"He never took his eye off the grenade, his only movement was down toward it," said a 28-year-old lieutenant who sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs that day. Those memories will always be within those children, which I love. 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 the Iraq War and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Delta Platoon was sent to Iraq in April 2006 and assigned to train Iraqi Army soldiers in Ramadi. These men who are in the field with the Warriors give great counsel, and great solace. Multiple times that we shared in the book. Thank-you for Michael's service & his and your sacrifices. He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. [11] Monsoor became the fourth American servicemember and second Navy SEAL each killed in the line of duty to receive the United States' highest military award during the War on Terrorism. I mean this really is a story about Brotherhood and father/son. A brotherhood bound by sweat and blood and tears. And then he had communications equipment. Two SEALs next to Monsoor were injured . He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 29 September 2006. Give us a little bit about how George is thinking about this, how the rest of the family is thinking about this? Legal Statement. Fausone: I've had the chance to write on and interview a number of chaplains. On the flip side, such gratitude. In September 2006, Michael laid down his life for his brothers in arms. I remember his mom telling me she said, "Michael you can't do everything," because he just continued to carry the extra load, the extra weight. Rose Rea: Yes, it is a powerful one. That picture says so much. All rights reserved. Fausone: I think that's the bonding that occurs that maybe the civilian population doesn't necessarily appreciate. UNITED STATES NAVY He was a member of the elite branch of the Navy called SEALS, which stands for SEa, Air and Land. They said no to me Jim, for two years, because they're so private. Get email updates about Michael A. Monsoor delivered directly to your inbox. His life and unfortunate death are inspiring. [1] He enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training BUD/S class 250 in 2004. The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) and the Zumwalt-class destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) arrived at theTom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon to kick-off Portland Rose Festival and Fleet Week 2022, June 9., To all those whose lives were forever changed on that awful night: I am so sorry that MI5 did not prevent the attack at the Manchester Arena,' Mr McCallum said In the book, "Defend Us in Battle: The True Story of MA2 Navy SEAL Medal of Honor Recipient Michael A. Monsoor". Instead, I smile at the Iraqi children when we pass them by. Many of my brothers have fallen. He also helped load his wounded teammate into a High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle for evacuation, then returned to combat. His face is calm, almost smilingdespite the obvious chaos and danger around him. Ramadi had been a violent and intense area for a very strong . He was gifted at everything he did, hard-working, funny, and selfless. 0:36. Camp Morena. 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. The vessel was adrift in the Gulf of Aden for three days due to an engine. Even before I jumped into really writing the story, I had no idea that he quit BUD/S once. [14][15], For heroic achievement in connection with combat operations against the enemy as Task Unit Ramadi, Iraq, Combat Advisor for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula in Support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM from April to September 2006. USSMichael Monsoor (DDG-1001), the second ship in the Zumwalt class of guided missile destroyers, was also named in his honor. He attended Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate School and Garden Grove High School in Garden Grove, California and played tight-end on the school's football team, graduating in 1999. I've done a lot of projects. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. Not out of any sort of reason other than just letting us be. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENT'S POSITION. I am so proud to be a part of this Band of Brothers. Through this ship: Michael Monsoor will still represent the very best our country has to offer. 190126-N-XN177-1481 SAN DIEGO (Jan. 26, 2019) The crew of the Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) brings the ship to life during its commissioning ceremony, Jan. 26, 2019. Rea: So, so powerful. He knew some of these guys were going home early, it's called turnover. Michael, being the man that he was, was aware of everything going on around him. As for his family, please accept my deepest sympathy. Duval's Top 10 September real estate: Queen's Harbour Colonial goes for $3.5 million. Monsoor quickly smothered the grenade with his body, absorbing the resulting explosion and saving his comrades from serious injury or death. Monsoor died about 30 minutes later from wounds caused by the grenade explosion. Bless their hearts. [5], During an engagement on May 9, 2006, Monsoor ran into a street while under continuous insurgent gunfire to rescue an injured comrade. Rea: It's so true. Really what Michael appreciated over there was strength. Immediately, Monsoor yelled "Grenade!" Thank you so much for having me and for filling your listeners in a little bit. His leadership, guidance and decisive actions during 11 different combat operations saved the lives of his teammates, other Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army soldiers. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, fighting together. 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 . 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. It was this cool relationship, almost this Brotherhood camaraderie too, between this Navy chaplain priest and Michael. Market data provided by Factset. Just let them have their brother. Jim Fausone:We want to welcome to Veterans Radio today, Rose Rea. 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. He never gave up. 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. Those chaplains of whatever denomination are doing great work with our men and I was really interested to read that Michael Monsoor, this Medal of Honor recipient, had that kind of relationship with that kind of chaplain when he was in Iraq. 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. His teammates recall his sense of loyalty to God, family, and his team. 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. Three Ismaili Muslims were members of parliament, down one from 2019, and State Minister for Peace Sadat Mansoor Naderi is also an Ismaili Muslim. [6], On September 29, 2006, Monsoor's platoon engaged four insurgents in a firefight in Ramadi, killing one and injuring another. May the Lord comfort you. 