Air Capabilities of the U.S. Navy SEALs: A History of Bravery and Innovation

Trace the development of Naval Special Warfare air capabilities from the earliest days to today's state-of-the-art expertise. This first volume of the Sea, Air and Land trilogy covers how World War II frogmen took to the air and became today's Navy SEALs and masters of the sky. This history covers the development of:

• Parachuting
• Military free-fall techniques, including HALO jups
• History of NSW demonstration teams
• Testing the James Bond-like Fulton Skyhook
• Air delivery of weapons, equipment and vehicles
• Use of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft
• Tactical air insertion methods
• Jumping with portable nuclear weapons
• Frogmen and the space programs

Air Capabilities of the U.S. Navy SEALs tells the story of individual initiative, personal daring, clever innovation--and a few calamities along the way. Every page is richly illustrated, many with never-before-published images.

Told by the Men Who Lived the History

Author Captain Norman Olson retired from the Navy SEAL Teams with over 30-years commissioned service, spanning the Korean Police Action, Vietnam Conflict, and Cold War. Much of the book includes his first person accounts as the Officer in Charge of the first detachment of frogmen to attend jump school and s the founder of the first Navy parachute demonstration team. His experiences are expanded with the personal recollections of other frogmen who lived this story. Captain Olson made his 4,000th freefall jump on March 14, 2011, his 80th birthday.