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The helicopter is similar to the one carrying a Navy SEAL team to Takur Ghar . Kerrey was born on Aug. 27, 1943, in Lincoln . He was located closest to the egress route out of the sniper hide-sight watching for enemy activity through a tactical periscope over the parapet wall. 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. Murphy was born May 7, 1976, in Smithtown, New York. The small team of two Navy SEALs and three South Vietnamese commandos was discovered by a larger North Vietnamese Army force, and a fierce firefight ensued. The concussion from the round blew Thornton and Norris 20 feet (6.1m) into the air. After listening on the phone for another moment, he replied, Roger that, sir. They soon deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. After inflating his own vest, Thornton began swimming the two wounded men out to sea for rendezvous with their support craft. Mike was one of the bravest men on the battlefield, never allowing the enemy to discourage him. Amazingly, Norris was still alive. Retired Rank: Lieutenant An AK-47 round struck him in the back and burst through his chest. The U.S. Navy awarded Petty Officer Nguyen Van Kiet the Navy Cross, the only South Vietnamese Navy member to be so honored. Instead, he dropped onto the grenade to shield the others from the blast. Petty Officer Second Class Michael A. Monsoor, SEAL Team THREE. NHHC Naval History and Heritage Command AAPI Heritage Month Navy Fireman Second Class Telesforo de la Cruze Trinidad is the only Filipino to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Thirty minutes after he had acted to save the lives of those with him, 25-year-old Michael Monsoor died. Special Forces Before entering politics, he served in the Vietnam War as a United States Navy SEAL officer and was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism . - December 29, 2011, The U.S. Navy Medal of Honor. [4], For the next four hours, the five men held off an enemy force estimated at 150 strong. Jeffrey Taylor was killed during an operation to attempt to rescue a four-man SEAL team tasked with finding a key Taliban leader in the mountainous terrain near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Global War on Terrorism, 2001-Present. Medal of Honor recipient Sen. Robert Kerrey addresses SEAL Qualification Training Class 342 during the class' graduation, April 30, 2020. Pierce. Born on March 23, 1949, in Greenville, South Carolina, Thornton graduated from high school in 1967 and enlisted in the United States Navy later that year in Spartanburg. Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor was the only one who could have escaped harm. Thornton received a commission in 1982 as a limited duty officer and retired from the navy as a lieutenant in 1992. The SEALs stopped their descent only long enough to return fire and try to communicate with Bagram [a U.S. base and airfield in Afghanistan]. He attended Catholic Mass devotionally before operations, and often spoke lovingly of his family - his older brother, a police officer and former Marine for whom he held great respect; his sister, a nurse; and his younger brother, a college football player. When Murphy, Luttrell, and Axelson reached their latest defensive position, Murphy took out his Iridium satellite phone. Vietnam War, 1956-1973. 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. On 15 operations, he carried a rucksack full of communications equipment in addition to his machinegun and full ammunition load-out. You must wear it for others., Ultimately, Kerreys right foot had to be amputated. Described as the best of military memoirs and straight-talking self-help, according to its official website, The Way Forward will shift between the perspective of Robert ONeill and Dakota Meyer as they ruminate on their time in the military, and offer some lessons learned along the way all of which is pretty standard fare for a memoir. After a deployment with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 1999, Byers was accepted to attend Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. Upon learning that the Senior Advisor had been hit by enemy fire and was believed to be dead, PO Thornton returned through a hail of fire to the lieutenants last position; quickly disposed of two enemy soldiers about to overrun the position, and succeeded in removing the seriously wounded and unconscious Senior Naval Advisor to the waters edge. Joseph Robert Bob Kerrey, Lt. Thomas R. Norris, Petty Officer (later Lt.) Michael E. Thornton, Lt. Michael P. Murphy, and Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor. It also slowed the advance of the enemy troops, and Thornton picked up Norris who he discovered was just barely alive. Medal of Honor (2010)Medal of Honor: Warfighter With AK-47 bullets ricocheting around him, Murphy said, My men are taking heavy fire were getting picked apart. All Rights Reserved. SEAL Service: 25 years By his extraordinary courage and perseverance, PO Thornton was directly responsible for saving the life of his superior officer and enabling the safe extraction of all patrol members, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the U.S. I feel honored to represent them.. You must accept this award for everyone who should have been recognized but was not. Mike was also a SEAL communicator. Petty Officer Second Class Michael E. Thornton, SEAL Team ONE. Home: Spartanburg, SC Country Whether Chapman was still alive when the SEALs departed the area has . U.S. Navy photo. Oh, and theres the congressional run he hinted at on Twitter. He is also the only recipient in over a century to save the life of another Medal of Honor recipient - SEAL Lieutenant Thomas Norris - who had performed heroic, lifesaving actions . Monsoors assignment was to serve as the machine gunner for a combined-force team of four SEALs and eight Iraqi army soldiers tasked to serve as a sniper overwatch element guarding the western flank of a unit sweeping the area. Theirs was a special reconnaissance mission aimed at locating Ahmad Shah, who led a guerrilla group called the Mountain Tigers and was aligned with the Taliban and other militant groups operating close to the Pakistani border. One of the first Black Marines, 100-year-old veteran Lee Vernon Newby Jr., has been denied the honor of a Purple Heart. The patrol called in naval gunfire support and then engaged the enemy in a fierce firefight, accounting for many enemy casualties before moving back to the waterline to prevent encirclement. Thornton served aboard destroyers as a gunner's mate apprentice until November 1968, when he attended United States Navy SEAL selection and training at Coronado, California. Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a SEAL from Patchogue, N.Y., was killed during a reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan, June 28, 2005, while leading a four-man team tasked with finding a key Taliban leader. Murphy was accepted into a few law schools, but he decided on a different path he wanted to become a Navy SEAL. Norris attempted to call in the Vietnamese junk boats, one of which had a mortar on board, but the destroyers forbid them from entering the line of fire. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 29 September 2006. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while participating in a daring operation against enemy forces. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. Pharmacist's Mate First Class Francis J. Michael Edwin Thornton (born March 23, 1949) is a retired United States Navy SEAL and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Vietnam War. He placed him in a small, confined sniper hide-sight between two SEAL snipers on an outcropping of the roof, which allowed the three SEALs maximum coverage of the area. Britt Slabinski, a former leader of Navy SEAL Team 6, received the Medal of Honor for valor in a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan. One of the Vietnamese was shot in the buttocks and couldn't swim, so Thornton grabbed him as well and pushed both of them out to sea. Chris Kyle. Thornton bandaged Norris' wound as well as he could and swam for about three hours. After the successful rescue of Dr. Joseph, Byers noticed Nicolas Checque had been wounded during the firefight and attempted to resuscitate him, but Checque would eventually succumb to his wounds. After a difficult hike to the target, Byers' SEAL team reached the compound where they believed Dr. Dilip Joseph was being held.Following closely behind Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas Checque, Byers entered the compound, shooting dead an armed Taliban fighter and engaging others in fierce hand-to-hand combat. But perhaps one of the most well-known titles he holds is that of Medal of Honor recipient for his service as a Navy SEAL during the Vietnam War. On July 2, 2005, U.S. forces were able to rescue him all thanks to that call Murphy made. On the night of April 13, after receiving updated directions from a Forward Air Controller who had identified Hambletons location, Norris and LDNN Petty Officer Nguyen Van Kiet, dressed as local fishermen, got into a sampan and headed upriver. The act to establish the country's first medal for military valorthe Navy Medal of Honorpassed on 21 December 1861. The grenade hit Monsoor in the chest before falling to the ground. http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/tho0bio-1, Medal of Honor Recipients of the U.S. Navy in Vietnam: A photo composite showing Navy SEAL veteran Robert O'Neill along with Marine Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer and their upcoming book "The Way Forward.". The only solace that might have been gained from it was that, during the battle, the four men on the ground took out about 35 Taliban fighters. He reported that the two Americans were dead, which was relayed to the Newport News. His parents received it from President George W. Bush during a White House ceremony on Oct. 22, 2007. The havoc brought to the enemy by this very successful mission cannot be over-estimated. The enemy soldiers who were captured provided critical intelligence to the allied effort. The second time they found themselves cut off by an enemy unit with a heavy machine gun. The U.S. Navy had three Medal of Honor recipients during Operation Enduring Freedom, all Navy SEALS, Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, Senior . Quickly they got him into the sampan and hid him under some bamboo. U.S. Navy Recipients ANTRIM, RICHARD NOTT, Commander, U.S. The night of March 14 was dark, one of the darkest nights we had in Vietnam, he recalled, which greatly aided them in landing on the island, climbing a 350-foot cliff, and approaching the enemy camp without detection. U.S. Navy photo. He took mentoring sessions at the U.S. U.S. Navy SEALs Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy, left, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson take a break while in Afghanistan. Age: 23 Michael enlisted in the U.S. Navy March 21, 2001, and attended Basic Training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. Motto My guys are dying out here we need help.. They were picked up and then transported to the Newport News. If You Want to Change the World. Lt. MASTER-AT-ARMS SECOND CLASS (SEA, AIR AND LAND) MICHAEL A. MONSOOR, MA2 MICHAEL A. MONSOOR, USN with sailors on his tour. During Operation Kentucky Jumper, a combined Coalition battalion clearance and isolation operation in southern Ar Ramadi, he served as automatic weapons gunner in a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army (IA) sniper overwatch element positioned on a residential rooftop in a violent sector and historical stronghold for insurgents. The SEALs goal was to reach the village in the valley far below and turn a hut into a fortress where they would fight off Shah and his men until reinforcements arrived. But Monsoors body had absorbed most of the blast. 