Top 7 Daring Commando Raids in History

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 12/11/2017 | J Hines

[w1n1]

Desperate times calls for desperate measures, sounds like a cliche but when its the final option. High risk commandos and warriors were conceived with best laid plans to execute.
However, not were successful but the skills and valor of these operators (warriors of the past) involved were unbelievable.
Here are the 7 most daring commando raids in history –
Trojan Horse
Perhaps one of the earliest examples of a successful commando raid can be found in the 12th century B.C. during the legendary siege of Troy. Though some historians doubt its certainty, both Homer’s Illiad and Virgil’s Aeneid histories point to a daring operation conducted by a select cadre of up to 30 Greek warriors who sealed themselves into the hollow body of an enormous wooden horse statue. The symbol of the walled city of Troy, the horse was cunningly offered as a gift to the Trojans as the Greek fleet disembarked for home.

Assault on Eben-Emael
The first modern military to embrace the concept of special operations, the German army of World War II conducted one of the first commando raids of the 20th Century in the opening days of the invasion of France. Rehearsed in minute detail over a year, the raid by German paratroopers, or Flieger-Jaeger, on the Belgian fortress at Eben Emael is still considered one of the most thoroughly-planned and executed commando operations in history.
A nearly 80-man team of specially-selected paratroopers, including engineers and assaulters commanded by Capt. S.A. Koch, flew aboard nine gliders to the heavily armed fortress built as a part of the famed Maginot Line intended to blunt an anticipated German invasion after World War I.

Entebbe Raid
A C-130 is seen parked on the runway at Entebbe airport in Uganda during a raid to free Israeli passengers of a hijacked Air France flight.
In one of the most iconic hostage rescues ever — and one that served to epitomize the cunning grit of the fledgling Jewish state — the operation by Israeli commandos to seize a hijacked Air France jetliner in the Ugandan city of Entebbe perhaps epitomizes how special ops could successfully blunt terrorist attacks.

Operation Neptune Spear
It may not be surprising to some that probably the most complex and dangerous commando raid in modern times was pulled off by Navy SEALs. A nearly 400 mile round trip into a nuclear armed country who has no idea you’re coming? Check. A terrorist target who’s been running from you for a decade and has a team of fanatical followers rigged to blow you to smithereens if he gets even a whiff of your plan? Check. A super-secret stealth helicopter? Check. A team of spies backing you up? Check. A commando dog? Check.
"Sounds like a job for SEAL Team 6." Read the rest of the full description & list of the top 7 daring commando raids in history here. What are some of the other raids in history can you think of that didn't get the notoriety as these?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Vladimir Peniakoff and the PPA seem to be missing from the list.

[Billthedrill]

Not to be too pedantic, but the Trojan Horse isn't mentioned in the Iliad. The Aeneid, yes.

I'd have to include Skorzeny's raid, though. Jethro Tull did a song about Nimrod - "Caught In The Crossfire". Somewhere there are Brownings in a two-hand hold --- cocked and locked, one up the spout. There's nothing for it but to sit and wait for the hard men to get me out.

[laplata]

Thanks for that great history.

[laplata]

Nothing on this thread about the British? My goodness, did they ever pull some hair-raising commando raids in WW2.

><

They certainly did.

[BroJoeK]

Billthedrill: "...the Trojan Horse isn't mentioned in the Iliad. The Aeneid, yes."

Thanks! I had to look it up to see for sure.
You're right about the Illiad -- no Trojan Horse.
But the Odyssey does discuss it, as does the Aeneid.

Funny I didn't know that...

[The_Media_never_lie]

Good post!

[Political Junkie Too]

The St. Nazaire Raid, Operation Chariot?

-PJ

[G Larry]

ReCon with the White Horse division had visited the site 3 days prior and informed COMMAND that the camp was empty.

(I hate auto-correct!)

[Oztrich Boy]

Operation Chariot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid.. >

[Flag_This]

George Rogers Clark and his capture of Vincennes.