seal tour bus san diego

San Diego Seal Tour - The Ultimate Land and Sea Adventure

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Experience San Diego like never before aboard the San Diego SEAL Tour, the city's one-of-a-kind land and sea adventure. Your journey begins at Seaport Village or Embarcadero, where our Hydra-Terra amphibious vehicle embarks on a thrilling road trip around the Big Bay, offering scenic views of the Midway Museum, the Star of India at the Maritime Museum, Lindbergh Field, Liberty Station, and much more.

After a 15-minute road excursion, the San Diego SEAL seamlessly transitions into a boat, offering a unique and safe way to explore the city as the only amphibious tour in San Diego. As you traverse the calm waters, you'll witness the North Island Naval Air Station, the Point Loma Nuclear Submarine Base, the Marine Mammal Training Center, and even make new aquatic friends in the form of San Diego's sea lions. Try spotting a Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, and California Brown Pelican during your journey!

10:00 AM , 02:00 PM , 04:30 PM

Meeting point, - seaport village: 825 west harbor drive - embarcadero: 1004 north harbor drive, ending point, same as the starting point.

• Live narration by expert guides.
• San Diego Bay cruise ride.
• Personal expenses and refreshments 

Important notes

• Tour Duration: Operates Daily, approximately 100 minutes, with 40 minutes on land and 60 minutes on San Diego Bay. 

Tickets are valid for up to 12 months from the booking date. You can now amend or cancel your booking for free of charge during the ticket validity period.

Book Your Tour

Starting From

£ 51.20 Per Person

Adult (above 12), child (above 4), minimum passenger allowed : 1.

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SEAL Tours - Sea and Land Adventures

Make a Splash on San Diego's Only Amphibious Tour

Make a Splash on the SEAL! Experience San Diego as it was meant to be experienced...by land and by sea! The new "Hydra Terras" provide you with the unique ability to see America's Finest City on San Diego's only amphibious sightseeing tour. This 90-minute fully-narrated journey departs from Seaport Village located at 500 Kettner Blvd. As you travel along the beautiful Big Bay by land, you will learn about the early fishing industry, the people as well as the history of this 14-mile long working bay. The tour on land takes you past the San Diego International Airport dedicated to aviator Charles Lindbergh, just one of the many people you will hear about on your tour. Then, you will splash down into San Diego Bay off Shelter Island, where you begin your water-tour segment of the journey. As the SEAL travels through the north end of the Big Bay, keep your eyes peeled for a chance encounter with a California Brown Pelican, the majestic Blue Heron, or perhaps a Sea Lion or two. Learn about the important role the military plays in San Diego. The Big Bay provides views of Point Loma, home to the Cabrillo National Monument, Naval Air Station North Island, the Point Loma Submarine Base, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Navy's marine mammal training center. The return trip takes you, once again, back up on land where you will return to your starting point via Harbor Drive while you pass the Maritime Museum, the Cruise Ship Terminal and the USS Midway Museum.

Departure Times and Locations

Tours depart daily from Seaport Village and the Embarcadero (1004 N. Harbor Dr.) year round. Reservations are required and must be made in advance by calling 619.298.8687.

Neighborhood: Downtown

Contact info.

(619) 298-8687 Toll-Free: (800) TOU-RHTA [email protected]

What You Should Know:

• San Diego's Only Amphibious Sightseeing Tour
• 90 Minute Fully Narrated Tour by our entertaining First Mates
• Reservations are required by calling 619.298.8687
• Lightweight Jacket Recommended
• Great For All Ages

About The SEAL Tours:

• Ride on a newer "Hydra-Terra" Vehicle
• Charter and Group Rates Available
• Delighting visitors to San Diego since 2001
• Accessible - 24 Hour advance notice requested
• 100% Money Back Guarantee

More Information

• Kid Friendly
• General Admission - Adult
• General Admission - Child
• Boat Excursions

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Exploring San Diego From Land And Sea, Seal Tours

Operated by the same company responsible for the popular Old Town Trolley Tours , San Diego Seal Tours offer guests one of the more unique tour experiences available in San Diego today. Utilizing a fleet of specially designed Hydra-Terra vehicles that can function as buses on land and boats in the water, San Diego Seal Tours split their time between riding along the bustling streets of San Diego and cruising the waves of its beautiful bay. A San Diego Seal tour truly is the best of both sightseeing worlds!

