Page "United States Navy SEALs" Paragraph 14

The Korean War began on 25 June 1950, when the North Korean army invaded South Korea.

Beginning with a detachment of 11 personnel from UDT 3, UDT participation expanded to three teams with a combined strength of 300 men.

As part of the Special Operations Group, or SOG, UDTs successfully conducted demolition raids on railroad tunnels and bridges along the Korean coast.

On 15 September 1950, UDTs supported Operation Chromite, the amphibious landing at Incheon.

UDT 1 and 3 provided personnel who went in ahead of the landing craft, scouting mud flats, marking low points in the channel, clearing fouled propellers, and searching for mines.

Four UDT personnel acted as wave-guides for the Marine landing.

In October 1950, UDTs supported mine-clearing operations in Wonsan Harbor where frogmen would locate and mark mines for minesweepers.

On 12 October 1950, two U. S. minesweepers hit mines and sank.

UDTs rescued 25 sailors.

The next day, William Giannotti conducted the first U. S. combat operation using an " aqualung " when he dove on the USS Pledge ( AM-277 ).

For the remainder of the war, UDTs conducted beach and river reconnaissance, infiltrated guerrillas behind the lines from sea, continued mine sweeping operations, and participated in Operation Fishnet, which devastated the North Korean's fishing capability.