2. Pierce earned his Medal of Honor at the Battle of Iwo Jima. They were SEALs, but they were not supermen. SEAL Petty Officer Second Class Michael E. 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On Oct. 22, 2007, in a ceremony in front of his parents, President George W. Bush posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Lt. Michael P. Murphy. In response to his rescue call, a MH-47 Chinook helicopter with eight more SEALs and eight Army special operators was sent in to extract the four men. In the early afternoon, enemy fighters attacked his position with automatic weapons fire from a moving vehicle. 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. 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. Michael Patrick Murphy (May 7, 1976 - June 28, 2005) was a United States Navy SEAL officer who was awarded the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the War in Afghanistan. He has 160 confirmed kills and was awarded the Silver Star, three Bronze Star Medals with "V" devices for valor, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with "V . On June 27, 2005, Murphy took part in Operation Red Wings as the leader of a special reconnaissance team. The SEAL lieutenant in charge repositioned his men, placing Monsoor with his heavy machine gun on the roof outcrop that overlooked the most likely avenue of attack. Aside from his role in the Bin Laden raid, ONeill reportedly took part in more than 400 missions during his 16 years in the Navy. This article first appeared in Navy Seals 50: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the U.S. Navy SEALs. Shortly after getting that news, he was in San Diego visiting his platoon that had just returned from Vietnam, and told them of his reluctance to accept the medal. He moved out from protective cover and in plain sight of the enemy hit the speed-dial button on the phone. Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward C. Byers Jr. delivers remarks during his Hall of Heroes induction ceremony Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at the Pentagon Auditorium. Grafitti on building walls boasted that it was the graveyard of the Americans.. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENT'S POSITION. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while participating in a daring operation against enemy forces. Slabinski was awarded the Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump during a White House ceremony. But it has renewed questions over what exactly happened. He will receive the award for his actions in Ar . The patrol called in naval gunfire support and then engaged the enemy in a fierce firefight, accounting for many enemy casualties before moving back to the waterline to prevent encirclement. Of the 258 Medals of Honor awarded since the SEALs were authorized 50 years ago, five members of this special operations community have received Americas highest decoration for military valor in combat three for action in the Vietnam War and one each for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. But instead of being asleep, the second group was moving, and the two sides spotted each other almost simultaneously. BUD/S Class: A native of South Carolina, Mike enlisted in the United States Navy in 1967. A mutually supporting SEAL/IA position also killed an enemy fighter during the morning hours. Luttrells last sight of Axelson was of him using his sidearm; Axelson had three magazines left for his pistol. Dan and Maureen Murphy, the parents of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, sit next to Navy Sec. On the night of April 12, Norris, together with the remaining three LDNNs, attempted to reach Hambleton. BENNION, MERVYN SHARP (posthumous), Captain, U.S. Navy, USS West . United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient (born 1949), For other people named Michael Thornton, see, United States Navy SEAL selection and training, Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia, List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War, "Michael Thornton Biography and Interview", "Medal of Honor Recipients Vietnam War (MZ)", United States Army Center of Military History, "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "Lt. Michael E. Thornton, USN Biography Photo", Interview with Michael Thornton and Thomas Norris, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_E._Thornton&oldid=1143450097, United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War, United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War, Native American United States military personnel, Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam), United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients, Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor, Recipients of the Humanitarian Service Medal, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 7 March 2023, at 20:17. "[4], For these actions, Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon during a ceremony at the White House on October 15, 1973. Over the years, a crossfit-style workout became a popular challenge among fitness buffs to do on Memorial Day to honor fallen service members. (j.g.) Joseph Robert Kerrey (born August 27, 1943) is an American politician who served as the 35th governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 1989 to 2001. United States of America Of the 258 Medals of Honor awarded since the SEALs were authorized 50 years ago, five members of this special operations community have received America's highest decoration for military valor in combat - three for action in the Vietnam War and one each for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. But they were in a communications dead zone, unable to establish two-way contact. Ola L. Mize U.S. Army Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr. VIETNAM Interim Period, 1919-1940. U.S. Navy photo. The White House, presented by Pres. He then got on his radio and coordinated supporting cross fire from the