Eulogy for a Master Waterman Harold Dunnigan 1930 - 2026 The Last Frogman to Know the First Frogmen

His teammates: Gary Bonnelli, Chuck Chaldekas, Jim Grey, Arthur Verge Jr. Phd. , and Jim Harris. Edited by Pedro Loureiro Phd. ; Phil G. Garn and Erick Simmel, ©2026

During the 250 years of our Republic, there have been legions of patriots; many noted and well known, others long gone before our times. Within all our lives, there have been some around each of us that we took for granted. Often, these larger-than-life individuals quietly blended back into society not trumpeting their own horns. One such man, Santa Monica Ocean Park neighborhood resident was. Harold "Hal' Lawrence Dunnigan Jr. "Harold," to those who knew him, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2026 at age 95 with his devoted wife of more than 23 years, Holly, was by his side.

Harold "Hal" Dunnigan was an exceptional lifeguard, multifunctional waterman, teacher, mentor, husband, and U.S. Navy frogman. Among his Navy teammates, he was known as a deep-diving, double-daring, double-crimping, rooting-tooting, skydiving-parachuting, fierce-fighting, underwater demolition frogman. His life and accomplishments served as a role model for many of today's U.S. Navy SEALs.

Born in Fall River, Massachusetts on October 11, 1930 to his parents, Harold and Victoria, the family moved to Santa Monica, California so his parents could take jobs with Douglas Aircraft. He grew up by the sea, where he swam, surfed, and fished. Harold attended Santa Monica Catholic School, lettered in football, and was an all-California Interscholastic Federation scholar and athlete.

Harold considered himself fortunate to have made so many lifelong friends from all walks of life during his journey. His story is similar to legendary surfer Preston "Pete" Peterson. Harold entered lifeguard training in 1946. He was taught by WWII OSS (Office of Strategic Service) veterans, including swimmer operative Robert "Bob" Butt.

In 1948, he tried out for the Santa Monica Lifeguard Program, where he would meet more men who had served as America's first frogmen during WWII. Some of those first frogmen were: Doctor Jack H. Taylor DDS, a dentist who treated Harold and his brother and Frank Donahue, who would pen the template for the '58 to '61 TV series Sea Hunt. (Dr./Lt.Cmdr. Taylor USNR/OSS (1908-1959) is recognized as the first prometheus USN Officer to conduct behind the lines Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) amphibious commando operations during his pioneering service as one of the first Operative-Swimmer within the WWII COI Maritime Section /OSS Maritime Unit). Ironically, Harold would not know of these quiet professionals' classified military service for many years, even after his own service in Korea. Yet, when he did, learn of it, he endeavored to have these fellows story and lineage from Lifeguards to 1st Frogmen to the modern SEAL Teams into the ears and eyes of every Frogman and SEAL or operator operative he would later, serve with or come to know.

Harold also served alongside notable lifeguard watermen, paddleboard and surfing legends Bob Sears, Tom Zahn, Dave Rochlin, and Buzzy Trent (North Shore Oahu Big Wave pioneer whose son Ivan would go on to be a Navy SEAL).

Harold spoke about how these watermen were not merely one-sport wonders but were involved in many water and shore-based activities from beach runs to rowing, outrigger -and all forms of- canoeing. From swimming to surfing and sailing, even wrestling and jujitsu. Harold remarked, "Under the exterior cloak of physical prowess, there was awareness of the natural environment, a thirst for knowledge, and invention that burned even brighter and instilled by example into younger generations."

Harold enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 during the Korean War. After completing boot camp, he was assigned to the destroyer USS Lymon Swenson and deployed to the Western Pacific. He would meet famed special operator Commander Francis "Red Dog" Fane, who encouraged him to test for the Underwater Demolition Teams. During training, he had UDT legends as instructors, including Tiz Morrison (one of the first black frogmen), Deever Cunningham, and Robin Goodenough.

Harold would also meet future UDT/SEAL legends such as Gene Poole, Wendy Webber, Carl Schultz, Bob Stanton, and Gerry Darrah, who became his lifelong friends and teammates. After completing UDT training with Class 6 on November 21, 1952, he deployed to Korea with UDT 3. With his teammates, Harold conducted reconnaissance and combat démolition missions, including raids along the Yalu River.

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Harold once related a story about executing a clandestine reconnaissance north of the 39th Parallel in an IBS (Inflatable Boat Small) in the winter of 1953, wearing drysuits. After four hours in the icy waters, they came back to their APD (Assault Personnel Destroyer) and prepared hydrographic charts for the mission commanders. Because they didn't take any fire, he, like his OSS mentors, never considered it a "real combat mission." Many years later, SEAL Team officer Captain Duncan Smith (retired) would chide him that they completed what is called in the SEAL Teams "a perfect op (operation)" - they got in and out, and the bad guys never knew they were there.

