o'donnell has interviewed more than 4000 -- now 5000 veterans wanted america's worst world war i to afghanistan and specializes in unearthing and told stories that read like novels. please welcome patrick k. o'donnell. [applause] >> well, it's really a pleasure and honor to be here. this is the beginning of my book tour which just came out this week. as jim said, i've interviewed 5000 world war ii veterans. i spent an entire lifetime studying world war ii and the story of going to tell you tonight or today is an untold story and probably the most interesting story and never come across in the 44 years that i've been here on this earth. the story begins right here in washington d.c. only a few blocks away at the shore infotel. it's november 17, 1942 in the short hotel is good though, only been there since 1933. kind of the host for president than everything else, but that night in 1942, and the doors were barred, and they tested something that was unique. they tested the first rebreather, a precursor to screw the and the beginning of the navy seals only a few blocks away from this location right now. that day in the collector group of individuals that form the first deals. they are part

. >> patrick o'donnell is a military historian who has written eight previous books, beyond valor, opera spies and saboteurs, the broader assignment, the did return, we were one, selected for the marine commandant professional reading list, give me tomorrow at his most recent is for -- "first seals: the untold story of the forging of america's most elite unit". his numerous awards include prestigious william colby award. it provides historical confrontation for dreamworks, award winning miniseries band of brothers and documentaries produced by the bbc, history channel and fox news. he is a combat historian in the battle of volusia beach in demand as an expert speaker on world war ii sabotage special operation counterinsurgency on the battlefield. over the past 20 years he has interviewed 4,000, 5,000 veterans as part of america's wars from world war i afghanistan specializing in untold stories that read like novels. please welcome patrick o'donnell. [applause] >> it is really a pleasure and honor to be here. the beginning of my book tour, just came out this week. as jim said i have inter

thanks mac military historian patrick o'donnell recounts the origin of the u.s. navy seals in 1942 known as the maritime unit. from the united states navy memorial in washington, d.c. is over half an hour. ..

. >> next on booktv military historian patrick o'donnell recounts the origin of the navy seals first formed in 1942 and known as a maritime unit. this program from the united states navy memorial in washington d.c. is just over half an hour. >> patrick o'donnell is a military historian who has written eight previous books, beyond valor, opera spies and saboteurs, the broader assignment, the did return, we were one, selected for the marine commandant professional reading list, give me tomorrow at his most recent is for -- "first seals: the untold story of the forging of america's most elite unit". his numerous awards include prestigious william colby award. it provides historical confrontation for dreamworks, award winning miniseries band of brothers and documentaries produced by the bbc, history channel and fox news. he is a combat historian in the battle of volusia beach in demand as an expert speaker on world war ii sabotage special operation counterinsurgency on e