Norris. of those By Petty Officer 3rd Class James Ginther “Some legends are in the audience Naval Special Warfare Group TWO with you today…they won’t tell you who they are, but the team members know and I’m The National UDT-SEAL museum in humbled to be in their Fort Pierce, Fla., hosted the 27th Annual presence.” Muster honoring former and current The ashes of eight fallen Underwater Demolition Teams and Navy SEALs were laid to rest SEAL operators, Nov. 11-12. during a dedication More than 10,000 people attended the ceremony on the beach day event which featured a capabilities adjacent to the museum. demonstration by an East Coast-based SEAL Active duty SEALs swam Team and guest speakers including Adm. the ashes out to sea. William H. McRaven, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; U.S. year. Representative Allen West; and retired years have passed since Navy SEAL Medal of Honor recipients “Twenty-seven this museum opened,” said McRaven. Michael Thornton and Thomas Norris. “Back then there was some angst and curiosity as to The capabilities demonstration included a whether this relatively small facility could even SEAL Team performing a helicopter assault, survive.” simulated sniper shot and the use He said that in the same way that the of a military working dog. The U.S. Navy museum has grown and flourished, the Navy SEAL Parachute team, the were “Leap SEAL teams have expanded. also part of the demonstration and performed He remarked that the performing the various aerial displays. demonstration exemplified the qualities that Tommy Norris, a former Navy SEAL, warriors require. described the difficulties that the original author Stanley Haskins once UDT and SEAL teams faced during the “The said lies before and behind us are tiny Vietnam conflict. ‘what matters compared to what lies within us” said the efforts and the heroic “Through McRaven. courage of the members of those two units, legends were born within the teams,” said The museum also hosted a 5k run/walk on the beach next to the museum, a skeet shoot Active duty Navy SEALs carry the ashes of and a live auction. deceased Underwater Demolition and SEAL Team members during a ceremony hosted by the National McRaven said that the number of UDT-SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Fla., Nov. 11. attendees had doubled the previous Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class James Ginther. T i p o f t h e S p e a r 21
By Petty Officer 3rd Class James Ginther Naval Special Warfare Group TWO The National UDT-SEAL museum in Fort Pierce, Fla., hosted the 27th Annual Muster honoring former and current Underwater Demolition Teams and Navy SEAL operators, Nov. 11-12. More than 10,000 people attended the event which featured a capabilities demonstration by an East Coast-based SEAL Team and guest speakers including Adm. William H. McRaven, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; U.S. Representative Allen West; and retired Navy SEAL Medal of Honor recipients Michael Thornton and Thomas Norris. The capabilities demonstration included a SEAL Team performing a helicopter assault, simulated sniper shot and the use of a military working dog. The U.S. Navy SEAL Parachute team, the “Leap were also part of the demonstration and performed various aerial displays. Tommy Norris, a former Navy SEAL, described the difficulties that the original UDT and SEAL teams faced during the Vietnam conflict. “Through the efforts and the heroic courage of the members of those two units, legends were born within the teams,” said Norris. “Some of those legends are in the audience with you today…they won’t tell you who they are, but the team members know and I’m humbled to be in their presence.” The ashes of eight fallen SEALs were laid to rest during a dedication ceremony on the beach adjacent to the museum. Active duty SEALs swam the ashes out to sea. year. “Twenty-seven years have passed since this museum opened,” said McRaven. “Back then there was some angst and curiosity as to whether this relatively small facility could even survive.” He said that in the same way that the museum has grown and flourished, the Navy SEAL teams have expanded. He remarked that the performing the demonstration exemplified the qualities that warriors require. “The author Stanley Haskins once said ‘what lies before and behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” said McRaven. The museum also hosted a 5k run/walk on the beach next to the museum, a skeet shoot and a live auction. McRaven said that the number of attendees had doubled the previous Active duty Navy SEALs carry the ashes of deceased Underwater Demolition and SEAL Team members during a ceremony hosted by the National UDT-SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Fla., Nov. 11. Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class James Ginther. T i p o f t h e S p e a r 21 day
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