There was no need for more words. And so, I swung the boat around, found my heading like all the generations of sailors who’d come before me by checking the stars, and firewalled the throttle. My brother Mick was right. It was time to go home.
GLOSSARY
A2: Aforementioned Asshole.
ANF2A: Absofuckinglutely No Fun At All.
AODW: All Over and Done With.
BAW: Big Asshole Windbag.
BDUs: Battle Dress Uniforms. Now that’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one.
BFD: Big Fuckin’ Deal.
BFH: Big Fucking Help.
BIQ (pronounced beak): Bitch-In-Question.
BOHICA: Bend Over—Here It Comes Again!
BTDT: Been There, Done That.
BUPERS: Naval BUreau of PERSonnel.
C-4: Plastic explosive. You can mold it like clay. You can even use it to light your fires. Just don’t stamp on it.
C2CO: Can’t-Cunt Commanding Officer. Too many of these in Navy SpecWar today. They won’t support their men or take chances because they’re afraid it’ll ruin their chances for promotion.
Camuflaje (Spanish): camouflage.
cannon fodder: See FNG.
CC&B: Creeping, Crawling, and Bleeding.
Christians in Action: SpecWar slang for the Central Intelligence Agency.
CINC: Commander-IN-Chief.
CINCUSNAVEUR: Commander IN Chief, U.S. Naval forces, EURope.
CNO: Chief of Naval Operations.
cockbreath: SEAL term of endearment used for those who pay lip service, i.e., presidential squeeze Monica Lewinsky.
CONUS: CONtinental United States.
CQC: Close-Quarters Combat—i.e., killing that’s up close and personal.
CT: CounterTerrorism.
DAC: Divide And Conquer.
DADT: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
DEFCON: DEFense CONdition.
DEVGRP: Naval Special Warfare DEVelopment GRouP. Current U.S. Navy appellation for SEAL Team Six.
DIA: Defense Intelligence Agency. Spook heaven based in Arlington, Va., and Bolling Air Force Base.
diplo-dink: No-load, fudge-cutting, cookie-pushing diplomat.
DIPSEC: DIPlomatic SECurity. SEAL shorthand for the Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of State’s special agent shoot-and-looters.
dipshit: Can’t-cunt pencil-dicked asshole.
DIQ (pronounced dick): Document-In-Question. You can have sensitive DIQs, big, thick DIQs, or even tiny, penciled DIQs. And if you drop your DIQ into a puddle of water, you’ll probably end up with a limp DIQ.
Do-ma-nhieu (Vietnamese): Go fuck yourself (See: DOOM ON YOU).
doom on you: American version of Vietnamese for go fuck yourself.
DT: Deserving Twat. No-load, shit-for-brains asshole.
dweeb: No-load shit-for-brains geeky asshole, usually shackled to a computer.
EEI: Essential Element of Information. The infonuggets on which a mission is planned and executed.
EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity (the Rogue always treats ’em all alike—just like shit).
ELINT: ELectronic INTelligence.
EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
F2T: Full Fucking Ton.
FIDO: Army Ranger shorthand for Fuck It, Drive On. Hoo-Ah!
flashbang: Disorientation device used by hostage rescue teams.
FLFC: Fucking Loud and Fucking Clear.
FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed.
FNG: Fucking New Guy. See: CANNON FODDER.
Four-striper: Captain. All too often, a C2CO.
FUBAR: Fucked Up Beyond All Repair.
Glock: Reliable 9-mm pistols made by Glock in Austria. They’re great for SEALs because they don’t require as much care as Sig Sauers.
GNBN: Good News/Bad News.
goatfuck: What the Navy likes to do to the Rogue Warrior (See: FUBAR).
GSG-9: Grenzschutzgruppe-9. Top German CT unit.
HAHO: High-Altitude, High-Opening parachute jump.
HALO: High-Altitude, Low-Opening parachute jump.
HICs: Head-In-Cement syndrome. Condition common to high-ranking officers. Symptoms include pigheadedness and inability to change opinions when presented with new information.
HK: Reliable pistols, assault rifles, or submachine guns made by Heckler & Koch. SEALs use HK MP5 submachine guns in various configurations, as well as 9-mm or .45-Cal. semiautomatic pistols.
HKTB: Hot Knife Through Butter.
HUMINT: HUMan INTelligence.
humongous: Marcinko dick.
IED: Improvised Explosive Device.
Jarheads: Marines. The Corps. Formally, USMC (Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children).
KATN: Kick Ass and Take Names. Roguish avocation.
KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. The basic premise for all special operations.
klik: Verbal shorthand for kilometer. One klik equals six-tenths of a mile.
KSO: KISS Step One.
KST: KISS Step Two.
LANTFLT: atLANTic FLeeT.
LTWS: Lower Than Whale Shit.
M3: Massively Motivated Motherfuckers.
Mark-I Mod-0: Basic unit.
MILCRAFT: Pentagonese for MILitary airCRAFT.
NAVAIR: NAVy AIR Command.
NAVSEA: NAVy SEA Command.
Navyspeak: Redundant, bureaucratic naval nomenclature, either in written nonoral, or nonwritten oral modes, indecipherable by nonmilitary (conventional) or military (unconventional) individuals during normal interfacing configuration conformations.
NIS: Naval Investigative Service Command, also known as the Admirals’ Gestapo (See: SHIT-FOR-BRAINS).
NMN: No Middle Name.
NRO: National Reconnaissance Office. Established 25 August 1960 to administer and coordinate satellite development and operations for U.S. intelligence community. Very spooky place.
NSA: National Security Agency, known within the SpecWar community as No Such Agency.
NSD: National Security Directive.
NYL: Nubile Young Lovely.
OPSEC: OPerational SECurity.
P4: Pricked, Pierced, Punctured, and Perforated.
PDMP: Pretty Dangerous Motherfucking People.
PEO: President’s Eyes Only.
PIC: Pissed, Irritated, and Confused.
PIQ (pronounced pick): Pussy In Question.
plano (Spanish): Street plan; map.
POC: Piece O’ Cake.
Póg mo thón (Gaelic): Kiss my ass.
QOO (Pronounced KOO): Quick Once-Over.
RDL: Real Dirty Look.
RPG: Rocket-Propelled Grenade.
RSO: Regional Security Officer. State Department’s diplomat with a gun.
R2D2: Ritualistic, Rehearsed, Disciplined Drills.
RUMINT: RUMor INTelligence. Urinal gossip.
S1: Square one.
S2: Sit the fuck down and Shut the fuck up.
S3: Shower, Shit, and Shave.
SAS: Special Air Service. Britain’s top CT unit.
SATCOM: SATellite COMmunications.
SCIF: Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. A bug-proof room.
Semtex: Czechoslovakian C-4 plastique explosive. Can be used to cancel Czechs.
SES: Shit-Eating Smile.
shit-for-brains: Any no-load, pus-nutted, pencil-dicked asshole.
SIGINT: SIGnals INTelligence.
SNAFU: Situation Normal—All Fucked Up.
SNAILS: Slow, Nerdy Assholes In Ludicrous Shoes.
SpecWarrior: One who gives a fuck.
SUC: Smart, Unpredictable, and Cunning.
SWAT: Special Weapons And Tactics. Commonly refers to police tactical teams. All too often they do not train enough, and thus become SQUAT teams.
sympathy: The word found in the SEAL dictionary between shit and syphilis.
TAD: Temporary Additional Duty (SEALs refer to it as Traveling Around Drunk).
Tailhook: The convention of weenie-waggers, gropester
s, and pressed-ham-on-glass devotees that put air brakes on NAVAIR.
TARFU: Things Are Really Fucked Up.
TECHINT: TECHnical INTelligence.
TFB: Too Fucking Bad.
THREATCON: THREAT CONdition.
TIQ: Tango-In-Question.
TTS: Tap ’em, Tie ’em, and Stash ’em.
U2: Ugly and Unfamiliar.
UNODIR: UNless Otherwise DIRected. That’s how the Rogue operates when he’s surrounded by can’tcunts.
USSOCOM: United States Special Operations COMmand, located at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida.
VERB (noun): Vacant-Eyed Rich Bitch.
VTVE: Very Thorough Visual Exam.
Wannabes: The sorts of folks you meet at Soldier of Fortune conventions.
Weenies: Pussy-ass can’t-cunts and no-loads.
Whiskey Numbers: NSA compartment designator for intercepts that go to the very highest levels of the government.
WHUTA: Wild Hair Up The Ass.
WOO: Window Of Opportunity.
WTF: What The Fuck.
WTFIW: What The Fuck It Was.
YAA: Yet Another Asshole.
Zulu: Universal Military Time (formerly Greenwich Mean Time or GMT). Designator used in military communications.
