Matthew Axelson

Matthew G. Axelson
Nickname	"Axe"
Born	June 25, 1976(1976-06-25) Cupertino, California
Died	June 28, 2005(2005-06-28) (aged 29) Kunar Province, Afghanistan
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	2000-2005
Unit	SEALs
Battles/wars	Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Red Wings
Awards	Navy Cross Purple Heart

Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Gene Axelson (June 25, 1976 – June 28, 2005) was a United States Navy SEAL and Navy Cross recipient for his actions during Operation Red Wings.

Early life

Axelson was born on June 25, 1976 in Cupertino, CA to Donna and Cordell Axelson. He graduated from Monta Vista High School in 1994 and attended California State University-Chico, where he earned a degree in political science. He and his wife Cindy were married in December, 2003.

Military career

Axelson joined the United States Navy in 2000 rated as a Sonar Technician. He underwent Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training with Class 237 in Coronado, California. He was deployed to Afghanistan in April 2005.

Operation Red Wing

Main article: Operation Red Wing

STG2 Axelson (right) with Lt. Michael Murphy.

On June 28, 2005, SEAL Team 10 was assigned to kill or capture Ahmad Shah, a high ranking Taliban leader in the Hindu-Kush mountains. The SEAL team was composed of Michael P. Murphy, Marcus Luttrell, Danny Dietz and Axelson. Luttrell and Axelson were the team's snipers while Dietz and Murphy were the spotters.

In the Hindu-Kush mountains, three goat herders stumbled upon one of the SEALs hiding face down against a log. The SEAL team captured the goat herders and voted to determine what to do with them. The team decided to let them go rather than execute them. Soon after, the herders alerted dozens of nearby insurgents, who then surrounded and attacked the SEAL team. The SEALs engaged in a fire fight against a force of about 80-100 Taliban fighters, led by the man they were sent to kill.

During the fire fight, Axelson was shot in the chest and head but continued to fight alongside Luttrell until a blast from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) separated them. Along with injuries sustained from the blast, Axelson died of bullet wounds to the chest and head. When US Navy personnel arrived to retrieve his body for burial, they found that it was a few hundred yards away from the RPG blast location. Axelson was reported by Luttrell to have had three magazines remaining when the blast took place, however, when his body was found, he had only one magazine remaining, which indicates that Axelson continued to fight even after the blast.

Along with Axelson, Murphy and Dietz also died during the fight. Luttrell managed to survive his injuries and acute hardships with help from local Pashtun villagers.

Awards and decorations

Special Warfare Badge

  Army Parachutist Badge

  Navy Cross

  Purple Heart

  Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

  Good Conduct Medal

References

• Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson (2007) Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0316067591
• "Matt Axelson - Son, Brother, Friend, Hero". Mattaxelson.com. http://www.mattaxelson.com/. Retrieved 2008-12-11. 
• "Matthew G. Axelson". NavySEALS.com. http://www.navyseals.com/matthew-g-axelson. Retrieved 2008-12-11. 
• "Interview with Matt Axelson's Parents". LoneSurvivor.net. http://www.lonesurvivor.net. Retrieved 2010-07-01. 
• Wheeler, Jim. "Cupertino Veterans Memorial". Cupertinoveteransmemorial.org. http://www.cupertinoveteransmemorial.org. Retrieved 2008-12-11. 

External links

• Matthew Gene Axelson at Find A Grave accessed 2-20-2010