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. And from a mother's perspective, it's heartbreaking. BECOMING COUSTEAU Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan; COW Andrea Arnold, Kat Mansoor; FLEE Jonas Poher Rasmussen. or redistributed. And then, as you know, at the end of the book who says that powerful prayer at the end, who's able to be there and the huge commissioning of bringing his ship to life but Father Paul Halladay. George's son, Michael, is a recipient of the Medal of Honor and we're going to tell Michael's story. Ramadi at the time was the epicenter of the insurgency in Iraq, a city filled with peril. However, I was patient but I just kept nudging and saying this is such a profound story. They got him evacuated off the rooftop, and got him as fast as they could back to base, but that's where he passed away. MASTER AT ARMS SECOND CLASS, SEA, AIR and LAND Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor was killed in battle in Iraq in September 2006, and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in April. He is a real leadership guru and was at the time. His selfless, decisive, heroic actions resulted in 25 enemy killed and saved the lives of his teammates, other Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army soldiers. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. You had middle school classes want to make videos and learned about his story. 29, 2006, when he was killed . Petty Officer Monsoor entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., and subsequently graduated with Class 250 on Sept. 2, 2004 as one of the top performers in his class. Michael inspired and looked out for his friends his whole life. Exactly with that weapon, he was providing cover fire. 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. But fear is no match for my Faith. The Early Years. I've been in the industry for about 15 years now, and nothing has been as meaningful to me as Michael's story - to really kind of uncover it and now share it with the world. He chose them.. Then you read about these guys in the story when Michael was in Italy and he was in this waiting pattern to go back to get a second chance. So George got to talk with him about sacrifice. On March 31, 2008, the United States Department of Defense confirmed that Monsoor would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor from the president of the United States, George W. Bush, for his valiant and selfless actions to save the lives of his SEAL teammates by sacrificing his own, during combat in Ramadi, Iraq on September 29, 2006. THE ENEMY CONTINUED TO ASSAULT THE ELEMENT, ENGAGING THEM WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. The parents of Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor accepted the nation's highest military honor on behalf of their son during a White House ceremony April 8, 2008. Petty Officer Second Class Michael Anthony Monsoor was born April 5, 1981 in Long Beach, Calif. Michael . [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]. Mike and his platoon operated in a highly contested part of Ramadi city called the Ma'laab district. It's still hard for the men he saved - I would say 100% they feel a sense of guilt. Read Michael Monsoors Summary of Action for September 29th, 2006, As Kristen Scharnberg of the ChicagoTribune summarized in tribute, The men who were there that day say they could see the options flicker across Michael Mansoors face: save himself or save the men he had long considered brothers. FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS AUTOMATIC WEAPONS GUNNER FOR NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE TASK GROUP ARABIAN PENINSULA, IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2006. Monsoor's position made him the only SEAL on the rooftop with quick access to an escape route. 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 . Words seem insufficient to recognize him as the most honorable, decent, unselfish, brave man who gave his life to save others. The Navy has operated on the 1,300 plus acres since the early 1960s, and is seeking to set aside an additional 4,486 acres of federal . Can you talk to us a little bit about learning that part of the story, which I suspect his parents knew nothing about when he was over in Iraq? Ramadi had been a violent and intense area for a very strong and aggressive insurgency for some time. Portrait of Medal of Honor recipient Michael Monsoor. Clyde B. Jones Funeral Home and Versus Legal Attorneys-at-Law specially invite you to attend. During Mike Monsoor's funeral in San Diego, as his coffin was at the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, SEALs were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route . The future USS Michael Monsoor, named for Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Ramadi, Iraq, on September. Named for a Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) will be commissioned Jan. 25. After further training he was assigned to Delta Platoon, SEAL Team 3. Some sort of bonding and love of your fellow man deepens in those situations. As we bridge this, Father Halladay, Michael's faith, and the family's faith. You got a chance to talk to his Navy buddies before he became a SEAL and importantly after he became a SEAL and served in Iraq. Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, 25, was killed in combat Sept. 29 in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. Copyright 2023 Navy SEALs. As a communicator and machine-gunner on patrols, Monsoor carried 100 pounds (45kg) of gear in temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees. 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. Petty Officer Monsoor maintained suppressive fire as the wounded SEAL received tactical casualty treatment to his leg. Imperial Beach Outlying Landing Field. [3][5], Monsoor was described as a "quiet professional" and a "fun-loving guy" by those who knew him. 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. He continued to provide effective suppressive fire while simultaneously dragging the wounded SEAL to safety. It is the first Navy combat ship named for fallen Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously . "He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs'' lives, and we owe him." . [21][22][23], Michael Monsoor is mentioned in the book of Rorke Denver "Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior".[24]. The Mountain Warfare Training Facility Camp Michael Monsoor is located 50 miles east of San Diego, near the city of Campo. Market data provided by Factset. Michael the Archangel by Guido Reni, Santa Maria della Concezione, Rome, 1636. He's such a cool dude, he's so masculine, so strong, and he was there. Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. I wasn't just a random person off the street. Monsoor, a 25-year-old gunner, was killed in the explosion in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Petty Officer Second Class Michael Anthony Monsoor was born April 5, 1981 in Long Beach, Calif. Michael grew up in Garden Grove, Calif., as the third of four children of George and Sally Monsoor. He is survived by his parents, an older sister and two brothers. During the Battle of Ramadi, SEAL Team Three was sent to Ramadi, Iraq in April 2006 and assigned to train Iraqi Army soldiers.
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