Posted in

USS MICHAEL MONSOOR Commissioning- Updated with MM’s Bio

by AW1Ed••35

ddg 1001

USS Michael Monsoor Commissioning

The Navy’s newest Zumwalt-class destroyer, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), was commissioned Jan. 26 at Naval Air Station North Island, California.

Twenty Gold Star families and four Medal of Honor recipients witnessed the second Zumwalt-class destroyer enter the fleet.

The ship honors Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Ramadi, Iraq, Sept. 29, 2006. At the ship’s 2008 naming ceremony, former Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter recognized Monsoor as “a consummate professional who faced terrorist enemies with aplomb and stoicism.”

“When you man the rails today and you man your first watch stations at [general quarters], you bring this ship to life in the spirit and legacy of Michael Monsoor with toughness, courage and love, and you will be the defenders,” said Vice Adm. Timothy Szymanski, deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. “You will defend. Stay in the Fight.”

More at: Navy.mil

Sally Monsoor, Michael Monsoor’s mother, served as the ship’s sponsor and delivered the time-honored first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

Hat tip to MCPO for the reminder.

Update
Michael Monsoor was born 5 April 1981, in Long Beach, California, the third of four children of Sally Ann (Boyle) and George Paul Monsoor. His father also served in the United States military as a Marine. His father is of Syrian, Lebanese, and Irish descent, and his mother has Irish ancestry. When he was a child, Monsoor was afflicted with asthma but strengthened his lungs by racing his siblings in the family’s swimming pool. 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.

Monsoor enlisted in the United States Navy on 21 March 2001, and attended Basic Training at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois. 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. He entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training and graduated from Class 250 on 2 September 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, cold weather combat training in Kodiak, Alaska, and six months of SEAL Qualification Training in Coronado, California, graduating in March 2005. The following month, his rating changed from Quartermaster to Master-at-Arms, and he was assigned to Delta Platoon, SEAL Team 3.

During Operation Kentucky Jumper, SEAL Team Three was sent to Ramadi, Iraq in April 2006 and assigned to train Iraqi Army soldiers. As a communicator and machine-gunner on patrols, Monsoor carried 100 pounds of gear in temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees. He took a lead position to protect the platoon from frontal assault and the team was frequently involved in engagements with insurgent fighters. During the first five months of deployment, the team which was led by Jocko Willink and also featured Chris Kyle, reportedly killed 84 insurgents.

During an engagement on 9 May 2006, Monsoor ran into a street while under continuous insurgent gunfire to rescue an injured comrade. Monsoor was awarded the Silver Star for this action, and was also awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.

On 29 September 2006, Monsoor’s platoon engaged four insurgents in a firefight, killing one and injuring another. Anticipating further attacks, Monsoor, three SEAL snipers and three Iraqi Army soldiers took up a rooftop position. Civilians aiding the insurgents blocked off the streets, and a nearby mosque broadcast a message for people to fight against the Americans and the Iraqi soldiers. Monsoor was protecting other SEALs, two of whom were 15 feet away from him. Monsoor’s position made him the only SEAL on the rooftop with quick access to an escape route.

A grenade was thrown onto the rooftop by an insurgent on the street below. The grenade hit Monsoor in the chest and fell onto the floor. Immediately, Monsoor yelled “Grenade!” and jumped onto the grenade, covering it with his body. The grenade exploded seconds later and Monsoor’s body absorbed most of the force of the blast. Monsoor was severely wounded and although evacuated immediately, he died 30 minutes later. Two other SEALs next to him at the time were injured by the explosion but survived.

Monsoor died on 29 September 2006, in ar-Ramadi, Iraq, and was described as a “quiet professional” and a “fun-loving guy” by those who knew him. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. His death was dramatized in the film, Act of Valor.

During the funeral, as the coffin was moving from the hearse to the grave site, Navy SEALs were lined up forming a column of twos on both sides of the pallbearers route, with the coffin moving up the center. As the coffin passed each SEAL, they slapped down the gold Trident each had removed from his own uniform and deeply embedded it into the wooden coffin.

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.

Ref:
Wiki

You might also like

Valor D-Day Special

Bonhomme Richard fire, too many admirals, not enough leaders

USS Fitzgerald collides with merchant vessel

35 thoughts on “USS MICHAEL MONSOOR Commissioning- Updated with MM’s Bio”

  1. First!

    Thanks for this.

    I supported the OP Mikey was on when he gave his full measure.

