Oldest Active-Duty Navy SEAL Retires (AP)

CORONADO, Calif. - The oldest Navy SEAL in uniform has retired at age 60 after a career that included a tour in Vietnam, 24 years in the reserves and a return to active duty to help reorganize the reserves.

Capt. William "Wild Bill" Wildrick signed on with the SEALs in 1968, before the highly specialized Sea Air Land commandos became a household name. He served all but two of his 39 years in the Navy with the SEALs.

"There was a time when our compound wasn't even marked and we didn't wear patches," Wildrick said at his retirement ceremony last week. "Now you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the world who doesn't know what a SEAL is."

Wildrick, who lives in La Jolla, was the last active-duty SEAL platoon officer who had served in Vietnam and the second-highest ranking SEAL nationwide.

It was good to have served and trained with you , sir. Co. B went to Coronado in 1977 and trained with Seal Team 1.

Semper Fi