Swim in Honor of a Navy SEAL

[#1]

In 2011, 23 Naval Special Warfare personnel, including 19 SEALs, died in combat. Most of these men died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in August. (Members of the same SEAL Team had been involved in the raid on Osama Bin Laden three months prior to the crash.)

While on active duty, these heroes go unnamed and unrecognized. Their identities must be kept secret to protect their missions and their families. But early on the morning of January 8th, 2012, the 23 fallen heroes’ names were called out and 23 young Navy Sea Cadets each raised an American flag to honor the SEALs who sacrificed life for their country last year. Hundreds of spectators — including family members of several of the fallen soldiers — watched the tribute.

The Tampa Bay Frogman Swim

The Sea Cadet Honor Guard was part of the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, an event that has raised approximately $120,000 for the Navy SEAL Foundation this year. (And donations are still coming in; if you’d like to contribute, visit www.tampabayfrogman.com). The Foundation supports SEALs and their families by providing financial assistance, bereavement resources and educational scholarships for soldiers and their dependents.

The Frogman Swim started as just a cold-water swim challenge. In 2009, a Florida teenager dreamed of becoming a Navy SEAL, and his mentor (a former SEAL) encouraged him to try a January swim for a glimpse at what the SEAL training would entail. The whim of a cold-water swim from Gandy Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida, to Picnic Island in Tampa quickly morphed into a fundraiser for recently injured Navy SEAL Dan Cnossen, who lost both legs in Afghanistan. With only three weeks of planning, the first Frogman Swim resulted in $30,000 raised for Cnossen. (Many operations later, Cnossen is now training for the Paralympic Games.)

Because there was such a great outpouring of support for this Navy SEAL, the organizers realized that the event had great potential as an annual fundraiser for the Navy SEAL Foundation. In 2011, the event raised $53,000 for the Foundation.

This year, 120 swimmers showed up for the third annual Tampa Bay Frogman Swim. Local swimmers, teenage Olympic hopefuls, active military personnel, and former SEALs alike were up for the challenge of a 3.1-mile swim in waters just over 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The first swimmer finished the swim in just under 56 minutes, while the last swimmer crossed the finish line 2 hours and 20 minutes after he started.

While water temperatures in the low 60s made this year’s swim the “warmest” Frogman event to date, the 5-kilometer swim is still quite a challenge — and meant to honor the difficult feats performed by SEALs every day.

The teenager that first sparked the idea of the Tampa Bay swim completed his third year with a time of just over 1 hour and 30 minutes. “As I was stroking along in Tampa Bay this year my mind was focused on the 30 American servicemen and military dog that were killed on August 6th, 2011. I felt that an hour and a half of effort was nothing compared to the level of sacrifice these men — and dog — gave that night in Afghanistan,” says Sam. “I feel that the swim signifies that regardless of branch or even flag, the people who make up our Special Operations Forces are always willing to go to the aid of an American in peril no matter the circumstance. The 31 heroes on the Chinook on August 6th proved that and their brothers in arms continue to do so.”

Some well-known athletes took part in this year’s swim, including Vincent Donnelly, a 20-year-old Olympic hopeful who completed the event in 55 minutes, 54.6 seconds; 14-year-old Olympic hopeful Becca Mann, who completed the event in 56 minutes, 17.2 seconds; Brooke Bennett, three-time Olympic champion; and Craig Lenning, who has accomplished the Swimming Triple Crown.  

Anthony McCarley, who finished in 1 hour, 18 minutes and qualified to swim the English Channel, says, “It was easy to get caught up in the swimming part of the event — some swimming superstars participated… [But] somewhere between the opening ceremony — where they read aloud the names of SEALs who died in service to our country — and the closing ceremony — where they talked about the incredible sacrifices made by some SEALs and the hope of those overcoming serious injury — I lost count of the number of times my eyes welled up and I realized the event had nothing to do with swimming.”

“This is more than just a swim. The event really opens the eyes and the hearts of all involved,” agrees Kurt Ott, son of a retired SEAL and assistant race director for the event. “Families of fallen SEALs were giving out medals at the finish line, and there were a lot of retired military personnel in the crowd, including former Naval Special Warfare personnel. It means a lot to them to see people supporting their Naval Special Warfare community.”

Not only were there 120 swimmers in the cold water, but there were 140 kayakers providing support and ensuring swimmer safety, and there were dozens more volunteers in motor boats and on the beaches.

MarineMax personnel volunteered in full force. “I'm extremely proud to work for a company that truly cares about our military,” says Bret Skonicki, vice president of products, marketing and sales support with MarineMax.  “It was amazing to see so many MarineMax team members and their family members showing up to volunteer at 5:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning — all with smiles and boundless energy. I was honored to be a part of the day, and I think my MarineMax colleagues felt the same way.”

While the swimmers and the volunteers put forth much effort, the focus of the day really was on the SEALs. From the honor guard at the opening ceremony to the symbolic gesture where everyone tipped their glasses to spill drinks on the ground as a way of honoring the soldiers at the after party, the entire day was focused on the work of the unnamed and the fallen.

A SEAL reservist, who prefers not to be named, says, "[The organizers] have done an awesome job growing this event, but the swim is more than an event to raise money. It is not about us or the swimmers or the other volunteers. This is about the men and women of courage and fortitude and sacrifice, who paid the ultimate price. Great events like these are done with a primary mission: So that their service will always be honored.”

Want to be Involved in the 2013 Tampa Bay Frogman?

The next Tampa Bay Frogman will take place in early January 2013. If you want to sign up for information so you can swim, provide kayak assistance, volunteer or donate, subscribe to the group’s email newsletter. You can also get more information and see pictures from this year’s event on Facebook.

Photos courtesy of David Witty and Todd Montgomery. Video courtesy of a family member of one of the Sea Cadets.

[#2]

It was an honor to be in the presence of so many men and woman who fight or have fought for our freedom. As Mr.. McCarley so eloquently stated, it wasn't about the swim, it was about the people. My husband and I look forward to being part of this wonderful event for years to come. Thank you Tampa Bay Frogman Swim Committee for your countless hours and for letting us be part of the experience.

Three MarineMax Volunteers enjoying a gorgeous morning at the Beach.

[#3]

The event was VERY cool.  It was inspiring to watch over 120 swimmers brave the 60 degree water and swim over 3 miles!  Hats off to all the participants and a special thanks to the acvtive and veteran military swimmers for an awesome day!