The first "tadpoles" were not called NAVY SEALs. During the spring of 1943, a group of volunteers from the Naval Construction Battalions got together to form the first special- forces group. Their first mission objectives included blowing up some underwater obstacles. Amphibious crafts were in need for somebody or something to clear a path so that the Marines could get to the beaches from their "Gator-Freighters." This is where the Naval Combat Demolitions Units (NCDUs) got their start. The part not shown in "Saving Private Ryan," was the NCDUs swimming up and clearing a path on the beach before the "Gator-Freighters" landed. These original Combat Demolition Units distinguished themselves at Utah and Omaha beaches in Normandy and in Southern France. Swimmer slates, drop lines, and sinkers were key tools used during the original missions. Knowing the topography of the ocean floor was key in planning for the successful operations.

The NCDUs eventually evolved into the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs). During WWII, the UDT's saw action all over the Pacific. From the UDT's evolved the modern day guerrilla warrior.

On January 8, 1962 at 1300 hours, President John F. Kennedy created the first Sea, Air, Land Team! The newly developed SEAL Teams took on a much wider scope of operation than that of the early frogman. Unconventional warfare, counter-guerrilla warfare, and clandestine operations in maritime and riverine environments, described some of the new responsibilities assumed by the early Seals. At first there were only two SEAL Teams made up of fifty men. SEAL Team ONE was assigned to the West coast and SEAL Team TWO was assigned to the East coast.

To put it mildly, during Vietnam, the SEALs dominated combat. They had the most impressive records of combat success in all the armed forces. Frogmen earned their reputations, mostly during the Vietnam era, while spilling blood. Many men had to pay a price for knowledge and experience now used by the modern day warriors. Vietnam is where the NAVY SEALS established the ominous reputation as being the fiercest warriors on earth. During Vietnam SEAL Teams One and Two amassed a combined kill ratio of 200:1, with only 46 deaths resulting mostly from accidents and poor intelligence rather than enemy direct fire.

Lets face it, since the "Vietnam conflict", operational needs and functions changed along with the advancements in technology and world politics. During the post Vietnam era the Teams went through steady growth and expansion. The total number of teams and members increased to accommodate the evolutionary process. UDT was redesigned to include SEAL and or SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams. SEALs continued amphibious support missions, inherited from the UDT forefathers, and evolved to include the SEAL mission as well. The elite combat units of Naval Special warfare grew to include SEAL Teams, SDV Teams, and SBU. These units are organized, trained, and equipped to conduct special operations, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, and clandestine operations in maritime and riverine environments. SEAL Teams are now deployed globally while supporting the fleet and upholding the political objectives that are in the best interest of the United States.

The SEALs performed heroically in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, Just Cause in Panama, Desert Shield/Storm in Iraq (200 combat missions without casualty) and most recently in Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia. The modern Team members are responsible for a vast array of both technical and physical operations. It is a common belief among fellow frogmen that the wide range of tasks can sometimes stretch the limits of expertise. These include Unconventional Warfare (UW) - which is basically behind the lines Guerrilla warfare during times of conflict; Foreign Internal Defense (FID) - which includes the training of foreign nationals and relationship building during peacetime; Direct Action (DA) which includes any mission that a SEAL element may undergo against an enemy target that includes the use or potential use of force - these missions include ambushes, stand off weapons attacks, hostage rescue, target assaults on maritime and land based targets, amongst others; Counter Terrorist (CT) - which is just what it sounds like and is the primary mission of DEVGRU; and finally Special Reconnaissance (SR) - which includes hydrographic reconnaissance and SDV Beach Feasibility studies, point and area recons, Indications and Warning missions and any other overt, covert or clandestine mission whose primary purpose is to gather information.

SEALs have to maintain qualifications in freefall parachuting at night, combat diving at night, running, swimming, shooting, land warfare, and more. Physical and mental limits are pushed by SEALs on a daily basis. Many training ops require Frogs to start swimming when the sun goes down and when the sun comes up they are just getting out of the water. Zodiac over the horizon operation require transits in excess of 100 miles. Land warfare training can go on for weeks. Diving operation can exceed fourteen hours. NAVY Seals truly are the best of the best.

The U.S. Navy currently has nine SEAL Teams. Two highly specialized teams are referred to as Seal Deliver Vehicle Teams. The teams also work in conjunction with the two Special Boat Units.