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Navy UDT/SEAL Monument to be Dedicated at Miramar National Cemetery Memorial Walkway

San Diego, Calif. – August 2, 2021 – The public is invited to attend the UDT/SEAL Monument at Miramar National Cemetery dedication and unveiling ceremony at 11:00 AM (PST) on August 27. The ceremony will include remarks by Reverend Michael Shockley, Chaplain USN (Ret); Captain (SEAL) Todd Perry, Commanding Officer, Center for SEAL and SWCC; Warrant Officer (SEAL) Lance Cummings, USN (Ret); Cemetery Director Greta Hamilton; and other local community dignitaries.

Held at the Miramar National Cemetery Memorial Walkway, the ceremony will include a Missing Man Flyover led by HSC-21. A reception will follow the dedication at MCAS Miramar Officers’ Club.

The monument commemorates the fallen elite men of the Navy’s Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) of World War II who courageously swam into enemy waters to reconnoiter heavily defended beaches to destroy explosives and other natural or man-made obstacles that impeded Allied amphibious landings. The installation also honors the subsequent fallen maritime commandos who have provided the same defense and tactical support, culminating with those who have sacrificed all from today’s U.S. Navy SEAL Teams.

The UDT/SEAL Monument project coordinated by Special Operator Chief Michael Meoli, USN (SEAL) Ret. With funding and advice from the National Navy SEAL Museum, the Monument was conceptualized, organized, and designed by the former SEAL, seeing it through to construction.

“After attending so many military funerals for brother and father UDT/SEALs between Ft. Rosecrans and now Miramar National Cemetery, I was honored to serve as project manager for the UDT/SEAL Monument,” said SOC Michael Meoli. “This monument honors those Frogmen who went before us who created and perfected our trade craft, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, the Gold Star families they
left behind, and the inspiration for SEAL candidates yet to be trained, tested, and selected. Etched in stone you will find our SEAL Code, parts of our SEAL Ethos, a chronology of our history, and a record of those from our small ranks who gave their lives to protect freedom in various theaters of war.”

“The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is extremely proud to support and fund this monument and all that it represents,” said Grant Mann, retired Navy SEAL and
Museum Executive Director. “As the custodians of U.S. Navy UDT-SEAL History, it is our mission and honor to be a part of this endeavor.”

About the Navy UDT/SEAL Monument at Miramar National Cemetery
The Navy UDT/SEAL Monument at Miramar National was created to honor the service and sacrifice of all Frogmen from WWII to today’s U.S. Navy SEALs. The design features black granite panels bearing both the original Underwater Demolition Team emblem and the Trident to denote the significant span of history
between SEALs and their forerunners. A specific chronology of the SEAL Teams is included, along with the Frogman Cross, the SEAL Code, and portions of the Navy SEAL Ethos. Representative of San Diego’s long history with Navy SEALs and their ongoing sacrifice for the preservation of our nation’s freedom, the 1.5-ton monument was installed on the Memorial Walkway at Miramar National Cemetery on October 8, 2020.

About Navy SEAL Museum Fort Pierce
The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum Fort Pierce is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Navy SEALs and their predecessors. Built on the original training grounds of the first Navy combat divers, Navy SEAL Museum Fort Pierce opened its doors on Veterans Day in 1985.

From humble beginnings, the Museum has experienced tremendous growth, achieving national stature in 2007. Continuing a legacy of preservation and inspiration, Navy SEAL Museum San Diego opened in October of 2025.

The Museum remains committed to the promotion of public education by providing the opportunity to explore Naval Special Warfare history through interactive exhibits, while honoring the fallen at the SEAL Memorial, and caring for Naval Special Warfare families through its various charitable outreach initiatives. For more information, visit NavySEALMuseum.org.