When SEAL Team Six fought their way onto a Somalian compound in January 2012, they did so with precision and without any loss of life on their team. However, all nine of the pirates were dead by the time they left.

Rescue Mission

SEAL Team Six went into the town of Gadaado, Somalia, to retrieve two American aid workers who had been captured. Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Thisted were working to remove landmines in the North0 Central Somalia area.

Pirates captured the pair. They were offered $1.5 million for the release of their hostages, and they turned it down and ignored all the pleas of the local religious leaders and elders to let them go.

President Obama learned of the two hostages and sent in U.S. Special Operations Forces to retrieve them. The SEALs dropped into Somalia via parachute and saved the two hostages.

That night after giving his State of the Union Address, President Obama called Jessica Buchanan's family to let them know she was safe.

Somalian Pirates

Somalian pirates are known for taking hostages at sea, but an increase in naval forces off of the Horn of Africa made it near impossible. So the pirates decided to use a different method.

They went after aid workers who were trying to make things better for the Somalian people. Americans were prime targets.

The Somalian pirates had about 9-12 men on the two hostages in a compound in northern Somalia, making the mission easier for American Troops. Special operators were operating at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, which was near the coast.

Locals told the SEALs that the pirates chewed Qat, an amphetamine-like inducing plant. Then, they went to sleep, and the SEALs attacked.

Even though the pirates fired back, they were no match for the SEALs. The two hostages were taken to safety at the U.S. Naval Mission in Djibouti.