MIKE MONSOORApril 5th, 1981 ~ September 29th, 2006
Navy Petty Officer
PO2 (Petty Officer, Second Class) EOD2 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Second Class)
Mike Monsoor, was awarded the Congressional medal Of Honor last week. He gave his life in Iraq, as he jumped on, and covered a live hand grenade with his body. The live hand grenade was accidentally dropped by a Navy Seal. Mike Monsoor’s action saved the lives of a large group of Navy Seals that were passing by.
During Mike Monsoor's funeral at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery , in San Diego , California, the six pallbearers removed the rosewood casket from the hearse, and lined up on each side of Mike Monsoor's casket, where 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 did not know at the time was that every Navy Seal (45 to be exact, which Mike Monsoor saved that day, was scattered throughout the column. Every Navy Seal.
As the pallbearers carried the rosewood casket down the column of people to the grave side, 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 uniform, and slap it down hard, causing the gold trident pin to embed itself into the top of the rosewood casket. Then the Navy Seal would step back from the column, and salute.
A Trident pin is earned by a Navy Seal after one completes the basic Navy Seals Program, which lasts for three weeks, and then 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 they are awarded The Navy Seal Trident pin. With this gold pin, they are now officially recognized as a Navy Seal.
It was said that you could hear each of the 45 slaps of each pin being embedded into the casket lid from across the cemetery. By the time the rosewood casket reached the grave site, it looked as though it had a gold inlay from the 45 Trident pins that lined the top.
This was a fitting tribute during an eternal send-off for a Warrior and War Hero.
The news of Mike Monsoor being awarded the Congressional Medal Of Honor last week, should have made the news media ‘front and center’ attention. However takes journalism of a the same kind of caliber to deliver that type of news, and unfortunately, the standards have fallen greatly. It's that type of journalism that keeps our Nation's priorities in order. We obviously do not have that type of responsible journalism on a 24/7 basis, like we expect our National Defense to be ready to perform.
Congratulations and thank you Mike Monsoor for your honor and service to the United States Of America and It's Citizens. We also thank your loved ones and pray for them. We humbly pray, as American citizens, for your help in your eternal glory.
