USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001)

USS MICHAEL MONSOOR is the second of three guided missile destroyers newly developed for the US Navy. These ships are multi-mission ships with the focus on land attack. Their unique design aims on a low radar profile. The MICHAEL MONSOOR is the frist ship in the Navy to bear the name. At a cost of more than $4 billion per unit, these ships were designed around their two Advanced Gun Systems (AGS) using Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) ammunition. The problem: the AGS can only fire LRLAP ammunition and after the Navy's decision to build only three ZUMWALT-class ships, the cost for a single round of the new LRLAP went up to $800,000 to $1 million. As a consequence, the Navy halted its procurement of the LRLAP in November 2016, leaving the AGS unusable due to the lack of ammunition.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: February 14, 2008
	Keel laid: May 23, 2013
	Launched: June 20, 2016
	Commissioned: January 26, 2019
	Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
	Propulsion system: two Rolls-Royce Marine Trent-30 gas turbines, two Rolls-Royce RR4500 gas turbine generator sets
	Propellers: two
	Length: 600 feet (182.9 meters)
	Beam: 80.7 feet (24.6 meters)
	Draft: 27.6 feet (8.4 meters)
	Displacement: 14,564 tons
	Speed: 30+ knots
	Aircraft: two SH-60 helicopters or one MH-60 helicopter or three MQ-3 Fire Scout Drones
	Armament: 20 Mk-57 VLS modules (with four cells each), two 155mm Advanced Gun Systems, two Mk-46 30mm guns
	Crew: 175 including aviation detachment
	Homeport: San Diego, Calif.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS MICHAEL MONSOOR. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

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Click here to see which USS MICHAEL MONSOOR memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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About the Ship's Namesake:

Petty Officer Second Class Michael Anthony Monsoor was born April 5, 1981 in Long Beach, Calif. Michael grew up in Garden Grove, Calif., as the third of four children of George and Sally Monsoor. He has an older brother James and older sister Sara, and a younger brother Joseph.

Michael attended Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate School and Garden Grove High School where he played tight end on the Argonaut football team and graduated in 1999. An incredible athlete, Mike enjoyed snowboarding, body boarding, spear fishing, motorcycle riding, and driving his Corvette. His quiet demeanor and dedication to his friends matched the “Silent Warrior” SEAL mentality that was to become his calling in life.

Michael enlisted in the U.S. Navy on March 21, 2001, and attended Basic Training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. 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.

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. After BUD/S, he completed advanced SEAL training courses including parachute training at Basic Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga., cold weather combat training in Kodiak, Alaska, and six months of SEAL Qualification Training in Coronado, graduating in March 2005. The following month, his rating changed from Quartermaster to Master-at-Arms, and he was assigned to SEAL Team 3 Delta Platoon. He deployed with his platoon to Iraq in April 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was assigned to Task Unit Bravo in Ar Ramadi.

From April to Sept. 29, 2006, Mike served as a heavy weapons machine gunner in Delta Platoon, SEAL Team 3. During combat patrols he walked behind the platoon point man with his Mk 48 machinegun so that he could protect his platoon from a frontal enemy attack. Mike was also a SEAL communicator. On 15 operations, he carried a rucksack full of communications equipment in addition to his machinegun and full ammunition load-out. Collectively it weighed more than 100 pounds. He bore the weight without a single complaint, even in the midst of the 130 degree Western Iraqi summer.

Mike and his platoon operated in a highly contested part of Ramadi city called the Ma’laab district. During their deployment, Mike and his fellow SEALS came under enemy attack on 75 percent of their missions. On May 9, 2006, Mike rescued a SEAL who was shot in the leg. He ran out into the street with another SEAL, shot cover fire and dragged his comrade to safety while enemy bullets kicked up the concrete at their feet. For this brave action, he earned a Silver Star.

The enemy could not deter Michael and his SEAL platoon. They fought in 35 heated firefights; during these incidents Mike shot tens of thousands of 7.62 millimeter rounds to cover Delta Platoon’s movement through streets that seemed to be paved with fire. In the Ma’laab district, Michael perfected his skills as an urban machine gunner. Once he and his men established a sniper overwatch position, he deftly transitioned to his role as a SEAL communicator calling in tank support and transmitting enemy situation reports to the 1-506 PIR Commander.

Delta Platoon executed a broad spectrum of combat operations in and around Ramadi. They patrolled bravely through the city streets engaging in firefights while on other occasions, they ambushed insurgent mortar teams near the banks of the Euphrates River. Mike and his fellow SEALs accounted for 84 enemy fighters killed in action and the detainment of numerous insurgents. Most notably, the Army Infantry, Navy SEAL and Iraqi Army combined force helped to pacify the most violent city in Al Anbar province setting conditions for the Sunni Awakening.

Petty Officer Monsoor was subsequently awarded the Bronze Star as the Task Unit Ramadi, Iraq Combat Advisor from April to September 2006. His leadership, guidance and decisive actions during 11 different combat operations saved the lives of his teammates, other Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army soldiers.

Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor received the Medal of Honor posthumously in a ceremony at the White House April 8, 2008. He received the award for his actions in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on Sept. 29, 2006. On that day, Monsoor was part of a sniper overwatch security position with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi Army (IA) soldiers. An insurgent closed in and threw a fragmentation grenade into the overwatch position. The grenade hit Monsoor in the chest before falling to the ground. Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor was the only one who could have escaped harm. Instead, he dropped onto the grenade to shield the others from the blast. Monsoor died approximately 30 minutes later from wounds sustained from the blast. Because of Petty Officer Monsoor’s actions, he saved the lives of his 3 teammates and the IA soldiers.

He is survived by his mother Sally, his father George, his sister Sara, and his two brothers James and Joseph.

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USS MICHAEL MONSOOR Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MICHAEL MONSOOR under construction at Bath Iron Works in Maine on May 7, 2014.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MICHAEL MONSOOR under construction at Bath Iron Works in Maine on May 4, 2015.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MICHAEL MONSOOR at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 2, 2019.

The photos below were taken by Sebastian Thoma and show the MICHAEL MONSOOR (right) and her sistership ZUMWALT (DDG 1000) at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on November 29, 2021.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MICHAEL MONSOOR shortly after arriving at Portland, Or., for the Rose Festival on June 9, 2022.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning during an open ship event aboard USS MICHAEL MONSOOR during the Rose Festival at Portland, Or., on June 10, 2022.