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Harold returned to California from Korea and in 1954 and resumed his life as a beach lifeguard. He became an instructor following in the paths of renowned lifeguards like Butt, Wadley, Fred Zendar (underwater coordinator from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Jaws). Harold would also take the Lifeguard Captain's exam and become President of the Lifeguard Association. In the mid 1950's he embarked on a personal adventure of a lifetime- he embarked on a 7-month, 1700-mile sailing adventure from Los Angeles through the Suez Canal to Istanbul, Turkey, and on to the French Riviera historically exploring the Mediterranean, Ionian, Aegean, Red and Black Seas, on a very large private schooner, something he would always find time to convey to those curious about his life at sea which had been mostly under sail.

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Then, graduating with a BA in education from Los Angeles State College (now California State College Los Angeles), he began teaching math and physical education and later completed his master's degree in education from UCLA. Harold continued lifeguarding as well as teaching at Malibu Park School, Lincoln Middle School, became Vice Principal at John Adams Junior High School, and Principal at Olympic High School all in the Santa Monica School District. He encouraged students to never quit on their dreams and dedicate themselves to lifelong learning.

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He mentored his students to value friendships. Some of his students included Greg Bonann, producer of Baywatch, who modeled characters after Harold. Other lifelong friends included screenwriters, John and Jim Thomas, who created a number of films and television shows including Predator and Behind Enemy Lines. Due to his seniority as a lifeguard, Harold often got to serve as the water safety supervisor on set at Baywatch. He mostly stayed in the background but said the food served to the actors and TV crew was too plentiful and rich for him; so it was back to eating just a head of lettuce, followed by more long, soft sand beach runs to stay fit.

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Santa Monica beach is where Harold met his first wife, Doris, who hailed from Surprise, Arizona. He also met his second wife, Rita, in Santa Monica in 1961. Rita worked in the publishing industry, specializing in the construction business.

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At a business mixer, Rita learned that real estate developer Jim Eubank was a former Santa Monica lifeguard. So she introduced Eubank to her husband. Jim and Harold got to talking. Harold mentioned he was a Navy frogman in Korea. Eubank replied that he was a Coast Guard frogman in Burma. Harold said, "What?" Eubank said there were a whole bunch of us: Butt, Waddley, the Tallmadges (Buster Keaton's sons), Norm Abbott (nephew of comedian Bud Abbott and a Hollywood producer and director), Bill Hopper (son of Hedda Hopper and Hollywood actor), Doctor Taylor, and even Frank Donahue. "Butt was my lifeguard instructor. Doctor Taylor fixed my and my brother's teeth. We used to go lobstering from Taylor's house near Dan Blocker Beach and would leave a few lobsters to pay for dental work."

Speaking of lobsters, Harold caught thousands of lobsters while scuba and free diving as well as gathering abalone and spear fishing. He had many, many stories about lobstering. One of the most famous was keeping logbooks on all his lobster diving recording about 5,000 or so lobsters that he had taken between 1955-1990. He said he wanted to figure out what were the best conditions for getting lobster: full moon, no moon, high tide, low tide, storm, calm water, winds out of the various points of the compass. Unfortunately, for Harold, but fortunately for the lobsters, he found absolutely no correlation. Harold remarked, "You just had to go down and see!"

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In 1976 at age 46 when most frogmen are thinking about retirement, Harold decided to re-affiliate with the Navy Reserves. Because of his 22-year break in service, he had to enlist as a seaman. Harold, along with his teammate, Gene Poole, joined the newly established NR UDT-SEAL Pacific 119 team, headquartered at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado, California. The team was one of the first Reserve Naval Special Warfare augmenting units in our Navy.

Harold continued service in the Navy Reserve components of SEAL Teams 1.3.5. A teammate, Lieutenant Commander Chuck Chaldekas (retired), recalled that Harold provided diving support and expertise to SEALs supporting different experimental marine mammal programs over several years. With the help of Harold's leadership and expertise, those programs proved that mammals could protect Navy assets.

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Harold's years of diving experience coupled with his enthusiasm were key to successful SEAL training operations. Navy Captain Duncan Smith SEAL (retired) related this story from the 1980s. He was reviewing service records for SEAL reservists and saw that Harold had a master's degree as well as supervisory positions as a lifeguard and a teacher. Captain Smith pulled Harold into his office and told him he was going to be taking the next Chief Petty Officer's exam, and it was time to start studying. Of course, Harold passed with flying colors.

Then in 1990, at the age of 59, Harold was mobilized to active duty to SEAL Team ONE in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

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At the outset of Desert Shield, SEAL Team One Executive Officer and Vietnam War veteran Commander Don "Crawdaddy" Crawford "cherry-picked" Harold for recall to active duty. The XO hauled him into his office and said, "You're in charge; now get the hell out of my office." Harold frequently related that his time in SEAL Team ONE during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm at 60 years of age was one of the highlights of his life.

