"A tugboat captain gave me the Navy brass ship's bell, and I kept it at my home on the back patio. Once the BUDS training command was newly dedicated, I was not letting any trainee bang on my freshly painted office door as they had for many years when a trainee would quit or "opt out" of the BUDS training program. More importantly, I believed it would slow a trainee who was thinking of "washing out" just because perhaps they had a bad day vs. a real desire to quit SEAL training. - Terry "Mother" Moy SEAL TEAM ONE
With the previous process, a BUDS trainee could quit quietly in isolation. By ringing the Moy Bell, all fellow trainees were aware of the fact that the candidate was quitting training. The Moy Bell, with its rich and resonant tone that carries across the water, is a sound associated with maritime tradition and signaling of ships. "I hung the Moy Bell outside the door of my instructor's office on a stanchion for all to see and had my class 58' BUDS trainees told that whoever desired to quit had to ring the bell 3x." This same class, which included Jesse Ventura, dedicated the bell back to BUDS after graduation. I believe the Moy Bell inspired these men to be their very best, "put out" as we said in training. Work harder, refocus, and never ring the bell until the work is done. Also known to candidates as "Hell Bell" during the final phase of BUDS training. Moy Bell stands as an iconic symbol of SEAL training - BUDS and as a reminder: always find a solution, and never ring the bell in your own life.
The original bell MOY installed is still used today in BUDS training and on the Sunday morning service during the yearly West Coast Navy SEAL reunion to "ring out" any fallen Navy SEAL from that year on the beach. The iconic bell is known to ALL who opt to train for special forces. The replica MOY BELL is on permanent display at the San Diego Navy SEAL Museum in San Diego, CA.
Terry "Mother" Moy
5-YEAR TERM BUDS SEAL INSTRUCTOR
5 TOURS VIETNAM VETERAN
SEAL TEAM 1
NASA APOLLO 17 CAPSULE RECOVERY, 1972
Contributing Editorial By:
Jesse Ventura, Michael E. Thornton, Bill Wilson, Mike Gotchey, Tim Keeney, Kevin Stacom, Stephen A. Moy, Chris Moy, Eddie Moy, Colleen Moy Byrne, James Lacey, and Al Eagles.