Index
American embassy (AMEMBASSY) Buenos Aires, 147, 266
security, 152–55, 156–57, 159–79 181–84, 185, 190, 225–26, 240–41, 282
threat to security of, 181–84, 185, 190, 240–41, 260–61, 267–68, 282, 285
American Embassy London, 60, 73
American embassy (AMEMBASSY) Montevideo, 283, 285
Americans, 110
killed by terrorists, 77–78, 103, 123, 124, 151, 184, 186, 261
in Northern Ireland, 103, 123
targets of terrorist groups, 7–8, 69, 79, 123, 127, 261
Andy (Royal Marine), 22, 23, 24, 27, 28
Argentina, 131–32, 133, 139–40, 147–48, 170, 223–24, 271
authorities in, 264, 266–67, 296
assault gear, 50, 301–03, 313, 315
Azores Whales Unlimited, 304, 306–07
backchannel(s), 70, 81, 126, 127, 179, 267
Baker, P., 63, 64–65, 229
Ballynahinch, 80, 83–84, 86, 109, 123
Báltaí (yacht), 90, 261, 292–94, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 304, 310, 312, 313, 317
assault on, 321–22, 324, 325–44, 345–57, 358–71, 372–75
disabling, 319–31, 335
sinking of, 373–77
All entries preceded by an asterisk (*) are pseudonyms.
Barrett, Everett E., 64, 132
Ben Gal, Avi, 110–11, 130–31, 134
Big Ear, 6, 46, 191
Bill (Para), 17, 22, 24, 28, 29, 33
Bin Abdullah, Prince Khaled, 184
Bin Laden, Usama, 98, 151
Blair, Tony, 85N, 96N, 131
Boehm, Roy Henry, 22, 61, 111, 379
bombs, 13–15, 19–20, 28, 30–34, 37, 46, 57, 226–27
booby traps, 205, 229, 237, 241, 260, 261
Boomerang, 12, 275–76
and assault on Báltaí, 336, 339, 340, 346, 352, 355–56, 357, 359, 361, 366, 373, 376
in assault on TIRA, 17, 20, 22, 23–24, 25, 26, 27, 28–29, 33, 34
in Buenos Aires, 141–42, 149, 155–57, 159–60, 162, 163, 165, 167, 169–70
and disabling of Báltaí 321–22, 334
in hostage rescue, 47, 49, 50, 54
intelligence gathering, 74,
in investigation of/attack on Kelley villa, 217, 220, 221–23, 226–28, 229, 230, 232, 234, 235, 243, 246, 252, 258–59, 261
in investigation of Patricia Desens, 201, 203, 204, 207, 208, 210, 211, 214, 215
and Kelley brothers operation, 265
and preparation for assault on Báltaí, 305, 311, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317
trip to Buenos Aires, 134
Britain, 17–18, 104
in Argentina diplomatic community, 133
Brits
on assault team, 17, 18, 20, 29, 33
targeted for killing, 7, 15, 79, 127, 130, 151, 261
withholding information, 69–70, 73, 81–82
Brook Green School operation
protests against, 73, 85–86, 101
Brook Green School takeover, 36–42, 43–58, 85–86, 105, 131
Buenos Aires, 90, 131, 132, 133
Marcinko in, 141–58, 159–79, 180–92, 193–201, 260–77
Marcinko’s trip to, 133–36, 139–40
CIA, 8, 75, 178
Directorate of Operations, 196
London station, 74, 77, 125, 126
station chief, Buenos Aires, 176–78, 190
CINCUSNAVEUR, 60–61, 125
CNN, 36, 37, 104
Colby, William, 98
Colour Clock Code, 50
countersurveillance 16, 285, 320
American embassy, Buenos Aires, 151–57, 159–79
core of, 225
counterterrorism, 126, 129, 176, 177, 226, 291, 312
counterterrorist task force, 6–7, 9, 10, 15–20, 21–34, 35–42, 81
see also DET (DETachment) Bravo
cover, 51, 243, 244
Crocker, Thomas E., 8, 9, 67, 175, 190–91
Cubanol, 13, 41, 46
Curzon Street House, 8, 94–97, 110, 119, 149
DET (DETachment) Bravo, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 18, 39, 40, 69, 71, 73, 81, 95, 127, 134, 294
American military component of, 67
database, 131
discoveries about Kelleys, 267
intel squirrels, 157
operational cash, 149
payback for death of B. Wells, 347
DiCarlo, Nod, 263, 264, 265, 281
and assault on Báltaí, 3, 36, 338, 341, 351, 352, 353, 354, 356, 357, 359, 361, 362, 363, 372, 374
