ABSTRACT
Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) Originally designated “naval combat demolition units,” the U.S. Navy’s underwater demolition teams are the organizational ancestors of today’s sea-air-land (SEAL) teams. In World War II, they were more commonly known as “frogmen.” Con trary to popular belief, these units were initially formed to support amphibious operations in the European theater, but they saw far more use in the Pacific. Casualties were often heavy (more than 50 percent on D-Day at Normandy [q.v.]), but their operations were critical to the success of the Allied landings on both theaters.
