Between 1943 and 1946, people strolling along the sandy shores of the Treasure Coast were more likely to see an amphibious frogman emerging from the ocean than a sunbather, thanks to the nearby location of the 19,000-acre Fort Pierce Naval Amphibious Training Base. The World War II base was a hub of maritime activity, used to train Naval Combat Demolition Units and Underwater Demolition Teams in the use of underwater explosives, amphibious assault techniques, and procedures for breaching and removing beach fortifications.
Over the years, as the needs of the military evolved, so did the UDTs, developing into the elite branch of the Naval Special Warfare Command – the U.S. Navy SEAL (Sea-Air-Land) teams. Today they are the Navy’s primary special operations force, conducting small-unit military operations that generally initiate from a body of water or coastal area.
The legacy of the early frogmen through to the missions of today’s SEALs resides where it all began – at the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, which opened on Veterans Day 1985 just north of the Fort Pierce Inlet. The museum initially focused solely on the WWII historical aspects, but over the past 30 years it too has evolved, expanding with tremendous growth and inclusivity.
During the 31st Annual Muster and Music Festival this past Veterans Day, the museum unveiled its new Cold War Gallery in the completely remodeled west wing. The museum’s major renovation features the addition of mission-specific installations and chronicles UDT and SEAL history from 1945 into the 21st century.
From the shores of Normandy and Southern France during WWII to Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan, this tight brotherhood has been an integral part of all war efforts, often without any credit due to the sensitive nature of their missions. Now as guests enter the museum they can literally revisit history with a walk back through time that begins with recent events and works back to the birth of the UDT and SEALs.
The Cold War Gallery includes artifacts from military operations that occurred between 1945 and 2000, illustrating events that unfolded during Korea, Vietnam and Panama, and it also includes the SEALs’ involvement with NASA space exploration. In the 1950s the SEALs assisted with NASA recovery programs, training astronauts how to safely emerge from the pods.
“The new Cold War Gallery is just one more example of how the museum continues to expand and improve to educate and engage our guests,” says Rick Kaiser, executive director of the Navy SEAL Museum. “The remodeled west wing emphasizes the imperative role the SEALs played during this era by recounting some of the untold stories and through several artifacts that have never been seen before.”
“For the SEALs, Vietnam was their coming-out party,” explains Andy Brady, community outreach coordinator. “Our exhibits stopped at Vietnam, but we had some stuff from the Gulf too.”
One of the more unique aspects of the museum is the fact that everything on display was used during a SEAL operation. There are no replicas.
“This stuff is the real deal,” says Brady. “And we’ll even let you climb into some of the equipment.”
Some of the more recent items put on display include a piece of Osama bin Laden’s compound, the Black Hawk helicopter used to rescue Jessica Buchanan, Captain Phillips’ Maersk Alabama lifeboat, and a piece of steel from the World Trade Center.
“Everything is interactive now,” says Elaine Ryan, museum marketing and media coordinator. “The whole thing about SEALs is that they’re interactive, Sea-Air-Land. They are trained to be able to do anything, so we’ve tried to make the museum a lot more interactive and user-friendly.”
The new gallery emphasizes the evolution of the SEALs’ gear and how they utilize it. The exhibit also stresses the development and importance of tactical improvements. The museum will continue to expand, keeping pace as the SEALs continue to make their mark, protecting America and her citizens. They are currently working on “top secret” plans for a K-9 exhibit.
“The SEALs are a highly-evolved team, always staying three steps ahead of the enemy,” says Ryan. “Like a game of chess, you want to be able to anticipate your opponent’s next move, and I think the SEALs do that very well.”
The museum is also home to the only Memorial Wall solely dedicated to Navy Frogmen and SEALs, forever memorializing the men who have died in the service of the country since the frogmen were first commissioned. That number currently stands at 288.
A byproduct of the museum’s success is its ability to offer support to SEAL families through Trident House Charities, which provides care for veterans, current members of the military, and the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Support is offered through its three pillars: Trident House, a three-bedroom respite house in Sebastian; the Navy SEAL Museum Scholarship Program; and family support.
“When you come to the museum, your admission helps the museum and a much bigger cause – the families of the SEALs,” says Brady.
The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the ideal place to experience and pay tribute to the many ways these men have impacted military warfare from the time amphibious frogmen first hit the beach.
