by Sharon Hamilton
Do you know the history of the Navy SEALs? If you’re ever in Florida, you’ll want to visit the Navy SEAL/UDT Museum in Ft. Pierce. You will see the real life boat from the Maersk Alabama made famous in the movie, Captain Phillips, a mockup of the compound where BinLaden was killed, a history of the breed of men who were part of this elite special force. I am a plank member, and a percentage of all my book sales benefit this group, which is run by the SEAL community and does not take any federal funding.
I’ve had a quilt sale donation made to this museum for the past 3 years. This year we raised over $400.
John F. Kennedy wrote a message to Congress on 25 May 1961 informing them he had directed the formation of the Navy SEALs, and in January of 1962 the first two Teams were created. We remember Kennedy for his famous speech about sending a “Man to the Moon” but few people realize he also paved the way for our SEALs of today, who have expanded and become one of the most elite fighting units ever created.
We love our SEAL heroes, and they make for wonderful fantasy. Often quiet men, unlike how they are sometimes portrayed in books and film, common men who do the uncommon, the things others cannot or will not do. As the mother of a former SEAL, I love writing about these brave warriors as well. But it is their dedication and unwillingness to quit that in my mind makes them true heroes.