Is this story true? He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. He entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training and graduated from Class 250 on September 2, 2004, as one of the top performers in his class. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. MASTER AT ARMS SECOND CLASS, SEA, AIR and LANDMICHAEL A. MONSOOR . His quiet demeanor and dedication to his friends matched the "Silent Warrior" SEAL mentality that was to become his calling in life. He was killed in the line of duty while serving in Iraq on September 29, 2006.He died after throwing himself on a grenade to prevent it from killing others whom he had been assigned to protect on a rooftop. 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. TIL during the funeral of Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor, every - Reddit Medal of Honor - Michael Monsoor's Story | Military.com On May 9, 2006 Mike rescued a SEAL who was shot in the leg. (U.S. Navy photo Mass Communication. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training BUD/S class 250 in 2004. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. USSMichael Monsoor (DDG-1001), the second ship in the Zumwalt class of guided missile destroyers, was also named in his honor. There were also several blogs that called the whole story a rumor, citing that it was impossible to embed the trident pins and line them up so well as the casket moved between the lines of SEALs. Navy SEAL Killed in Iraq Receives Medal of Honor : NPR Unable to continue, he was forced to ring the bell indicating that a trainee had quit the program. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Nimitz is in U.S. 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. Because there is nothing more important to me than my family. Learn more about managing a memorial . October 14, 2019 | Fort Sam Houston, TX. Upon graduation from basic training, he attended Master At Arms "A" School. 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. Monsoor was protecting other SEALs, two of whom were 15 feet away from him. The enemy continued to assault the element, engaging them with a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. PO2 Michael Anthony Monsoor - Military Hall of Honor Your parents and family are also remembered, as they too have borne the pain of your absence. Please reset your password. If you are proud too, please pass this on. If not then rest assured that these fine men and women of our military will continue to serve and protect. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. An e-mail claims that during the funeral for Mike Monsoor, who was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor, SEALs lined up on both sides of his casket, took their gold Tridents off their uniforms one by one and slapped them down, embedding them into the coffin as it moved past. Like most fighting ships, its namesake will be woven into . He also knew that he was two short weeks away from returning home to family and friends. Since the media wont make this news, I choose to make it news by forwarding it onto you guys. All rights reserved. based on information from your browser. Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. In May of 2006, during his first month in Iraq, his unit came under fire during counter-terrorist operations. Get email updates about Michael A. Monsoor delivered directly to your inbox. Makin Island Participates in Balikatan 23 [1] He enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training BUD/S class 250 in 2004. His funeral, attended (in the words of President Bush) by "nearly every SEAL on the West Coast," was held on 12 October 2006 at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. As Mike's coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin. On that day, he was on a rooftop over-watch in the most contested part of the city called the Malaab district. A Fitting Tribute to a Slain Navy SEAL Gains Attention Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously in a ceremony at the White House April 8, 2008. That picture says so much. Words seem insufficient to recognize him as the most honorable, decent, unselfish, brave man who gave his life to save others. For those of us who were there, that picture of Mike captures all of this. He is survived by his mother Sally, his father George, his sister Sara, and his two brothers James and Joseph. When we encounter Iraqi families, I treat them with respect and dignity. As shown at the end of the tribute video linked below, during Monsoor's funeral service, as the casket was taken from the hearse to the gravesite, fellow SEALs lined up in two columns to slap. Ahead of the ceremony, Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoors teammates share his story of his courageous and selfless actions. He later had an artist make a reproduction of the image in his dream depicting Michael Monsoor in dress blues with a loaded MK 48 Machine gun and silvery wings. Thank-you for raising such a great son. 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. I miss my mother, my father, my sister, and my brothers. I thought you might like to see a memorial for MA2 Michael Anthony Monsoor I found on Findagrave.com. Praying for the loved ones of the fallen this weekend especially. Petty Officer Monsoor was subsequently awarded the Bronze Star as the Task Unit Ramadi, Iraq Combat Advisor from April to September 2006. With unflinching selflessness he gave his life so that others might live. [9], The display moved many attending the funeral, including President Bush, who spoke about the incident later during a speech stating: "The procession went on nearly half an hour, and when it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten."[9]. [5][6], A grenade was thrown onto the rooftop by an insurgent on the street below. Monsoor, a 25-year-old gunner, was killed in the explosion in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Monsoor quickly smothered the grenade with his body, absorbing the resulting explosion and saving his comrades from serious injury or death. Exhibiting the selflessness which would become his trademark, he continued to run with a pain so excruciating he nearly passed out. This act of heroism earned him a Silver Star and a reputation for putting others first. 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. May the Lord comfort you. As for his family, please accept my deepest sympathy. And just as Mikey Monsoor did, the USS Michael Monsoor will go forward, willingly into harms wayand will stand tall without hesitation or regrets and face down evil and malevolence, saying boldly to the world: I WILL DEFEND. Try again later. He immediately leapt to his feet and yelled "grenade" to alert his teammates of impending danger, but they could not evacuate the sniper hide-sight in time to escape harm. Because of Petty Officer Monsoor's actions, he saved the lives of his 3 teammates and the IA soldiers," an account on his Congressional Medal of Honor Web site reports. He was born May 31, 1932. AS ENEMY ACTIVITY INCREASED, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR TOOK POSITION WITH HIS MACHINE GUN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES ON AN OUTCROPPING OF THE ROOF. MA2 Michael Monsoor Memorial Ceremony 307 views Feb 10, 2020 4 Dislike Share Save Lindsey J 37 subscribers Naval Technical Training Center Lackland honors fallen SEAL MA2 Michael Monsoor in. It was one of those rare moments when life passes before your eyes. Obituary | Joan Brennan Donnelly of Edenton, North Carolina | Miller Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. A mutually supporting SEAL/IA position also killed an enemy fighter during the morning hours. [2][4] When he was a child, Monsoor was afflicted with asthma but strengthened his lungs by racing his siblings in the family's swimming pool. 230405-n-mk109-1012 PO2 (EOD2) Mike Monsoor, a Navy EOD Technician, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq, giving his life to save his fellow Seals. 