Richard “Dick” Marcinko, who was the primary commanding officer of U.S. Navy SEAL Workforce 6, died Saturday on the age of 81, in response to an announcement from his son.
“Final evening, Christmas night, we misplaced a hero, who’s often known as The Rogue Warrior, the retired Navy SEAL commander AND the creator of SEAL Workforce Six, my father, Richard Marcinko,” tweeted Matt Marcinko on Sunday. “His legacy will reside without end. The person has died a real legend. Relaxation In Peace Dad. I like you without end.”
Marcinko’s passing was additionally introduced on the Navy SEAL Museum’s Fb web page, which stated, “Dick Marcinko performed a really distinctive half in SEAL historical past, leaving a legacy like no different. ‘Demo Dick’ is taken into account the USA’ premier counterterrorism operator. We ship our deepest sympathies to his household, teammates, and associates.”
Marcinko was born Nov. 21, 1940, in Lansford, Pennsylvania, and enlisted within the U.S. Marines earlier than being rejected for his lack of a highschool diploma. He later enlisted within the U.S. Navy in 1958, finally working his means up the rank of commander. He would additionally go on to earn a bachelor’s diploma and grasp’s diploma in worldwide relations and political science, respectively.
He was the primary commanding officer of each SEAL Workforce 6 and RED CELL, two the navy’s prime counter-terrorist models, which he helped to discovered.
Marcinko deployed to Vietnam in January 1967 in 2nd Platoon, SEAL Workforce 2. He participated within the Might 18, 1967, assault on Ilo Ilo Hon, which the Navy has described as its most profitable SEAL operation through the Vietnam Conflict.
After returning to the USA, Marcinko deployed to Vietnam for a second time, throughout which he participated within the Tet Offensive.
The North Vietnamese positioned a bounty of Marcinko’s head due to his efficient management, however he evaded the enemy. He would go on to earn 4 Bronze Stars, in addition to the Silver Star and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Altogether he earned 34 citations and medals.
After serving as certainly one of two Navy representatives on an unsuccessful process power meant to free American hostages through the Iran hostage disaster in 1979, Marcinko was tapped to design and lead an elite counterterrorism group, which later grew to become SEAL Workforce 6. The title was meant to idiot the Soviet Union and different adversaries into considering that the U.S. had extra SEAL groups than it did.
Marcinko commanded SEAL Workforce 6 from August 1980 to July 1983. He was additionally the writer of a number of books, together with his 1993 New York Occasions bestselling autobiography, “Rogue Warrior.” The e-book would result in a number of spinoff novels.
“The SEALs who knew Dick Marcinko will bear in mind him as imaginative and daring, a warrior at coronary heart,” retired Navy SEAL Adm. Eric Olson informed Navy Times. “He was a spirited rogue for certain, however we’re higher off for his unconventional service.”
