SEAL Team Six

Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper

By: Howard E. Wasdin, Stephen Templin

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

When the Navy sends their elite, they send the SEALs. When the SEALs send their elite, they send SEAL Team Six—a secret unit tasked with counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and counterinsurgency.

In this dramatic, behind-the-scenes chronicle, Howard Wasdin takes listeners deep inside the world of Navy SEALs and Special Forces snipers, beginning with the grueling selection process of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL - the toughest and longest military training in the world.

After graduating, Wasdin faced new challenges. First, there was combat in Operation Desert Storm as a member of SEAL Team Two. Then, the Green Course: the selection process to join the legendary SEAL Team Six (ST6), with a curriculum that included practiced land warfare to unarmed combat. More than learning how to pick a lock, they learned how to blow the door off its hinges.

Finally, as member of ST6, he graduated from the most storied and challenging sniper program in the country: the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School. Eventually, of the 18 snipers in ST6, Wasdin became the best—which meant one of the best snipers on the planet.

Less than half a year after sniper school, he was fighting for his life. The mission: capture or kill Somalian warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. From rooftops, helicopters, and alleys, Wasdin hunted Aidid and killed his men whenever possible. But everything went quickly to hell when his small band of soldiers found themselves fighting for their lives, cut off from help and desperately trying to rescue downed comrades during a routine mission. The Battle of Mogadishu, as it became known, left 18 American soldiers dead and 73 wounded. Howard Wasdin had both of his legs nearly blown off while engaging the enemy. His explosive combat tales and inside details of becoming one of the world’s deadliest snipers combine to make this the most thrilling and important memoir by a navy SEAL since Lone Survivor.

©2011 Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

An elite book

As a Canadian, I am not too into political or military topics, so this is not my typical genre - though I have nothing but respect for military folks for the work they do and for putting their lives on the line.
Having said that, I bought this book in follow up to Extreme Ownership & The Dichotomy of Leadership, which I really enjoyed. It was also recommended a few times, including on Joe Rogan's podcast. While in comparison to the ones mentioned this book was different in it's focus on the mainly the actual combat aspects, I thoroughly enjoyed the story telling.

Amazing Tale

This was great from the get go! Not just blood and bullets....but an inside look at the family toll, the struggle, and the bonds of family. Would recommend to anyone.

Great Story

Very interesting book. Kept my attention, good reader. The end dragged a bit but other than that I highly recommend.

Good Book

Would you listen to SEAL Team Six again? Why?

No because I already listened to it.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that Howard gave details of his whole life.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the battle scenes. The description of the scenes were great.

good one!

great stuff if you like AR 15 with silencers. covert missions, american bad asses, youll love it. spending a sh*t ton of our tax money occupying sh*tty countries using the fear factor not my thing. the special opps worth every penny. Did you every wonder ehy we can not purchase a ghid special in the states? I do every day. a Toyota, mazda ect, 4 wd, 4 cylinder turbo diesel pick up truck. 40 mpg. need a 5 ton 800hp ford f 900, no problem!

Excellent Listen

It was much to enjoy in this book: SEAL training, weapons, equipment, camaraderie, tactics and campaigns. However, I did not need the political commentary. A soldiers job is to be a soldier, not question whether orders get canceled after all one's hard work. Taxpayers pay for the soldiers world class training, equipment, and logistical support. You don't question lawful orders of the Commander in Chief, because a soldier knows only what is necessary to successfully complete the mission: he/she does not know as much as the next level of command because he/she does not have a need to know. This is for security of the mission. I overlooked this because aside from the authors occasional political commentary the story was outstanding. Special Ops warriors need to be careful not to give away our nations secrets.

Informative Concerning Seal Team 6 and Somalia

What did you love best about SEAL Team Six?

The book gave an interesting insider's look into the United States Seal Teams, as well as the closely guarded Seal Team 6. It will make you appreciative of those who willingly put themselves through the intensive selection process and training necessary to become a Seal Team member (or at least it should.) It was also interesting to read of how Howard Wasdin's childhood, in particular his relationship with his father, shaped him and equipped him in some ways to be a Seal Team member. Though his father's parenting skills, or the lack of them, were not ideal by any means, his father did nonetheless have a part in giving him the toughness to be a Seal.

Any additional comments?

The aim of the book is to give an outsiders a look into the Seal Teams. However, it also gave a rarely seen look into the U.S. actions in Somalia during the Clinton era. In particular Wasdin relates how political correctness and political considerations hindered the mission in Somalia making some aspects of it impossible. Wasdin also related the frustration many felt concerning the truth that political correctness and the fears of political repercussions needlessly cost many American lives.

Great Book!

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It's a great account of what the Seals go through for training as well as the Somalia ops that they participated in. Lone Survivor is a better account of the actual training though...

Great

Great book great narrator thank you for your service in the seals and in your life's story

Good insight into Special Ops

Excellent insight into Special Ops training, tactics, missions and their psyche. Howard Wasdin gives an honest and entertaining account life in such an elite unit as well as how his childhood prepared him and how he coped after..