Horological Meandering

A Reunion of Vietnam-era Navy SEALs and Rolexes

Nov 12, 2018,18:53 PM

A few days ago I was privileged to attend a Navy SEALs reunion in Coronado, CA. Thanks to Gary, Michele, Dennis and others, I was part of a gathering of veterans who might represent the most concentrated ownership of Rolex watches outside our own Rolex forum. This report of the reunion dinner is mostly visual observation - I only wish I'd had more time and energy to collect stories from all the guys there.

Most of the time I walked around with my camera, looking at wrists.

Let's start with a watch you might have seen before. It's worn by Moki Martin. It passed across my workbench in the past year.

Due to my complete inability to juggle camera, beer, notepad and pen, the following photos are mostly without specific details. But I know the wrist on the left in this shot is mine! I leave it to our Rolex experts to identify the different varieties of Rolex.

You will see that many of the watches are mounted on special stainless steel bands, most having Freddie the Frog on one side and a Trident on the other. These bands were custom-made in Subic Bay, Philippines in the early 70's and marketed to the sailors passing through. Perhaps 30-40 guys were wearing them ...

Notice the Grey Burham inscription?

Alas, it's really GREG but the engraver made a mistake. No time to take it back for corrections - thus Greg has been wearing the bracelet with the wrong name for 40+ years. He appreciates the irony ...

Of course some guys didn't get a Rolex or Tudor, or their watch expired and they have swapped the band to another watch head.

I never found out what kind of watch this was.

This guy prefers Canteen watches.

Hawaiian shirts, bright dresses and sunglasses were the preferred attire.

There were a few digital watches in the crowd (notice missing digits).

I saw Swiss Army, Invicta and Rolex side by side. There were 2 two-tone Rolexes, and one Oysterquartz.

Sharp-eyed Purists will notice the disparity of time shown here. The veterans had been flying in to San Diego and many just arrived that afternoon from around the country. It's understandable that resetting the time zone was not the first item on their agenda. Since they'd made it to the party, the only important time interval left to mark was when the beer kegs all ran dry.

Patina. Notice the diving helmet. UDT or Underwater Demolition Teams preceded the SEAL teams. Some guys at this reunion started as UDT Frogmen, and were converted over to SEALs.

My camera was nearly smoking as I tried to get shots of every wrist. At one point I stood in the entryway trying to talk to each guy, but I couldn't keep up and one doesn't want to be in-between a thirsty SEAL and the beer.

So I just strolled around alternating between conversations and random shots.

Everyone we talked to had a good word and a story to share.

This guy didn't get a Submariner in the 80's because his dad said $600 is too much to pay for a watch, even a Rolex!

Luckily his loving wife (pink toenails) gave him this Submariner recently, on his 50th birthday.

This arm and this watch both have that "been around the block a few times" Patina! His "bought new at the base" price was $105.

The reunion party used to be held annually in a private home, but in the past few years has been held at the Coronado Yacht Club, conveniently located right across the water from the west coast SEAL training facility.

There was a modest amount of organization and several brief talks.

Moki and Dennis recognized Carol, who has produced about 75 films and TV programs, and recently completed a documentary called Navy SEALS, Their Untold Story (sponsored by USAA).

They gave her this commemorative paddle, so she wouldn't be up a creek without one.

Looking around the crowd, I was struck by the intensity of the guys, and the variety in their size, shape, color, hair and physique.

The program concluded with a talk by Commander Jay Hennessey, who runs the SEAL training facility seen in the background behind him. The Commander gave us a detailed description of how SEALs would typically approach a stealth mission in the 70's (our group's era), the 90's, and now in 2015. He shared what was common, and how the technology has changed the implementation of reconnaissance and incursion.

He also shared a new initiative to help new SEALs appreciate their tradition that came before them. Upon graduation, the group goes up to Fort Rosecrans Cemetery, where each new SEAL is given a new K-Bar knife. Engraved on the knife blade is the name, rank and details of a fallen comrade whose grave they visit, and whose story they learn.