SAVE THE DATE

For An Extraordinary Evening at Quail Valley

Monday, February 24, 2025

5:00 PM

Quail Valley River Club
2345 Highway A1A
Vero Beach, Florida 32963

On April 8, 2009, four Somali pirates attempted to hijack the United States flagged container ship Maersk Alabama, transporting humanitarian aid that was bound for Kenya, while sailing off the coast of Somalia. Largely outnumbered by the crew members, the pirates abandoned the 508-foot long ship, leaving instead in one of its lifeboats (now an artifact on permanent display at the Navy SEAL Museum). They took with them the Maersk Alabama’s captain, Richard Phillips, as ransom.

Subjugated for five days in inhumane conditions, Captain Phillips was in imminent danger. He owes his life to an elite team of sharpshooting Navy SEALs, who–against all odds– brought him to safety after a dramatic standoff.

This story remains largely untold, but you will hear the unadulterated version from Captain Phillips himself–and firsthand from some of the SEALs who were part of the operation.

Our evening includes a discussion panel of distinguished guests.

Richard Phillips
Merchant Marine, Captain (Retired)

On April 8, 2009, four pirates armed with AK-47s clambered up the side of the U.S.-flagged container ship Maersk Alabama, sailing off the coast of Somalia. After a brief scuffle with some of the 20 crewmembers, the pirates opted to abandon the 508-foot long ship, sailing off in one of its motorized lifeboats. They may not have captured the Maersk Alabama, nor looted its millions of dollars’ worth of food and humanitarian aid bound for Kenya, but they didn’t leave empty handed. The pirates had a captive: Maersk Alabama’s captain, Richard Phillips. The USS Bainbridge was the first to respond to the maydays from Maersk Alabama, preventing the lifeboat from escaping to land. The Bainbridge skipper specifically requested Navy SEAL snipers and the White House determined that SEAL Team Six was the best force to handle Phillips’ rescue.

On April 10, six Team Six SEALs flew direct to the Somalia coast, refueling in the air no fewer than three times during the 16-hour flight. The operation was planned so that they would parachute into the ocean under cover of darkness so that the pirates weren’t alerted, arriving at the USS Bainbridge at 2:30 AM on April 11th. One of the pirates had been injured battling the Maersk Alabama’s crew and asked to go aboard Bainbridge for medical help, effectively giving himself up to the Americans. At the same time, another pirate radioed that Phillips needed to see a doctor. A lifeboat was sent containing a change of clothes for the kidnapped captain: blue pants and a bright yellow shirt. Captain Phillips didn’t figure it out right then, but there were people aboard Bainbridge who wanted to make sure he more or less glowed in the dark.

Stressed near the breaking point, on the night of April 12, Phillips wrestled with his captors in a failed escape attempt. In the scuffle, a pirate fired his rifle into the sea. That was enough for the SEALs. The next time all three remaining pirates showed their heads, three SEAL snipers fired one shot each. Each of the three pirates was struck in the head, a deliberate shot that is used to kill a target while making sure that he doesn’t have an involuntary muscle response and pull the trigger on the automatic weapon in his hand.

Phillips’ captors were dead; the captain was free. A 4-day pirate standoff that could have ended in disaster instead resolved itself without any American blood shed — thanks in large part to a small team of far-flying, night-parachuting, sharpshooting commandos, the U.S. Navy SEALs.

Rick Kaiser
Retired Navy SEAL; Chief Executive Officer, Navy SEAL Museum

Rick Kaiser was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After attending Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) training Class 109 in Coronado, California, he was assigned to SEAL Team TWO in 1980. Rick deployed three times with SEAL Team TWO 2nd Platoon, specializing in Winter Warfare, Sniping, and Combat Swimming. He was assigned to SEAL Team SIX in 1985 acting as lead diver, breacher, and sniper.

In 1993, Rick received the Silver Star for Valor during the Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down). He served as the Training Chief and lead sniper from 1993-2000. He then served as Deputy Operations Officer from 2001-2013, overseeing and managing numerous combat deployments post 9-11 of SEAL Team SIX personnel to Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, and many other locations around the world. Rick retired as a Master Chief after 34 years of service.

Rick continues to serve his SEAL community and beyond as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida and San Diego, California. He has two children, Emily and Eric, and lives in Vero Beach, Florida with his wife Barbara.

Christopher E. Browning
Retired Navy SEAL

Christopher Browning was born in Nashville Tennessee on May 3. 1969. He grew up in a small town about 40 miles west of the city.

Upon graduating high school in 1987, he continued with his education by attending Middle Tennessee State University. During this time, he made the decision to enlist in the Navy, based on recommendations from his twin brother, who was serving in Air Force Special Operations at the time.

Christopher enlisted in September 1990. He attended boot camp in Orlando, Florida. Upon graduating, he attended “A” school before shipping out for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training. He classed up with BUD/S Class 178 but was put on medical hold after completing Hell Week. He would class back up and finish SEAL Training with Class 180.

His first duty station was SEAL Team 3, located in Coronado, California. He spent the next six years at Team 3, completing three deployments. It was during his third deployment that Christopher learned that he had been accepted to Naval Special Warfare Development Group located in Virginia Beach.

The next 17 years of his career were spent at Development Group, serving as an assaulter, sniper and two tours in a special activities squadron, where he finished out his career.

His successful operations spanned the globe–Bosnia, Afghanistan, Columbia, Iraq, and Africa, as well as numerous undisclosed locations. He spent 25 years on Sea Duty, experiencing all that Naval Special Warfare had to offer.

Christopher retired from military service on September 30, 2015. He is married to Maria and has two sons that are 15 and 22. He currently works for a Defense Contractor.

OPERATOR SPONSOR — $25,000

• 8 Seats to An Extraordinary Evening at Quail Valley
• Invitation for 2 to the VIP Event Pre-Reception
• Challenge Coin
• A Captain’s Duty Signed by Captain Richard Phillips
  and Attending Navy SEALs
• Sponsor Recognition on the Night of the Event
• SIG Sauer P-226/Jack Daniels Custom Gun and Whiskey Kit
• Lifetime Membership to the Navy SEAL Museum
• Option for VIP Tour at the Navy SEAL Museum
• Partnership Recognition on Museum Website and Social Media

FROGMAN SPONSOR — $10,000

• 6 Seats to An Extraordinary Evening at Quail Valley
• Challenge Coin
• A Captain’s Duty Signed by Captain Richard Phillips
  and Attending Navy SEALs
• Custom SIG Sauer P-226
• Lifetime Membership to the Navy SEAL Museum
• Partnership Recognition on Museum Website and Social Media

TEAMMATE SPONSOR — $5,000

• 4 Seats to An Extraordinary Evening at Quail Valley
• Challenge Coin
• Lifetime Membership to the Navy SEAL Museum
• Partnership Recognition on Museum Website and Social Media

PATRIOT SPONSOR — $2,500

• 2 Seats to An Extraordinary Evening at Quail Valley
• Challenge Coin
• Lifetime Membership to the Navy SEAL Museum
• Partnership Recognition on Museum Website and Social Media