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. Additionally, a nearby mosque called insurgents to arms to fight Coalition Forces. He was also posthumously given the Silver Star for helping carry a wounded team member to safety during an attack, Snopes.com reported. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Burghart/Released). Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. After further training Some of details in the email are inaccurate.Petty Officer Second Class Mike Monsoor was a US Navy SEAL assigned to Task Unit Bravo in Ar Ramadi in Iraq. His funeral took place in October 12, 2006 at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.Other Navy SEALs lined the procession and slapped the trident devices from their uniforms to affix them onto the casket. Michael A. Monsoor Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information When we encounter Iraqi families I treat them with respect and dignity. As I look at this picture, I hear a voice in a humble but confident tone. His selfless, decisive, heroic actions resulted in 25 enemy killed and saved the lives of his teammates, other Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army soldiers. At his Oct. 12 funeral, as the e-mail states, Navy SEALs took their trident pins and pounded them into the top of the casket. Verify and try again. 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. I know because my father and brother were also gruntsproud Marine riflemen. But I know that, he died doing something he loved. ", Army Ranger Legend Ralph Puckett Receives Medal of Honor, World War II Hero Charles Coolidge Receives Medal of Honor in 1945, Crews Work to Save WWII Ship Taking on Water, See the Final 'Top Gun: Maverick' Trailer, War Crimes Watch: She's Working to Make Putin Pay, Sniper Videos, Sniper Rifles, Sniper Kills: The Best of the Best. Two SEALs next to Monsoor were injured; another who was 10 to 15 feet from the blast was unhurt. Forrest Vosler, Biden Awards 3 Soldiers Medals of Honor for Valor, The Erwin Brothers Share Their Grandfather's WWII Medal of Honor Story and Talk About Their Movie "American Underdog. 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. Rest in peace, Michael Monsoor. Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor was the only one who could have escaped harm. He was 25-year-old Michael Monsoor. Frank Monsoor Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information - Legacy.com Michael threw caution to the wind and ran directly into the line of fire to help the injured soldier. Paul Hamilton is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs lives.6, Another eyewitness described Michaels countenance, as completely calm, showing no fear only resolve., It could easily be said of him what Gen. Pericles said in his funeral oration for the warriors of ancient Athens, He passed away from the scene, not of his fear, but of his glory.. During Mike Monsoor's 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 two's, with the coffin moving up the center. He remained fearless while facing constant danger, and through his selfless nature and aggressive actions, saved the lives of coalition soldiers and his fellow SEALs. After further training he was assigned to Delta Platoon, SEAL Team 3. He has a grateful nation forever in his debt! You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. He was also a SEAL communicator which required him to carry a rucksack full of communications equipment in addition to his MK 48 machine gun full of ammunition. "No Greater Love" - Michael Monsoor - The American TFP There is a problem with your email/password. Petty Officer 2nd Class Monsoor sacrificed his life to save his comrades by throwing himself on top of a grenade that Iraqi insurgents tossed into their sniper hideout. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. I believe I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Mr. Monsoor there. Mike and his fellow SEALs accounted for 84 enemy fighters killed in action and the detainment of numerous insurgents. As extraordinary as all of this is, it was merely a prelude to the defining moment of his life in the rooftop over-watch. Due to expected enemy action, the officer in charge repositioned him with his automatic heavy machine gun in the direction of the enemy's most likely avenue of approach. At his Oct. 12 funeral, as the e-mail states, Navy SEALs took their trident pins and pounded them . 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 died approximately 30 minutes later from wounds sustained from the blast. SOUTH CHINA SEA (April 21, 2023) Sailors move ordnance on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). This browser does not support getting your location. 230425-n-xo158-1134 [18], A SEAL training facilitylocated about 50 miles (80km) east of San Diegowas renamed Mountain Warfare Training Camp Michael Monsoor. He had been near the only exit to the rooftop when the grenade hit him in the chest and bounced to the floor. Monsoor was severely wounded and although evacuated immediately, he died 30 minutes later. As someone that had the pleasure of knowing Mikey as a friend, and had the honor of serving with him on the battlefield, this photograph tells me a story. Snopes.com says it believes the photo was taken at the funeral of SEAL James Suh, killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. He was a member of the elite branch of the Navy called SEALS, which stands for SEa, Air and Land. Some months later the injured soldier had a dream of the incident where the Michael who rescued him had wings. Legal Statement. The trapezoidal-shaped USS Michael Monsoor came to Naval Station Everett on Friday, where the ship. But we fight onfor the men to our left and rightwe fight on. ATLANTIC OCEAN (April 25, 2023) Sailors aim 9 mm pistols at targets during a weapons qualification course aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), April 25, 2023. Weve updated the security on the site. Brave men died or were wounded every day. 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. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. In the Ma'laab district, Michael perfected his skills as an urban machine gunner. Market data provided by Factset. It represents the three aspects of SEAL special operations, sea, air, and land. A mass of christian burial will be held on Thursday, May 4th 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the St. John the Beloved Catholic Church (6420 Linway Terrace, McLean, VA 22101). The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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.