Henry T Feige
Henry T. Feige
Class of 1935
UDT 6, Amphibious Forces, US Pacific Fleet
Silver Star for gallantry and intrepidity in the face of enemy sniper, machine gun and mortar fire as he prepared the way for the amphibious landing of combat troops during the invasions of Saipan and Guam Islands.
In 1943, the Army and Navy established the UDTs (Underwater Demolition Teams). These specialized units were the forerunners of the Navy Seals. Each unit was comprised of volunteers who were excellent swimmers. Their training was extensive and exhausting, often consisting of grueling exercises that were conducted in the ocean off Hawaii and the swamps of Florida with the alligators and snakes. They learned to reconnoiter beaches and the waters just offshore, as well as locating reefs, rocks, and shoals that would interfere with landing craft. They also became skillful in the use of explosives to demolish underwater obstacles planted by the enemy.
