Episode · Behind the Bastards · 2026-07-14
Books mentioned on Part One: Richard Marcinko: The Founder of SEAL Team 6
This week Robert tells Andrew Ti the story of Richard Marcinko, the founder of SEAL Team 6 and patient zero of tacticool "operator" culture. (4 Part Series) Sources: https://www.
Robert Evans recommended Alpha by David Philipps, and discussed A Pipe Hitters Guide to Access Denial by Jeff Kirkham and others, A Pipe Hitter's Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown by Nicholas Orr, Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko, Code Over Country by Matthew Cole, and Brave Men, Dark Waters by Orr Kelly.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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A Pipe Hitters Guide to Access Denial
Discussed“And I intended to look out that first pipe hitters book and I found myself falling down a rabbit hole of related text including a pipe hitters guide to access denial and a pipe hitters guide to small arms and weapons.”
Where to get it
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A Pipe Hitter's Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown
Discussed“And I intended to look out that first pipe hitters book and I found myself falling down a rabbit hole of related text including a pipe hitters guide to access denial and a pipe hitters guide to small arms and weapons.”
Where to get it
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Rogue Warrior
Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko is a 1992 bestselling autobiography that serves as the first tell-all account of life inside SEAL Team Six, written by its founder.
Discussed“Um, now, we'll be discussing his autobiography, Rogue Warrior, not just as a historical document, cuz it's a terrible historical document. [laughter] But it is in and of itself an important piece of history, because the book, Rogue Warrior, is the first Navy SEAL tell-all, right?”
Where to get it
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Code Over Country
Code Over Country by Matthew Cole is an investigative non-fiction book that explores the cultural transformation, misconduct, and history of the United States Navy SEALs, particularly focusing on units like Red Cell and Team Six.
Discussed“In the great book Code Over Country, Matthew Cole writes, 'Shortly after enlisting, Marcinko, a radio man, saw the Frogmen, the 1951 movie film depicting UDT Force Heroics in World War II, and knew he needed to join the Underwater Demolitions Teams.'”
Where to get it
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Alpha
Alpha by David Philipps is a detailed and critical examination of the Navy SEALs, focusing particularly on the case of alleged war criminal Eddie Gallagher.
Recommended“In the book Alpha, which is a great read about Navy SEAL alleged war criminal Eddie Gallagher, author David Phillips writes this about the first Frogman. They'd been formed from civilian workmen in the New Deal 1940s America and they embraced the eras informal attitudes of blue-collar solidarity and equality.”
Where to get it
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Brave Men, Dark Waters
Brave Men, Dark Waters by Orr Kelly is a military history book that chronicles the origins, evolution, and early operations of the United States Navy SEALs.
Discussed“In the book Brave Men, Dark Waters, Orr Kelly writes that some of the guys who served with Marcinko would later claim that as a second-class radio man, he bragged that he would one day be the chief of naval operations.”
Where to get it
