Cambodian Navy SEALs

The Cambodian Navy SEALs were the main elite Maritime Special Operations Force of the Khmer National Navy (French: Marine National Khmère – MNK) during the 1970-75 Cambodian Civil War.

Origins
In mid-1973 the Khmer National Navy raised its own special warfare unit, the Cambodian SEALs. An initial group of recruits was drawn from an existing Combat Swimmer Unit (French: Nageurs de Combat) and sent to the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, at San Diego, California in the United States and to Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines for basic training.

Parachute courses were conducted at the Pochentong Airborne Training Centre, while the Olympic pool at the Cércle Sportif complex in Phnom Penh was used for diving courses.

Structure and organization
Headquartered at the Chrui Chhangwar Naval Base opposite Phnom Penh, the unit fielded by mid-1974 a total of 90 ‘Commandos’ divided according to the US Navy SEALs practice into three teams led by Chief Petty Officer (French: Premier Maître) Set Chan. They were structured as follows:


 * SEAL Team 1 was allocated in Phnom Penh, where it served both as Headquarters (HQ) for the MNK Amphibious Operations Command and training cadre for the basic SEAL course. It was also tasked of monitoring the security of naval facilities in the Cambodian capital and carried out counter-insurgency operations along the lower Mekong-Bassac corridors.


 * SEAL Team 2, also stationed at Phnom Penh, was frequently deployed on the lower Mekong.


 * SEAL Team 3, based at Ream, was given responsibility for operations around the port city of Kompong Som and adjoining naval base, and along the Cambodian coastline.

Operations
The Cambodian SEALs provided valuable intelligence for the MNK while acting as reconnaissance teams along the banks of the Mekong and as shock troops on amphibious assault operations.

They defended the Chrui Chhangwar Naval Base until the final days of the war.

Weapons and equipment
The weaponry and equipment employed by the Cambodian Navy SEALs was basically FANK standard issue, being mostly of US origin supplemented by captured Soviet or Chinese weapons drawn from enemy stocks seized in the course of their operations.


 * 🇧🇪 FN GP35 Pistols
 * 🇺🇸 Colt.45 M1911 Pistols
 * 🇺🇸 Smith & Wesson Model 39 Revolvers
 * TT-33 Pistols
 * 🇨🇳 Type 56 Assault rifle
 * 🇨🇳 Type 56-1 Assault rifle
 * AKM Assault rifle
 * 🇺🇸 M16A1 Assault rifle
 * 🇺🇸 CAR-15 Assault carbine
 * 🇺🇸 Ithaca Model 37 pump-action shotguns
 * RPD Light machine gun
 * 🇨🇳 Type 56 LMG Light machine gun
 * 🇺🇸 M1918A2 BAR Light machine gun
 * 🇺🇸 M60 General purpose machine gun
 * RPG-2 Rocket-propelled grenade
 * RPG-7 Rocket-propelled grenade
 * 🇺🇸 M72 LAW Anti-tank rocket launcher
 * 🇺🇸 M79 Grenade launcher
 * 🇺🇸 M203 Grenade launcher