Save on your visit to the San Diego Seal Tours! San Diego Seal Tours is included on the San Diego Explorer Pass . Save an additional 5% on the Explorer Pass with Coupon Code: GO5CMANTIS The discount stacks on top the current sale prices! Promo expires on April 30th.

San Diego Seal Tours History

Old Town Trolley Tours first began providing guided trolley tours in San Diego over 30 years ago. Shortly after launching the popular hop-on, hop-off service, the CEO of Old Town Trolley Tours came up with the idea to also offer visitors the chance to see San Diego from both sea and land while on the same tour. Thus, Old Town Trolley Tours purchased a Hydra-Terra vehicle capable of performing as a bus while on land and a boat while in water and a whole distinct brand was on its way.

Some guests may recognize this type of tour—one that combines land and water components into one exciting outing—from other cities, where more often than not it’s called a “duck tour.” However, Old Town Trolley decided to call their new product San Diego Seal Tours as an homage to the Navy SEALS who live and work in the San Diego area.

What’s to See on a San Diego Seal Tour

As a guest of San Diego Seal Tours, you’ll have your choice of two different spots to embark for your journey: Seaport Village and the Embarcadero. Seaport Village is a nearly 100,000 square-foot establishment where you’ll find dozens of places to grab a meal or spend some time shopping. It’s not far from Petco Park and the New Children’s Museum . The Embarcadero departure point is just steps north of the USS Midway Museum .

While a lot of variables can come into play, San Diego Seal tours typically last about 90 minutes. This allows for roughly 30 minutes spent on land, before the next hour takes place in the water. The bus portion of the tour will take you along the coastline, in the shadow of the city’s striking skyline, and you’ll pass such landmarks as the  Star of India , the Maritime Museum of San Diego , and the USS  Recruit , a landlocked training ship affectionately nicknamed “USS  Neversail .”

Plunge straight from land into the majestic waters of the San Diego Harbor for the second half of your Duck Tour without ever having to leave your seat. Traveling through the waters you will learn all about the extensive military history of San Diego, as well as witness playful sea lions enjoying their natural habitat. While you float leisurely through the bay, taking in the scenery from the shaded Hydra-Terras, you will see a variety of sealife going about their day. You may even get a surprise visit from passing dolphins. Other highlights of the water portion of the tour include Scripps Institute of Oceanography, North Island Naval Air Station, and the Marine Mammal Training Center. Check out San Diego from a whole new perspective, taking in the San Diego coastline and the visually stunning mansions of Point Loma.

San Diego Seal Tours offer a superb way to learn the historical significance of San Diego from land and sea for a truly unique sightseeing experience. Be sure to bring a camera to capture the unexpected, from a ghost in the window of the Whaley House to a nearby dolphin popping up alongside you in the San Diego Bay. The added bonus is that you get to do it all from an amphibious vehicle, which is a treat in itself. You can be confident in the knowledge that your amphibious tour vehicle is 100% DMV and California Coast Guard approved, and that it conforms to all water safety regulations. The entire adventure will be long photo opportunity, as you enjoy spectacular views of San Diego as you’ve never seen it before. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy!

Tips for Taking a San Diego Seal Tours

• San Diego Seal Tours depart every hour on the hour from Seaport Village and the Embarcadero. Reservations are required, which means if you want to purchase walk-up tickets, you’ll need to do so at least 30 minutes before the tour you desire to take departs.
• Parking near the San Diego Seal Tour departure points can be challenging to find, especially during peak periods like the summer months or holiday season. As a result, it’s recommended you plan on arriving at least an hour before your tour is set to leave.
• Be sure to dress in layers for your San Diego Seal Tour. Even on an otherwise warm day, the temperature out on the water can be much cooler than it is on land. Being able to add or subtract layers as you need will ensure you’re as comfortable as possible all throughout your tour.
• San Diego Seal Tours are able to accommodate individuals requiring wheelchair assistance, but they request 24 hours of notice so as to be able make arrangements for the appropriate vehicle to be available.
• San Diego Seal Tours depart from near the San Diego Visitor Information Center and the popular USS Midway Museum. If you think you’ll be interested in stopping at either of these sites during your visit, you could plan to do so on the same day you take your San Diego Seal tour. This would make that day’s logistics easier to manage.

