The aquamarine waters and golden sands of Fort Pierce, Florida, are a fitting setting for the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, which bills itself as “the birthplace of the Navy Frogman.” After all, it was here on the state’s mid-Atlantic coast, locally referred to as the Treasure Coast, that the frogmen were first trained during World War II. The museum tells the story of the SEALs and the American naval special-warfare units that preceded them.
The first stop is the monument created for the site that honors SEALs and their predecessors who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Their names are carved in granite. A nine-foot sculpture by Roy Shifrin depicting a SEAL in action dominates. The monument was erected in 2010 after it was learned that no such memorial already existed.
The tour begins outside on the museum grounds. Rare beach obstacles used in World War II training are the oldest items. Additional exhibits include a Vietnam river-patrol craft and a Huey helicopter. But some artifacts are more contemporary, including a Swedish-made Iranian gunboat captured by SEALs in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will in the late 1980s and a dune buggy used in the war on terrorism. A lifeboat from the MV Maersk Alabama, the containership hijacked off the coast of Somalia in 2009, is the latest acquisition. SEALs rescued Captain Richard Philips using this boat.
The museum interior is divided into three rooms. In the first, the ship’s store stands by the admissions desk at the entrance and is stocked with books, DVDs, and memorabilia. In the second room the exhibits begin, devoted to World War II. Here one learns about the beginnings of Naval Combat Demolition Unit training at Fort Pierce in 1943. A fully equipped mannequin depicts an Underwater Demoltion Team member with tennis shoes on his feet, carrying flippers. The history of Navy special-warfare units in both the Atlantic and Pacific is covered in storyboards, photographs, and artifacts.
The third and largest room covers the evolution of the units since World War II. This gallery is arranged chronologically, beginning with the Korean War, and contains weapons used not only by the SEALs but also captured from the enemy. They include a Chinese machine gun retrieved in Iran and captured Viet Cong, Iranian, and Iraqi flags. Mannequins again give the viewer an idea of SEALs in action and how they were equipped in different conflicts. In the center of the room, a motorized rubber raft is available for visitors to climb aboard.
The most recent section addresses SEALs’ actions during the 21st century. Another mannequin is dressed in desert fatigues and body armor. A tiny drone circles above it. This exhibit demonstrates how much has changed technologically since World War II and highlights how spectacularly Navy special-warfare units have adapted to fighting conditions that differ from those envisioned in 1943. For youngsters, there is an area containing two PlayStation2 terminals on which they can play the popular game SOCOM, U.S. Navy SEALs.
The museum hosts numerous events, some that feature static displays as well as SEAL demonstrations, including a helicopter assault in the field on museum grounds.
An expansion was begun early in 2011 and will be completed in phases this year, with the intention of including more interactive displays. To this end, the museum already offers a continuing-education class on the history of special-warfare units, slated to be held annually.
National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum
3300 North A1A, North Hutchinson Island, Fort Pierce, FL 34949
Tel: 772-595-5845
http://www.navysealmuseum.com
Open year-round Tues.–Sat., 1000–1600; Sun. noon–1600. Open Mondays Jan.–Apr., 1000-1600.
Admission: Adults $8, Children 6–12 $4, Children 5 and under free