First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit

by Patrick K. O'Donnell

"Very well told . . . a rousing tale of wartime derring-do. . . . An absolute must-read." — New York Times –bestselling author Stephen Harding

In the summer of 1942, an extraordinary group of men untied to form an exceptional unit. Known as the Maritime Unit, it comprised America's first swimmer-commandos—an elite breed of warrior-spies who were decades ahead of their time when they created the tactics, technology, and philosophy that live on in today's Navy SEALs. Often armed only with knives and wearing nothing more than swim trunks and flippers, the Maritime Unit's combat swimmers and other operatives carried out seaborne clandestine missions in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean theaters of World War II.

In First SEALs, award-winning bestselling author and combat historian Patrick K. O'Donnell unearths their incredible history—one of the greatest untold stories of World War II.

"Beautifully written, original and compelling from first page to last." —John C. McManus, award-winning author of September Hope

"Sheds light on a little-known contribution to maritime special warfare. . . . A valuable addition to maritime special operations history, and serves the memory of men who went largely unrecognized for brave and dangerous feats." — Norfolk Virginian-Pilot

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Audiobook, World War II

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2014

About the author

O’Donnell is a bestselling author, critically acclaimed military historian and an expert on elite units. The author of twelve books, including: Washington’s Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution, The Unknowns, First SEALs, Give Me Tomorrow, The Brenner Assignment, We Were One, Beyond Valor, and Dog Company, he has also served as a combat historian in a Marine rifle platoon during the Battle of Fallujah and speaks often on espionage, special operations, and counterinsurgency. He has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for scores of documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Discovery and is the recipient of several national awards. He also regularly contributes to several national publications and shows.

Reviews

[JD · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though the author links World War Two's OSS Maritime Unit as the forefather of the US Navy SEALs (which was officially created in 1962), the book itself is highly disappointing and left me wanting more from it. The book focuses mostly on a few men who started the Maritime Unit and the innovations they brought to special operations, it does however not focus much on its missions during the war, that mainly started towards the end of 1943 when the tide of the war was already turning.

Even when describing the missions, there was very little detail and at times it felt like the story was dropped and another one just started which was frustrating as these men of the unit deserved that their stories were better told, and told in full. The best part of the book was about Lt. Taylor of the unit and how he ended up in Mauthausen concentration camp and how he survived the war, but even here his mission into Austria with some deserters was also lacking details. More time is also spent on the contribution of the ex-Italian Decima MAS operators to the Maritime Unit, than actual OSS agents, which veers from the heart of the book a bit.

I have read some of the authors' other works that I really liked, but this one was a total miss for me from him. I will definitely read some of his other books and just hope they are a lot better than this one.

[Tom Gulley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick K. O'Donnell just keeps topping himself.

First SEALs is a great example of what's becoming the O'Donnell standard. Beginning with a never-before-told story of the Maritime Unit, precursor to today's SEALs.

It's a story almost too amazing to believe. Yet, O'Donnell manages to bring a master historian's understanding and research to the pages--plowing new ground never before unturned in the search for details that richly bring the story to life.

But O'Donnell doesn't there. He has a gift for storytelling one might expect to find in a fiction novel. His skill in placing the reader in the mind, time period, and setting of the principle players is an extra gear not found in most accounts of military history.

Italians riding torpedoes. A famous matinee idol. Inflatable surfboards. An NFL kicker of note. Developing the first SCUBA gear. All spearheaded by an adventure-addicted dentist.

And that's just scratching the surface. If you're a fan of military history, non-fiction in general, or just an untold story being unveiled in a masterful fashion, get First SEALs.

It'll require a special operations team to pry it from your hands.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book for those who have an interest in Navy SEALs. It gives the roots of how Seals came about.

I learned quite a lot about how the war in Italy was fought, during World War II.

Was exceptionally well researched and referenced.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to all.

[David Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick K. O'Donnell always gives his readers great research, wonderful story-telling and engaging writing. His credibility as a historian is unblemished and his contributions to 20th century military history is significant. With First SEALs, however, O'Donnell has surpassed his prior works and delivered his finest work of scholarship to date. Mining largely untapped, and certainly unexhausted resources, O'Donnell gives his readers a brilliant exploration of the birth and evolution of the SEALs during WWII. First SEALS is exciting and eye-opening, and a must-read for anyone who studies military history and for anyone who just wants an exciting reading experience!

