Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman

Draper Laurence Kauffman was born in San Diego, California in 1911, the son of Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1933, poor eyesight prevented him from receiving a regular naval commission. Undaunted, Kauffman volunteered as an ambulance driver in France during the early months of World War II before joining the British Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve as a bomb disposal officer during the London Blitz.

Following Pearl Harbor, Kauffman was commissioned into the United States Navy and awarded the Navy Cross for heroically disarming a 500-pound unexploded Japanese bomb at Schofield Barracks under hazardous conditions. In 1943, the Navy ordered Kauffman to establish the Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDU) and later the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) to clear heavily fortified enemy beach obstacles ahead of amphibious assault landings.

At Naval Amphibious Base Coronado on the Silver Strand, Kauffman developed the legendary physical training program that evolved into Navy SEAL BUD/S training. He personally led trainees through ocean surf swims, explosive demolition handling, and grueling night reconnaissance missions, demanding that instructors endure every hardship alongside their students. His "Naked Warriors" performed heroic pre-invasion beach clearances at Normandy, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Rear Admiral Kauffman’s unwavering leadership, tactical brilliance, and dedication to physical excellence earned him the revered title of Father of Naval Special Warfare. The training doctrines he instituted along Coronado beaches remain the foundation of Navy SEAL warfare today.