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.)