Mr. Hicks told the compelling story of his talk with the leader of a special operations team that wanted to fly to Benghazi from Tripoli to help.

WSJ: Noonan: The Inconvenient Truth About Benghazi

For most of their time on the ground, the Special Operations team was engaged in a firefight as they worked their way through each of the structures.

WSJ: How bin Laden Was Found and Killed

William McRaven, who heads the military's special operations command, and asked for a small team to game out the options.

WSJ: U.S. Rolled Dice in bin Laden Raid

Back in the city's diplomatic neighborhood, Norwegian special-operations forces military mentors working with another team of specially trained Afghan forces sought to bring the attack to a rapid end.

WSJ: Karzai Says U.S. Coalition Failed as Kabul Cleans Up

The US team includes individuals with backgrounds in legal affairs, special operations, public affairs and aviation.

BBC: US team probes Afghan wedding raid

During this week, the survivors really come together as a team and share moments that forge them into the most hardened special operations warriors in the world.

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Beyond the three SEALs on the ground, a Chinook helicopter carrying reinforcements was shot down while trying to reach the team, killing eight more SEALs and eight members of an Army special operations unit.

CNN: Medal of Honor awarded to 'antithesis of a warrior'