Committee from 1989 to 1996. He also served as vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee from 1995 to 1999. He was the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 104th Congress before retiring in 2001. Kerrey voted for

13431-542: Was designated TU 1.1.3 for the operation. On 27 April 1946, seven officers and 51 enlisted embarked at CBC Port Hueneme, for transit to Bikini. Their assignment was to retrieve water samples from ground zero of the Baker blast. The Korean War began on 25 June 1950, when the North Korean army invaded South Korea . Beginning with a detachment of 11 personnel from UDT 3, UDT participation expanded to three teams with

13552-502: Was established in April 1987 and its Naval component, United States Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM), also known as NSWC, was established at the same time. Both SEAL Team Four and SEAL Team Six, the predecessor to DEVGRU , participated in the US invasion of Grenada. The SEALs' two primary missions were the extraction of Grenada's Governor-General, Sir Paul Scoon , and the capture of Grenada's only radio tower. Neither mission

13673-418: Was eventually evacuated by helicopter. The havoc brought to the enemy by this very successful mission cannot be overestimated. The enemy who were captured provided critical intelligence to the allied effort. Lieutenant (jg) Kerrey's courageous and inspiring leadership, valiant fighting spirit, and tenacious devotion to duty in the face of almost overwhelming opposition, sustain and enhance the finest traditions of

13794-737: Was in talks with senior Democrats about the possibility of replacing him. The Washington Post reported that Kerrey would neither confirm nor deny the rumor. American Crossroads had been running advertisements critical of Kerrey's potential Nebraska Senate run, focusing on the fact that Kerrey had been living in New York for the last ten years. Kerrey responded to the ads with an invitation for Karl Rove to eat at one of Kerrey's restaurants in Nebraska, or to work out at one of his gyms that he owns in that state. On February 27, 2012, The Washington Post reported that Kerrey had earlier decided against

13915-648: Was lost to improper handling of explosives. In August 1944, four NCDUs from Utah Beach plus nine others participated in the landings Operation Dragoon in southern France. It was the last amphibious operation in the European Theater of Operations . Once the European invasions were complete, Rear Admiral Kelly Turner requisitioned all available NCDUs from Fort Pierce for integration into the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) operating in

14036-546: Was not nearly enough to overcome Fischer's margin in the more rural parts of the state. Kerrey works closely as an advisor to Elliott Broidy 's firm Circinus, a paramilitary firm Broidy purchased in 2014 which has large contracts with the United Arab Emirates . While he was Governor of Nebraska, Kerrey dated actress Debra Winger while the latter was in Lincoln filming Terms of Endearment (part of which

14157-496: Was put in place and dubbed Operation Prime Chance . Navy SEAL Teams 1 and 2 along with several Special Boat Units and EOD technicians were deployed on mobile command barges and transported by helicopters from the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment . Over the course of the operation SEALs conducted VBSS ( visit, board, search, and seizure ) missions to counter Iranian mine-laying boats. The only loss of life occurred during

14278-474: Was selected to set up a school for Naval Demolitions and direct the entire Project. The first six classes graduated from "Area E" at NTC Camp Peary. LCDR Kauffman's needs quickly out-grew "Area E" and on 6 June 1943, he established NCDU training at Fort Pierce. Most of Kauffman's volunteers came from the navy's Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) and enlisted Seabees. Training commenced with a grueling week designed to filter out under-performing candidates. Eventually given

14399-724: Was the beginning of the Navy SEALs. All SEALs came from the Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams , who had already gained extensive experience in commando warfare in Korea ; however, the Underwater Demolition Teams were still necessary to the Navy's amphibious force. The first two teams were formed in January 1962 and stationed on both US coasts: Team One at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado , in San Diego, California and Team Two at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek , in Virginia Beach, Virginia . Formed entirely with personnel from UDTs,

14520-501: Was the way to get accurate information on coral and underwater obstacles for upcoming landings. This is what he reported to Admiral Nimitz. The success of those UDT 1 Seabees not following Fort Pierce protocol rewrote the UDT mission model and training regimen. Those Seabees also created the image of UDTs as the "naked warriors". At Engebi CDR Brewster was wounded and all of the men with ENS Luehrs wore swim trunks under their greens. After

14641-627: Was well briefed or sufficiently supported with timely intelligence and the SEALs ran into trouble from the very beginning. On 24 October 1983, twelve operators from SEAL Team Six and four Air Force Combat Control Team members (CCT) conducted a predawn combat airborne water insertion from C-130 Hercules aircraft with Zodiac inflatable rubber boats 40 kilometers north of Point Salines, Grenada. The team inserted with full combat gear in bad weather with low visibility conditions and high winds. Four SEALs drowned and were never recovered. SEALs split into two teams and proceeded to their objectives. After digging in at

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