TO:
Ms. Marisela Burgos,
WNCT-TV 9
SUBJ:
Claims of service as a US Navy SEAL by former Aurora Police Chief Steve
Williams
REF: http://www.wnct.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WNCT/MGArticle/NCT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128769128744
On Friday afternoon I received a Google News Alert for the phrase
“Navy SEAL” and subsequently read your 5 January 2006 online article
about Mr. Steve Williams. I have been peripherally involved in the
investigations related to Mr. Williams’ claims of being a Navy SEAL.
The fact is that Mr. Williams was NOT a US Navy SEAL. He was a US Navy
“SeaBee” who served as a diver on a ship
where he encountered an embarked group of Underwater Demolition Team
“Frogmen”. As an “outsider” on the ship he found fellowship with
the UDT Frogmen who were also “outsiders” and not members of the
ship’s regular crew. It was his familiarity with these men and their
work which apparently provided the basis for his false claims.
I was recently contacted by a Special Agent of the Defense
Criminal Investigation Service who was investigating Mr. Williams
claims of being a SEAL. At his request I checked the SEAL database and
confirmed that Mr. Williams was NOT a SEAL (or UDT “Frogman”). In
his initial interview with that DCIS Special Agent, Mr. Williams offered
him the name of a man he claimed was “a classmate and fellow SEAL”.
Imagine my surprise at learning from the Special Agent that the name of
the man offered by Mr. Williams was actually that of one of my own
training class fellows, and that Mr. Williams claimed to have been a
member of MY SEAL TRAINING CLASS. I verified the identity of the man
whose name he cited (my very real Teammate) for the DCIS Special Agent,
along with the fact that there was no one named WILLIAMS in our SEAL
training class.
Two days ago I received a “courtesy call” from the DCIS
Special Agent, informing me that after repeatedly questioning Mr.
Williams regarding his claims, and presenting him with the facts, Mr.
Williams finally admitted that he was NOT a SEAL – he admitted that
his claims were completely false.
Whether or not the Mayor and the City Council of Aurora reinstate
Mr. Williams as the Chief of Police is between them and the members of
their community; I have no intention of becoming a part of that
particular debate. My only interest is in upholding the integrity of the
SEAL Teams, and maintaining the respect and honor due our fallen
comrades. I have been engaged in this effort since 2001, and have
personally provided statements regarding the false nature of over 3,500
SEAL imposters. False claims of being a SEAL are widely viewed within
the Naval Special Warfare community as walking and spitting on the
graves of our Teammates who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to
the nation. Whatever the outcome of the civic debate regarding Mr.
Williams, I feel that the public has a right to know the truth about the
Mr. Williams’ claimed service within the Naval Special Warfare
community; he was NEVER a member of any Underwater Demolition Team or
SEAL Team.
Very
respectfully,
Steve
Robinson
USN 1970-1978
SEAL Team ONE
UDT-SEAL Association
Special Operations Association
POW Network Advisory Board
Naval
Special Warfare Archives - SOF
Analyst/Contributing Journalist
FORMER
Special Investigator - SEAL Authentication Team
Author of the book NO
GUTS, NO GLORY - Unmasking Navy SEAL Imposters