FOXNews: A Fitting Tribute to a Slain Navy SEAL Gains Attention

[Sarge]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376243,00.html

A little-known tribute some Navy SEALs gave to a fallen comrade is gaining notice.

Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor was killed in battle in Iraq in September 2006, and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in April.

His funeral in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego was attended by “nearly every SEAL on the West Coast,” said his grandfather, George Monsoor, Sr., who described his grandson as an “outgoing guy.”

During the service, as Monsoor's coffin was taken from the hearse to the gravesite, Navy SEALs lined up in two columns. As the coffin passed, video shows each SEAL slapping down the gold Trident from his uniform and deeply embedding it in Monsoor's wooden coffin.

The slaps were reportedly heard across the cemetery.

The symbolic display moved many, included President Bush, who during his speech in April's Medal of Honor ceremony spoke about the incident.

"The procession went on nearly half an hour," Bush said. "And when it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten.”

Monsoor was killed on Sept. 29, 2006. He had been assigned to protect fellow SEALs on a rooftop in Ramadi, Iraq, when a fierce firefight with insurgents broke out. During the battle, a grenade bounced off Monsoor’s chest and landed on the roof.

Faced with the choice to save his comrades or save himself, Monsoor threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the impact.

He is survived by his parents, an older sister and two brothers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfK2BQCIIes&eurl=http://www.blackfive.net/main/2008/03/us-navy-seal-mi.html

[Oldskool]

Nice tribute.

Let us not forget all of the servicemen and women across the world today in our thoughts and prayers.

[Cheers, Beers and Mountaineers]

RIP Petty Officer Monsoor and to all those who have given their lives.

[CurseReversed]

Its nice too finally read about these special forces soldiers that truly represent the best america has to offer. RIP Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor, thanks for all you have done and those around you have done since seal teams first evolved from UDT units in ww2.

My condolences in advance to all those who are unfortunate enough to have to face navy seals on the battlefield.

[CurseReversed]

This is the recently drafted Navy Seal Code:

United States Navy SEAL

In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed.

Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life.

I am that man.

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.

I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men.

Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.

We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.

Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.

[joeknows]

as a submariner on the uss city of corpus christi ssn 705 i had the fortune of working with and performing operations with seal team 6 and seal team 8.......

those guys are the best this country has to offer....... we are talkng about men trained to kill you with their bare hands that are the kindest most humble people you would ever meet

i cannot tell you about the operations we did but i can say that these guys are phenomenal in the things they do........

[JosephGibbs]

Incredible. How do you even try to describe what that means with words.

[Slateman]

That sounds amazing. Somewhere there has to be a vid of that

EDIT - I found it on Youtube Its towards the end.

[jpyaks3]

A True American Hero. RIP.

[Special K]

Wow, that story brought tears to my eyes. I am always grateful for the service of our men and women, but today reminds me more than ever of how much so many people have sacrificed for this country and how blessed I am to live here.

[MissU28]

That's awesome...

I'm currently reading "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell. Those Navy SEALS are incredible.

[Special K]

That's awesome...

I'm currently reading "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell. Those Navy SEALS are incredible.

I just saw an interview with Luttrell on YouTube after watching the video of Monsoor's funeral service. I'm definitely buying Luttrell's book to read on a flight next week.

[MissU28]

I just saw an interview with Luttrell on YouTube after watching the video of Monsoor's funeral service. I'm definitely buying Luttrell's book to read on a flight next week.

You will really like it...I've been recommending it to everyone, and I haven't even gotten halfway through yet! I just love reading his point of view on going through SEAL training.

I actually saw Luttrell last week...he threw the first pitch at the Padres game. It was really cool

[riggins44]

I've had the pleasure of knowing a couple Navy SEALS. They are quiet and humble, yet you can sense they are someone not to anger.

Great video and fitting tribute to a true American hero. Thanks Sarge.

[Special K]

You will really like it...I've been recommending it to everyone, and I haven't even gotten halfway through yet! I just love reading his point of view on going through SEAL training.