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San Diego: 90-Minute Seal Tour with Amphibious Bus

⭐ Don't miss the San Diego: 90-Minute Seal Tour with Amphibious Bus , a fully narrated tour with a local guide. Learn about San Diego's military history and enjoy amazing photo ops from the water.

Tickets for San Diego: 90-Minute Seal Tour with Amphibious Bus 🎫 Adult (13+) 🎫 Child (4-12) 🎫 Infant (0-3)

Highlights 🚌 Sail around San Diego's renowned landmarks with a knowledgeable guide on an amphibious bus 🐬 Look for playful dolphins and sea lions playing in the waves 📸 Capture stunning photos from the water

General Info 📅 Dates and times: select your date and time directly in the ticket selector ⏳ Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes 📍 Location: San Diego ♿ Accessibility: this experience is wheelchair accessible ❓ For this event, all sales are final and tickets can’t be refunded, changed or modified. For more information, please refer to our T&Cs

Description Embark on a thrilling voyage across Mission Bay and beyond with the seal tour! Be amazed as San Diego's iconic landmarks unfold before your eyes, brought to life with lively narration from your guide. Immerse yourself in fascinating military history, all while eagerly watching out for playful dolphins and adorable sea lions. Prepare for an unrivaled escapade and get your tickets for San Diego: 90-Minute Seal Tour with Amphibious Bus!

📝 Additional info

• Contact the provided phone number for accessible tour times
• Instructions: show smartphone voucher at ticket booth 30 minutes before departure

Getting there

Kettner Boulevard

500 Kettner Boulevard, San Diego, 92101

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★★★★★

1437 reviews

Old Town Trolley Tours 4.6

Trolley & SEAL Tour Package – Seaport Village

Old Town Trolley Tours is the best way to see the city. The tour is also designed so that you can hop on and off and explore on your own at any time. Our fleet of orange and green trolleys travel frequently throughout San Diego and over the iconic San Diego-Coronado Bridge to Coronado on a continuous 25-mile loop visiting various neighborhoods with 11 destination stops.

Hop aboard one of our trolleys and you’ll experience Transportainment ® , a delightful combination of transportation and entertainment.

SEAL Tour: Wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets before splashing down for a cruise through the waters of San Diego Bay. Experience the history and ecological wonders of San Diego in the comfort and security or our virtually unsinkable Hydra-Terras.

Old Town Trolley Tours: As you explore the scenic coastal landscape, you’ll learn why San Diego is called “America’s Finest City.” Since 1989, Old Town Trolley Tours has provided sightseeing tours highlighting the best of San Diego.

SEAL Tour: Splash into San Diego’s most unique sightseeing adventure! Both tour bus and boat, the San Diego SEAL Tour journeys through San Diego by land AND sea. Our unique “Hydra-Terra” amphibious vehicles are Coast Guard approved, ensuring you a safe, one of a kind experience.

• Old Town Trolley Tours:
• 1 day of free unlimited re-boarding
• Hop on & off at 11 Old Town Trolley stops
• You may start your tour at any of our convenient stops
• FREE discount coupons ($30 value)

FREE Self-Guided Walking Tours

• FREE map brochure with day planner
• 100-minute, fully narrated SEAL Tour
• SEAL Tour departs from Seaport Village
• State-of-the-art U.S. Coast Guard certified Hydra-Terra vehicles
• Attraction tickets do not have to be used on the same day

San Diego Old Town Trolley Tours

Hop aboard one of our trolleys and you’ll experience Transportainment ® , a delightful combination of transportation and entertainment. Our friendly conductors narrate the San Diego tour with a fascinating and fun mix of trivia and humorous stories. It will be our pleasure to guide you through the birthplace of California on one of our orange and green trolleys.

