A brilliant virtuoso of violence, Richard Marcinko rose through the Navy ranks to create and command one of America’s most elite and classified counterterrorist units, Seal Team Six. Then Marcinko was given orders to create Red Cell, a team of the best counter terrorists, whose job was to check the security of the military’s top installations. Richard Marcinko was the ultimate rogue warrior. First, born Thanksgiving Day, 1940, Marcinko was from a poor, broken home. He was always very independent, having a paper route at five and cutting school classes regularly. At the age of fifteen, he got a job at a local restaurant. At the age of seventeen, he quit school and joined the Navy.
After two years as a teletype clerk, he convinced his Commanding Officer to send him to UDT, Underwater Demolition Team, training. Later,
in June 1966, he joined Seal Team Two and went to Vietnam. He served two tours there and came back a decorated war hero. After his return to the United States, he became Commanding Officer of Seal Team Two, where he served for eight years. Then, he came up with the idea of the Navy’s first counterterrorist unit, Seal Team Six. Now, the most important contribution Richard Marcinko made was his idea of Seal Team Six. Seal Team Six was created as part of the Counter Terrorist Joint Task Force, a group which includes one elite unit each from the Navy, the Army, and the FBI. Marcinko was given permission and unlimited expenses from the Pentagon to create this highly elite group. He was then named Commanding Officer of Seal Team Six, which
he served as for three years. This elite unit has gone on classified missions from Central America to the Middle East, the North Sea, Africa, and beyond. Then Marcinko was given orders to create Red Cell. Red Cell’s job was to check the security of the military’s top facilities and installations. It was made up of the twelve best counterterrorists in the world. After going to several facilities and proving the security was terrible, Marcinko was forced to retire from the Navy. Charges of conspiracy and theft were brought against him and he served one year in prison. Finally, Richard Marcinko was probably one of America’s most controversial warriors. He was a hero to the men he lead and he was a decorated warrior. He was a mean, profane, reprehensible person who was loyal only to his men; not to the Navy.
