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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 has an older brother James
and older sister Sara, and a younger brother
Joseph.
Michael attended Dr. Walter C. Ralston
Intermediate School and Garden Grove High
School where he played tight end on the
Argonaut football team and graduated in
1999. An incredible athlete, Mike enjoyed
snowboarding, body boarding, spear fishing,
motorcycle riding, and driving his Corvette.
His quiet demeanor and dedication to his
friends matched the “Silent Warrior” SEAL
mentality that was to become his calling in
life.
Michael enlisted in the U.S. Navy March 21,
2001, and attended Basic Training at Recruit
Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. 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.
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.
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. The following
month, his rating changed from Quartermaster
to Master-at-Arms, and he was assigned to
SEAL Team 3 Delta Platoon. He deployed with
his platoon to Iraq in April 2006 in support
of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was
assigned to Task Unit Bravo in Ar Ramadi.
From April to Sept. 29, 2006, Mike served as
a heavy weapons machine gunner in Delta
Platoon, SEAL Team 3. During combat patrols
he walked behind the platoon point man with
his Mk 48 machinegun so that he could
protect his platoon from a frontal enemy
attack. Mike was also a SEAL communicator.
On 15 operations, he carried a rucksack full
of communications equipment in addition to
his machinegun and full ammunition
load-out. Collectively it weighed more than
100 pounds. He bore the weight without a
single complaint, even in the midst of the
130 degree Western Iraqi summer.
Mike and his platoon operated in a highly
contested part of Ramadi city called the
Ma’laab district. During their deployment,
Mike and his fellow SEALS came under enemy
attack on 75 percent of their missions. On
May 9, 2006 Mike rescued a SEAL who was shot
in the leg. He ran out into the street with
another SEAL, shot cover fire and dragged
his comrade to safety while enemy bullets
kicked up the concrete at their feet. For
this brave action, he earned a Silver Star.
The enemy could not deter Michael and his
SEAL platoon. They fought in 35 heated
firefights; during these incidents Mike shot
tens of thousands of 7.62 millimeter rounds
to cover Delta Platoon’s movement through
streets that seemed to be paved with fire.
In the Ma’laab district, Michael perfected
his skills as an urban machine gunner. Once
he and his men established a sniper
overwatch position, he deftly transitioned
to his role as a SEAL communicator calling
in tank support and transmitting enemy
situation reports to the 1-506 PIR
Commander.
Delta Platoon executed a broad spectrum of
combat operations in and around Ramadi. They
patrolled bravely through the city streets
engaging in firefights while on other
occasions, they ambushed insurgent mortar
teams near the banks of the Euphrates
River. Mike and his fellow SEALs accounted
for 84 enemy fighters killed in action and
the detainment of numerous insurgents. Most
notably, the Army Infantry, Navy SEAL and
Iraqi Army combined force helped to pacify
the most violent city in Al Anbar province
setting conditions for the Sunni Awakening.
Petty Officer Monsoor was subsequently
awarded the Bronze Star as the Task Unit
Ramadi, Iraq Combat Advisor from April to
September 2006. His leadership, guidance and
decisive actions during 11 different combat
operations saved the lives of his teammates,
other Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army
soldiers.
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. He will receive the
award for his actions in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on
Sept. 29, 2006. On that day, Monsoor was
part of a sniper overwatch security position
with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi Army
(IA) soldiers. An insurgent closed in and
threw a fragmentation grenade into the
overwatch position. The grenade hit Monsoor
in the chest before falling to the ground.
Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor
was the only one who could have escaped
harm. Instead, he dropped onto the grenade
to shield the others from the blast. Monsoor
died approximately 30 minutes later from
wounds sustained from the blast. Because of
Petty Officer Monsoor’s actions, he saved
the lives of his 3 teammates and the IA
soldiers.
Though he carried himself in a calm and
composed fashion, he constantly led the
charge to bring the fight to the enemy. His
teammates recall his sense of loyalty to
God, family, and his team. 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.
Mike was one of the bravest men on the
battlefield, never allowing the enemy to
discourage 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 was a loyal friend and
exceptional SEAL, and he is sorely missed by
his brothers in Task Unit Bravo.
He is survived by his mother Sally, his
father George, his sister Sara, and his two
brothers James and Joseph.
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