Monthly News and Intel September 2024

From the Executive Director

We continue to see great interest in Naval Special Warfare history and heritage through Museum visitation. Attendance has been high and operations at the Museum continue to expand. The Museum was recently repainted, and we also received a new roof over the Cold War Gallery section, enhancing the Museum experience and protecting our building structure and artifacts.

To increase the experience and growth of the National Navy SEAL Museum, we continue executing multiple projects to bring the history and heritage of the Navy SEALs and our predecessors to life.
First is our Seawolf Project, “Recommissioning History”, the restoration of this historic artifact, and one of only a handful of UH-1 Huey helicopters that served during Vietnam. The project is ongoing, and the restoration is about 90% complete now, with full restoration expected by October this year.

Second is our planned expansion (20,000 sq ft) of much needed space for multiple requirements, including office space, storage, exhibition rooms, shooting simulator, armory display room, and a 250-person leasable event space to provide a new income stream for the Museum. We have the design completed and site approval permitting is in with the county. We expect to potentially break ground summer 2025, as funding permits.

Third is the Omaha Monument Project in Normandy, France. This has been completed, and the dedication happened in May of this year. This monument will bring awareness of the Naval Combat Demolition Units and Scouts & Raiders, who sacrificed everything June 6th, 1944.

Our Trident House Charities Program, what is considered the Museum action arm, has been extremely busy providing critical support through our Trident House visits, the K9 Project, and we just sent out scholarship awards to over 400 NSW children amounting to over $500,000.00 to support our NAVSPECWAR families. This is all thanks to our generous donors, Museum members, and visitors. Thank you!

Our Trident Houses allow our Navy SEALs a break, and a chance to reconnect with their families after long deployments or training cycles. These homes have proven vital to our NSW families, whether Gold Star, active duty, or retirees. I would like to thank all who support our mission here at the Museum, and especially our Trident Houses Charities.

For more information on what is happening at the Museum, stay informed by checking out our website.

Very respectfully,
Commander (SEAL) Grant Mann, USN (Ret.)
Executive Director, Navy SEAL Museum Fort Pierce

New Artifacts to Enjoy

For those who may not have visited the Museum in some time, you will be pleasantly engaged by new artifacts and installations. Our team is continuously working on building maintenance and outdoor beautifications, but also the ongoing dedication to securing interesting and educational relics from the past.

We are grateful for our Naval Special Warfare (NSW) families who come forward to donate the precious gear of their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons. With five unique galleries, the Museum spans NSW historic eras from World War II to the present day. Our diverse permanent collection tells the authentic story of Frogmen from the very beaches where Naval Special Warfare originated in Fort Pierce, Florida.

A Testament to Grit and Resilience

New to the Museum is an exhibit honoring Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Mike Day, as a testament to the extraordinary courage and resilience that defines Navy SEALs.

On 6 April 2007, during a high-stakes mission in Iraq, Senior Chief Day led his team into a raid that would become one of the most harrowing experiences of his life. Ambushed by insurgents, Day was shot 27 times at close range and hit by grenade shrapnel. Despite his life-threatening injuries, Day neutralized the enemy, secured his team, and walked out of the building unaided.

Day’s story is not just one of survival but of unwavering determination and the relentless spirit of a SEAL. After an arduous recovery, he was an advocate for his fellow veterans, dedicating his life to raising awareness about the physical and psychological challenges faced by those who have served.

The exhibit’s artifacts include Day’s battle-worn gear, with a multimedia display that will highlight and explain what each artifact is. This exhibit is a powerful reminder of the bravery and sacrifice inherent in the SEAL Ethos and the enduring spirit of those who have worn the Trident.

Glen Doherty Memorial Bench Dedication

The Navy SEAL Museum is honored to announce the donation of a commemorative bench dedicated to the memory of Navy SEAL Glen Doherty.

The bench was recently placed in the Memorial Garden of the Museum, generously donated by Glen Doherty’s sister, Kate Quigley, in collaboration with the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation (GDMF).

Glen Doherty, who had previously served as a Navy SEAL, was one of four Americans killed in a terror attack at the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 12, 2012. The attack began on September 11; Glen succumbed to mortar wounds in the early hours of September 12th. His legacy of courage, service, and sacrifice continues to inspire many within and beyond the Navy SEAL community. The newly installed bench will serve as a lasting tribute to Doherty’s extraordinary life and dedication to his country.

“The Doherty Family, in partnership with the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation, is truly honored to receive a bench dedicated to our brother and Navy SEAL Glen Doherty at the Memorial Garden within the Navy SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Florida,” said Kate Quigley, Sister, President of the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation. “Knowing his legacy will continue to live on and inspire the next generation gives us great pride. I truly look forward to the day that my family and friends can visit, have a seat on his bench, and reflect on his amazing life and heroic sacrifice.”

