Marcus Luttrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcus Luttrell
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Luttrell in 2007
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| Nickname(s) | "Southern Boy" "The One" "The Lone Survivor" |
| Born | November 7, 1975 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1999–2007 |
| Rank | Petty Officer First Class |
| Unit |  United States Navy SEALs• SEAL Team 5 • SEAL Team 10 • SDV Team 1 |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War • 2003 invasion of Iraq • Battle of Ramadi War in Afghanistan • Operation Red Wings (WIA) |
| Awards |  Navy Cross Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart |
| Spouse(s) |
Melanie Juneau
(m. 2010) |
| Relations | Morgan (twin brother) |
| Other work | Lone Survivor (2007) |
Marcus Luttrell (born November 7, 1975) is a retired United States Navy SEAL who received the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his actions in June 2005 against Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wings in which he was the lone survivor. Luttrell became an SO1 by the end of his eight-year career in the United States Navy.
Luttrell co-hosts After Action, a TV show in which former special operations veterans talk about issues in the United States. Glenn Beck is the executive producer of the show, which airs on TheBlaze.
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Early life and education
Luttrell was born in Houston, Texas, on November 7, 1975. He began training for the U.S. Navy SEALs at the age of 14, with U.S. Army veteran Billy Shelton, who lived near Luttrell's home. Luttrell trained every day with his twin brother, Morgan, and others who aspired to join the U.S Navy and other special operations forces. Shelton trained them using various weight and endurance exercises. After high school at Willis High School, Willis, Texas, Luttrell attended Sam Houston State University where he was a member of the Epsilon Zeta chapter of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. In 1998 he graduated with a B.S in International Business.
Career
Luttrell enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 1999. After graduating from boot camp and Hospital Corpsman A-school, he transferred to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Class 226. However, due to a fractured femur he suffered from falling off a rope, he graduated with Class 228 on April 21, 2000. After completing BUD/S, Luttrell attended Army jump school and SEAL Qualification Training (SQT). Luttrell earned his Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) 5326 Combatant Swimmer (SEAL) and Naval Special Warfare Insignia on February 2, 2001, after completing SQT. He was then sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for the Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) course. SOCM was an additional six months of advanced training in conventional and unconventional medical skills, ranging from diagnosis and treatment of many conditions to advanced emergency medicine and battlefield life support. He was deployed to Iraq with SEAL Team 5 on April 14, 2003, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, to root out and destroy leftover Iraqi resistance and joined in the search for WMDs. Afterward, he carried out operations to eliminate or capture terrorists.
He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2005 with SEAL Team Ten as part of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One (SDV-1). While in Afghanistan, he was involved in Operation Red Wings, during which the four-man Special Reconnaissance element with SDV-1 was noticed by local herdsmen. The team understood that the local herdsmen might reveal their whereabouts to Taliban fighters but also recognized that the herdsmen were unarmed and did not appear to be combatants. Despite the risk, the SEAL team allowed the herdsmen to leave. Soon thereafter, the SEAL team was ambushed, and only Luttrell survived. Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the operation.
The target of Operation Red Wings, Mohammad Ismail alias Ahmad Shah, survived the American operation but was killed during a firefight with Pakistani police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in April 2008.
After recovering from his injuries, Luttrell returned to full-duty and deployed to Ramadi during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006, as part of SEAL Team Five. Severe injuries ultimately led to his discharge.
In 2007, Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross by President Bush. The Navy Cross citation text states:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in actions against the enemy while serving in a four-man Special Reconnaissance element with SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE, Naval Special Warfare Task unit, Afghanistan from 27 to 28 June 2005, in the vicinity of Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan. Operating in the middle of an enemy-controlled area, in extremely rugged terrain, his Special Reconnaissance element was tasked with locating a high-level Anti-Coalition Militia leader, in support of a follow-on direct action mission to disrupt enemy activity. On 28 June 2005, the element was spotted by Anti-Coalition Militia sympathizers, who immediately revealed their position to the militia fighters. As a result, the element directly encountered the enemy. Demonstrating exceptional resolve and fully understanding the gravity of the situation and his responsibility to his teammates, the unidentified SEAL fought valiantly against the numerically superior and positionally advantaged enemy force. By his undaunted courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and absolute devotion to his teammates, Petty Officer Luttrell will long be remembered for the role he played in the Global War on Terrorism. Petty Officer Luttrell's courageous and selfless heroism reflected great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Returning home
Luttrell returned to the U.S. in 2007 and co-authored the New York Times bestseller Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. A film version, starring Mark Wahlberg, was released on December 25, 2013.
In 2007, Luttrell was medically discharged from the Navy. In 2009, he was granted a medical retirement through the Board for the Correction of Naval Records.
In May 2012, Little, Brown and Company released Luttrell's latest book, co-authored with James D. Hornfischer, Service: A Navy SEAL at War.
Lone Survivor Foundation
In 2010, Luttrell established the Lone Survivor Foundation. The mission of the foundation, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is to "restore, empower, and renew hope for our wounded warriors and their families through health, wellness, and therapeutic support."
Luttrell and The Lone Survivor Foundation partnered with The Boot Campaign to help show tangible appreciation of America's active-duty military, raise awareness of the challenges they face upon return, and support the transition home.
Personal life
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Luttrell married Melanie Juneau on November 27, 2010, in Texas. Their son Axe, named after fallen SEAL comrade Matthew Axelson, was born on May 8, 2011. On January 14, 2012, at an event for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Luttrell announced that he and his wife were expecting their second child. Their daughter, Addie, was born on August 26, 2012.
Luttrell's twin brother Morgan Luttrell is also a former Navy SEAL; he left the Navy with the rank of lieutenant. Morgan served as advisor to Energy Secretary Rick Perry during the Donald Trump administration. On November 8, 2022, Morgan was elected to represent Texas's 8th congressional district.
Luttrell endorsed the 2016 presidential campaign of former Texas governor Rick Perry and was present, alongside his twin brother Morgan, at Perry's formal announcement on June 4, 2015. Luttrell spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention in support of Donald Trump.
Awards and decorations
Luttrell has received the below awards.
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See also
In Spanish: Marcus Luttrell para niños
