First SEALs

By Patrick K. O’Donnell

Deal Ends: Sun 26th April

"Very well told . . . a rousing tale of wartime derring-do. . . . An absolute must-read." —New York Times–bestselling author Stephen HardingIn the summer of 1942, an extraordinary group of men untied to form an exceptional unit. Known as the Maritime Unit, it comprised America's first swimmer-commandos—an elite breed of warrior-spies who were decades ahead of their time when they created the tactics, technology, and philosophy that live on in today's Navy SEALs. Often armed only with knives and wearing nothing more than swim trunks and flippers, the Maritime Unit's combat swimmers and other operatives carried out seaborne clandestine missions in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean theaters of World War II.In First SEALs, award-winning bestselling author and combat historian Patrick K. O'Donnell unearths their incredible history—one of the greatest untold stories of World War II."Beautifully written, original and compelling from first page to last." —John C. McManus, award-winning author of September Hope"Sheds light on a little-known contribution to maritime special warfare. . . . A valuable addition to maritime special operations history, and serves the memory of men who went largely unrecognized for brave and dangerous feats." —Norfolk Virginian-Pilot Review Library Journal, 11/1/14“[A] well-written chronicle of the SEAL's World War I precursor, the Maritime Unit…Through a combination of detective work in the National Archives and interviews with surviving members, O'Donnell successfully details the group's past, which provided the foundation upon which the modern SEALs were founded…This engrossing account of previously unknown World War II history will be of interest to military aficionados of all levels.”Tampa Bay Times, 11/5/14“Delves into the little-known World War II origins of the extraordinary military unit that is much in the news today.”Sacramento Bee, 11/11/14 “The Navy's Sea, Air and Land teams (SEAL) are rightfully legendary, but until now their origin has been obscured by time. In this behind-the-scenes history, readers learn how a World War II group known as the Maritime Unit became the template for today's elite special force.”Internet Review of Books, 12/28/14“Patrick O'Donnell does a solid job of bringing the mostly forgotten founders of the OSS's Maritime Unit (MU) back to life…Riveting descriptions of daring exploits…This book would make a hell of a war movie.” About the Author Bestselling author Patrick K. O'Donnell is a military historian who has written eight previous books: Beyond Valor; Into the Rising Sun; Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs; The Brenner Assignment; They Dared Return; We Were One (selected for the Marine Commandant's Professional Reading List); Give Me Tomorrow; and Dog Company. His numerous awards include the prestigious William E. Colby Award and the OSS Society's John Waller Award. He has also provided historical consultation for DreamWorks' award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Fox News. He served as a combat historian in a Marine rifle platoon during the Battle of Fallujah and is in demand as an expert speaker on WWII espionage, special operations, and counterinsurgency on the modern battlefield. Over the past twenty years, O'Donnell has interviewed more than 4,000 veterans who fought in America's wars, from WWI to Afghanistan, and specializes in "unearthing untold true stories that read like novels."FirstSEALsBook.comfacebook.com/patrickkodonnellpatrickkodonnell.com