Commander Crawford related to SWCC (Special Warfare Combat Crewman) Historian Phil Garn, who operated with Harold in the 1980s, that story was absolutely true and, "He (Dunnigan) did an absolutely outstanding job. What a teammate!"

A true Renaissance warrior, Seaman Harold Dunnigan would be advanced and retire as a Quartermaster Chief (SEAL) in 1993.

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Another of Harold's extremes was mountaineering... not hiking, full wall technical summiting of the East Face of Mount Whitney at age 60! Harold's fitness was a staple of his life. He and former OSS MU Swimmer / LA Lifeguard Jim Eubank would actively compete against each other in the annual one-mile La Jolla Rough Water Swim race until Eubank was in his 80's and his passing in 2004. Harold would continue to compete in that event into the later 2000s well into his 8th decade, like Eubank with the skill and fitness of a man half his years.

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As a lifeguard in later years, Harold related a poignant recounting of a winter rescue from the 1980s for the LA County Recurrent Blog of April 9, 2026. Mid-winter, a young couple, on a catamaran, off Topanga Canyon, overturned in fierce Santa Ana winds. Harold credited Bill Power up at Zuma Beach for smart thinking and saving the couple by alerting Harold and Boat Captain Hapke to continue on with the rescue with water temperature in the 600 range, 20 knot winds, and green waves washing over their bow. That was Harold, always crediting others for their work!

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When Harold was 73, he made a dangerous lifeguard rescue of a large and very violent man in big surf. Harold realized that it was time to think about retiring from lifeguarding. So in September 2006, he retired from the LA County Lifeguard service. He was presented with the prestigious Bronze Lifesaving Award after completing more than 58 years of service as one of the longest tenured southern California lifeguards.

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As one of the oldest living Santa Monica Bay area lifeguards with fine historical recall, Harold bridged the pre-World-War II and immediate post-war lifeguarding and pioneering US Frogmen Operative-Swimmers as with today's Lifeguards and SEALs. Harold was the keynote speaker honoring the 75th anniversary of Dr. Taylor as the first co-founding member of the Santa Monica Wind-Jammers Yacht Club in 1941 on the Santa Monica Pier), during a 2016 event ceremony at their clubhouse now in the Marina Del Rey yacht basin, commemorating that club's anniversary.

Some of the things Harold said he missed in his later years were soft sand runs and night diving for lobster. He had been doing both until 2020 at 90 years old. Harold's life story served as a catalyst for the Baywatch TV series and the movie Predator.

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Always the quiet professional in all his endeavors, Harold is dearly loved and remembered by his wife Holly, family, friends, his UDT and SEAL teammates, fellow lifeguards, and his many students. As Harold often opined, "Be careful because some of what you heard might even be true." [Insert Pic 21]

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TWO Endings

1st If blitzed before 11June 2026

On Saturday, June 13th at 10:00am at the Venice Beach Lifeguard Headquarters, full professional and military honors including a flag ceremony are being held. An ocean paddle out and celebration of life will be held at the same location immediately following the flag ceremony.

 It is to be a ceremonial milestone for the last living link who was molded by the pioneers who served as originators to US Naval Special Warfare: The last individual of the few, who knew them and what they gave to it all, who himself did all he could in his lifetime with us, to continue forth it's legacy today and into the future, for those who will volunteer to answer the call. Those in the future, who will only know of the now swimming and skin-diving in heaven Frogman named Harold in detail, by this capsulation of his life.

Fair winds and following seas Harold. We're sure your adventure continues, you are sorely missed by all who knew you.

Please RSVP at this link below following its prompts: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harold-hal-dunnigan-life-celebration-tickets-1989147429508?aff=oddtdtcreator

2nd Ending

If Blitzed for publishing AFTER 11June, 2026

On Saturday, June 13th at 10:00am at the Venice Beach Lifeguard Headquarters, a memorial and celebrations of life full professional and military honors were held. A traditional Hawaiian ocean paddle out into Santa Monica Bay waters Harold loved and served in, as part of his celebration of life at the same location immediately followed.  Harold's family, historians, Lifeguard colleagues, watermen and many of his Teammates all stood in respect and prayers and fair-well's. It was all a combo of Harold: Upright and forth right, yet laidback smooth and relaxed as it was poignant. However in its joyous blessings it too was somber; a ceremonial milestone for the last living link who was molded by the pioneers who served as originators to US Naval Special Warfare; the last individual of the few who knew them and what they gave to it all, who himself did all he could in his lifetime with us to continue forth it's legacy today and into the future molding of those who will volunteer. Those who in the future, will only know of the now swimming in heaven Frogman SEAL, named Harold in detail by this capsulation of his life.

Fair winds and following seas Harold. We're sure your adventure continues and you left an indelible footnote to our Republic and all within it who knew you and /or served alongside you.