Famous US Special Forces operations

Here are six of the most famous successful American special operations missions in recent memory.

3. Captain Richard Phillips

Official U.S. Navy photo/Reuters
The lifeboat that Maersk-Alabama captain Richard Phillips is held hostage in is seen in this U.S. Navy handout photograph taken by the Scan Eagle UAV on April 9, 2009 over the Indian Ocean.

In April 2009, the Maersk Alabama, an American cargo ship with an armed security team on board, was hijacked by Somali pirates.  The captain, Richard Phillips, was held for ransom along with his crew as hostages.  Three shots each from three Navy SEAL sharpshooters from the USS Bainbridge killed two pirates, ending the five-day standoff.

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