Old Town Trolley Tours is the best way to see the city. Because we showcase the best of San Diego and Coronado, you can avoid costly parking and city driving. The tour is also designed so that you can hop on and off and explore on your own at any time. With frequent pickups at all our stops, this helps you avoid walking long distances.

Enjoy San Diego your way with our self-guided walking tours. As you hop off the trolley, the adventure continues at your own pace, using your smartphone for turn-by-turn guided audio tours. Explore rich history, discover hidden gems, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of America’s Finest City. Even after you disembark, the fun keeps going, ensuring an unforgettable experience that’s uniquely yours.

San Diego SEAL Tours

Ready to see the best of San Diego on sea and land? Your 100-minute, fully narrated SEAL Tour departs from Seaport Village. Wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets before splashing down for a cruise through the waters of San Diego Bay. Experience the history and ecological wonders of San Diego in the comfort and security or our virtually unsinkable Hydra-Terras. Here you will learn first-hand of our rich military history and cruise through the waters that are the playground of the California Sea Lion.

Our amphibious vehicles, driven by our experienced captains, are specially designed and built to navigate on sea and land. Each one is Coast Guard approved and meets all passenger vehicle and department of transportation requirements to ensure safety and comfort for all.

Don’t miss this exciting, entertaining adventure of a lifetime to see America’s Finest City as you have never dreamed it before!

Old Town Trolley Stops in San Diego

Hop on and off at any of our 11 convenient stops.

• A stop Old Town Market
• B stop Maritime Museum / Star of India
• C stop Embarcadero Marina
• D stop Seaport Village
• E stop Marriott Marquis and Marina
• F stop Gaslamp Quarter
• G stop East Convention Center – Petco Park and Hilton Bayfront
• H stop Barrio Logan
• I stop Coronado / Orange Avenue
• J stop Balboa Park / Zoo
• K stop Little Italy

Booth Locations

Stop A – Old Town 4010 Twiggs St.

Stop C – Embarcadero 1004 N. Harbor Drive

Stop D – Seaport Village 825 West Harbor Drive

Stop F – Gaslamp Quarter 4th and Island Ave.

Stop I – Coronado – Orange Ave. 1107 Orange Ave.

Old Town Trolley Tours

Tours open daily.

January 1 – March 9, July 4, November 3 – December 31 9am – 5pm Last tour departs Old Town at 3pm finishing up approximately at 5pm.

March 10 – July 3, July 5 – November 2 9am – 6pm Last tour departs Old Town at 4pm finishing up approximately at 6pm.

Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Times vary depending on season.

Download  trolley schedule . 

Special Event Dates (Events may cause delays, closed streets & tour stops) Memorial Weekend, Rock-N-Roll Marathon, Independence Day, Comic Con, AFC Half Marathon, Labor Day Weekend, December Nights.

Operating daily tours.

Offered year round. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Schedule subject to change due to weather and low tide conditions or city events.

Tour Length : SEAL Tour is approximately 100-minutes long; 40 minutes on land and 60 minutes on San Diego Bay.

Point of Departure: Seaport Village at 825 West Harbor Drive Parking: partial validation with a minimum $10.00 purchase at Seaport Village.

SEAL Tour: Reservations are required. You may reschedule up to 24 hours in advance of tour time by calling 619-298-8687. Reservation based tickets are non-refundable. No on-site refunds allowed. Allow additional 30 minutes for Parking.

*SEAL Tour: Reservations are required. Guests must check in with our sales rep at the ticket booth 20 minutes prior to departure. Late check-in may result in forfeited reserved seat. Reservation based tickets are non-refundable. You may reschedule up to 24 hours in advance of tour time. No on-site refunds allowed. Allow additional 30 minutes for parking. Attraction tickets do not have to be used on the same day.

