I wrote this editorial for our April 8 edition.
At 2:15 p.m. today President Bush will welcome the family of Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor into one of the White House's opulent rooms and present them with the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Monsoor, a member of the U.S. Navy's elite SEAL Teams, won't be there to accept our nation's highest military honor for bravery. He was killed in Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 29, 2006, in an action that saved the lives of three fellow SEALs.
Monsoor wasn't from the Uintah Basin. So why dedicate space in a newspaper that covers a rural part of eastern Utah to a man whom none of our readers are likely to know? Because we think it's important to be reminded of the courage that Monsoor and the countless men and women in uniform like him display on a daily basis in defense of our basic freedoms.
So here is a little background on our country's 3,466th Congressional Medal of Honor winner.
He was a native of Garden Grove, Calif., who played high school football, enjoyed snowboarding, and drove a Corvette. He made it into the SEALs on his second try after a broken heel forced him to drop out of the special operations unit's grueling training course the first time. He was also a loyal friend; a quiet, dedicated professional; and someone who always had something funny to say, his colleagues told the media.
At the time of his death, Monsoor had already been recommended for the Silver Star – the nation's third-highest commendation for valor in the face of the enemy. The honor, which was also bestowed posthumously, was earned when Monsoor charged into an Iraqi street to rescue a wounded comrade as insurgents traded gunfire with his teammates.
He had also earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a Combat Action Ribbon.
During the fight that claimed his life, Monsoor was providing protection for three other SEALs who were manning a rooftop sniper position when an insurgent threw a grenade that struck the 25-year-old in the chest and bounced to the floor. Monsoor was near the roof's only exit.
"He never took his eye off the grenade, his only movement was down toward it," a 28-year-old lieutenant who sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs that day told the Associated Press. "He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs' lives, and we owe him."
Monsoor survived the blast and was evacuated to a field hospital, but died 30 minutes later. One other SEAL, besides the lieutenant, was injured. The fourth man in the room escaped harm.
Monsoor's Medal of Honor is only the fourth to be awarded during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He joins Army First Sgt. Paul Ray Smith (Iraq); Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham (Iraq); and fellow SEAL, Lt. Michael P. Murphy (Afghanistan); in this distinguished fraternity.
A quote often attributed to British author George Orwell advises that: "Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Whether Orwell ever uttered those precise words remains unresolved, but it doesn't demean their truth.
The sacrifice of the volunteers who wear our nation's uniform allow us the ability to live our lives in relative comfort, free from oppression, and capable of determining our own destiny. It is a sacrifice we must never take for granted.
