Episode · Behind the Bastards · 2026-07-16
Books mentioned on Part Two: Richard Marcinko: The Founder of SEAL Team 6
We continue the life and times of Richard Marcinko as he enters the Vietnam War and immediately commits numerous war crimes for the CIA. Then he gets to invent SEAL Team 6!
Robert Evans discussed Code Over Country by Matthew Cole, Alpha by David Philipps, Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko, and Brave Men, Dark Waters by Orr Kelly, and criticized Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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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 Code Over Country, Matthew Cole writes that from the jump Navy brass were hesitant to embrace the SEALs because among other things they're not like working for the Navy a lot of the time.”
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.
Discussed“In his book Alpha, David Phillips uses the terms There's different There's This is again there's like a thousand or so SEALs at in Vietnam I think at the height. So, and there's factions within them.”
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“In 1992, Marcinko wrote Rogue Warrior, which gave him a chance to whitewash his own conduct and that of the SEALs entire.”
Where to get it
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Lone Survivor
Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell is a harrowing military memoir detailing Operation Red Wings and the author's survival as the sole survivor of a doomed Navy SEAL team mission in Afghanistan.
Critiqued“And I think that's generally a smart way to approach those stories, especially the story of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell who wrote the book Lone Survivor, which is an account of his him being the only survivor of a unit that we know is largely inaccurate, right?”
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“Per the book Brave Men, Dark Waters, quote, "He had a way with people that permitted him to get away with behavior that as one friend said would get me killed."”
Where to get it