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Getting Around San Diego on Vacation

In the beautiful city of San Diego, there is an abundance of things to do and see. When you begin planning your visit, make sure to include plans for how you’ll get around to and from different San Diego tours. San Diego offers a myriad of options when it comes to transportation. Read on for the top choices for getting around San Diego and the top San Diego tours.

SEAL Tour Leaving From Seaport Village

Wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets before splashing down for a cruise through the waters of San Diego Bay. Experience the history and ecological wonders of San Diego in the comfort and security of our virtually unsinkable Hydra-Terra SEAL. Departs from Seaport Village .

SEAL Tour Leaving From Embarcadero

Splash into San Diego’s most unique sightseeing adventure! Both tour bus and boat, the San Diego SEAL Tour journeys through San Diego by land AND sea. Our unique “Hydra-Terra” amphibious vehicles are Coast Guard approved, ensuring you a safe, one of a kind experience. Departs from Embarcadero.

Discover San Diego by land & sea with a SEAL Tour and Old Town Trolley Package:

SEAL Tour + Old Town Trolley Silver Pass

Explore 1 day of free unlimited re-boarding at 11 stops on Old Town Trolley: San Diego’s largest tour fleet with the most frequent pickup service.

Explore San Diego aboard the city’s only amphibious sightseeing tour, the SEAL tour. During your 100-minute fully narrated San Diego tour, wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets and then splash down into the San Diego Bay.

SEAL Tour + Old Town Trolley Gold Pass

Enjoy 1 day of free unlimited re-boarding at 11 stops on Old Town Trolley: San Diego’s largest tour fleet with the most frequent pickup service. Included with your Gold Pass are free admission to the Maritime Museum* /Star of India as well as several other recommended museums*.

Explore San Diego aboard the city’s only amphibious sightseeing tour, the SEAL tour. During your 100-minute fully narrated tour, wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets and then splash down into the San Diego Bay.

COMING SOON

SEAL Tour + Old Town Trolley Platinum Pass

Enjoy 2 days** of free unlimited re-boarding at 11 stops on Old Town Trolley: San Diego’s largest tour fleet with the most frequent pickup service. Included with your Platinum Pass are free admission to the Maritime Museum*/Star of India and $10 Pilot Boat bay tour as well as several other recommended museums*.

Other fun options:

Ride the Red Trolley

The public San Diego Trolley is good if you’re staying in or around downtown. You can catch it from various locations including the Santa Fe Depot and the San Diego Convention Center. There are three trolley lines (blue, orange and green) and there are more than 50 stations. Fares vary and the trains run an average of every 15 minutes, depending on the time of day.

Catch the Coaster


If you’re looking to leave downtown and check out some of San Diego’s beautiful Coastal communities or attend any San Diego tour, hop on the Coaster train. These trains connect downtown San Diego and Old Town with Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside. There are about 20 trains that run on weekdays and on weekends.

Take the Coronado Ferry

This ferry runs regularly across San Diego Bay between the Broadway Pier and the Convention Center and the atractions Coronado Ferry Landing. It’s a short 15-minute ride with scenic views of downtown and  island Coronado .

Call for a Water Taxi


San Diego’s Water Taxis are on call between Harbor Island, Shelter Island , Downtown, and Coronado. They are the perfect transportation option after any San Diego tour .

Take a Taxi or Shuttle

As a last resort, there are always taxis and shuttle services available to get you from your hotel to the airport, a San Diego tour or attraction. You’ll find many parked outside the most popular sights around the city or you can ask your hotel concierge to call you one.

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San Diego Seals & Sea Lions

Ultimate Guide to Old Town San Diego

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Not 'Big Hairy Monsters' or Superman, Say San Diego Navy SEALs of Vietnam

R obert Rohrbach was on a Hell Week run with fellow SEAL candidates when the urge to quit hit. A nearby comrade pulled him into the middle. Now two buddies were holding him up.

The moment passed and so did his impulse to drop out.

It’s called the 30-second period, he says — when you reach the point of giving in, if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other, time disappears and you forget that you thought you couldn’t make it.

