Seal Team Six

I couldn't put it down! Today, I finished the amazing book written by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin. It was such an inspiration that I immediately went online to find Wasdin and send him a message of gratitude for his service to our country and for sharing his story with the world.

Howard Wasdin's story began a sad story of an abused child in an emotionless home. Despite this difficult environment, he learned hard work, he learned discipline, and he discovered his ability to block pain from his mind. This would come to his advantage throughout his military career.

I enjoyed reading once again about the intense training in BUD/S! (Another favorite book of mine The Heart and The Fist written by Eric Greitens also spoke of this intensity.) One of my favorite quotes mentioned several times in this book was the saying: "The more you sweat in peacetime the less you bleed in war."

"In BUD/S -it pays to be a winner ( p.63)." During the drown proofing, Wasdin, proved to be well prepared due to his tough upbringing, he stated, "I'd rather be doing this than being awakened from a dead sleep and slapped around (p.65)."

Wasdin made it through the roughness of Hell week- the ultimate in train the best, discard the rest(p.67). BUD/S prepared them to believe that they can accomplish any mission- and to never surrender. No SEAL has ever been a prisoner of war. "The only explicit training we receive in BUD/S is to look out for each other- leave no one behind(p.87)." It was an unwritten code: It's better to burn out than to fade away- and with our last breaths we'll take as many of the enemy with us as possible (p.87).

Wasdin served in Desert Storm, an operation to stop Saddam Hussein as he blamed Kuwait for his own country's failing economy. In August 1990 Saddam invaded Kuwait, he then set his sights on Saudi Arabia. While taking over an enemy ship, Wasdin was clearing rooms and handcuffing prisoners, one prisoner became uncooperative for Wasdin. Wasdin assumed the enemy didn't understand his ship was being taken over, as he lowered his gun to speak to the man, all the sudden the enemy lunged at him with a fire extinguisher.Wasdin took the man to the floor with his hands. "In retrospect, he should have gotten two to the body and one to the head, he's a lucky sonofabitch( p.129)." Desert Storm lasted 43 days. All of soldiers were furious that we didn't go to Baghdad and finish what we had started with Saddam. I can't help but wonder where we would be now if we had finished him in 1990.

Wasdin went on to sniper school."Humans don't have a deer's sense of smell, but they do have sixth sense- they know when they are being watched. Some are more attuned to it than others. When you think you're being watched and you turn around to find someone looking at you, you're using that sense. A sniper tries not to arouse this sense and avoids looking directly at the target(p.19). "

"I used language to make killing more respectable: waste, eliminate, remove, dispatch, dispose...in the military, bombings are clean surgical strikes, and civilian deaths are collateral damage. Following orders takes the responsibility of killing off my shoulders and places it on higher authority. In the culture of war, the line between the victim and aggressor can become blurred. All these things help me to do my job, but they can also threaten to blind me to the humanity in my enemy (p.142)."

This was a lesson Wasdin had learned when 14 Iraqi soldiers surrendered to him and another SEAL in Desert Storm, the SEALS fed them, gave water, and spared all of their lives that day. However, Desert Storm, is also where he made his first human kill.

In Somalia, a warlord, Mohammad Farrah Aidid, fought against another clan for control of Somalia, hundreds of thousands of Somalians were killed or injured, and overall the country was starving. Aidid refused any peace agreements. We had CIA presence, along with 180 soldiers in Somalia, but the Clinton administrations support for the troops sucked. It seemed Clinton was more interested in maintaining political points than keeping some of Americas finest troops alive (p.256).

"I hate our liberal media. It must be easy to sit back and point fingers when you're not involved. President Clinton also helped Aidid, by halting combat operations in Mogadishu until an investigation could be completed. Political popularity trumps American lives(p.209)."

While in Somalia Wasdin worked undercover in a safe house, he worked in the community earning trust, doing reconnaissance and learning about Aidid and his aids. Wasdin's personal longest killing shot was 846 yards, right between the eyes (p.223). The kill happened while he was in his sniper position, as the Delta forces closed in on the right hand man to Aidid.

Later, in the battle of Battle of Mogadishu, the entire fleet would go on a mission to take down Aidid's clan. The Delta forces closed in on a hotel as Wasdin and other SEALS would cover the men. It was here that Wasdin would get shot for the first time in his career. The shot came in the back of the left knee. Wasdin claims his fear level was at a 2 out of 10 at this point. The pain surprised him because he had reached a point in life where he thought he was more than human. "I was better trained. It happened to people around me or other SEALS because they were not me(p.244)."

He spoke of the bravery of the Rangers some of whom had only been out of high school a couple years. He spoke the amazing Ranger who despite 3 gun shot wounds continued to feed him ammo as fast as he possibly could. Wasdin received his second shot, it came from an AK-47. Under the insane combat conditions Wasdin rushed the shot at his enemy and missed, his enemy hit him in the right shinbone almost completely blowing off his leg. Wasdin then did a double tap and both rounds hit his enemy in the face (p.252). He tried to drive, he couldn't , but he felt no pain. However, when he looked down he could see his foot pointing backwards. He used his other foot to drive, and continued to engage the enemy despite his injuries and lack of ammo. His fear went to a 6. Ten minutes later, still surrounded by enemies, an enemy round shot through his left ankle (p.253). His fear went to a 7. He wondered why they were driving in circles, who up above could not lead the convoy to safety? As their cutvee finally stopped being shot to pieces the team was finally rescued by a QRF.

This battle was also written about by Mark Bowden in Black Hawk Down, made even more famous by the movie which told the story of the Battle of Mogadishu.

On that day 18 Americans were killed and 84 wounded. With only 180 soldiers fighting over 3000 militia and civilian fighters they killed thousands of Aidid's members and depleted much of their ammo (p.256). New troops were set to come in but in spite of the gains made that day, Clinton saw the sacrifices as losses. Clinton turned and and ran, he ordered all actions to be stop. Later Clinton released almost all of the important captured wingman to Aidid.

Wasdin felt as if all the sacrifices were made in vain. Why did they send us if they weren't willing to finish? Once we were committed we should have finished what we started: a lesson we are required to keep relearning over and over again(p.257).

Life after that day lead to quite a difficult recovery for Wasdin, he eventually would walk again after a nasty staff infection that attempted to take his life. "Although, we could endure physical pain and suffering, being ostracized from the group was often the heaviest punishment(p. 219)." 

He battled self doubt, depression, and self pity. He came out on top with the help of God. He understood that God was just letting him know that he was human, He humbled him and brought him back to reality.God taught him how to  love,how to be a father, and later a husband to his new wife.

Most Americans don't realize how blessed we are- we need to be more thankful(p.201). The story of the battle in 1993 of Mogadishu was gut wrenching. I was pissed off, excited, and nervous, it was thrilling reading nonetheless, but then you realise this isn't for entertainment value, this was the sad reality. I am very thankful that Howard Wasdin shared his story with America. I am so proud to be an American, and proud to have SEALS like Wasdin fight for our amazing country. Thank You Howard Wasdin, and all members of our military for your extraordinary service.