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Navy SEAL Foundation Salutes 50 Years of Commitment, Courage and Tenacity
On behalf of the Navy SEAL Foundation, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the brotherhood of warriors and their families that are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams.
SEAL Teams were an evolutionary product of the Navy's consistent goal to create and maintain a fighting force relevant to the changing dynamics of 20th-century warfare. Moreover, the true essence of the modern SEAL Teams was forged in the Vietnam War through the blood, sweat and dedication of the thousands of SEALs who fought and served during the Vietnam era and beyond.
From the austere creation of two SEAL Teams in January 1962 (one on each coast, comprised of 10 officers and 50 enlisted men and commanded by a lieutenant), to the 9,000-strong Naval Special Warfare community it is today, the growth of the U.S. Navy SEALs is truly remarkable. It is a tribute to the courage and capability of the community's silent professionals that fight each day to keep our nation safe.
In spite of the ups and downs during the early growth of the SEAL Teams, they survived against all odds through strong leadership, professional competence and sheer tenacity, which have been the hallmark of the SEALs over these past 50 years.
During this month of remembrance, we honor those who have gone before us, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the many who carry the scars of war, and the families that have borne the brunt of separations and the loss of loved ones.
While we celebrate the SEAL community's achievements of the past 50 years, we do so humbly, with full recognition and appreciation for the sacrifices and contributions that SEALs and their families have made in the past and continue to make each day.
Navy SEAL Foundation
Board of Directors
For a better understanding of the SEAL character and sense of community built over the past 50 years, read the SEAL Ethos here.
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 SEALs: 50 Years and Counting By Dick Couch Article courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute website
In its first half century, a once little-known Navy unit has evolved into what is arguably the world's most celebrated force of combat arms.
Shortly after he took office, President John F. Kennedy directed that all service components develop an expanded capacity for non-nuclear warfare. Specifically, he told Congress, "I am directing the Secretary of Defense to expand rapidly and substantially . . . the orientation of existing forces for the conduct of non-nuclear war, paramilitary operations, and sub-limited or unconventional wars." As a result of that directive, two new Navy teams were commissioned in January 1962: SEAL Team One (West Coast) and SEAL Team Two (East Coast). The new teams took up residence at the naval amphibious bases in Coronado, California, and Little Creek, Virginia, respectively, where they both reside today.
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Suggested Reading
- Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, by Marcus Luttrel
- The Sheriff of Ramadi: Navy SEALs and the Wining of al-Anbar and The Warrior Elite, by Dick Couch
- Combat Swimmer: Memoirs of a Navy SEAL, by Robert A. Gormly
- SEALs: UDT/SEAL Operations in Vietnam, by T.L. Bosiljevac
- Teammates: SEALs at WAR, by Barry W. Enoch
- Never Fight Fair! Inside the Legendary U.S. Navy SEALs and Brave Men-Dark Waters, by Orr Kelly
- SEAL The Unspoken Sacrifice, by Stephanie Freid-Perenchio and Jennifer Walton
Suggested Visit
For a visual appreciation of the history of the Navy SEALs and their predecessors, including the Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services Maritime Units and Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, visit the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Fla., the "Birthplace of the Navy Frogman."
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Navy SEAL Foundation Board of Directors
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Officers
Chairman Albert M. Calland III* CACI International, Inc.
Vice Chairman D.J. Haley* Ziff Brothers Investments
Treasurer Jim Ball* Morgan Stanley
Directors
Michael Baumer* Morgan Stanley
Norman J. Carley* CCR Enterprises, Inc.
Joseph Femenia* Goldman Sachs
James Papineau* The Rappahannock Companies
Brendan Rogers* Severn River Capital
William C. White* Basin Street Properties
Navy SEAL Foundation Staff
James A. Smith* Executive Director
Robin King Chief Financial Officer
Tammy Mason Executive Assistant
*Former SEAL
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How You Can Help
To support the Naval Special Warfare community and their families, we hope you will consider:
Texting "SEAL" to 90999 to donate $10 to the Navy SEAL Foundation
Making an online gift
Joining our Facebook page
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