Behind the Bastards

Part Two: Richard Marcinko: The Founder of SEAL Team 6

99 snips
Jul 16, 2026
A deep dive into brutal Vietnam-era missions and CIA-linked Phoenix operations. A look at internal SEAL rivalries between professional operators and assassins. Stories of ritualized violence, trophy taking, and a commander who cultivated a wild persona. The origin and controversial formation of SEAL Team 6, its intense training culture, alcohol-fueled leadership problems, and financial and ethical scandals.
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INSIGHT

SEALs Operated As Rogue Phoenix Killers

  • The SEALs in Vietnam often operated as quasi-independent killers tied to the CIA's Phoenix program rather than disciplined naval forces.
  • Andrew Sage and Robert Evans describe nightly ambushes, torture-led intel loops, and widespread civilian killings that blurred combatant lines.
INSIGHT

Boy Scouts Versus Pirates Split SEAL Culture

  • Within SEAL culture there were two factions: 'Boy Scouts' who emphasized professionalism and 'pirates' who embraced assassination and brutality.
  • Robert Evans and Andrew Sage use the terms to explain why some SEAL units committed systemic atrocities while others tried to constrain violence.
ANECDOTE

Platoon Rituals Escalated Into Murder And Theft

  • Michael Beenan's platoon in the Mekong Delta shifted from targeting Viet Cong to robbing and murdering villagers, even ritualizing throat-cutting.
  • Andrew Sage cites Beenan's account of stealing victims' money for drugs and prostitutes and instructing blood rituals.
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