Monsoor was engaged in a firefight in Ramadi when, according to the military report, he and another SEAL pulled a team member shot in the leg to safety while bullets pinged off the ground around them., On 29 September (2006), Monsoor was part of a sniper overwatch security position in eastern Ramadi, Iraq, with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi soldiers. [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. The grenade exploded seconds later and Monsoor's body absorbed most of the force of the blast. As you tell the story in "Defend Us in Battle," it seemed like the guys knew he knew he was taking on this extra responsibility to have their back. Petty Officer Second Class Michael Anthony Monsoor was born April 5, 1981 in Long Beach, Calif. Michael . Praying for the loved ones of the fallen this weekend especially. THE ENEMY CONTINUED TO ASSAULT THE ELEMENT, ENGAGING THEM WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. Our strength is our brotherhood. [21][22][23], Michael Monsoor is mentioned in the book of Rorke Denver "Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior".[24]. ALTHOUGH ONLY HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE BLAST, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR CHOSE INSTEAD TO PROTECT HIS TEAMMATES. 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. In September 2006, Michael laid down his life for his brothers in arms. The overwatch couldnt tell where the RPG came from and didnt return fire.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. As the coffin passed each SEAL, they slapped down the gold Trident each had removed from his own uniform and deeply embedded it into the wooden coffin. 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. When we encounter Iraqi families, I treat them with respect and dignity. President Bush on Tuesday said, "The Medal of Honor is America's highest decoration for military valor. By June 21, 2022 springhill elementary school calendar on michael monsoor funeral June 21, 2022 springhill elementary school calendar on michael monsoor funeral Home Haller Motorworx & Farm Equipment Magazine, AR 479 969-6464. On May 9, 2006 Mike rescued a SEAL who was shot in the leg. An official website of the United States government, VA Vet Center (Supports vets, service members, and their families), Bush Confers Highest Military Decoration on Fallen Navy SEAL, Navy SEAL to Receive Medal of Honor Posthumously, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Monsoor was protecting other SEALs, two of whom were 15 feet away from him. Like most fighting ships, its namesake will be woven into . or redistributed. A relationship through how much they loved each other and then this brotherly love which ultimately grows and grows and then at the end, but after you saw how much he cared about his fellow squadmates didn't it almost make sense at the end as devastating as it was. Fausone: And again, that's the lesson to learn. JN-052022-5602908. October 14, 2019 | Fort Sam Houston, TX. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENTS POSITION. I've done a lot of projects. Rea: Jim, I was able to interview the childhood friend, who also became a SEAL which is so cool - behind-the-scenes little tidbit there. By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor. The slaps were reportedly heard across the cemetery. Mike was one of the bravest men on the battlefield, never allowing the enemy to discourage him. Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Rose, thanks for bringing this story to life and adding it to the library of literature on Medal of Honor recipients. It is the first Navy combat ship named for fallen Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously . Copyright 2018 by Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC SEAL snipers from his roof engaged two of them which resulted in one enemy wounded in action and one enemy killed in action. DDG 1001 TOP STORY. 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. He also helped load his wounded teammate into a High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle for evacuation, then returned to combat. His sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. All morning long the overwatch position received harassment fire that had become a typical part of the day for the security team. On September 29, 2006, an insurgent threw a grenade onto a rooftop where Monsoor and several other SEALs and Iraqi soldiers were positioned. Kirsten Wang. Monsoor yelled, Grenade! and dropped on top of the grenade prior to it exploding. Petty Officer Monsoor was the Platoon Machine Gunner of an overwatch element, providing security for an Iraqi Army Brigade during counter-insurgency operations. During Mike Monsoors funeral in San Diego, as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, SEALs were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route forming a column of twos, with the coffin moving up the center. His life and unfortunate death are inspiring. And while there is no way that a steel and iron ship can ever replace the flesh and blood that was Michael Monsoor, at the same time, there is no more fitting memorial to him than a warship. 