Navy UDT SEAL
Museum - Ft. Pierce, FL
Pictures from
a visit to the Navy UDT-SEAL Military Museum located in Fort Pierce Florida on
North Hutchinson Island.
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 North Hutchinson Island |
 Fort Pierce Inlet State Park |
 Navy UDT Seal Museum |
| The Navy UDT-SEAL
Museum is located on North Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County at 3300
N. HWY A1A, Fort Pierce, FL 34949. The North Hutchinson Island, an Atlantic coastal barrier island that is just north of the Ft. Pierce Inlet, was the birthplace of the Navy Frogman. So it made sense to build the museum on this ground to preserve the history and legacy of those brave men. I had this museum on my list of places to visit in Florida for a long time. After a meeting in Vero Beach, I took a leisurely drive down scenic US 1 and crossed a bridge over to N. Hutchinson Island. Admission is $6.00 for adults, $3 for children aged 6-12 and kids younger than six get in for free. The grounds and exhibits are open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Mondays (January to April) from 10-4, and on Sundays from 12 noon to 4. |
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 Patrol Boat River (PBR) |
 Operation Gamewarden |
 UDT Submarine Vessel |
| After parking in front of the main fence, I walked around the exterior of the museum to check out the Huey helicopter that was used in Vietnam, a UDT SDV (Swimmer Delivery Vehicle), a Mark VII Mod O, Apollo control module training capsules, a Patrol Boat River craft, a Seafox boat, a Naval Memorial Statue, and some SEAL UDT training beach obstacles. | ||
 Helicopter & Space Capsules |
 Naval Memorial Statue |
 Mark VII Mod O Swimmer |
| The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum was opened in late 1985 and has since been continuously collecting items from the history of U.S. Naval Special Warfare. The most eclectic display is from the era of 1943 to 1946 when thousands of young Americans became members of the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), Sea Air Land special forces (SEAL), and the Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDU). | ||
 SDV Wet Delivery Vehicle |
 United States Navy UDT |
 Underwater Demolition Team |
| Some of the other displays in the museum include "Fort Pierce: Birth of the Underwater Warrior in World War II", Normandy in the Atlantic Ocean, Iwo Jima & Okinawa in the Pacific, the Scouts & Raiders Units, SEALs in Vietnam, Korean Operations, and Operation Desert Storm. | ||
 Soldiers In Oahu, Hawaii |
 Naval Amphibious Training |
 JANET Project |
| The one man responsible for many of the underwater demolition tactics, training and operations was Lieutenant Draper Kauffman who chose the Fort Pierce Amphibious Training Base as the birth ground of the "Frog Man". The need for a "hydro-reconnaissance" team became clear after an unfortunately high amount of U.S. Marines were lost when a beach landing at Tarawa in Kiribati (1943) went poorly due to natural obstacles. Since then the Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDU), and the Underwater Demolition Units (UDT) have been some of the first U.S. military personnel to land at Normandy, Omaha Beach, the invasion of Saipan (1944), and the Japanese surrender in August of 1945. | ||
 Admiral Draper Kauffman |
 Service Ribbons & Medals |
 Uniform On Mannequin |
| Every year the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum hosts a Veteran's Day Celebration known as the "Muster" event. It includes free admission to the museum for all attendees, a U.S. Navy SEAL demonstration, a U.S. Navy Parachute Team demonstration, celebrity guests, drinks, food and more. The latest event, Muster XXII, took place on November 10th 2007 and featured the 3rd Annual SEAL Challenge 5k Beach Run/Walk. | ||
 Scouts & Raiders |
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 Elements of Naval Strategy |
| One of my favorite parts of the museum was the NASA & UDT partnership display that showed how the Navy SEALS helped with the U.S. space program. The UDT members would recover the spacecraft's control module and the astronauts inside from the ocean. | ||
 Navy Frogman |
 Captain Phil H. Bucklew |
 North Africa Campaign |
 Italy & Sicily Campaign |
 German Helmet & Banner |
 Atlantic Operations |
 Carcano 1942 |
 Normandy & Southern France |
 Top Secret Omaha Beach Map |
 Helmet, Flag & Pliers |
 D Day June 6th 1944 |
 3D Globe Map of Operations |
 UDT 24 Japanese Flag |
 Key For Pacific Operations |
 Pacific Operations Timeline |
 #120 Naval Battleship |
 U.S.O. Welcomes Marines |
 South Pacific Philippines |
 Occupation of Japan |
 Modern Era Collection |
 SEAL Team Pictures |
 UDT-1 Korea 1950-1953 |
 SeaFox Special Water Craft |
 U.S. M2 Browning |
| For more of my military themed pictures check out these updates from the exciting Fort Lauderdale Air & Sea Show, the awe inspiring USS Alabama Battleship, and the American Heroes Air Show. | ||
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