I actually saw Luttrell last week...he threw the first pitch at the Padres game. It was really cool

It's a 20-some hour flight, so think i'll be able to knock out a lot of it on the ride. But now that you've given it your kudos it makes me even more excited to hit Barnes and Noble and make sure have that as part of my inflight entertainment. It just shounds like an increbly entertaining and uplifting story. Thanks for your insight!

[Sarge]

It's a 20-some hour flight, so think i'll be able to knock out a lot of it on the ride. But now that you've given it your kudos it makes me even more excited to hit Barnes and Noble and make sure have that as part of my inflight intertainment. It just shounds like an increbly entertaining and uplifting story. Thanks for your insight!

You'll definately like it.

[Mass_SkinsFan]

RIP for a true American Hero. That's a spectacular story about what his brothers did with his coffin.

I have had the honor of meeting and speaking with several former US Navy SEALs in my life and they are among the most genuine hero's I've had the honor of meeting. Confident but not ****y. Knowing that they're the best and not having to prove it to every individual they meet. Truly these men are among the greatest warriors this country has ever had fight for our colors.

I'm currently in the middle of reading "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell. I highly recommend it to everyone.

[MissU28]

I'm currently in the middle of reading "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell. I highly recommend it to everyone.

you're too late, mass...i just recommended that three threads ago

[MissU28]

ok just finished this book. WOW. I had really enjoyed it when it was talking about the SEAL BUD/S training, but it just kept getting better and better. The book made me cry, it made me laugh, and it made me damn grateful to be a republican!!!

Marcus Luttrell just SMASHES libs and the liberal media in this book. Extremely patriotic and made me that much more thankful to those who serve.

[zoony]

That's awesome...

I'm currently reading "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell. Those Navy SEALS are incredible.

I grew up with LCDR Kristensen. He was the Seal Team's CO and the one who ordered the rescue mission to go in and get him. Instead of staying behind like most officers in his position would, he jumped on the chopper and paid the ultimate price when it was shot down.

We used to hang out almost every day after school... he was a bit older than me but he always hung out with me because he had a crush on my sister. It is strange to think back on those days... when we were shooting each other with bb guns and playing basketball or games like Axis & Allies... that someday that goofy overweight kid I knew named Erik would grow up to be a hulking Navy SEAL and die in a remote part of Afghanistan.

I saw him again just a few months before he was killed at my sister's wedding after several years of lost contact. We talked for a bit and caught up on old times... we both laughed about hunting turtles as kids... how random... If I'd known it was the last time I was ever going to see him I would have thought of something better to say to him. He certainly looked a lot different... but he was the same old Erik. Just one of the nicest most laid back guys you would ever hope to meet. And despite his enormous frame, probably the last person you'd suspect of being a SEAL. Just a class act and a gentlemen the entire way thru.

I've written about him before on the board but for some reason I'm always compelled to bring him up whenever I see discussion about that book.

RIP Erik. Still miss you brother.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/06/AR2005070600057.html

He was brainy and quirky, family and friends said, a versatile athlete who preferred to shine the spotlight on others rather than himself.

"He was never concerned about himself," Suzanne Kristensen of Washington said of her only child, Erik S. Kristensen. "He always put others first."

Kristensen, 33, a lieutenant commander in the Navy SEALs, was leading a mission to rescue other SEALs on June 28 when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by Afghan insurgents in Konar province. All 16 Navy and Army personnel aboard died.

Kristensen, whose father, Edward, is a retired Navy rear admiral, traveled widely with his family as a child, living in Japan, Guam and Washington, among other places. He considered the District his home, his mother said, and he graduated from Gonzaga College High School in 1990. He graduated in 1995 from the U.S. Naval Academy.

At Gonzaga, Kristensen won academic awards but never picked them up, his mother recalled. "He just wasn't a person who wanted the limelight on him," she said.

Kristensen, who played lacrosse at Gonzaga, also was an offensive and defensive tackle on the football team who earned the nickname Spider because he looked "kind of funny" when he crouched with his spindly legs in a four-point stance, recalled teammate Roman Oben, who plays for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League.

