Monsoor yelled, Grenade! and dropped on top of the grenade prior to it exploding. For this brave action, he earned a Silver Star. He was a boy. The eRumor describes the funeral of Navy petty officer Mike Monsoor, who lost is own life in Iraq to save the lives of other Navy SEALs. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Commander, Navy Installations Command | 716 Sicard Street SE Suite 1000 | Washington DC, 20374-5140 Official U.S. Navy Website Michael was so quiet. Market data provided by Factset. During the Battle of Ramadi, SEAL Team Three was sent to Ramadi, Iraq in April 2006 and assigned to train Iraqi Army soldiers. Just like Marine Corps Sgt Rafael Peralta before him he jumped on a grenade to save the lives of the other Navy Seals in his snipers nest:. One of his platoon mates was having a baby. AS ENEMY ACTIVITY INCREASED, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR TOOK POSITION WITH HIS MACHINE GUN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES ON AN OUTCROPPING OF THE ROOF. Upon graduation from basic training, he attended Quartermaster "A" School, and then transferred to Naval Air Station, Sigonella, Italy for a short period of time. As suspected, his parents wouldn't have known about it but probably gave them great comfort once they learned. Monsoor died on Sept. 29, 2006, and was buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. Around midday, the exterior of the building was struck by a single rocket propelled grenade (RPG), but no injuries to any of the overwatch personnel were sustained. Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, which was presented by President George W. Bush to Monsoor's parents on April 8, 2008. A fellow Navy Seal who knew and trained with Monsoor told TruthorFiction.com that he had already earned a Silver Star for Bravery and a Bronze Star for separate acts of valor. INSTANTLY AND WITHOUT REGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY, HE THREW HIMSELF ONTO THE GRENADE TO ABSORB THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION WITH HIS BODY, SAVING THE LIVES OF HIS TWO TEAMMATES. Surely there is a special place in God's realm for him. All of the older guys get fun jobs. By his bold initiative, undaunted courage, and complete dedication to duty, Petty Officer Monsoor reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. It is my honor to make it for him." : USS Michael Monsoor DDG-1001 2. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Security services could have stopped Manchester Arena attack if they acted on intelligence, and bomber's own family 'holds significant responsibility' for his radicalisation, damning report finds Instead, he dropped onto the grenade to shield the others from the blast. May 7, 1976 - June 28, 2005. While I only had talked to Monsoor for a brief time in BUD/s, he was in the BUD/s class ahead of me in Class 250, he was a dedicated and stand-up guy. He will inspire the crew, just as he inspired his teammates. Actually, there is a neat little memorial section in the back of the book that, yes there are these incredible memorials to him, but what I thought to point out is that the most powerful memorials right now are of all the sons of the brothers he saved who were named after him. Mike and his platoon operated in a highly contested part of Ramadi city called the Ma'laab district. This voice says to me: I am patrolling through the streets of Ramadi. Summary of eRumor: The eRumor describes the funeral of Navy petty officer Mike Monsoor, who lost is own life in Iraq to save the lives of other Navy SEALs. They really didn't - it was definitely something. A 28-year-old Lieutenant, who sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs that day, said the following in crediting Monsoor with saving his life: He never took his eye off the grenade his only movement was down toward it. Sally Monsoor, mother of Michael Monsoor and the ship's sponsor, is escorted on stage during the commissioning ceremony for the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) on Jan. 26 . When a grenade thrown by insurgents bounced off Michael's chest, he could have escaped. In that split second, which is all that he had, he jumped on top of it and shielded the blast with his own body. Naval Air Station North Island. Hi, I was a volunteer at the Bob Hope USO @ LAX for ten years and currently on occasion volunteer at the USO in San Diego. I have looked at this picture over and over again and it speaks to me. During the battle, a grenade bounced off Monsoors chest and landed on the roof. Close. Named for a Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) will be commissioned Jan. 25. He attended Catholic Mass devotionally before operations, and often spoke lovingly of his family - his older brother, a police officer and former Marine for whom he held great respect; his sister, a nurse; and his younger brother, a college football player. Monsoor was the . Although only . Named for a Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) will be commissioned Jan. 25.Ahead of the ceremony, Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor's teammates . Everyone in the unit knows Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor's career history and shares it with all new cadets. Let me set this up a little bit. At his funeral in San Diego, California, SEALs lined up on both sides of the route of the pallbearers and loudly slapped gold tridents from their uniforms on the wooden casket as a . Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Monsoor died approximately 30 minutes later from wounds sustained from the blast. He also helped load his wounded teammate into a High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle for evacuation, then returned to combat. They flew him back over to do the honors. All morning long the overwatch position received harassment fire that had become a typical part of the day for the security team. Unrelated, Chris Kyle operated on the far western side of the city in support of additional special warfare operations; he reportedly killed 84 insurgents. ALTHOUGH ONLY HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE BLAST, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR CHOSE INSTEAD TO PROTECT HIS TEAMMATES. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 29 September 2006. "The procession went on nearly half an hour," Bush said. It's so painful, but George knew his son was set to do this, was set to go to this war-torn area and he wasn't afraid. 