PO2 Michael A. Monsoor
Rank and Organization: Master-at-Arms, Navy, SEAL. 
Place and date: Ar Ramadi, Iraq, 29 September 2006.
Entered service at: Garden Grove, CA.
Born: April 5th, 1981.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond 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 over-watch 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.
Navy SEAL, Medal of Honor Recipient, to be Inducted into the Hall of Heroes
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England will induct Medal of Honor recipient Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon in a ceremony April 9 at 2 p.m. EDT.
The White House announced Monday that Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat Sept. 26, 2006, while serving as an automatic weapons gunner in a Naval Special Warfare Unit in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
President Bush is expected to present the Medal of Honor to Petty Officer Monsoor's parents at a ceremony at the White House on April 8 at 3 p.m.
The Pentagon ceremony will add his name to the roster in the Hall of Heroes, the Defense Department's permanent display of record for all recipients of the Medal of Honor.
At 7 p.m. on the same day, Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, will present the Medal of Honor flag to Monsoon's parents in a ceremony at the Navy Memorial. Congress ordered the creation of the Medal of Honor flag to commemorate the sacrifice and blood shed for freedom.
Monsoor is the first Navy service member to receive the Medal of Honor for combat in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the second Navy service member and the fourth member of the armed services to receive the Medal of Honor for combat in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
SECNAV Names New Zumwalt-Class Destroyer USS Michael Monsoor
Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter announced last night at a Navy SEAL Warrior Fund Benefit Gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, the name of the newest Zumwalt-class Destroyer will be USS Michael Monsoor. Designated as DDG- 1001, the name 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, on Sept. 29, 2006.
Winter discussed the qualities, values, and dedication to duty that Navy SEAL's exemplify, including the extraordinary acts of Michael Monsoor.
"Tonight I would like to single out one of those heroes from the community of Navy SEAL's," Winter said. "Those who served with Michael Monsoor will remember him always as a consummate professional who faced terrorist enemies with aplomb and stoicism."
"The full extent of Michael's courage, gallantry, and self-less heroism were revealed on the 29th of September, in Ramadi. When his team was surprised by an enemy grenade, Michael could have escaped and saved himself," Winter said. "But he chose a different path, a path of honor that embodies the way of a Navy SEAL. For having chosen that path, Petty Officer Michael Monsoor joined the ranks of those who have earned our nation's highest distinction, the Medal of Honor."
Winter concluded that Michael Monsoor's heroism and self sacrifice for his teammates and his nation epitomize the Navy's core values, and will forever provide prideful admiration for our sailors.
"Michael Monsoor's name will now be linked with one of our nation's most visible examples of military power, a U.S. Navy warship," Winter said. "His legacy will inspire the hearts of future Sailors who serve on the ship that bears his name."
The USS Michael Monsoor will be a multi-mission surface combatant tailored for advanced land attack and littoral dominance. The ship's mission is to provide credible, independent forward presence and deterrence and to operate as an integral part of naval, joint or combined maritime forces.
The USS Michael Monsoor will be the 2nd Zumwalt-class destroyer. She will be 600 feet in length, have a beam of 80.7 feet, and displace approximately 15,000 tons. Michael Monsoor will have a crew size of 148 officers and sailors, he will make speed in excess of 30 knots.