The sailor pictured here is Navy Petty Officer, PO2 (Petty Officer, Second Class) EOD2 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Second Class) MIKE MONSOOR. April 5th, 1981 ~ September 29th, 2006
Mike Monsoor, was awarded “The Congressional Medal Of Honor”, for giving his life in Iraq, as he jumped on, and covered with his body, a live hand grenade, that was accidentally dropped by a Navy Seal, saving the lives of a large group of Navy Seals that was passing by!
During Mike Monsoor's funeral, at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, on San Diego, California, the six pallbearers removed the rosewood casket from the hearse, and lined up on each side of Mike Monsoor's casket, were his family members, friends, fellow sailors, and well-wishers. The column of people continued from the hearse, all the way to the grave site.
What the group didn't know at the time was, every Navy Seal (45 To Be Exact) that Mike Monsoor saved that day was scattered through-out the column! As the pallbearers carried the rosewood casket down the column of people to the grave site, the column would collapse which formed a group of people that followed behind.
Every time the rosewood casket passed a Navy Seal, he would remove his gold trident pin from his unifform and slap it down hard causing the gold trident pin to embed itself into the top of the wooden casket. Then the Navy Seal would step back from the column and salute!
For those who don't know what a Trident Pin Is:
After you complete the basic Navy Seals Programs which lasts for three weeks and is followed by Seal Qualification training (which is 15 more weeks of training) necessary to continue improving basic skills and to learn new tactics and techniques required for an assignment to a Navy Seal Platoon. After successful completion, trainees are given their Naval Enlisted Code and are awarded the Navy Seal Trident Pin. With this gold pink, they are officially Navy Seals.
It was said that you could hear each of the 45 claps from across the cemetery. By the time the rosewood casket reached the grave site, It looked as if it had a gold inlay from the 45 Trident Pins that lined the top.
What a fitting end to an eternal send off for a hero! Why isn't this front page news? I got this in an email. Since the main stream media won't make this news, let's do it ourselves online. The world needs more heroes like Mike Monsoor.
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Wow. outstanding story, truly an inspiration.
Though partially true, you need to please check your facts. The picture is not believed to be of Monsoor's coffin. The grenade was not dropped by a fellow SEAL, but thrown into a sniper hide by an insurgent. Michael was obviously brave beyond belief. Please honor him by getting your facts straight. FYI, the incident occurred in 2006. He was awarded the Medal of Honor. I'm sure it made the news.
Why don't you get your facts straight? That IS his coffin.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/monsoor.a…
umm no its not the picture of Moonsor's coffin it is of another SEAL's coffin. Not that it matters the event did happen. But Mike is right it was not an accident insurgents tossed the grenade. Read the MOH citation it tells the story much better than this post. BTW the pin slapped on the coffin is how SEALS honor their own, one of the most fitting and heart breaking tributes in our military.
What a wonderful tribute to a very brave young man. When I looked at his birthdate I realized he was only a few months older than my daughter. What a tremendous sacrifice he and his family made to protect his fellow Americans.
Thanks for sharing this Lisa 🙂
What a fitting and most deserving tribute!
Imagine how much this incredibly brave, selfless, and hard working young man could have accomplished for humanity if he wasn't know dead.
A deserving honor for this brave young man. Very touching.
What a handsome young man, very brave. Somewhere in the world he left behind very proud, sad family. (Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his neighbor)
It is just the Medal of Honor. Congress does not give them out, a grateful nation does.
wow … awesome medal of honor ….
Thanks for sharing this story. Truly.
Navy SEAL training is 6 months long before they go to SQT, not 3 weeks. It's called BUD/s. Basic Underwater Demolition.
Too bad anyone has to throw themselves on a grenade in a god-forsaken war. What a tragedy.
they should have pinned their badges on George Bush and his accomplices' foreheads.
That would have been much, much more fitting.
It never fails…some idiot always mentions Bush's name.
The man was a hero. Give him his due.
I would think that any member of our Armed Forces would do the same. I believe they are all heros just for joining but some take the ultimate step.
Too many heroes have been ignored by the press!
These people put themselves in harms way to protect what they think is right. No point pointing fingers at politicians or countries, all we have to do is remember that there are people out there willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow man. Kinda makes me think we might have a future after all. I salute you Sir.
Somebody said that wasn't his coffin, before you say get your facts straight you should check out the official SEAL's website http://www.navyseals.com/michael-monsoor
There you will find the grenade wasn't accidental and there is a pic of that coffin with pin's in top.
Thank you for sharing this story. I'm so proud of soldiers like this one who sacrifice for our country.
Thats the problem I don't think enough people are 'proud' they deserve so much more respect then they get
A deserving honor for this brave young man.Thanks for sharing this story…….
It was many years ago, we were all young men. Looking for adventure and prominence in our world. I believe I served with Mike on board the USS Orion in Sardinia, Italy. I remember a quiet purposeful young man yet we tossed a few for sure. God Bless you Mike and your purposeful resolute. Bravo Zulu!!!
Mike would have been too young for me to have known him and have him confused for someone else but he would have been a young man I would have been proud to have known.
This man was a true Hero and should have been properly honored on the news for the Sacrifice he made to his country….But Navy Seals don’t just train for a combined 18 weeks. It takes almost 3 years from the day a candidate enters training until he can be deployed as a SEAL
BUD/s is about 6 months and SQT (Seal Qualification Training) is about 6 or 7 months. On top of those there is much more specialized training required.