[Alex Kershaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great research, fascinating book, great read.

[Dee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible.com 7 hours Narrated by John Pruden(B)

Perhaps it's because I recently read the biography of "Wild Bill" Donovan and was therefore aware of his creation of various sections within the OSS, I was riveted by the stories of men who were a part of WW Two. I've come to trust Patrick O'Donnell for well-written stories that might otherwise gone untold. Men who wwould otherwise have lived ordinary lives sacrificed "ordinary" to play extraordinary roles in war. There are millions of war stories--many untold by choice, but these particular stories were classified and couldn't be shared-- only relived in dreams. 4.5 stars

[Martijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als je interesse hebt in de Tweede Wereldoorlog en verhalen van de SEALs, dan geeft dit boek je een inkijk in de speciale troepen van de Marine Unit van de OSS.
Het boek geeft een mooie inkijk in het pionieren van deze mannen qua uitrusting en missies.
Alleen de overdreven manier van schrijven stond me erg tegen, soms komt het over of de oorlog alleen gewonnen is door de Marine Unit.

[Harisa- EsquiredToRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

And with that, I have finished my challenge for 2017!

I loved this book. This was not what I expected but wow did it deliver. Especially after reading "The Nightinggale" it was really interesting to get the outlook of WWII from Eastern Europe instead of France and I'm really glad I read it.

[Jimmy]

The title of the book could be somewhat misleading. One might think this is a book on the early history of the US Navy SEALs which began its origin with the Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) during World War Two. Typically most books on the history of the SEALs trace their lineage to the UDTs. Instead this book focuses the Office of Strategic Services’ Maritime Unit (MU). After getting over the initial expectation that this was going to be about the SEALs or the UDT the book turned out to be an amazing account of the men and the operations of Maritime Unit that was much ahead in their days of Naval commando operations even compated to their contemporary UDTs with the MU’s advance technological breathing masks, sea-to-land direct actions, parachuting capabilities, support for partisan fighters behind enemy lines, sabotage and advanced reconnaissance. Like the modern SEALs of today the role of those in the MU were at times blurred from land and sea operations. This book tells the incredible stories of these men that read like a novel. The most harrowing account in the book is the story of Navy Lt. Jack Taylor who was captured by the Nazis deep within enemy lines and was sent to a concentration camp. Taylor was marked for death many times by the Nazis but camp clerks who were made up of prisoners themselves kept on erasing his name and/or going in line ahead of him whenever the Nazis gathered people to be killed. Many of these European prisoners wanted Taylor to be alive so that America and Western Europe would have an American witness of the Camp’s atrocities and therefore convinced the West that the Holocaust was real. It made me tear up seeing how those in the Concentration Camp can act almost like animals in survival mode but somehow in the midst of the all the salvage brutality the all too human concern for truth and justice manage to come out. This is an incredibly good book.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was kind of disappointing in a couple of ways. First, referring to these OSS agents as 'The First SEALS' seems to be something of a stretch. Granted, I was not expecting them to have been officially referred to as SEALS in their time, but they were more precursors to the precursors of The First SEALS. Basically, I could see the connection but it was more tenuous than I was expecting. Second, the descriptions of the various missions and challenges they faced were surprisingly short and dry. They seem to largely be based on official records of the missions, and the descriptions read like it, i.e. More like a dry inter office memo than a book telling a story. in addition the recitations are typically quite short. Like 6-7 pages (and not exactly long pages) long. I don't think it's a coincidence that the most compelling chapter is also the longest. Folks who will love anything remotely having to do with the SEALS will like this book, but if you're looking for more keep looking.

[Gina Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a 3.5. It really was pretty interesting. The first half or 3/4 of the book is mostly history of how underwater missions came to be and talk about the development and testing of underwater equipment and the gathering and training of the first ocean swimmers groups by the OSS. (Sounds dull but it really wasn't.). The last part of the book tells most specific stories about events during WWII and follows an American officer that was captured and held in a death camp. I give it only a 3.5 because I couldn't tell you the names or really very many specifics about most of the book. While it was interesting I don't feel that I was engaged enough to retain most of it (some of that may be due to listening to it rather than reading it.). On a side note, a character from The Zookeeper's Wife also makes a brief appearance in this which was a fun connection.

[Gabrielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is well researched and the information is well presented, but it wasn't as exciting or riveting as I hoped it would be. Most of the time we're moving from one person, or event, to the next, so it feels like learning about the OSS through the different patches of a quilt. It's difficult to become invested because as soon as we make it through a new invention or attack we're on to the next one, somewhere else, and often with different people. At the end we learn about one officer, Taylor, who was captured and imprisoned in Mauthausen. This section was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the most compelling for me. I think if I were more interested in military history I would have appreciated the book more overall, but I do recognise the effort O'Donnell put into gathering and writing about the OSS, and the contribution this must be to the field.

[kevin browning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patrick K. O'Donnell's First Seals tells the story of how the OSS established the foundation for the future Green Berets and Navy Seals. The book takes an indepth look at the development of the first scuba gear, the Navy's interest in an underwater demolitions team, and the formation of the first clandestine units that saw action in all three theatres of war.

What is the most interesting to me was the first operator, Lt. Jack Taylor. He was instrumental in developing covert ops to support the Allied war effort. Also, I loved how the inspiration for the MU came from the Italian Decimas, especially since the Italians get a undeserved bad rep as fighters in WWII.

It's a good book for anyone looking for a lesser known part of WWII.

[Stacy Karpel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An expertly told story about a piece of American history that could have easily been lost. The story is wonderfully written and I found myself engulfed in the tale. Jack Taylor is the ultimate survivor! The book is yet another stellar piece of work by Patrick K. O'Donnell. The detail and intimacy allowed by the personal interviews was far beyond what most historians could achieve. Although many interviewed were O'Donnells personal friends he managed to deliver an unbiased book that provides a balanced view of the units strengths and weaknesses . Once I cracked the spine I could not put it down.

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

First SEALs chronicles the formation and exploits of the OCC's Marine Unit (MU). Unfortunately, O'Donnell's prose tends to sink rather than swim. Most of the book consists of stories that are so short and bereft of detail that they do not engage the reader and generally blend together. There is one significantly longer episode that is quite interesting. However, this is an account of a POW situation; while the captured solider was a MU operative, the story of his confinement seems only tangentially related to the unit.

[Grayson Mcclellan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Information presented in a kind of bland and repetitive format.

[Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

This really deserves 3.5 ⭐️. Interesting history, but the structure and flow isn’t as smooth and continuous as it might be. It feels forced sometimes moving to the next chapter.

[Robert Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patrick K. O’Donnell’s First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America’s Most Elite Unit is an engaging account of how the OSS Maritime Unit (an early predecessor to the Navy’s SEALs) took shape and proved itself in World War II. The story moves from the unit’s uncertain start in a Washington, DC hotel to training in places like the Potomac, California, and the Bahamas—before culminating in its baptism by fire in the Mediterranean.

O’Donnell’s favorite engine of the book is people: the unusual blend of personalities and the decision-making behind building a unit for secret work at sea and behind enemy lines. He highlights the OSS’s talent hunt for elite swimmers and the way that cross-pollination—from the rebreather work of Chris­tian Lambertsen to the combat swimmer groups O’Donnell describes—helped define what the MU became. One particularly compelling thread follows Jack Taylor, whose harrowing capture and treatment at Mauthausen makes the book read almost like a biography of the former dentist.

The main weaknesses are imbalance and missed opportunities. Woolley’s influence on unit culture largely fades after the early chapters, and O’Donnell gives relatively limited attention to the swimming groups sent to the Pacific. A more explicit comparison between how different theaters shaped missions, commanders, and culture would have strengthened the book’s overall interpretation.

Still, the research impresses. O’Donnell blends extensive archival work with thousands of oral history interviews, giving the Mediterranean operations a vivid, inside-the-action feel. The result is a compelling, well-researched, and accessible history of early special operations—ideal for readers who want an entertaining introduction to the OSS MU and how it evolved.

[Brent Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Da Capo press book had only 290 pages.

First, I have to say that I love history and have a BA and MA in history. So I've read a lot of history books and done a lot of research for writing. But I'm not a published author as of yet.

This is one of the few books that surprised me, as it wasn't what I thought it would be. Instead of a chronology interspaced with some stories, it was stories with a bit of chronology. Which is fine.

The book is written more along the lines of telling individual people's stories than a more comprehensive book regarding history, deployments, etc, of what eventually became the SEALs.

While the writing wasn't bad, I went with three stars because the book focuses almost exclusively on WWII. Which again is fine. But when you title your book "the forging of America's most elite unit," I would have expected to see at least something that takes me from WWII through to modern day. There was none of that. There were some individual references to what people did post-WWII, but none of the story about how we get to the SEALs of today.

