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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Navy SEAL Museum to Dedicate Sembler Soldier Sculpture on Memorial Day

Fort Pierce, Fla. – May 22, 2024 – The Navy SEAL Museum will dedicate a new installation on Monday, May 27. Following the annual Memorial Day Ceremony, guests are invited to attend the unveiling of a soldier sculpture donated by local artist and grateful patriot Charles “Charlie” Sembler, II.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Mr. Sembler on Memorial Day,” said Museum Executive Director Commander (SEAL) Grant Mann, USN (Ret.). “A profound day for our country, marked by the significant sacrifice of our military, Memorial Day provides an opportunity for us to come together to acknowledge the ultimate sacrifice of our servicemen and women and their families. The Soldier stands as solemn reminder of those who have made that sacrifice for our freedom.”

Following an active career in public service, Charlie Sembler continues to own and operate his family seafood business Sembler & Sembler, founded in 1901. He has also found success with his furniture making, home décor creations, and unique art installations.

Sembler has surprised visitors at the Indian River waterfront in Sebastian with his whimsical and larger-than-life sculptures, which included a 21-foot gator, a soaring sawfish, a large sting ray, an octopus and an oversized mullet jumping out of the water. These pieces gained notoriety, but the sculpture that garnered the most attention was that of an American soldier.

The large piece, named “America’s Price of Freedom,” took Sembler more than 2,000 hours to create. The 8 1/2-foot soldier solemnly holds a dog tag from every conflict since the American Revolution. On each dog tag is the total number of American casualties lost in each conflict. The impact is sobering. The soldier is also armed with a weapon, ammunition, tool or piece of gear that represents each conflict.

Through word of mouth, the sculpture’s presence along the waterfront spread and veterans started visiting the site. It became a well-known patriotic stopping point, receiving recognition by the national press. Sembler is proud that the piece will have a permanent home at the Navy SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce.

““The vision for building the US Soldier came to me in a dream,” said Charlie Sembler. “He was built and is a gift to the United States soldiers of past, present, and future. I am eternally grateful for our freedom that [our servicemen and women] have sacrificed so much for our country.”

The official Memorial Day Ceremony begins at 9:00 AM, with the sculpture dedication to follow immediately after at 10:00 AM on the north side of the Museum’s campus.

About Charles Sembler, II
Charles Sembler II (59) of Vero Beach, is a lifelong Floridian, outdoorsman, artist, businessman and retired public servant.

Sembler grew up along the shores of the Indian River Lagoon in Sebastian, FL, where his family owned and operated one of the largest commercial fish houses on the east coast of Florida. Growing up, Sembler spent every spare moment fishing in the river and the Ocean, working the docks or helping friends with their cattle ranch west of town. He learned all he could from the “Old Salts” and “Florida Cracker” cowboys who shared their knowledge.

Sembler learned how to fix equipment (boats, trucks, trailers, heavy equipment and pumps) and over time and through necessity he became a proficient field mechanic, plumber, electrician, welder, fence builder and all-around problem solver. These various skills have served him well to this day.

After high school, Sembler soon took over as Vice President of the family’s wholesale seafood operation, making him the fourth generation to run the business. He helped the business transition from commercial fishing into the shellfish aquaculture industry. He also made a name for himself while participating in state-wide public forums while speaking on behalf of the commercial fishermen and other fish house owners.

At 21-years-old, Sembler was appointed by the then governor to serve in a vacant position on the Sebastian Inlet Commission. Two years later, he was elected Chairman by his fellow commissioners. He served in that capacity until he left the commission to run for the Florida Legislature.

In 1990, at just 25-years-old, he was elected to the House and became its youngest sitting member. He served ten years in the legislature, where he rose in leadership and power. He was recognized during his tenure by a variety of organizations and was known as a member that could “reach across the aisle” and bring consensus on divisive issues.

After serving a ten-year term, and with a young family at home, Sembler returned to Vero Beach and was elected without opposition to serve as Indian River County Tax Collector. He continued to be deeply involved in the family aquaculture business. Sembler was re-elected without opposition for three consecutive terms as tax collector, serving a total of eight years in that position.

Since retiring from public service, Sembler has focused his efforts on working in family businesses with his wife and son. He continues to own and operate Sembler & Sembler, the family seafood business originally founded in 1901, along the Indian River in Sebastian where clam and oyster farmers work off the commercial dock farming “Fresh-From-Florida” shellfish.

He also is recognized for his artistic abilities, creating handcrafted furniture and home décor items from reclaimed wood and repurposed materials. He is particularly well known for his sculptures crafted and welded out of recycled materials. For years, Sembler delighted the public with his hand-crafted giant sculptures of sea life which seemed to magically appear on his riverfront property without fanfare.

Sembler and his wife Beth have been married for 34 years. In addition to their son, Charles III, they have a daughter Claire. Sembler and his wife are active in local community activities and Sembler serves as an “unofficial advisor” to many when it comes to issues pertaining to the Indian River Lagoon.

About The Navy SEAL Museum
The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated solely to preserving the history of the U.S. Navy SEALs and their predecessors. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, the Museum resides on the training grounds of the original Navy combat divers, the Frogmen. Built to honor the men who served with fortitude and ingenuity, the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum first opened its doors on Veterans Day in 1985. From humble beginnings, the facility has experienced tremendous growth, achieving national stature in 2007. The main objective of the Museum remains the promotion of public education by providing the opportunity to explore the history of the Navy SEALs through interactive exhibits, while honoring the fallen at the SEAL Memorial and caring for those warriors’ families through Trident House Charities Program.