At least that’s how 80-year-old Rohrback remembers it. One of the two helpers dismisses the story.

Was it a hallucination amid sleep deprivation? Rohrbach isn’t sure.

Famously secretive about their missions, retired SEALs on last weekend’s Honor Flight San Diego journey to Washington confided how they survived intense training and what the public gets wrong about their warrior brotherhood.

Their mystique.

Rohrbach was part of a 90-member Navy Special Warfare Operator group on the three-day journey, several of whom reflected on what it means to be a SEAL. These included Frogmen, Underwater Demolition Team members and Boatsmen.

“We are not big hairy monsters,” the retired SEAL said when asked the biggest misconception about his cohort — some who served in the elite group’s first decade (SEAL teams were developed in 1962).

“We’re ordinary people,” he said. “Most have a great sense of humor and a terrific drive.”

Twice a year, Honor Flight San Diego takes around 90 veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials that honor their service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Among those on the journey were Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Mike Thornton and Walter “Ditti” Dittmar, force master chief of Navy Special Warfare Command. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro met the San Diego contingent at the FDR Memorial.

But it’s the renewed connections and quality time with former comrades that has proven to be a huge part of the trips’ meaningful — even lifesaving — nature. Plus the enthusiastic homecoming at journey’s end.

In April, it was Naval Special Warfare members — “the men with green faces,” the “silent ones” — to be recognized.

“That we’re all big, brawny bad guys” was retired SEAL Gene Peterson’s response to the misconception question.

“I’m a little puny guy,” said Peterson, 76. “I was only 150 pounds when I went in. I wasn’t some great big brute, but I was able to carry the boat and stuff because my head didn’t hardly touch the boat and the big guys had to carry it.”

Peterson went on to spend 30 years as a Los Angeles Police Department officer.

‘One of the Nicest Guys’

Retired warfare operator Andy McTigue’s reply to the misconception question: “That we’re all killers, and were killers after the fact — and we’re not.”

“I’m one of the nicest guys that you’ll ever meet,” he said, adding that he has been compared to Mr. Rogers.

All of the military men on the trip back East, except for an 89-year-old Korean War era operator, served one or numerous Vietnam combat tours of six months each. Comrades remarked at a dinner presentation in Baltimore that that generation of warriors is considered by counterparts to be the strong initial foundation of the force.

Some told of hours-long firefights and seeing others in their unit die. Others spoke of their reconnaissance and engineering tasks. Many stories were shared only among themselves.

Some in wheelchairs had visible reminders of their willingness to fight oversees. Others gave hints about past animosities or internal battles. (At Arlington’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, one SEAL was heard saying: “I have scars, but these days I have so many wrinkles, they cover them up.”)

Those interviewed expressed pride without regret for their arduous, dangerous work in Southeast Asia. They had satisfaction that they followed their training and completed their missions. And used that knowledge throughout their lives.

“The stuff that I’ve done, the places I’ve gone — just unbelievable,” said retired SEAL Allan Starr of Redmond, Oregon. “We go where we’re told to go, and what your goals are, and what you’re able to do. So I just loved it.”

Was it hard on my family? he asked and answered.

“Yes, when the phone rang you maybe have 30 minutes … to be at work,” Starr said. “And you can’t tell … where you’re going, what you’re going to do, when you’re coming back.”

Rohrbach’s skills put him in the spotlight when he helped retrieve Apollo 11 and 14 astronauts after splashdown. For Apollo 11 — the first moon landing — he wore a special face mask with filter to protect against possible “moon germs.”

For Apollo 14, he summoned the helicopter to get Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roosa back to land.

So what’s the makeup of a SEAL? And who made it through notorious Hell Week in the 1960s and 1970s? And how? Can you look at a recruit on Day 1 and predict whether he’ll graduate?

Rohrbach thinks not.

“Some of the fastest and smartest guys couldn’t make it, and it’s not that they weren’t capable,” said Rohrbach, who was in Navy uniform until 1998.

