SEAL falls on grenade to save comrades (Ramadi, Iraq)

[Barrett808]

SEAL falls on grenade to save comrades
By THOMAS WATKINS, Associated Press Writer

CORONADO, Calif. - 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.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061013/ap_on_re_us/navy_seal_killed

[BOSSHOG]

1. And my Shipmate Monsoor was sent to ramadi

by a man who deserted his military unit to avoid a drug test. No doubt bush supporters are so proud.

[CottonBear]

2. What a brave, brave man.

:cry: RIP Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor.

[malmapus]

3. Looking out for his buds, fuck you Bush for putting him in that position

Godspeed PO2 Monsoor

[ChairmanAgnostic]

30. I only wish we could use psychic powers to make that SOB understand

what just happened. One man cared for his brothers in arms, and died. One man smirks at sending real men into battle, then cuts their medical protection afterwards.
Damn that SOB.

[Copperred]

4. Pretty Amazing......by the sound of his last name I think he was

Arab-American

[sofa king]

48. Or French-American

Some of those clerks at Ellis Island were notoriously bad spellers.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. RIP PO2 Monsoor

and I hope he is put in for the CMH.

[lpbk2713]

9. What he did and how he died seems to meet the criteria

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/navawards/blmoh.htm">Here




I'm sure his family would rather have him over any medal though.

[xultar]

6. Now that man is a hero. Sad Bush claims to be one. RIP Sailor.

[w4rma]

7. Another good man dead and gone from public service. (nt)

[Jackpine Radical]

8. Diving on a grenade like that is a pretty sure ticket to 2 things:

Instant death and a Medal of Honor.

So sad.
So useless for them all to have been in harm's way in the first place.
I'm brought to tears once again for young people I never knew.

[Tesha]

11. You know, though, it's probably a rational decision.

You know, though, it's probably a rational decision.

You are faced with a choice: Massive, likely permanent
disabling personal injury from the grenade *AND* the
massive, likely disabling injury to the folks around you,

- OR -

A relatively quick and probably less-painful death
for yourself while saving the others from most harm.

I'd like to believe that if I were in that situation,
I'd do it.

I also really really hope I'm never faced with
the decision.

Tesha

[aquart]

18. Maybe he thought about.

Time almost stands still in those moments. I suspect he was already on the grenade before he really thought about it.

[Tesha]

32. I'll bet that's the sort of decision that folks in this situation...

I'll bet that's the sort of decision that folks in this situation
have already agonized over again and again and again.

Tesha

[Renew Deal]

16. The true tragedy of this war.

Is the absolutely wonderful, brilliant, brave, and idealistic people that are dying senselessly and needlessly.

[Renew Deal]

10. Wow. I bet he'll get a Medal of Honor.

:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:

[AnneD]

38. That thought crossed my mind when I read the story...

It goes to the bravest of the brave. He qualifies on all accounts. God rest his soul and give peace to his family. He who save one person saves the world.


FYI it is the only medal that is not pinned to the uniform but worn around the nect.

[MemphisTiger]

12. Wow, now that is bravery

RIP friend

[lpbk2713]

13. This highlights a shameful contradiction on the part of the rethugs.

PO2 Michael Monsoor will be forgotten by most people who read his name in the headlines after a few days. And it was just a few days ago the Bush crime syndicate was present at the christening of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier named after Boosh #41. The same Boosh who ditched his own aircraft to save his own ass while telling his crew 'the hell with you'.

[TacticalPeek]

14. Special operations medicine.

I'm sure other lives were saved in an enclosed area.


:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[bluestateguy]

15. Congressional Medal of Honor

No bureaucratic paper pushing.

[KansDem]

21. And a ship named after him...

My dad served on the USS Bausell during Korea. It was named after Cpl. Bausell, who gave his life during similar circumstances.

I was always proud that my dad served on a ship named after a true American hero and patriot.



This SEAL deserves no less...

[Jim Stark]

17. A true hero n/t

[Barrett808]

20. Welcome to DU, Jim!

:hi:

[patrick t. cakes]

19. hey george

THATS a true patriot.
a REAL hero.

you sir are a CLOWN.
you awol piece of filth.


r.i.p. MR.Monsoor:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[NorthernSpy]

22. "Greater love hath no man than this...

... that he lay down his life for his friends"

(From the Book of John, I think)

[BlueEyedSon]

23. And for what?

:cry:

[Hepburn]

24. I knew someone...

...who was sent to Vietnam and he did this exact same thing to save his buddies when a live grenade landed in their group. He lost his life and was awarded the the Medal of Honor posthumously. Matter of fact, he is the reason I first became anti-war. His bravery inspired me to see if there was anything I could do so that no other young person gave his life in a war.