SEAL element guarding the prisoners. In the morning, his team observed four enemy fighters armed with AK-47s reconnoitering from roads in the sector to conduct follow-on attacks. Asked if he was scared when saving his friend he replied. Receiving the Medal of Honor is an exceptional and rare honor that very few Americans have earned. Though he carried himself in a calm and composed fashion, he constantly led the charge to bring the fight to the enemy. One of those attempts had resulted in a second airman, Lt. Mark Clark (contrary to some accounts, no relation to the World War II general), needing rescue as well, and the calling off of further aerial efforts. Though the SEALs and Iraqis successfully repulsed the assault, they knew the insurgents would follow up with additional attacks. He then inflated the lieutenant's lifejacket and towed him seaward for approximately 2 hours until picked up by support craft. Meritorious Service Medal Meanwhile, Shah used his advantage in superior numbers and high ground to keep up constant pressure. (j.g.) Lieutenant Thornton retired in 1992. At one point during the call, he was shot in the back and dropped the transmitter. Before Norris or Thornton could stop him, the South Vietnamese commander ordered two of his commandos to capture the patrol. CNN's Jason Carroll interviews Newby and his family as they share their story. He is survived by his mother Sally, his father George, his sister Sara, and his two brothers James and Joseph. Asian-Americans in the U.S. Military with an Emphasis on the U.S. Navy. The Navy SEAL who fired the shots that killed Osama Bin Laden and the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War are writing a self-help book. Petty Officer Monsoor entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., and subsequently graduated with Class 250 on Sept. 2, 2004 as one of the top performers in his class. NOTICE: Security, privacy, and administrative . His calls weren't going through, though, likely because of the remote terrain. He was a loyal friend and exceptional SEAL, and he is sorely missed by his brothers in Task Unit Bravo. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. An insurgent closed in and threw a fragmentation grenade into the overwatch position. Lt. On April 8, 2008, at a White House ceremony in front of his parents, President George W. Bush posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Petty Officer Second Class Michael A. Monsoor. Throughout history, some Sailors were awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross. Rank: Petty Officer Second Class The 2005 firefight was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II. Michael Anthony Monsoor (April 5, 1981 - September 29, 2006) was a United States Navy SEAL who was killed during the Invasion of Iraq and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Utilizing his radioman, Lt. (j.g.) [6] Thornton later became a commissioned officer in June 1982 and retired as a lieutenant in 1992. He was awarded the medal for saving the life of his senior officer, Lieutenant Thomas R. Norris, who also earned the Medal of Honor in an unrelated incident. As he prepared to fire a LAW rocket at a group of 70 to 75 North Vietnamese troops attacking his position, he was severely wounded by a round through his head. You must wear it for others.. Monsoor was just a couple of steps away from the exit door. Dakota and I have a book coming out soon. Only 3,500 troops have received the military's highest award for valor under fire since it was created in 1862. The trios ordeal lasted hours. They found large numbers of bunker complexes and heavy concentrations of North Vietnamese troops. Medal of Honor . Norris, on the night of 10 April, led a five-man patrol through 2,000 meters of heavily controlled territory, located one of the downed pilots at daybreak, and returned to the Forward Operating Base (FOB). Shrapnel from the explosion hit the two SEALs closest to him, wounding them. Marc Anderson and Army Sgt. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. THE ENEMY CONTINUED TO ASSAULT THE ELEMENT, ENGAGING THEM WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. Naval Service. Chapman was awarded the Air Force Cross in 2003 for the action depicted in the video, which was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2018. In April 1972, the South Vietnamese military launched the Easter Offensive, the largest combined arms operation of the entire Vietnam War, with U.S. aircraft supporting their Vietnamese allies. Clarks trip to the pick-up point was a harrowing one. The team stealthily entered the enemy base and quickly discovered that instead of being in the Cua Viet River base, they were dropped north of the Demilitarized Zone border separating South and North Vietnam, and that they were reconnoitering a large NVA base! He was the last Congressional Medal of Honor recipient on active duty at that time. Error: You Might Also Like is currently unavailable. Mike and his platoon operated in a highly contested part of Ramadi city called the Ma'laab district. Vietnamese Service Medal with one Silver Star and two Bronze Stars. The operation claimed the lives of 11 Navy SEALs and eight Army special operations soldiers. Among other provisions, the law made clear that only enlisted personnel"petty officers, seamen, landsmen and marines"were eligible for this award for . Joseph Robert Bob Kerrey, SEAL Team ONE. Michael Thornton was a Navy SEAL and was awarded the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the war in Vietnam. U.S. Navy SEALs On his last tour to Vietnam, at the age of 23, Thornton heroically saved the life of his senior officer on an intelligence gathering and prisoner capture operation. Him into the overwatch medal of honor recipients navy seals him seaward for approximately 2 hours until picked Norris! May 7, 1976, in Lincoln a rucksack full of communications equipment in addition to his and. 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