    Many of my mates were there today …

    “God bless the ship and her crew and may He give them strength when called to vanquish our enemies”, says MCPO.

  4. Thanks for the mention of this selfless Warrior. I wish for this ship and her crew fair winds, following seas and safety at all times as she goes in harm’s way.

  5. Gentlemen,
    I apologize for the sparse post on this important occasion, but after a gentle nudge I felt expediency beat out verbiage. I’ll do a write up tomorrow more in keeping with the event.
    AW1Ed out.

    1. I am not Navy, but it seems appropriate to name ships after Naval heroes, and not politicians or SJW’S or people who got their sorry asses in the news somehow.
      3/10/MED/b out.

      1. There are still U.S. Presidents and tons of MOH recipients on the list…

        They need to rename the Chavez and Milk… stat.

        Even APL Marine has been renaming ships in the Far East trade to realign with the company’s old policy of naming them after *gasp* US Presidents. In the last year alone they added the Presidents Cleveland, Truman, Roosevelt and Eisenhower to the lineup after years of naming them after countries.

    2. Indeed. It is so nice to have adults in charge again rather than a bunch of petulant, naive, and incompetent children.

  7. Why hell to the yes and let’s go get some boys. That ‘air looks like he is gonna be bad to the bone, just like the namesake. May The USS Michael Monsoor and all aboard serve with Pride and Honor and return safely to their home port with all hands after each deployment.

    Hope you Swabbies don’t mind this dirt dwelling/ digger dog face chiming in. Good write up and extry linkie thingys to get the story. Much thanks too, to the Chiefs for their personal touches that were added.

    Here’s a novel thought. What if we take each valor stealing fake seal out to sea and have them keel hauled under this warship? The POSers wouldn’t be allowed on board, would have to row a dingy out to the Mikey, be keel hauled, and if they survived the keel hauling, then row the dingy back to the dock. Bet we could sell tickets to the event, DVDs, tee shirts, ect.. Use the proceeds to help out Gold Star Families.

    1. Damn. 5/77, you can fly with me anytime. Just don’t pull on those black and yellow striped handles. Things will get very interesting very quickly if you do.

      I will caution you, the ICS comms are recorded, and the guys back at the TOC will split a gut listening.

      That’s their problem.
      *grin*

      1. It would be my honor. I’ll leave the black and yellow striped handles alone.

        What about the yellow and black striped handles, are they fair game?

        The TOC guy’s problem is they gonna have to buy a ticket to hear the show.

        Oh and BTW…I was dead serious about the keel hauling. The POSers can do a little barnacle scraping as a bonus. Keep the bottom of the ship clean, might help us turn another knot or two.

        1. If he’s talking about a fighter jet, he’s probably talking about the handles that activate the ejection seats.

  8. Is there an SPS-49 search radar under the roof or is that no longer used?
    Seems every ship had one in the past.

    1. Ok, I spent some time looking at photos of the class. Lots of different configs for that 40 acre platform up top. Mention of a section being carbon fiber (fibeur in Canada). Must be a look through of some sort or that is the phased array itself.
      No beloved SPS-49. I used to test the waveguide rotary joints in a previous life.

      The white commercial radar in the news photo is probably for harbor use only and gets removed while under way. Can’t be stealthy with that thing up there.

      Nice looking ship. Needs a retractable picnic table on the roof though.

  9. The third ship in this class will be named for Lyndon Baines Johnson according to Wiki. Thought only CV were named for POTUS?
    And the LRLAP gun system is no more, will she be sent to gunfights armed with a knife?

          1. “(smile)” Like hell. bwabwabwabwabwabbwabbwabwagaspgasphahahahahahahahahahahagasppanthahahasnertsnorthahahahahahahgigglegigglerollonfloor wet myselfhahahahahah

          3. What’s long, hard, and full of semen? The USS Bill Clinton. Would give lots of new life to that old joke.

    1. Yes we did. We also were the FIRST to figure out modern armoured battle ships CSS Virginia (Nee Merrimack), the FIRST working submarine CSS Hunley.

      Y’all get a chance, on your next trip South, when you go back by Columbus, Ft. Benning, GA to the Infantry Museum, stop by the National Civil War (sic) Naval Museum. It’s a nice facility. They got a www site. Google Fu it.

  11. May the good Lord bless our new ship, USS Michael Monsoor, and always keep her under his protection.

  13. Its occasions like this that call to mind a quote by George S Patton.

    “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”

    I try to take time everyday just to do that.

Comments are closed.