DRAFT, TO BE EDITED.................

UDT Team 10 Dinner

    On 27 Sept 2003 I had the honor to join  members of UDT Team 8, 9 and 10 at one of their  Reunion Dinners.

    UDT Team 10 was unique in that it was composed of personnel from not only the recently created Underwater Demoliton Team,  which Cmdr. Francis Fane helped to create, but also contained personnel who were Operational Swimmers trained in the Maritime Unit of the OSS (Office of Stretigic Services), under the direction of  Doctor Christian J. Lambertsen,   The Maritime Unit of the OSS, the forerunner of our current Navy Seal Teams developed the first equipment , tactics and principles for underwater warfare which is still in use today.

    It indeed was an honor to meet these fined gentleman who put their lives on the line in the Pacific during WW2 to help secure our freedom in the world.    Thank you members of  UDT 10.  

UDT Team 10  (left to right)

1____Hank Weldon_OSS OSGgroup A ____________
2_LTjg Jim Lanthrop _UDT 10________
3__Wright Travis__OSS OSG Group_A____________
4___________UDT 10 ______
5__SPX 1stC William "Pete" Katsirubas OSS OSG A / UDT 10 _________

1_______Porky Pig  UDT 9 &10__________
2___________UDT 10______
3_________UDT 10________
 

Some equipment they used which was on display.

.30 cal carbine w/folding stock, duck feet fins, explosives carrying pack, knife, belt, and lead line.

LARU  (Lambertsen's Automatic Respiratory Unit, with Full Face Mask)
(Note: FFM has underwater communication diaphragm.)

Dive mask, Churchill swim fins, mask, rock boots, swim trunks, compass and marking slates.

 
Some other equipment in use today include wet suits, navigation boards, and later model rebreather, the LAR V.

Other Guests in Attendance

John Spence, "America's First Frogman"

 Jocko, Dr. Bob, Rocky, Mark, John Spence, Erick, Jane and Bonnie

 
____OSG & "Our Man"  Pete_with Erick.                                     _"Porky-Pig"________ with Mark, Jocko and Bob

 
OSSOSG A Swimmer and retired Badass copHank Weldon with Bonnie and Jane

 
__Don Scoles with "Our Man" Pete______________.                             _________________ with Rocky.

The lovely wives and daughters including Gloria Scoles,  and Mrs. Travis  And Vivavian Nikolenko whose Husbands were both OSS OSG A  swimmers AND  UDT Team 10 members.

CEDU "Oh-So-Social"  Commitee Thanks you  Former OSS OSG Swimmers and UDT Team 8,9&10 memebers for your incredible Pioneering Combat Swimming efforts..that forever chnged how the U.S. of A.. goes to war!

Respectfully,
Robert Iannello, DDS
Major, USMC (Ret.)