I has been nearly 40 years since he died. About two years ago, I went to a funeral in a National Cemetery. There was a Medal of Honor Memorial there. I found his name and I rubbed it with a piece of paper and a pencil. I stood there, at that wall of the memorial where his name was engraved, and cried just like the day I cried when I learned he had died. I am sitting here as I write this post and I am crying. War simply is not the answer.

PEACE....

[Blue Diadem]

50. He is a hero too

just like the young man in the article. Your post and the news article have both brought me to tears.

I agree my friend, war is not the answer.

:hug:

[RobertSeattle]

25. W would have covered his ears

[Lisa]

26. and he likely would have bolted out the door

The article info did say that Mr. Monsoor was the closest one to the exit. In his place, I suspect that Bush would simply have fled the scene and left his colleagues to cope.

[central scrutinizer]

27. But you can bet he will use this somehow

Bring the family to the White House and hide behind them while he blathers some bullshit about freedom and terra

[lumberjack_jeff]

51. He would have looked around for someone else to throw on the grenade

[NorthernSpy]

28. d'you suppose the Westboro Baptist Church fundies will picket his funeral?

Bet they're waiting for the where/when announcement with bated breath. No way would they miss such a chance to offend the respectful and crush the grieving.

:puke:

[krispos42]

31. Only if they want to be bludgeoned with flagpoles

The Patriot Guard Riders won't take kindly to that at all.

[fedupwithbush]

37. That's one reason I'm proud

to live in Mulvane, Kansas, the start of the Patriot Guard. We're not all monsters here in Kansas.

[michreject]

40. Patriot Guard Riders are not violent

We're there to shield the family of the protests. We turn our back to protesters.

Rest easy sailor.

[NorthernSpy]

41. it's nice of you to do that

:yourock:

[michreject]

42. Thanks

22 funerals so far

[krispos42]

46. I know they are not. They are, after all, moral. Unlike the fundies.

But, damn, doing that to a Medal of Honor winner... makes me half-wish the Westboro assholes would throw a punch and start a riot so that they DO get there asses handed to them by a bunch of angry patriots.

It's this kind of First Amemendment problem that makes me grit my teeth!!!

[krispos42]

29. RIP, PO2nd Monsoor

May your lie among friends forever.

[Hosnon]

33. Amazing sacrifice...impressive to say the least. nt

[Rex]

34. RIP sailor

:patriot:

[Lars39]

35. I can't help but wonder what tour # he was on.

He would seem to be the kind of person to re-up to go back to protect his fellow marines. :cry:

[Rex]

36. He saved his troops lives.

A huge loss to the SEALs. :(

[puerco-bellies]

39. Rest easy shipmate.

Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling,
The darling of our crew;
No more he'll hear the tempest howling,
For death has broach'd him to:
His form was of the manliest beauty,
His heart was kind and soft.
Faithful, below, he did his duty,
And now he's gone aloft,
And now he's gone aloft.

Tom never from his word departed,
His virtues were so rare,
His friends were many, and true-hearted,
His Poll was kind and fair:
And then he'd sing so blithe and jolly -
Ah! many's the Time and oft -
But mirth is turn'd to melancholy,
For Tom is gone aloft,
For Tom is gone aloft.

Yet shall poor Tom find pleasant weather,
When He, who all commands,
Shall give, to call life's crew together,
The word to pipe all hands:
Thus death, who Kings and tars dispatches,
In vain Tom's life has doff'd,
For though his body's under hatches,
His soul has gone aloft,
His soul has gone aloft.

Charles Dibdin - 1789

[bling bling]

43. What an extraordinary young man. A hero by any standards.

Literally sacrificing his life to save the lives of others. That's a powerful way to go out of this world.

My sympathies to his friends and family. What an incredible person they've lost.

Why are we doing this to our children? Or rather, why are we ALLOWING the chickenhawk oil thugs to put our children in harms way for $$$$$$$$$. This administration belongs behind bars. They're the biggest threat right now to our society, our children, and our way of life.

[krkaufman]

44. All in a fight that's creating more terrorists, more civilian deaths ...

... and diverting our resources from those who attacked us on 9/11, hiding somewhere in the Pakistan mountains.

[Stockholm]

45. A hero by any nations standards!

Sad...

[robcon]

47. A high school acquaintance of mine did the same thing...

in Vietnam. Sacrificed his life for his buddies. A real hero.

[OKNancy]

49. I looked for a photo of this young man - found this

puts a face to the name


Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, center, sent this photo home from Iraq days before he died

[HeeBGBz]

52. What a handsome courageous man

Our loss, once again.