Carrying on the tradition of the Hellenic Navy in naval special operations, the unit was established in 1957 with help from the United States Navy's Underwater Demolition Team, when two Greek officers were sent to Little Creek in Virginia to study UDT operations[citation needed]. On their return, they trained a dozen men who formed the nucleus of the MYK cadre. The OYK has been deployed on numerous occasions[citation needed]. It was deployed during the first Gulf War in 1991, providing assistance for the naval embargo against Saddam Hussein, boarding 217 suspect vessels[citation needed]. In 1996, the OYK was involved in the Imia crisis when Turkish commandos infiltrated the island. Small DYK teams infiltrated surrounding islands to observe activities, pending a political solution to the cr