“It’s because they really didn’t want it badly enough to bear up under the pressure,” he said. “It’s not worth it (to them).”

It’s the risk-reward equation, and some thought the extreme training wasn’t worth becoming a SEAL, he explained. “You have to be willing to put up with anything and everything in order to achieve the goal of graduating.”

The long runs, hours-long swims, sleepless nights and freezing waters are well known.

And that ordeal included mental harassment, he said. He recalled feeling devastated when he was told early on that he was the “worst person to ever go through training.”

He perked up when — after relaying the story to a fellow trainee in chow hall — the man said an instructor told him the same thing the day before.

Mental Toughness Key

All those interviewed agreed that the mental component played a larger role than the physical.

Rohrbach recalls the morning after his first day of pre-SEAL training in Coronado.

“The next morning, I couldn’t get out of bed. Every inch of my body ached,” he said. Despite that he crawled out of bed and into the shower, and returned to training.

Rohrbach had skin grafts on both ankles following a childhood accident. Those grafts opened up with the continuous rubbing of his military boots during runs. Told by medical personnel that he should just give up, he followed an unofficial suggestion to cut a hole in the back of his boots, cover the hole with a black sock and lower the hems on his pants.

That got him through SEAL training, but his bogus claim about shark bites creating the boot hole wasn’t true. Yet it got him past a curious superior.

Veteran Starr recalled that wherever troops were on the move, they ran — as a class leader sang cadence. One trainee quit after 30 minutes, he said.

“I’m going: ‘Holy crap, we haven’t even gotten started, and now this happens,” he said.

Starr watched as, one by one, candidates quit. But he just persisted, telling himself: “I’m going to get through this, I can do this, I can do this.”

But once you get through BUD/S (SEAL) training, he said, “there isn’t anything you think you can’t do. You just go and, like I said: If you break your leg, we just [apply] a couple wraps of duct tape on it and send you down the road.”

Of training, Peterson recalls: “I mean I had several times where I blacked out because of the cold. And one time I remember crawling out of the water, getting on the back of the truck and that’s the last thing I remember until I’m sitting on the bus with my gun.”

After he took a shower and got cleaned up, he went out to the range.

‘Never Quit’ Stance

“I don’t remember anything in between,” he said. “It’s the same type of attitude when you go out in combat — never quit.”

Retired Cmdr. R.J. Thomas was knocked out of a Seawolf helicopter when it was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire over South Vietnam. Once on the ground, using the fallen pilot’s gun, he prevailed in a gunfight that avoided capture of him and others.

He was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery.

The public thinks SEALs are “some kind of Superman,” he said, “and in a way they are, but it has very little to do with physical capabilities. It’s mostly mental. It’s having the right attitude and the ability to believe in yourself that there’s nothing that’s impossible if you put your mind to it.”

Thomas’s specialty was marksmanship — he won multiple Navy titles.

“Doesn’t matter how good a parachutist or swimmer or runner or hand-to-hand combat person you are,” he said. “If you can’t win the gunfight when you have one, it’s all for naught.”

So Thomas became a shooting trainer. He developed all SEAL Team sniper forces, close-quarter battle courses, “all of the, you know, sub-gun training — all of that stuff. I developed all of that for the SEAL team.”

And that’s what he’s most proud of.

“Half the guys sitting at this table, I taught how to shoot,” he said at a Baltimore hotel banquet hall. “There are no less than 20 SEAL Team people that I trained who are now distinguished or double-distinguished with a rifle and pistol.”


Retired SEAL Chuck Chaldekas recalled that doubts crept in during training.

“There are always questions of that sort,” he said. “On Friday nights every week. I would call home, talked to my parents. After describing things I did, my mother would say, ‘Well, I’m confident that you can make it through this training.’ And who was I to question that?”

Special warfare operators on the D.C. trip went on to be mayors, police officers, novelists, judges and businessmen.

Peterson said his training “gave me the confidence to do what I needed to do to handle the situation when I was doing the LAPD work, to approach people, talk to people be able to do stuff with them [and] understand how to work with people.”

