“The Naval Special Warfare community lost a treasured teammate and one of SEAL Team’s consummate professionals with the passing of Dave Del Giudice,” Rear Admiral Wyman Howard, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command said. “He will be remembered as a quiet professional, one who shaped our history, upholding the tenants of our Ethos and serving as an inspiration to those he led. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Del Giudice entered the Navy in 1954. After completing Basic and Advanced Air Intelligence and Photo Interpretation Schools, he was assigned as Officer in Charge, Commander Fleet Air Philippines Detachment Guam. Del Giudice then completed Underwater Demolition Replacement Training with Class 20 in 1958 and was subsequently assigned to Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) 12 where he served as a platoon commander, officer in charge, and eventually executive officer.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Arleigh Burke, officially authorized establishment of the SEAL Teams in a letter dated Dec. 11, 1961. Del Giudice, assumed command of SEAL Team 1 on Jan. 1, 1962. SEAL Team 2 was established under the command of Navy Lt. John Callahan on Jan. 6, 1962. Ten days after taking the helm of ST 1, Del Giudice was sent to Vietnam to assess to how the capabilities of SEALs could be employed there.

Del Giudice was an ideal candidate for this assignment, given his prior experience in Southeast Asia. During his second deployment with UDT 12, Del Giudice and 10 other UDT members became the nucleus of the Mekong River Flotilla, where he served as Assistant Flotilla Commander. This little-known mission was to deliver urgently needed landing craft to the Laotian government to bolster its river patrol capability against attacks from communist forces.

Upon his return to Vietnam in 1962, Del Giudice helped train Vietnamese Coastal Force personnel in reconnaissance, guerilla warfare and prepared them to instruct succeeding classes of the Biet Hai [Special Sea Force] Commandos. He also became a member of the Vietnam Delta Infiltration Study Group which helped produce the “Bucklew Report” that warned of the ineffectiveness in halting Vietcong coastal and riverine supplies.

Del Giudice subsequent assignments included Naval Operation Support Group Pacific (forerunner to Naval Special Warfare Group 1) as its first operations officer and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations where he was the budget sponsor for Naval Inshore Warfare (NIW) Commands. Driving budget actions, Del Giudice is credited with strengthening the NSW community and paving the way for the eventual selection of a Naval Special Warfare Flag Officer.

Del Giudice became the Commanding Officer of the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Calif., July 1, 1976.  He retired from active duty after 24 years of service in July of 1978 and was selected by U.S. Special Operations Command as one of its Commando Hall of Honor awardees in 2010.