(CNN) -- On the sweltering evening of April 12, 2009, as dusk deepened over the Indian Ocean, several hundred miles off the coast of Somalia, three shots rang out. All the bullets found their targets -- three Somali pirates in a small lifeboat bobbing on the darkening sea. For the past five days the pirates had taken hostage Richard Phillips, the American captain of the Maersk Alabama container ship. President Barack Obama had authorized the use of deadly force if Phillips' life was in danger. Unbeknownst to the pirates, days earlier a contingent from SEAL Team 6 had parachuted at night into the ocean near the USS Bainbridge warship, which was shadowing the pirates in their boat. The SEALs had taken up position on the fantail of the Bainbridge and were carefully monitoring Phillips while he was in the custody of the pirates.
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Peter Bergen: After 'Blackhawk Down' disaster, U.S. stopped relying on special forces
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He says 9/11 led to renewed interest in using SEALs, other special forces
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Bergen: Weekend's operations show Obama's continued support for special forces
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2009 rescue of U.S. merchant captain from pirates impressed Obama, he says
It's known inside the military as "DevGru" and more popularly as "SEAL Team 6" and is an elite within the @placeholder elite.