“That gave me the confidence to understand how to work with people when they have problems,” he said.

Said David Walker, a Seabee embedded with a SEAL team: “We’re just ordinary guys that just have that grit that just won’t quit…. Focus on what you want and keep working towards it and you’ll get there.”

Walker was a police officer and chaplain in the San Jose area for 24 years.

Ground Zero Volunteer

As part of that duty, he volunteered to assist at New York City’s Ground Zero after 9/11.

“Another thing I learned — and I solidly believe this — [is] that each one of us … here today is here for a purpose,” the 77-year-old said. “And I know that there are a couple times that I should have been killed and I wasn’t.”

Walker said comrades once even thought he was dead, and worked on him for about a half-hour to revive him.

“We got hit with a rocket round, and I got through that, and the guy that was standing by (a short distance away) got killed and I survived it,” Walker said. “We’re all designed for a purpose, and we have a calling in our lives.”

Walker, who turned 19 on his first day of boot camp, said that in his team’s free time, the group built a sewer system for an orphanage. They also retrained some captured soldiers, teaching them how to maintain and operate farm machinery as well as trade skills.

Veteran Andy McTigue , whose service dog, Selkie, accompanied him to D.C, said his time in Vietnam led him to train service dogs for veterans for a living. Selkie is trained to respond to a medical emergency.

McTigue said the pairing of dog and veteran is meant to better the owner’s life and prevent service members’ suicides.

McTigue supported Department of Transportation rules prohibiting mere emotional support dogs on airlines.

Chaldekas talked about how being trained as a SEAL has benefited him: “It taught me that regardless of the problems that you see in life, if you expend a little bit of energy and stick to what you plan to do, you will succeed. You’ve been tested and tasked to do unusual things — for the general populous — but once you do those things a couple of times, it’s like any other task.

“But the confidence that you develop with those family members, brothers of yours, let you know that you can reach a little bit further down and succeed at what you are trying to do.”

Rohrbach said many things have changed since he finished BUD/S Class 49. Weapons and equipment have evolved. Elbow and knee pads are now available, he said.

Now Better Prepared

He believes new trainees are better prepared psychologically, and mental health staff is on board in addition to daily medical reviews.

Rohrbach’s sons Christopher and Ed joined him in the Navy as they went on to command SEAL teams themselves, so they’ve had the ability to compare notes on their service. Also two grandchildren have been accepted at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Son Ed was his guardian on Honor Flight. Rohrbach commissioned both sons before retiring.

Training is longer than it was for Vietnam-era vets, Rohrbach said. Whereas he and his peers had only 29 weeks plus a probationary period, today’s SEAL trainees go through a year of readiness before receiving their trident at graduation.

“Someone once told me they teach us how to do 10 times more than we think we can do,” he said. That way SEALs may find some tasks easier compared to Hell Week.

“I love the explosives and the weapons and the jumping and diving,” Rohrbach said. “It was all exciting. Every day was different. You never knew what you were going to do, or where you would be or how long a day it would be. Sometimes the days would be a couple of days, one after the other.”

SEAL training has an attrition rate of 75%-80%, according to the Navy.

The fighters learn their limits. “I know I can stay awake for three days and still function,” Rohrbach said. “I know I can swim six or seven miles.”

Then shorter distances don’t feel so daunting later.

Rohrbach wrote letters to five best friends, saying: “This is the last letter you will receive from me until I graduate.”

Whenever he felt miserable, he thought: “I don’t want to send the letter saying I quit. It gave me a feeling of can’t-let-them-down. You said you were going to do it, now you’re going to do it.”

Medal of Honor recipient Thornton spoke to the group last weekend in Baltimore.

Thornton said he wears his Medal of Honor for “all the people who didn’t come back.”

“We’ve always been there for each other,” said Thornton, who was honored for saving the life of his superior during an hours-long firefight in 1972. “We never ran. We protected each other.

“We’re a team. And I’ll tell you one thing — we’ve been in a lot of fights together in Vietnam and we stood together. We sure as hell didn’t care what the odds were in Vietnam.”