When word of bin Laden's death reached the United State's Naval Academy midshipmen gathered around TV screens, the normally staid academy yard erupted in a celebration. The midshipmen’s enthusiasm was only heightened by details that it was their brethren in the Navy Seals who carried out the raid.

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Call it Navy pride. Plenty in our area are feeling it.

“Just knowing that the Navy was involved in this operation is something that set my heart a flutter,” said Jerry Terwilliger, a Navy veteran. Terwilliger and his pal William Boyle visiting the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue Monday.

Navy veteran of 24 years Tim Thomas decided to come on this day to show his wife Renee the Navy Memeorial plaque devoted to corpsmen like himself.

“The hairs are standing up on the back of my neck now,” he said. Thomas says he has a special respect for the seals.

“I’ve worked with these guys for last 24 years now. I know what they're made of,” he said.

At the Naval Academy they were back to work and final exams Monday. Many will soon graduate and some will be off to combat as Marines or Seals. For them, their admiral had a special message early this morning about a mission not yet finished.

“There are more out there and to them I say ‘dam the torpedoes, full steam ahead,’” he said.