Posted on 10/13/2006 12:20:20 PM PDT by jmc1969
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.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor had been near the only door to the rooftop structure Sept. 29 when the grenade hit him in the chest and bounced to the floor, said four SEALs who spoke to The Associated Press this week on condition of anonymity because their work requires their identities to remain secret.
"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. "He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs' lives, and we owe him."
Monsoor, a 25-year-old gunner, was killed in the explosion in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. He was only the second SEAL to die in Iraq since the war began.
Two SEALs next to Monsoor were injured; another who was 10 to 15 feet from the blast was unhurt. The four had been working with Iraqi soldiers providing sniper security while U.S. and Iraqi forces conducted missions in the area.
In an interview at the SEALs' West Coast headquarters in Coronado, four members of the special force remembered "Mikey" as a loyal friend and a quiet, dedicated professional.
Prior to his death, Monsoor had already demonstrated courage under fire. He has been posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions May 9 in Ramadi, when he and another SEAL pulled a team member shot in the leg to safety while bullets pinged off the ground around them.
(Excerpt) Read more at ksl.com ...
God bless him and his family. Sacrificing himself for others is truely the unmatchable gift.
Eternal rest grant him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him.
Thank you for brave souls who know what valor and loyalty mean.
Concur.
Prayers to the family of this hero. How sad. He deserves to be remembered.
Hero!
Amazing, to realize in a split second that you and your friends will die...and to choose to die alone and save their lives.
Rest in peace brave soldier.
"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
One died for your soul; the other for your freedom."
God bless our fallen hero and all those who serve.
Interesting tidbit is that Monsoor is an Arabic name...bet he was from a Lebanese family. Which goes to show you that people have a choice when they immigrate...they can become Americans, or become people of X nationality who live in America. This hero was American.
That's a wonderful quote, do you know who said it?
NONE more noble!
......where do we find these young men.....
This is MOH territory folks!!
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor RIP, above and beyond!!
I have no words but I have tears.
Here is a picture of Michael.
http://la.indymedia.org/uploads/2006/10/michael_monsoor_1.jpg
I'm not ashamed to admit my eyes pretty much misted over while reading this story. People like this are what make me proud to be an American. I only pray that if I ever found myself placed in some type of critical situation like that I would have just a fration of the courage and honor that man had.
One of my biggest roll modles ones said "Greater love hath no man than this, that he give up his life for his friends."
No, I wish I did so I could give credit. I heard it said once and put it on my homepage with the intentions of finding the source.
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