"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 like they had for many years when a trainee would quit or "opted 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.
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 whomever desired to quit had to ring the bell 3x. This same class 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 to never ring the bell until the work was done.
"Moy Bell, The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday stands as an iconic symbol inside of SEAL training BUDS and as reminder to always find a solution, and never ring the bell in your own life."
Terry "Mother" Moy
5 YEAR TERM BUDS SEAL INSTRUCTOR
SEAL TEAM 1 / NASA APOLLO 17 RECOVERY
Contributing Editorial By:
Terry Moy, 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.