Into Cold Seas: The Untold Story of World War II's Navy Commandos-The Underwater Demolition Teams

Into Cold Seas is the story of World War IIs most elite and daring unit of warriors, the Underwater Demolition Teams, told through the eyes of its last living member, 95-year-old George Morgan. Morgan was just a lifeguard from New Jersey when he joined the unit, tasked with blowing up enemy coastal defenses ahead of landings. He would spend the final year of the war swimming up to enemy-controlled beaches to gather intel and detonate underwater barriers, facing the demons of Omaha Beach.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2022
Publisher: Diversion Books

Into Cold Seas is the story of World War IIs most elite and daring unit of warriors,the direct precursors to the Navy SEALs,told through the eyes of its last living member,95-year-old George Morgan. Morgan was just a wiry,17-year-old lifeguard from New Jersey when he joined the Navy's new combat demolition unit, tasked to blow up enemy coastal defenses ahead of landings by Allied forces. His first assignment: Omaha Beach on D-Day. When he returned stateside, Morgan learned that his service was only beginning. Outfitted with swim trunks, a dive mask, and fins, he was sent to Hawaii and then on to deployments in the Pacific as a member of the elite and pioneering Underwater Demolition Teams. GIs called them half fish, half nuts. Today, we call them frogmen—and Navy SEALs. Led by maverick Naval Reserve Officer Draper Kauffman, Morgan would spend the fierce final year of the war swimming up to enemy-controlled beaches to gather intel and detonate underwater barriers. He'd have to master the sea, muster superhuman grit, and overcome the demons of Omaha Beach. Moving closer to Japan, the enemy's island defenses were growing more elaborate and its soldiers more fanatical. From the black sand beaches of Iwo Jima to the shark-infested reefs of Okinawa, to the cold seas of Tokyo Bay, teenage George Morgan was there before most, fighting for his life. And for all of us.
Into Cold Seas is the gripping World War II story of 95-year-old veteran George Morgan and the elite Underwater Demolition Teams, the forerunners of the Navy SEALs. Morgan's journey began as a wiry 17-year-old lifeguard from New Jersey, tasked with blowing up enemy coastal defenses before landings by Allied forces. His first assignment: Omaha Beach on D-Day. Upon returning stateside, Morgan discovered that his service was far from over. Equipped with swim trunks, a dive mask, and fins, he was sent to Hawaii and then deployed to the Pacific as a member of the Underwater Demolition Teams. Known as "half fish, half nuts" by GIs, these elite warriors were the direct precursors to the Navy SEALs. Led by maverick Naval Reserve Officer Draper Kauffman, Morgan's mission was to swim up to enemy-controlled beaches, gather intelligence, and detonate underwater barriers. His final year of the war was spent in the fierce battlefields of Japan, from the black sand beaches of Iwo Jima to the shark-infested reefs of Okinawa to the cold seas of Tokyo Bay. Despite the challenges, Morgan remained steadfast, mastering the sea, mustering superhuman grit, and overcoming the demons of Omaha Beach. His story is a testament to the bravery and resilience of the men who served in the Underwater Demolition Teams, and to the legacy they left behind as the Navy SEALs.

Dimension: 228 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781635767728