“The deadliest day in SEAL history was June 6, 1944,” said Captain Rick Woolard. The Museum Chairman and retired Navy SEAL added, “Our forefathers of the Naval Combat Demolition Units took devastating losses while clearing the beaches of Normandy so the troops could get ashore on D-Day. The Museum is proud to honor the courage and sacrifice of the NCDUs and the Scouts and Raiders with a striking Monument on Omaha Beach that will last for generations.”

The Monument represents the service and great sacrifice of the men lost on D-Day, but will also cover the Naval Special Warfare evolution, from Fort Pierce to 21st century SEALs. The display includes:

• An original hedgehog from D-Day on Omaha Beach, one of the most common obstacles the NCDU/S&Rs destroyed on Normandy beaches to allow the US Navy and Army landings; the hedgehog was donated by the Overlord Museum
• A Living Beach with sand gathered from Omaha Beach and other locations around the world where NCDUs, S&Rs, and their successors, the Navy SEALs, have fought, trained, and died will surround the hedgehog obstacle
• Historic scenes from Omaha Beach on D-Day and NCDU/S&R inscriptions will be etched onto granite panels in English, French, and with QR codes that lead visitors to more information
• A map etched in granite will orient Monument visitors to key terrain and reference points on Omaha Beach
• An NCDU Demolitioneer in combat gear emerging from a granite pillar sculpture, illustrating how they were liveried on the day of battle

“For years, SEAL veterans have been asking why we did not have a memorial honoring the bravery and sacrifices made by NCDU and S&R service members at Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion,” said Navy SEAL Museum San Diego Executive Director Captain (SEAL) Todd Perry, USN (Ret.). “We are incredibly grateful to our French partners, our Navy SEAL Museum Board of Directors and Monument advisor committee, and our generous donors for their hard work and dedication to making this monument happen.”

The Navy SEAL Museum’s mission is to preserve the history and heritage of the U.S. Navy SEALs, honor the fallen, and care for its families. This monument will be critical to that mission. In the United States, the Navy SEAL Museum will continue to inspire people by bringing the Navy SEAL story to life through storytelling, education, experience, remembrance and community service at the original Ft. Pierce, Florida location and at a new world-class museum opening in San Diego in late 2024.

The Navy SEAL Museum worked with Project Design Architect, Matt Pearson, Studio X; Johanna Duriec, Architect and French Project Manager; Nicolas and Philippe Rigault, Tailleurs de Pierre; Louis and Oceane Grandemange, landscape architects; Jim Smith, Laser Imaging and Design; and Paul Schelechow, RATIO Design. This talented group of architects, artisans, and designers made the Naval Combat Demolition Unit–Scouts and Raiders Park monument a reality.

The address of the Monument is 117 rue de la Deuxieme Division d’Infantrie US, 14710 Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, officially open to the public following the ceremony on 30 May.

To learn more about the monument, visit www.navysealmuseum.org/omaha.

About The Navy SEAL Museum
The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated solely to preserving the history of the U.S. Navy SEALs and their predecessors. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, the Museum resides on the training grounds of the original Navy combat divers, the Frogmen. Built to honor the men who served with fortitude and ingenuity, the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum first opened its doors on Veterans Day in 1985. From humble beginnings, the facility has experienced tremendous growth, achieving national stature in 2007. The main objective of the Museum remains the promotion of public education by providing the opportunity to explore the history of the Navy SEALs through interactive exhibits, while honoring the fallen at the SEAL Memorial and caring for those warriors’ families through Trident House Charities.

About Navy SEAL Museum San Diego
The Navy SEAL Museum San Diego (NSMSD) is the second museum, with its sister location located in Ft. Pierce, Florida, dedicated solely to preserving the history of the U.S. Navy SEALs and their predecessors. NSMSD will create a venue of inspiration, reverence, and education that honors the service of the Frogmen, from World War II to the present day, central to the Naval Special Warfare Command. Built to honor the men who served with fortitude and ingenuity, the main objective of the Museum is educating the public by providing the opportunity to explore the history of the Navy SEALs and their predecessors through interactive exhibits, while honoring the fallen at the Navy SEAL Memorial and caring for those warriors’ families through Trident House Charities Program. For more information, visit navysealmuseumsd.org.