1. And then it just goes on from there, with the building of this ship. Such an amazing man! You record a conversation that George told you he had with Michael. The 610-foot, 15,000 ton USS Michael Monsoor is the U.S. Navy's second Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer and named after fallen Navy SEAL. The following month, his rating changed from Quartermaster to Master-at-Arms, and he was assigned to Delta Platoon, SEAL Team 3.[3][7]. Did you get that sense? Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. However, I was patient but I just kept nudging and saying this is such a profound story. They were providing overwatch security while joint and combined forces were conducting missions in the area. The reason I learned a little bit about it is my husband is an active-duty SEAL. This story is so incredible so it really gives people a perspective and a glimpse into who was this boy that made this split-second decision that changed lives forever. He has a grateful nation forever in his debt! Duval's Top 10 September real estate: Queen's Harbour Colonial goes for $3.5 million. Michael Monsoor was part of a dedicated team fighting the insurgency in Iraq, supporting the U.S. in its efforts to bring peace and stability to that country. Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael Anthony Monsoor. And I'm like, who is this? IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENT'S POSITION. President's 13 Year Old Daughter Spent Spring Break in Mexico-Truth. One of the lessons here that I think folks learned, and it's kind of interesting, is Michael had asthma as a kid and had to overcome all the medical challenges that go through childhood when you can't breathe when you have an asthma problem. He aggressively stabilized each chaotic situation with focused determination and uncanny tactical awareness. I served with him in the Military and I can tell you that he was humble and would do just about anything asked of him to help. The Navy on Saturday christened the guided missile destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001), named in honor of a Navy SEAL who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Iraq. Silver Strand Training Complex. It is the first Navy combat ship named for fallen Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions while serving in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006 (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Burghart/Released). Some sort of bonding and love of your fellow man deepens in those situations. USSMichael Monsoor (DDG-1001), the second ship in the Zumwalt class of guided missile destroyers, was also named in his honor. Legal Statement. Because there is nothing more important to me than my family. The grenade exploded seconds later and Monsoor's body absorbed most of the force of the blast. I feel so honored that I was able to play a small role in now bringing his story to the world because George told me one of the reasons that finally got him to say yes was he said my son was so much more than just a boy who jumped on a grenade because that's what the average person in the public knew him as. Civilians aiding the insurgents blocked off the streets, and a nearby mosque had broadcast a message for people to fight against the Americans and the Iraqi soldiers. The grenade hit Monsoor in the chest before falling to the ground. Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for diving onto a grenade to save his teammates in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on September 29, 2006. In the Ma'laab district, Michael perfected his skills as an urban machine gunner. Like many kids, he wanted to test himself and be the best he could in service and made his way through BUD/S and became a Navy SEAL in March 2005. Fausone: Again, it's one of those things that demonstrates his character. On September 29, 2006, an insurgent threw a grenade onto a rooftop where Monsoor and several other SEALs and Iraqi soldiers were positioned. Michael Monsoor was there in the midst of it all. [3] His father is of Lebanese and Irish descent, and his mother has Irish ancestry. I am far away from home. MICHAEL A. MONSOOR May the Lord continue to comfort you. Michael definitely inspired him in that, Michael was a SEAL first. Mike and his fellow SEALs accounted for 84 enemy fighters killed in action and the detainment of numerous insurgents. Additionally, a nearby mosque called insurgents to arms to fight Coalition Forces. Even before I jumped into really writing the story, I had no idea that he quit BUD/S once. This was a fitting send-off for a warrior hero. [5][6], A grenade was thrown onto the rooftop by an insurgent on the street below. [1] He enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training BUD/S class 250 in 2004. Fausone: Go ahead and set us up for what happened on September 29, 2006 when Michael and three other snipers were there. They were providing overwatch security while joint and combined forces were conducting missions in the area. . We're talking to Rose Rea and she wrote the book, "Defend Us in Battle," with George Monsoor who's the father of Navy SEAL Michael Monsoor, who received the Medal of Honor from President George Bush back in 2008 for his actions in 2006 in Iraq. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. WHAT RUDDERLESS MILLENNIALS COULD LEARN FROM NAVY SEAL MICHAEL MONSOOR -- WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR OTHERS. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But George got to talk to Michael and tell him, "Hey, don't be a hero" and Michael responded, "I have no regrets." Lieutenant Commander Jocko Willink, Navy SEAL. Rose, thanks for bringing this story to life and adding it to the library of literature on Medal of Honor recipients. U.S. Navy file photo of the Medal of Honor certificate presented by President George W. Bush to George and Sally Monsoor on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Legal Statement. After the engagements, the local populace blocked off the roads in the area with rocks to keep civilians away and to warn insurgents of the presence of his Coalition sniper element. Monsoor was protecting other SEALs, two of whom were 15 feet away from him. Fausone: And again, that's the lesson to learn. The trident is a U.S. Navy special warfare badge worn by SEALs. In the picture, his brother SEALs are nearbybut Mikey is out front. At his Oct. 12 funeral, as the e-mail states, Navy SEALs took their trident pins and pounded them . Multiple times that we shared in the book. and jumped onto the grenade, covering it with his body. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. I've met him and interviewed him and now I get it. U.S. Navy via Getty Images . Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for diving onto a grenade to save his teammates in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on September 29, 2006. Rea: It was my pleasure and it's been such a joy speaking with you. When Mike died, a picture of him circulated the news. Fausone: Well sometimes this arc is just perfect, and I think that was a good example of it. The enemy could not deter Michael and his SEAL platoon. Rea: Michael had a crazy deployment and super high tempo operating throughout the whole thing, and then they were finally starting to wind down after about six months. Portrait of Medal of Honor recipient Michael Monsoor. [17], In October 2008, United States Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced that the second ship in the Zumwalt class of destroyers would be named USSMichael Monsoor(DDG-1001) in honor of Petty Officer Monsoor. Rose Rea: Yes, it is a powerful one. One minute of prayer each night-Grass Roots Effort! Ramadi at the time was the epicenter of the insurgency in Iraq, a city filled with peril. Fausone: "Defend Us in Battle" is on the Harper Horizon imprint. His leadership, guidance and decisive actions during 11 different combat operations saved the lives of his teammates, other Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army soldiers. Rea: Well, they're super private, so even the children are not a big fan of media and they didn't want to really be involved in this book at the time. [5], During the funeral, as the coffin was moving from the hearse to the grave site, Navy SEALs were lined up forming a column of twos on both sides of the pallbearers' route, with the coffin moving up the center. He displayed great personal courage and exceptional bravery while conducting operations in enemy held territory at Ar Ramadi Iraq. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. And because of that, his men were able to get to safety. She was 94 years old. SAN DIEGO - The Navy's newest Zumwalt-class destroyer, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), was commissioned Jan. 26 at Naval Air Station North Island.. Twenty gold star families and four Medal of Honor recipients witnessed the Navy's second Zumwalt-class destroyer enter the fleet. Instead, knowing what the outcome would be, he fell on the grenade to save the others from harm. On March 31, 2008, the United States Department of Defense confirmed that Monsoor would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor. From there, God willing, I had the connections because I was a SEAL wife and I was able to reach out to Naval Special Warfare and they put me in touch with Michael's parents. He was Catholic and he found this incredible priest. On the flip side, such gratitude. He was located closest to the egress route out of the sniper hide-sight watching for enemy activity through a tactical periscope over the parapet wall. On September 29, 2006, in the war-torn city of Ramadi, Iraq, Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor, or Mikey as we called him, smothered a grenade with his body to save three of his teammates. He was only the second SEAL to die in Iraq since the war began. You had middle school classes want to make videos and learned about his story. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENTS POSITION. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Burghart/Released). And in this shipand in its crewMikeys spirit will live on. Thank you for all that you are doing to bring awareness to our wonderful veterans. A couple of hours later, an insurgency fighter closed on the overwatch position and threw a fragment grenade into the overwatch position which hit Monsoor in the chest before falling in front of him. Upon graduation from basic training, he attended Master At Arms "A" School. The first, USS Zumwalt, is named after Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., chief of naval operations from 1970 to 1974. Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor, United States Navy, distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Combat Advisor and Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 29 September 2006. President Bush presents the Medal of Honor to Sally and George Monsoor, parents of Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, during an East Room ceremony on Tuesday. Around midday, the exterior of the building was struck by a single rocket propelled grenade (RPG), but no injuries to any of the overwatch personnel were sustained. What we do have preserved in the book are all those stories she shared, gems, so many she hadn't shared with the world. He was operating with I think eight of them total left out of a normal size of 15 to 20. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. For service as set forth in the following CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 29 September 2006. People need to know what he gave for his country, what he gave up willingly and so that started everything. And his story offers some perspective on the long war in Iraq and the chaos there today. April 5, 1981 - Sept. 29, 2006. When we encounter Iraqi families, I treat them with respect and dignity. To me, they're worth dying for, because there's a bond between brothers, and that bond transcends blood. A warship that proudly bears his name. He graduated in September 2004 and joined SEAL Team 3 in 2005. LATEST NEWS The 40th Annual San Francisco Fleet Week Begins. Talk a little bit about the role and responsibility that goes with being that automatic weapon operator. A couple of other things that I think go to his character, which ultimately leads to him making the ultimate sacrifice, his commanding officer in Ramadi in the Spring of 2006 was Lieutenant Commander Jocko Willink. In the early morning, insurgents prepared to execute a coordinated attack by reconnoitering the area around the element's position. ALTHOUGH ONLY HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE BLAST, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR CHOSE INSTEAD TO PROTECT HIS TEAMMATES. Collectively it weighed more than 100 pounds. In September 2006, Michael laid down his life for his brothers in arms. On April 8, 2008, Monsoor was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously officiated by President George W. Bush in a ceremony at the White House . He wanted him, and to make sure anyone else who wanted to would get home, so he stayed. They divided into two groups of four and they were providing bounding sniper overwatch for their Brothers in Arms. There's a healthy level of mystery or privacy. Michael Monsoor is a hero for all the world to know about and appreciate. Most of you probably have never heard of it, and we're going to tell it a little bit because Rose went through talking to all of his buddies in the Navy.
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