RIP Dick Marcinko- Seal Team Six Legend

Herman_Snerd

Herman_Snerd

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Richard Marcinko, first commanding officer of Seal Team 6, dies.

Richard "Dick" Marcinko, who was the first commanding officer of U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6, died Saturday at the age of 81, according to an announcement from his son.

"Last night, Christmas evening, we lost a hero, who’s also known as The Rogue Warrior, the retired Navy SEAL commander AND the creator of SEAL Team Six, my father, Richard Marcinko," tweeted Matt Marcinko on Sunday. "His legacy will live forever. The man has died a true legend. Rest In Peace Dad. I love you forever."

Marcinko's passing was also announced on the Navy SEAL Museum's Facebook page, which said, "Dick Marcinko played a very unique part in SEAL history, leaving a legacy like no other. ‘Demo Dick’ is considered the United States’ premier counterterrorism operator. We send our deepest sympathies to his family, teammates, and friends."

Marcinko was born Nov. 21, 1940, in Lansford, Pennsylvania, and enlisted in the U.S. Marines before being rejected for his lack of a high school diploma. He later enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1958, eventually working his way up the rank of commander. He would also go on to earn a bachelor's degree and master's degree in international relations and political science, respectively.

He was the first commanding officer of both SEAL Team 6 and RED CELL, two the military's top counter-terrorist units, which he helped to found.

Marcinko deployed to Vietnam in January 1967 in 2nd Platoon, SEAL Team 2. He participated in the May 18, 1967, assault on Ilo Ilo Hon, which the Navy has described as its most successful SEAL operation during the Vietnam War.

After returning to the United States, Marcinko deployed to Vietnam for a second time, during which he participated in the Tet Offensive.

The North Vietnamese placed a bounty on Marcinko's head because of his effective leadership, but he evaded the enemy
 
Ah yes the bounty :)

I can speak from first hand experience

If the NVA had not “allegedly” placed a bounty on your head you were a nobody.

From all the many stories I have heard of bounties offered by the NVA, including for my own unit and it’s members, although to be fair someone claimed to hear of our bounty on the VC radio broadcast , I would have assumed we would have won the war because the NVA would have runout of money.
 
As far as bounties and to be fair to the rest of the US Navy as well as the US Army, Air Force and the Marine Corps, the Navy SEALs were among the least of the NVAs problems.
 
Here's a toast. That is a bummer - I really enjoy his Rogue Warrior book series.
 
RIP --Demo Dick.

I'll be honest, never really got into the Rogue Warrior series, a little too bombastic for me, but his real life story was amazing. I've heard some interesting stories about how Red Cell "visited" NAS Brunswick back in the '80's,
 
Old Navy BGO said:
RIP --Demo Dick.

I'll be honest, never really got into the Rogue Warrior series, a little too bombastic for me, but his real life story was amazing. I've heard some interesting stories about how Red Cell "visited" NAS Brunswick back in the '80's,
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Since those books were ghost-written (almost certainly by someone who never served) we can take the extreme macho tone with a grain of salt. Didn't he "write" his original autobiography to pay for legal fees related to his criminal conviction in the late 1980s or so?
 
Day-Tripper said:
Since those books were ghost-written (almost certainly by someone who never served) we can take the extreme macho tone with a grain of salt. Didn't he "write" his original autobiography to pay for legal fees related to his criminal conviction in the late 1980s or so?
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Fact check please.

While DeFelice and Weisman have in fact ghost authored among their hundreds of publications,I’m curious. what is the basis of stating, with such “certainty” and confidence as you did that these specific books were ghost written vs coauthored with Marcinko? Same finger pointing coming for American Sniper or the Dale Brown collaborations, or their published articles? Or are these just careless cheap shots on the days after one of the authors who served for 30 years just passed away?

Also, 7 or the 8 books coauthored by Marcinko were NY Times FICTION best sellers which were of course sensationalized and embellished. Even fans like me would LOL at some absurd sequences. Just like I do at some Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum fiction works. Yet, why a need to point out that fiction books are sensational and not factual. Again, just generalized zingers for sport at a man who just died? That says a lot about you if so. Eeish.

Yes, he had legal troubles, was incarcerated and served his time Did he write the book to pay for his attorneys? I think you’re probably correct. Did he hide his mistakes? No he openly admitted and owned them - kinda sad IMO you’re pissing on the man’s grave. He mentored others and made a tremendous impact by highlighting security flaws pre 9/11 and served as a Seal and Seal leader including in Vietnam. And was an entertaining author and speaker. He was not perfect but let ye without sin cast the first stones - aimed at his casket apparently.

Overall you’re an insightful poster on this forum but this post in particular so close to his death lacked reverence or care. Please take a moment to introspectively reflect to realize this was an ill timed and no class move. You’re entitled to your opinion and to state it but consider being a little more careful please unless you can back up your accusations. So cowardly to state this when you even at 81 would not have said this to his face.
 
The series was absolutely fictional, but it was funny to see the parallels to the real world. I would like to think some of the plot lines were drawn from sensationalizing modern day headlines. A favorite of mine was actually a non-fiction piece - The Real Team. In this book, he went behind the call sign / nicknames found in the fictional book series to give the real story behind men who he/they based the character(s) on.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Fact check please.

While DeFelice and Weisman have in fact ghost authored among their hundreds of publications,I’m curious. what is the basis of stating, with such “certainty” and confidence as you did that these specific books were ghost written vs coauthored with Marcinko? Same finger pointing coming for American Sniper or the Dale Brown collaborations, or their published articles? Or are these just careless cheap shots on the days after one of the authors who served for 30 years just passed away?

Also, 7 or the 8 books coauthored by Marcinko were NY Times FICTION best sellers which were of course sensationalized and embellished. Even fans like me would LOL at some absurd sequences. Just like I do at some Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum fiction works. Yet, why a need to point out that fiction books are sensational and not factual. Again, just generalized zingers for sport at a man who just died? That says a lot about you if so. Eeish.

Yes, he had legal troubles, was incarcerated and served his time Did he write the book to pay for his attorneys? I think you’re probably correct. Did he hide his mistakes? No he openly admitted and owned them - kinda sad IMO you’re pissing on the man’s grave. He mentored others and made a tremendous impact by highlighting security flaws pre 9/11 and served as a Seal and Seal leader including in Vietnam. And was an entertaining author and speaker. He was not perfect but let ye without sin cast the first stones - aimed at his casket apparently.

Overall you’re an insightful poster on this forum but this post in particular so close to his death lacked reverence or care. Please take a moment to introspectively reflect to realize this was an ill timed and no class move. You’re entitled to your opinion and to state it but consider being a little more careful please unless you can back up your accusations. So cowardly to state this when you even at 81 would not have said this to his face.
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Admittedly I did zero research into Marcinko's career & life before making my post. And even if I had & he was deserving of criticism, doing so within days of his death seems to be poor timing. He did, after all, dedicate a lifetime to service to his country in the US Navy.

I accept the admonishment & regret my impulsive post.
 
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