Dogs of the K9 Project

The Navy SEAL Museum supports ongoing education and engagement. What could be more fun than learning about dogs and how they serve our veterans?

New this season, the Museum offers Dogs of the K9 Project, an interactive opportunity to meet the men and their dogs from the Museum’s K9 Project. Guests learn about the life-changing bond between Special Operators and their canine companions. Included with paid admission to the Museum, Dogs of the K9 Project was designed for all ages.

The next installment of this series will take place in the Museum’s theater on October 3 at 11:00 AM.

Theater Thursday

Each quarter, the Museum offers a new feature video on Thursdays in our theater. Now playing is A Bond Unbroken. See it during Museum hours each Thursday through October 30. (Running time 1 hour, 5 minutes.). Our website has showtimes and additional information.

In the deadly jungles of Vietnam, the Navy SEALs forged an enduring bond of friendship with their Vietnamese combat interpreter. Through brutal firefights and nighttime ambushes, Nguyen Hoang Minh fought as a member of the SEAL platoons in the Mekong Delta, and helped keep them alive. Though wounded numerous times, he never backed down or gave up the fight, and the SEALs began to feel that Minh was “one of us.”

When the Communists overran Vietnam, Minh could not get out, and the SEALs’ brave comrade was lost to them forever–or so they thought–until one Navy lieutenant’s relentless search found him. A Bond Unbroken captures their miracle reunion forty-five years in the making, and presents another side of the battle-tough, covert warrior SEALs. Their actions change Minh’s life and dramatically impact his family and the Vietnamese-American community.

Earn Your Trident

Riding one of the best bicycling roads in America for the Navy SEAL Museum

Beginning October 16 through October 2, a group of Navy SEAL supporters will ride the Natchez Trace National Parkway from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN in support of the Navy SEAL Museum’s Trident House Charities Program. This road winds from the Delta region in Mississippi, through upper Alabama, and into the foothills of Tennessee.

Each rider has committed to raising at least $5,500 for the Navy SEAL Museum through their individual Network for Good pages by advertising their ride via social media networks. The riders will average 85-90 miles per day by riding six to eight hours on pristine roads with little traffic.

The ride has been organized by Warrant Officer (SEAL) Lance Cummings, USN (Ret.), Navy SEAL Museum San Diego Docent Manager. Lance founded the Epic Charity Challenge. This event will be supported by Cycle of Life Adventures, a well-respected adventure travel company with an excellent safety record that hosts multiple group rides in the USA. Limited to 11 participants of varying cycling experience, the group includes several retired SEALs, as well as Museum supporters from previous endurance events. Visit this page to learn more.

UDT SEAL Museum Association Inc. – Earn Your Trident Ride 2024

On the Horizon

Muster 39 is almost here, and our staff is busy setting the stage for success. This year we recognize and honor the strategic partners who enable SEALs to complete their missions effectively. Historically, these groups have played an imperative role in the success of many missions SEALs have executed-and they continue to do so today.

Navy SEALs are a maritime-focused, multi-purpose combat force, named for the elements in which they operate: Sea, Air, Land. Well-rounded in their training, these elite warfighters are notably assigned the most difficult missions, including special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, information warfare, security assistance, foreign internal defense, counterterrorism, direct action, hostage rescue, and personnel recovery.

Some SEAL delivery methods include SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDVs), Navy surface ships, Special Warfare Combatant Craft, Diver Propulsion Devices, airborne insertion via fixed and rotary-winged aircraft, and tactical ground mobility vehicles.

Due to the complex nature of their work, the varied environments in which they operate, and the extensive tasks to which they are called, Navy SEALs require extensive support teams. This year’s Muster honors these strategic partners / force multipliers who ensure SEALs can complete the mission.

You, our dedicated patrons and generous donors, also serve as Force Multipliers, enabling the Museum to execute our mission. Your teamwork is appreciated, and your support is invaluable.

Visit this page to read more and join us for the 39th Annual Muster on November 1 and 2. navysealmuseum.org/muster

The Museum in the Community

Our Museum donors, volunteers, and supporters are among the finest. The Museum extends our gratitude to Pam and Bob Devine, who sponsored the PBG Gators 14U Pop Warner team on behalf of the Museum. The Palm Beach Gardens-based Gators are young people ages 13 and14. Museum Advisory Board Member Lieutenant Commander (SEAL) Hector Delgado, USN (Ret.) visited the team on the field to offer encouragement and motivation. He shared his personal insights on commitment, leadership, and hard work. HOOYAH, Pam and Bob Devine!