Do SEAL Team operators really carry a combat axe?

You may have read a few things that have talked about the use of combat axes by the Navy SEAL Teams? Is this true or  an old sailors tale?

The word is that SEAL Team 6 members would receive a Daniel Winkler combat axe after a successful year with that Tier 1 group.

In the New York Times story, members of Team 6’s Red Squadron, which brandishes a logo of crossed tomahawks below the face of a Native American warrior, received a hatchet made by Winkler after their first year on the team.

Former SEAL Team Six DEVGRU members spoke off the record that some on the team “carried the hatchets on missions, and at least one killed an enemy fighter with the weapon.”

The New York Times article points out that SEAL operators reject the use of tomahawks because they are “too bulky to take into combat and not as effective as firearms”.  Former Team 6 member Dom Raso told the Times that during his time with the unit he saw the tactical hatchets used “for breaching, getting into doors, manipulating small locks, hand-to-hand combat and other things.” He tells the paper he did see hatchet kills.

Former Navy SEAL turned knife maker Andy Arrabito has found a successful following as he handcrafts weaponry.

His custom made axes are made with the finest materials and are quite beautiful.

Andrew Arrabito is also known for his work on Logan (2017), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) and Transformers: The Last Knight (2017).

SEAL Team Six, officially known as the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), stands as one of the most elite and secretive units within the U.S. military. Established in the aftermath of the failed Operation Eagle Claw in 1980, this elite counter-terrorism unit operates under the Naval Special Warfare Command.

Renowned for its unparalleled expertise in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and special reconnaissance missions, SEAL Team Six comprises highly trained Navy SEALs selected from the already elite SEAL community. With a primary focus on conducting high-risk, classified operations worldwide, DEVGRU’s members undergo rigorous and continuous training to maintain their top-tier skills and readiness, making them a critical asset in safeguarding national security interests and addressing some of the most challenging and sensitive missions around the globe.

RELATED ARTICLES
Navy SEAL Equipment List
Top 10 Tactical Nnives
Top 10 Survival Axe