Marcus Luttrell is a retired United States Navy SEAL who became widely known as the sole survivor of the deadly 2005 Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan. He has since become an author, a motivational speaker, and the founder of the Lone Survivor Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports veterans.
Military Service and Operation Red Wings
Navy SEAL Career: Luttrell enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1999 and became a Navy SEAL in 2001, serving with SEAL Team 5 in Iraq and SEAL Team 10 in Afghanistan. He was trained as a sniper and a special operations combat medic.
Operation Red Wings: On June 28, 2005, Luttrell and three other SEAL teammates (Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, Petty Officer Second Class Danny Dietz, and Petty Officer Second Class Matthew Axelson) were on a reconnaissance mission to locate a high-level Taliban leader, Ahmad Shah.
Ambush and Survival: The four-man team was discovered by local goatherds and, after a debate over the rules of engagement, released them. The herders alerted the Taliban forces, who ambushed the SEALs. In the ensuing two-hour firefight, Murphy, Dietz, and Axelson were killed, and a rescue helicopter carrying 16 additional U.S. special operations personnel was shot down, killing everyone aboard. Luttrell, severely wounded, was the only survivor from the ground team.
Rescue: Luttrell evaded capture and was given shelter and protection by a local Pashtun villager, Mohammad Gulab, and the village elders, who followed a tribal code of hospitality. Gulab eventually alerted American forces, leading to Luttrell’s rescue by U.S. Army Rangers and Afghan National Army soldiers days later.
Awards and Discharge: Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism. He returned to full duty for another tour in Ramadi, Iraq, but his severe injuries, including a broken back and damaged knees, eventually led to his medical discharge and retirement from the Navy in 2007.
Post-Military Career and Activism
Author: Luttrell co-authored his first book, the New York Times bestseller Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, in 2007, detailing his experiences. The book was later adapted into the successful 2013 film Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg. He also published a second book, Service: A Navy SEAL at War, in 2012.
Advocacy: In 2010, he established the Lone Survivor Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides health, wellness, and therapeutic support to wounded service members and their families.
Public Speaker: Today, he is a prominent motivational speaker and political commentator, sharing his story and views on military issues. @highlight David Michael Ramsey @surfman374