Ray Smith The Men with Green Faces

Stories of Warfighter Production: Part 14
The Men with Green Faces
As Commanding Officer, one of my greatest honors was pinning SEAL and SWCC graduates with the Trident and War Boat.
This story is about the most impactful SEAL I pinned.
President John F. Kennedy established the Navy SEALS in the early 60s.
We were born from our forefathers, the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) Frogmen, who laid our cornerstone with Hell Week.
But Naval Special Warfare as we know it today was forged in the jungles of Vietnam.
The Men with Green Faces built our culture, codified in 1970 as a symbol to be feared by our adversaries for generations to come.
“My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident, I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege I must earn every day.” -Excerpt from the SEAL Ethos
As I began my journey with the Teams in 2000, these were the men we looked up to. We studied their operations, mimicked their training, and listened to their stories as we sustained the culture they paid for in blood.
What they forged for us, my generation folded into hardened steel in the mountains of Afghanistan and deserts of Iraq.
Recently, we discovered one of our own had been left behind, discarded in an era of hostility between active duty and the American public.
Ray Smith cut his teeth in BUD/S Class 52, six classes before the bell was even introduced. While deployed with SEAL Team ONE, he was almost killed in a gunfight against the Viet Cong. A helicopter pilot risked all to evacuate him but never learned if he survived.
Ray was medically separated from active duty service before his platoon returned home. He was neither awarded the Purple Heart nor the SEAL Trident, which was approved by the US Navy mere weeks before he separated.
Years later, his son, Spencer, discovered these oversights and took corrective action, ultimately bringing them to our doorstep.
Imagine how profound it was to pin my forefather with the very symbol he built for me.
This is Ray’s story.
“Brave SEALs have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.”
#warfighterproduction
#menwithgreenfaces

[@daphoneguy934]

Before the Trident...before the press conferences, tv appearances, the perfect pushup, the numerous books and infomercials and pod casts. Way back when they were known as quiet professionals.

[@GotChrist60]

NAVSPECHOLLYWOOD....

[@nautifella]

Those are the men I knew.

[@Valkyrie-OD1115]

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” Only those who have served will ever understand its true meaning! Thank you gentlemen and all who have served!🇺🇸

[@sharkman5735]

Wow outstanding words and perfect!

[@70stunes71]

Great to see long overdue awards corrected, also RIP to those brothers lost.💯🇱🇷

[@jamescrowe7892]

Welcome home S.E.A.L. and all the Vietnam veterans. HOOYAH!

[@Seven_Craig]

Man! This is how it’s done! Welcome home Brother! As part of the generation that followed your generation’s blazed trails, I appreciate your service and sacrifice to our great nation! CONGRATULATIONS EN2 Smith! Semper Fi!

[@stevecornella29]

Real men! Real Heroes!

[@MattGinNY]

Outstanding. Great job to US Navy Special Warfare for hosting this event and recognizing these men. God Bless.

[@johnnybgood-ws5cu]

Our warriors are the best !!!

[@sappermade6012]

Thank you Frog Man

[@fnln544]

I’m an army retired lieutenant colonel. I have never been so moved. I’m so proud to have served America. God bless you all. Incredible words. Thank you, Pilot and SEAL for your service to our country.

[@Bradley-geary]

Thank you for such words…and thank you for your service. God bless you.

[@louisevad6091]

God bless all the men and women who sacrificed so much in the Vietnam War.

[@BillHalliwell]

Outstanding! It is so good to see that, finally, Vietnam era veterans from the US, Australia, New Zealand and other allied countries are being publicly recognised for their brave service and sacrifices in what, at the time, was the most unpopular conflict in the 20th Century. I was in the RAAF at the time and lost one good mate in the Army. Thank you for this video. Bill. H.

[@RogerWalczak]

Ray thank you for sharing the video. Knowing that you are a navy seal I have always been so proud to have you as my brother in law when I watched the viedo it ment so much to me thank you for your service. Hope when your in town we can get together.you will always be a special brother in law God bless you Ray you take care of yourself.

[@Taylor-Eliz]

Salute to this man, I wish everyone loved America like this hero right here good for you ray🇺🇸!!!!! Usa usa usa

[@user-bs4ck8bh6i]

Bravo Zulu Ray and to those that served with you and the Huey pilot's heroic action to save your life

[@timp3035]

2 Good American Men.........Gods speed.

[@ramjack4367]

My father graduated on that same BUDS class.

[@asaone11]

Respect

[@andybecker5374]

God bless you. Thank you for your service and welcome home.

[@halbos7637]

Heehee, your name is similar to the host of a children's show I enjoyed as a kid. TheSandy Becker Show. Take care!

[@pointingdog7235]

Thank you and welcome home. His bless you for your service to this great nation. 🇺🇸

[@johnnybgood-ws5cu]

TY FOR YOUR,MEN !!!

[@larrypahl5756]

thanx4service

[@tomschafer2264]

Thank you for your service Sir my gather was in both Korea and Vietnam but he never spoke much just said he cleaned up a lot of messes again thank you for your sacrifice

[@johngross8300]

What a Great Story, thank You Ray. John, you matter - evidence presented here.

[@craiggeffert1073]

That's one of the most awesome things I've seen this year! God bless you, Sir, and thank you for your service to our country!

[@richardd9955]

Congrats on the remembrance! As a former member of HAL-5 BLUEHAWKS USNR POINT MUGU NAS, we shared our unique mission with our sister Squadron HAL-3 SEAWOLVES! U need to see the documentary on Blu Ray DVD, "Scramble the Seawolves of HAL-3 ". Covers just about everything we did in the Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light), mission as most of HAL-5 BLUEHAWKS members were former HAL-3 Squadron members so we were able to harness the SEAL support the world has ever known! Just doing our jobs! HAL-3 was created. Commissioned during the Vietnam Conflict and Decommissioned in 1972 . The only Navy Squadron to experience these events! Please see the DVD Scramble the Seawolves of HAL-3 on KZbin or DVD.

[@piotrhul]

You are all admired. God bless. Peter from Poland.

[@joanieb641]

God bless you Ray.

[@chrismair8161]

Be at Rest my Fallen.

[@gadarn850]

Salute

[@MontanaJim419]

Thank you!

[@rvea1985]

Thank You for your service

[@internet_internet]

This is greatness. Thank y’all for sharing this. This made me happy.

[@Bradley-geary]

Thank you. It was one of the most incredible moments of my career, and an absolute honor.

[@slowpoke96Z28]

I saw EN2 and was like wait a minute. Then I saw it was his pinning lol.

[@paulcarlson4230]

We do for country and each other , nuff said

[@mattalley7646]

Why does this not have 1mil views and lines

[@tonysinclair5364]

Bravo Zulu sir

[@gklein4054]

Thx

[@georgearreguin1081]

Hoorahh NSW

[@michaelcronin1197]

When you encounter a Vietnam veteran, you should stop, shake their hand, look them in the eye, and welcome them home.

[@jhare18]

SALUTE.

[@UAL012]

HOOYAH!

[@mwduck]

We lost a lot of good men over there.

[@Bat21bravo]

SEMPER FORTIS / SEMPER FIDELIS.

[@larrypahl5756]

abandon self, Be integrity’s integer.

[@sjwilloughby-greene8214]

BEAUTIFUL. 💚💚💚 ♥️🤍💙

[@John-vb1vs]

366. Days. Later

[@leroybishop2245]

❤️👏🏻🙏🫡

[@unkorichie2029]

Bravo Zulu!!