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 . Upon graduation from basic training, he attended Master At Arms "A" School. Through this ship: Michael Monsoor will still represent the very best our country has to offer. AS ENEMY ACTIVITY INCREASED, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR TOOK POSITION WITH HIS MACHINE GUN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES ON AN OUTCROPPING OF THE ROOF. A warship that proudly bears his name. Michael Anthony Monsoor was born on 5 April 1981 in Long Beach, CA, the third of four children born to George and Sally Monsoor. Regional exposure by managing/leading projects by handling projects. Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. As the coffin passed, video shows each SEAL slapping down the gold Trident from his uniform and deeply embedding it in Monsoor's wooden coffin. I thought that was just so powerful. While moving toward extraction, the Iraqi Army and Naval Special Warfare overwatch team received effective enemy automatic weapons fire resulting in one SEAL wounded in action. [18], A SEAL training facilitylocated about 50 miles (80km) east of San Diegowas renamed Mountain Warfare Training Camp Michael Monsoor. As for his family, please accept my deepest sympathy. 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. To this day, they still blows me away. The enemy could not deter Michael and his SEAL platoon. When a grenade thrown by insurgents bounced off Michael's chest, he could have escaped. Monsoor was awarded the Silver Star for this action,[5][8] and was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq. 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. EVERETT One of the Navy's newest destroyers paid a visit to Puget Sound this weekend. Just let them have their brother. Let's let certain things be, right? From the US Navy: Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael Anthony Monsoor. Market data provided by Factset. He continued to provide effective suppressive fire while simultaneously dragging the wounded SEAL to safety. I don't think any of us can sit back and think oh it's so easy for everyone else, but it's hard for us to see past our own difficulty sometimes. I mean, you can imagine Michael who gave everything he had to have to hang up and quit and ring that bell and be viewed by all of his classmates as a quitter. Instead, he threw himself onto the live grenade, shielding his fellow soldiers from the immediate explosion. He has a grateful nation forever in his debt! The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the deck. This gun is nicknamed "The Pig" because of its squealing sound and because there's so much force when they're shooting it. Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor was the only one who could have escaped harm. The SEALs fired back and stood their ground. Exploit isn't the right word - that happens right? Posted by 7 years ago. The thing is, for these boys who served with Michael, this matters to them, too, because their children want to know who Uncle Mikey was. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. A Navy SEAL sacrificed his life to save his comrades by throwing himself on top of a grenade Iraqi insurgents tossed into their sniper hideout, fellow members of the elite force said. 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. It's been a very colorful and challenging life to live, but we're so grateful for our military men and women that serve us. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He took a lot on and it says a lot about his character. Tell us about this day that will always be remembered. The guy who made this special box - almost like a shadow box, but it's a decorative box - he said, "No I want to do this, don't pay me a cent. Your act and demonstrated honor is a high standard for all of us. He said he died in the state of grace and for what Catholics believe, with the sacraments and what else. It is obviously very humbling to be here today, as it was humbling to be on the battlefield of Ramadi with my fellow SEALs and 2/28 Brigade Combat Team, the Iron Soldiers, and then 1/1 AD, the Ready First Combat Team, which was formed up by our brothers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines and included such hallowed units as the 1st of the 506th Band of brothers, the 1-37 Bandits, and the 3/8 Marines. An incredible athlete, Mike enjoyed snowboarding, body boarding, spear fishing, motorcycle riding, and driving his Corvette. It said who Michael Monsoor was, a little bit about him - just a titch - and something went off in my being, and it was like you've got to tell this boy's story. In the picture, his brother SEALs are nearbybut Mikey is out front. The overwatch couldnt tell where the RPG came from and didnt return fire., Read Michael Monsoors Summary of Action for September 29th, 2006. BY HIS UNDAUNTED COURAGE, FIGHTING SPIRIT, AND UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO DUTY IN THE FACE OF CERTAIN