Richard Marcinko, the first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six, has died

According to a post on the Navy Seal Museum’s Facebook page, retired Navy SEAL and first commanding officer of SEAL Team 6, Richard “Dick” Marcinko, has passed away.
Marcinko led the SEAL team in what is considered the Navy’s most successful SEAL operation of the Vietnam War: the attack on Ilo Ilo Han in May 1967. According to the Navy SEAL Museum, Marcinko and his men his killed many Viet Cong and destroyed six of their sampans. Marcinko deployed a second time with SEAL Team 2 during the Vietnam War. His platoon supported Army Special Forces during the Tet Offensive.
He was one of two Navy representatives on the task force that helped free American hostages during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. After the tragedy, the Navy tasked Marcinko with designing and developing a specialized anti-terrorism team.

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Thomas B. Hayward selected Marcinko as the unit’s first commanding officer. At the time, the Navy had two SEAL teams. According to the Navy SEAL museum, Marcinko named the unit “SEAL Team 6” to make other countries believe there were additional SEAL teams. He also hand-picked members from existing SEAL teams and Underwater Demolition Teams. Marcinko led SEAL Team 6 for three years.

“The SEALs who knew Dick Marcinko will remember him as an imaginative and daring man, a warrior at heart,” said retired Navy SEAL Adm. Eric Olson, who commanded the Joint Operations Command. U.S. Special Forces from July 2007 to August 2011, told Navy Times. “He is certainly a strong-minded trickster, but we are better off for his unique service.”

William McRaven, a retired Navy SEAL admiral who oversaw the raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and succeeded Olson as SOCOM commander, was dismissed as commander by Marcinko due to a clash of styles. leader, according to biography.

“Dick Marcinko is one of the more colorful characters in Naval Special Warfare history,” McRaven told Navy Times. “Even though we had some disagreements when I was a young officer, I always respected his boldness, ingenuity, and relentless drive toward success. I hope he will be remembered for his tremendous contributions to the SEAL community.”

After retiring from the Navy, Marcinko became CEO of SOS Temps Inc., his private security company, according to his Amazon author profile.
Marcinko is the author of The Real Team; The Rogue Warrior’s Successful Strategy: The Commando’s Principles of Victory; and the four-month New York Times bestseller The Rogue Warrior’s Leadership Secrets: The Commando’s Guide to Success, according to Amazon.

He also founded Richard Marcinko Inc., a team building and motivational training company; and Red Cell International, Inc., conduct vulnerability assessments on high-value assets and high-risk targets, according to Amazon.

According to Amazon, “Rogue Warrior, his #1 New York Times bestselling autobiography, set the stage for his bestselling Rogue Warrior novels, eight of which were co-authored with John Weisman.”

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