I have to gripe about this someplace.
On Tuesday I visited the UDT SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Fl. It has a great exhibit. When I last visited in 2000 it had a plastic framed handgun used by UDT sailors in World War II. It is the earliest plastic framed handgun I am aware of. Unfortunately, display renovations resulted in it being taken off the shelf.
Additionally, I learned that over 40 UDT sailors were killed in action on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Hundreds of UDT men were wounded there. Maybe our invasion succeeded because of their heroic efforts to destroy beach obstructions.
Now it appears that the Museum board of directors wants to drop "UDT" from the name of the Museum. They want to call it the SEALs Museum, ignoring the contribution that members of UDT made to special warfare and the US Navy.
They feel that the word "SEALS" is more recognizable and marketable. More people would visit the museum, spending more money, etc.
I gather than hundreds of former UDT members are taking exception to this proposed change. I have to agree with the UDT frogmen. The name of the Museum should include "UDT."
I guess the Museum board members can forget about the few remaining old UDT sailors. They are gray, and don't get around too well. Probably don't spend too much money either. Considered a minimal influence now.
Sad state of affairs.
On Tuesday I visited the UDT SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Fl. It has a great exhibit. When I last visited in 2000 it had a plastic framed handgun used by UDT sailors in World War II. It is the earliest plastic framed handgun I am aware of. Unfortunately, display renovations resulted in it being taken off the shelf.
Additionally, I learned that over 40 UDT sailors were killed in action on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Hundreds of UDT men were wounded there. Maybe our invasion succeeded because of their heroic efforts to destroy beach obstructions.
Now it appears that the Museum board of directors wants to drop "UDT" from the name of the Museum. They want to call it the SEALs Museum, ignoring the contribution that members of UDT made to special warfare and the US Navy.
They feel that the word "SEALS" is more recognizable and marketable. More people would visit the museum, spending more money, etc.
I gather than hundreds of former UDT members are taking exception to this proposed change. I have to agree with the UDT frogmen. The name of the Museum should include "UDT."
I guess the Museum board members can forget about the few remaining old UDT sailors. They are gray, and don't get around too well. Probably don't spend too much money either. Considered a minimal influence now.
Sad state of affairs.
There were USN personnel in Scouts and Raiders. "Arriving at the base on South Hutchinson Island [after volunteering at 17], I was assigned to the Scouts and Raiders." HUNTERS AND SHOOTERS, An Oral History of the U.S. Navy SEALs in Vietnam, 1, Bill Fawcett, ed. (1995) (statement of Rudy Boesch).