A very early Navy commando

Lt. William B. Cushing, U S Navy

  On this date in 1864, Lt. Cushing and his small crew became the very first U S Navy commandos, at least by their actions.
  The CSS Albemarle, and iron clad gun boat was being too successful in harassing the Union Navy.  The ship was berthed in the Roanoke River when the daring men began their mission.
  Lt. Cushing with a crew of 13 men, brought their steam launch, a 30 foot long power boat, up the river under cover of darkness.  It was during the Battle of Hampton Roads that needed an end to the escapades of the Albemarle. 
  As the Union Navy steam launch made its way up river they were spied as they approached the target, ignoring the danger the men pushed on, then it was discovered that Albemarle was protected by log booms.  Lt. Cushing knew the logs had been in the water a long time and were slippery, so he drove the launch forward and over the logs, here's what happened next.
  The launch crew has affixed a fourteen foot long spar torpedo to the underside of the launch, the torpedo would be activated by pulling on a lanyard.  The launch got close enough to the Albemarle to make contact with the torpedo, Lt. Cushing pulled the lanyard (rope) and blew a nine foot hole in the ship, which sank almost immediately into the mud at the river bottom.
  The blast however threw everyone on the launch into the water, Lt. Cushing removed his uniform and swam to the shore and hid until daylight when he returned to the Union front.   Two of his men were drowned and eleven were captured, and later recovered.
  "Seal Team" One had accomplished their mission.
  Lt. Cushing was awarded a "Recognition of Congress" for his efforts, a high honor at that time.  He later married and was a happy man, for a while.  He developed “sciatica" a term that was used in those days without regard to cause for any inflammation of the sciatic nerve, or any pain in the region of the hip. Cushing may have had a ruptured intervertebral disc. (Wikipedia).
  He was treated with morphine, eventually became addicted and was a patient in the Government Hospital for the Insane, where he eventually died.  A hero.

The CSS Albemarle

A Steam Launch with torpedo attached, but not THE launch discussed.