The US Navy has just set sail to their latest and most advanced destroyer ever. One of the three in the USS Zumwalt series will be named after a Lebanese-American Navy SEAL, Michael Mansour.
The USS Zumwalt is the largest and most technologically advanced destroyer in the US Navy’s fleet. Its design is quite striking with sharp angles and it’s weaponry hidden behind flat surfaces. The sharp angles make it very difficult to detect on radars, making it very stealthy.
The ship has its own electrical power system that generates enough electricity to power a small town. It’s also equipped with futuristic weapons, such as electronic rail guns and laser. The cost for all 3 of the Zumwalt-class ships totals $22.5 billion US dollars.
Who is Michael Mansour?
Michael is son of Lebanese-Irish George Paul Mansour, who also served in the United States military as a Marine. Michael was a Navy SEAL, which is one of the hardest divisions of the US Army to join.
They often do special operations like when they went after Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. Michael was serving in Iraq. His platoon was assigned to train Iraqi soldiers in Ramadi. They were often engaged in combat with enemy forces.
On September 29, 2006, an insurgent threw a grenade onto a rooftop where Michael and several other SEALs and Iraqi soldiers were positions. Michael quickly jumped on the grenade with his body, absorbing the explosion and saving his comrades from dying. He literally took a grenade for them. Michael died about 30 minutes later from seriou
s wounds by the grenade explosion. He was only 25 years old
Michael’s Legacy
In 2011, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs honored Monsoor by naming one of the first three named streets at Miramar National Cemetery after him.
USS Michael Monsoor:
The ship named after him.
There is a U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps unit named the “Michael A. Monsoor Battalion” based in Camp Pendleton, California. The unit symbol is composed of Petty Officer Monsoor’s Medal of Honor, SEAL Trident, and Master-at-Arms shield. Everyone in the unit knows Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor’s career history and shares it with all new cadets.
Michael’s Awards
In 2008, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor which was presented to his parents by George W. Bush. A few months later, the Secretary of the Navy announced that one of the three Zumwalt ships will be named Michael Mansour in his honor. In just 5 years of military service, Michael was ranked Master-at-Arms Second Class and had received the following awards:
- Medal of Honor
- Silver Star Medal
- Bronze Star Medal (Combat Distinguishing Device)
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