"He was a just really a nice guy, a solid individual," Oben said. "You always knew he was going to be doing something good with himself."

Another teammate, close friend Andy Battaile, said Kristensen was an outstanding student who "was very studious and would never act up in class. But he could ask a question that would make the professor laugh."

"He was big and imposing physically, but he was just a big, gentle giant with a kind and beautiful soul," said Battaile, who is director of admissions at Gonzaga. "He always had a smile on his face."

At the Naval Academy, Kristensen majored in English and rowed on the crew team. After graduation, he was commissioned an ensign and served in the engineering department of the USS Chandler in Everett, Wash.

In 1999, he began teaching English at the Naval Academy while attending graduate school at St. John's College in Annapolis.

The following year, at age 27, Kristensen's dream of becoming a Navy SEAL came to fruition. He was the oldest in his class to graduate from the program, his family said.

Christian Swezey, a close friend, said it was Kristensen's nature to consider others before himself.

Once, when the two were at a popular bar on Capitol Hill, an attractive waitress showed keen interest in Kristensen, recalled Swezey, a copy editor and sports writer at The Washington Post.

"I said, 'She really likes you,' " Swezey said. "But [he] wanted me to feel good and said, 'No, she really likes you.' "

Kristensen loved to read, friends said. "Moby-Dick" was his favorite book. He was a prolific writer who fired off well-crafted letters.

He also loved television, Swezey said -- so much so that he didn't own a TV set. "He didn't have a television because he watched it all the time when he got the chance," Swezey said.

Fluent in French, Kristensen was selected for a military program to attend graduate school at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris. He was to begin this fall.

"He believed deeply in defending the principles of our nation," Battaile said. "He kind of let his actions speak for himself."

Funeral services will be held July 19 at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel.

[MissU28]

I grew up with LCDR Kristensen. He was the Seal Team's CO and the one who ordered the rescue mission to go in and get him. Instead of staying behind like most officers in his position would, he jumped on the chopper and paid the ultimate price when it was shot down.

We used to hang out almost every day after school... he was a bit older than me but he always hung out with me because he had a crush on my sister. It is strange to think back on those days... when we were shooting each other with bb guns and playing basketball or games like Axis & Allies... that someday that goofy overweight kid I knew named Erik would grow up to be a hulking Navy SEAL and die in a remote part of Afghanistan.

I saw him again just a few months before he was killed at my sister's wedding after several years of lost contact. We talked for a bit and caught up on old times... we both laughed about hunting turtles as kids... how random... If I'd known it was the last time I was ever going to see him I would have thought of something better to say to him. He certainly looked a lot different... but he was the same old Erik. Just one of the nicest most laid back guys you would ever hope to meet. And despite his enormous frame, probably the last person you'd suspect of being a SEAL. Just a class act and a gentlemen the entire way thru.

I've written about him before on the board but for some reason I'm always compelled to bring him up whenever I see discussion about that book.

RIP Erik. Still miss you brother.

Great Post. I remember reading about Kristensen and looking at the picture where he's yelling on the beach and thinking, "he's hot" It was amazing to read about the 16 men that went after Marcus and how they didn't care about anything except for rescuing him. So noble and heroic.

Did you go to his funeral? Did you meet and talk to Marcus?

[zoony]

Great Post. I remember reading about Kristensen and looking at the picture where he's yelling on the beach and thinking, "he's hot" It was amazing to read about the 16 men that went after Marcus and how they didn't care about anything except for rescuing him. So noble and heroic.

Did you go to his funeral? Did you meet and talk to Marcus?

My sister and mom and dad all went, I had work obligations. Admiral Kristensen and his wife are good friends of my parents.

At the wedding all of the old women were fighting over who got to dance with him. I wish I could scan in some of the pictures I have from when we were kids... Erik was a pudgy kid with a size 14 shoe :laugh: . He used to drink 1/2 gallon of milk a day. I guess it's true what they say about drinking your milk though... he turned into a 6'5" behemoth. Same old Erik though... he hadn't changed a bit.