in assault on TIRA, 17, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33
in hostage rescue, 49, 50, 51, 53
intelligence gathering, 74, 77–78, 94
intelligence regarding target of Báltaí, 323, 324
surveillance of Gerry Kelley, 134, 139, 150–51, 157, 262–63, 284, 295–97 310–11, 314–15
dog-walkers (pasaperros), 144–45, 156, 160–61, 162, 163–66, 173, 174, 197, 226, 261
Marcinko following, 166–70
dynamic entry, 17, 50
Echelon, 81, 84, 102
Echelon intercepts, 74, 85, 123, 127, 130
Eisenhower, Dwight D., 61
embassy security, 151–52, 153–55, 181–82
see also American embassy (AMEMBASSY) Buenos Aires
Emerson, Ernie, 255
Emerson CQC-7, 225, 370, 377
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 13, 14
Evers, Colin, 272–74, 276
Evers, Robert, 131, 142–50, 164, 170–71, 191, 193, 195–201, 202, 205, 260, 266–77, 278, 296, 325
Exocet missiles, 268–69, 292, 294–300, 320, 323, 338, 373
Falkland Islands, 104, 135
Federal Express truck, 156, 161, 162, 225, 226, 229, 230, 234, 237–41, 243, 252
missiles in, 238–41, 242, 244–51, 259
Flannery, Eamon Joseph, 60–61, 65–73, 110–11, 125, 127, 133, 135, 157, 229, 263–64, 295, 325, 380
backchannel with MI5, 127–29, 267
Gill, (Para), 17, 22, 24, 29, 33
global positioning equipment, 211, 213
see also Magellan GPS
Globex (co.), 73, 85–86, 88, 102, 120
God of War, 85, 106, 248–49, 318, 348, 368
Goober, 39
and assault on Baltaí, 336, 339, 341, 352, 353, 355, 357, 366, 367, 373, 375
and disabling of Báltaí, 322, 326, 327, 328, 334
in hostage rescue, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57
intelligence gathering, 73, 79, 81, 83
surveillance of Gerry Kelley, 134
Good Friday Accord, 7, 271, 338
Gove
rnment Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), 8, 79
Green hand Defenders (GHD), 69–72, 74, 76, 79, 109, 110, 125, 127, 128, 130, 260, 264, 267, 271, 296, 377, 380
Gulf War, 129, 239
Hamas, 132
Hezb’allah, 77, 132, 133, 239
Holland, Sir Roger, 80, 125, 128, 129, 133, 264
Home Office, 125
hostage rescue, 40, 41, 45–58, 59–60, 86
Hugo (SAS Trooper), 134, 141, 201, 203
and assault on Báltaí, 336, 341, 352, 357, 372
and disabling of Báltaí, 321
and preparation for assault on Báltaí, 305, 313, 316
Hurley, Lieutenant Commander, 191
Hussein, Saddam, 42, 98
hypothermia, 207, 326, 329, 340, 343, 379
intelligence, 14, 157, 178
Marcinko’s sources, 73–76, 81–85
about Gwilliam Kelley, 200–01
about target of Báltaí, 322–24
about threat to American embassy in Buenos Aires, 182–84
intelligence gathering, 46, 74, 76–79, 88, 130–32, 178, 225
Internet, 45, 74, 323
IRA, 7, 79–80, 129
splinter groups, 4, 78, 131, 181–82, 271
Iran-Contra scandal, 239
Iraq, 42, 239
Irish Brotherhood, 78, 94, 260, 377
Irish People’s Army (IPA), 78, 94, 119, 121, 260, 377
Islamic fundamentalism, 132, 271
Islamic Jihad Organization (IJO), 132, 133, 134, 239
Japan, 48, 110
Jarriel, Gunny, 90, 131, 147, 153, 161, 171–79, 190, 226, 281–83, 286, 289–90, 325
JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff) chairman, 67, 68, 70–71
joint operations, 17–19, 29, 40–42, 133–34
Kelley, Gerry, 86–89, 91, 109–10, 123–24, 127–28, 130, 264, 282, 313
and assault on Báltaí, 357, 363–64, 366–71, 372–73, 374, 376–78
death of, 378–80
houses, 89, 98
Marcinko’s visit to, 91, 92–108, 121, 124
surveillance of, 134, 150, 157, 263, 284, 310, 314
Kelley, Gwilliam, 86–87, 88–91, 110, 131, 133, 146, 157, 196, 213, 216, 241, 264, 282, 292
and assault on Báltaí, 357, 363, 366–67, 372–75