UNITED STATES NAVY
For service as set forth in the following
CITATION - VIDEO
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. AS A
MEMBER OF A COMBINED SEAL AND IRAQI ARMY SNIPER OVERWATCH ELEMENT, TASKED WITH
PROVIDING EARLY WARNING AND STAND-OFF PROTECTION FROM A ROOFTOP IN AN INSURGENT
HELD SECTOR OF AR RAMADI, IRAQ, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY HIS
EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY IN THE FACE OF GRAVE DANGER. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS
PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENT’S POSITION. ELEMENT SNIPERS THWARTED THE ENEMY’S INITIAL ATTEMPT BY ELIMINATING TWO INSURGENTS. THE ENEMY CONTINUED TO ASSAULT THE ELEMENT, ENGAGING THEM WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. AS ENEMY ACTIVITY INCREASED, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR TOOK POSITION WITH HIS MACHINE GUN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES ON AN OUTCROPPING OF THE ROOF. WHILE THE SEALS VIGILANTLY WATCHED FOR ENEMY ACTIVITY, AN INSURGENT THREW A HAND GRENADE FROM AN UNSEEN LOCATION, WHICH BOUNCED OFF PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR’S CHEST AND LANDED IN FRONT OF HIM. ALTHOUGH ONLY HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE BLAST, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR CHOSE INSTEAD TO PROTECT HIS TEAMMATES. 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. 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.
SIGNED GEORGE W. BUSH
Summary of Action
Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor
For actions on Sept. 29, 2006
gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Combat Advisor and
Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom on 29 September 2006. He displayed great personal courage and exceptional
bravery while conducting operations in enemy held territory at Ar Ramadi Iraq.
southern Ar Ramadi, he served as automatic weapons gunner in a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army (IA)
sniper overwatch element positioned on a residential rooftop in a violent sector and historical stronghold for insurgents. In the morning, his team observed four enemy fighters armed with AK-47s reconnoitering from roads in the sector to conduct follow-on attacks. SEAL snipers from his roof engaged two of them which resulted in one enemy wounded in action and one enemy killed in action. A mutually supporting SEAL/IA position also killed an enemy fighter during the morning hours. 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. Additionally, a nearby mosque called insurgents to arms to fight Coalition Forces.
In the early afternoon, enemy fighters attacked his position with automatic weapons fire from a moving vehicle. The SEALs fired back and stood their ground. Shortly thereafter, an enemy fighter shot a rocket-propelled grenade at his building. Though well-acquainted with enemy tactics in Ar Ramadi, and keenly aware that the enemy would continue to attack, the SEALs remained on the battlefield in order to carry out the mission of guarding the western flank of the main effort.
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. 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. 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. While vigilantly watching for enemy
activity, an enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof from an
unseen location. The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the
deck. 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. 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. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it,
mortally wounding him.
Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL)
Michael Anthony Monsoor
April 5, 1981 – Sept. 29, 2006
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.