Overall, the book was a decent read. However, it took me a lot longer than it normally would to read a book of only 250 pages of story text. I think that was because I was slogging through a book that was not what I had hoped or expected. Thus, I kept putting this one on hold and reading other books in between. If you have an interest in the history of the Maritime Unit that was a precursor to the SEALs, this book is probably for you. If not, then I would still read it, but be wary.

[Sarah Bodaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The title kind of threw me a little, for it tells the story, not of World War 2's Navy Underwater Demolition Teams, but with the OSS, Office of Strategic Services, which focused more on reconnaissance/spying as well as underwater subversion.
The storyline was masterful, and was almost completely free of any language. There was a little bit of overlap from a book I had read last year, about the extraction of several U.S. nurses that had crash landed in Albania during World War 2. (The Secret Rescue by Cate Lineberry)
A decent portion of the book describes Navy Lt. Jack Taylor's capture by the Germans and ultimate detention in Mauthausen Concentration Camp. The things he saw and endured were gut-wrenching. Several times, he was slated for execution, but other prisoners, mostly Russians, took his place, so that he could hopefully survive and tell the world what happened; they knew people would trust an American's account more than a Communist's. His testimony at the Nuremberg Trials led to multiple convictions.
The Navy runs deep in my family, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There's several characters from it that I hope to explore further.

[San Diego Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Eric Heimbuch for San Diego Book Review

It is hard to imagine a world without special forces such as the US Navy SEALs or the US Army Green Berets in this day and age of small scale warfare, surgical strikes, and a war on terrorism, but that was where the United States was in the beginning of WWII. The US recognized the value of small teams of operators that could quickly and quietly infiltrate behind the enemy's lines and carry out missions that could have devastating effects on the enemy.

You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.

[Richard Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written book! Made me feel so proud to be a American! This was a very revealing and interesting book. I had always known the Gestapo tortured and killed it prisoners but I never knew the actual details of their methods. And it much worse then imagined and it goes to show how brave and courageous the men who died fighting for our country were. What I loved about this book is to reveal to us modern Americans the moral courage and bravery of unknown men in history. I would highly recommend this book. That being said I feel like it wasn't quite written as well as The Brenner Assignment. The flow wasn't as good.

[Wesley Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent history of the pre-Navy SEAL period covering WWII in the European theater. I met Patrick O'Donnell at a Civil War show in Mansfield, OH, and he was clearly an expert in a number of fields, specifically the OSS during the war. He has literally interviewed thousands of WWII veterans and studied thousands of documents in the National Archives. The sad thing is that so many of the men and women he has interviewed are passing away each year. His books really reflect history. Great read.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the days of World War 2, the need for an underwater demolition team and how that developed into a larger role in reconnaissance, espionage and infiltration. The focus is on the biographies of key people who formed the Maritime Unit which grew into the Navy Seals. The author also makes personal remarks concerning the interviews he made. It was appreciated.

I like the way the author presents these type of stories. I'll probably read this book again.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally thought this book was about the current SEAL teams, but it is more of a WW2 history than anything else. It was still very interesting to read. The author does a good job of holding the reader's attention through a lively narrative. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in WW2 history, especially amphibious operations during the war.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this and learn about the beginnings of SEALs.

A very well-written book by an author with a lot of experience in covering war. I learned a lot from this book. One I will mention is that the actor Sterling Hayden (played General Ripper in Dr. Strangelove) was involved in OSS maritime operations in WWII. This is a fairly fast read

[Nordo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title is misleading.... it’s a book about the OSS operatives in WWII. Still interesting and entertaining though. I thought I was going to read a book about the actual first team of SEALS, not what led to their development 20 years earlier.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow paced initially, which made the book almost uninteresting. The book tells the story of pre-Seals operations - before Team Six and other modern day teams. The men in this story were "ordinary" Americans with extraordinary courage and ability - similar to the Seals of today.

[Nate Hendrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the events portrayed in this book I was aware of, but O'Donnell adds personal details that really flesh out the history. The great thing about oral history is that one can read about an event that they know and still learn how those events were endured by the men on the ground.

[Lewis Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on the WWII activities of the OSS, the forerunner of the U.S. Navy Seal's (and other Special Ops groups). It's also a great source of info on the Nazi P.O.W. Camps and the atrocities committed there.