DEATH, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY, THEREBY REFLECTING GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE. Market data provided by Factset. By his undaunted courage, fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of certain death, Petty Officer Monsoor gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. And even the siblings of course, because they don't know all the operations he went on either. Aviation_Intel. As we bridge this, Father Halladay, Michael's faith, and the family's faith. During the first five months of deployment, that platoon from Team 3 was assigned to Camp Corregidor on the east side of Ramadi, led by then-Lieutenant Seth Stone, who also earned the Silver Star for his own actions on the same September 29, 2006 operation. Words seem insufficient to recognize him as the most honorable, decent, unselfish, brave man who gave his life to save others. Fausone: He was the automatic weapons operator carrying the MK-48 and all that extra weight, there's a responsibility to the other guys because you're carrying that weapon to protect them. by Norman Fulkerson May 22, 2008. Lieutenant Commander Jocko Willink, Navy SEAL. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The ultimate friend. Named for a Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) will be commissioned Jan. 25. Let me set this up a little bit. I mean that's crushing. But there was more of a story there. "The procession went on nearly half an hour," Bush said. Monsoor died approximately 30 minutes later from wounds sustained from the blast. As Mikes coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin. Monsoors body shielded the others from the brunt of the fragmentation blast and two other SEALs were only wounded by the remaining blast.. Michael Anthony Monsoor (April 5, 1981 September 29, 2006) was a United States Navy SEAL who was killed during Invasion of Iraq and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. After BUD/S, he completed advanced SEAL training courses including parachute training at Basic Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga., cold weather combat training in Kodiak, Alaska, and six months of SEAL Qualification Training in Coronado, graduating in March 2005. Thank you so much for having me and for filling your listeners in a little bit. We all hit those challenges in life and it's so easy to ring the bell which you do to get out of the BUD/S and SEAL training. George eventually said okay, let's do it. 190126-N-XN177-1115 SAN DIEGO (Jan. 26, 2019) Sailors stand in formation during the commissioning ceremony for the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), Jan. 26, 2019. "We were at a SEAL bar in San Diego called McP's, and we were having a wake for one of our guys that just died, I believe it was Michael Monsoor. The action for which he ultimately received the Medal of Honor occurred in September 2006 when he was on a rooftop post in Ramadi, Iraq and we'll tell that story. People need to know what he gave for his country, what he gave up willingly and so that started everything. Fausone: Another person in the book that I think reflects Michael's character is Father Halladay. Michael Monsoor was there in the midst of it all. He was a loyal friend and exceptional SEAL, and he is sorely missed by his brothers in Task Unit Bravo. It wasn't like someone said something, I meant these really happened. They really didn't - it was definitely something. [6], On September 29, 2006, Monsoor's platoon engaged four insurgents in a firefight in Ramadi, killing one and injuring another. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. On 11 different operations, Petty Officer Monsoor exposed himself to heavy enemy fire while shielding his teammates with suppressive fire. He gave his life to protect comrades . Michael Monsoor joined the United States Navy in about March of 2001. 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. The 40th annual San Francisco Fleet Week kicked-off Oct. 4 with ship arrivals bringing together the San Francisco community, Marines, Coastguardsmen and Sailors to . They flew him back over to do the honors. Rea: Yeah. It was communion, it was Eucharist, it was confession. Jim Fausone:We want to welcome to Veterans Radio today, Rose Rea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Demitrius J. Williams). They were providing overwatch security while joint and combined forces were conducting missions in the area. Element snipers thwarted the enemy's initial attempt by eliminating two insurgents. He placed him in a small, confined sniper hide-sight between two SEAL snipers on an outcropping of the roof, which allowed the three SEALs maximum coverage of the area. Home Haller Motorworx & Farm Equipment Magazine, AR 479 969-6464 Because of Petty Officer Monsoor's actions, he saved the lives of his 3 teammates and the IA soldiers. : USS Michael Monsoor DDG-1001 2. They weren't Navy SEALs. How many times? Received the Silver Star posthumously for previous heroic actions in Iraq on May 9, 2006 when he pulled a wounded teammate to safety while under hostile enemy fire.