The Navy’s newest Zumwalt class missile destroyer has been christened the “Michael Monsoor” after the SEAL who won the Medal of Honor for his bravery in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006.
Monsoor earned the MOH for his actions on September 29, 2006. While positioned on a rooftop, an insurgent threw a grenade towards Monsoor and his fellow SEALs. He quickly jumped on top of the grenade, absorbing the resulting explosion and saving his fellow soldiers. Monsoor tragically died 30 minutes later.
In his honor, Monsoor’s mother was present at the christening and broke the bottle of champagne on the ship’s bow.
“DDG-1001 is an extremely capable and versatile ship with an incredible namesake,” Navy Secretary Janine Davidson said at the ceremony. “I have every confidence that the ship and crew will both live up to and honor Petty Officer Monsoor’s legacy as the ship’s motto implies: You Never Quit.”
According to Shadowspear, “Guided-missile destroyers are multi-mission surface combatants capable of conducting Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Anti-Surface Warfare. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups.”
The full original report on the new destroyer can be read on Shadowspear’s website here.
(H/T Shadowspear)
June 22nd, 2016