It may not be the head of Osama bin Laden — but New York City will soon be getting a trophy from the war on terror.
The shirt worn by the heroic Navy SEAL who delivered justice for America by shooting bin Laden to death in 2011 will be put on public display at the 9/11 Memorial Museum starting Sunday.
“This shirt is a symbol of the bravery of the US Navy SEAL Team 6, who risked their lives,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who brokered the effort to secure the artifact.
The SEAL who took down bin Laden wore the shirt as he fired the three shots that killed the al Qaeda terror leader during a daring nighttime raid on May 2, 2011, in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
His identity has never been revealed because of concerns for his safety — and his name will not be included in the display of the shirt, which is brown with a black American flag on the sleeve.
The now-retired Navy special-ops warrior is so concerned about being exposed that he canceled a meeting with the families of 9/11 victims out of concern for preserving his anonymity.
In fact, the shirt will only be identified as a shirt belonging to a member of the SEAL team that took out bin Laden, though sources said it was worn by the actual shooter.This shirt is a symbol of the bravery of the US Navy SEAL Team 6, who risked their lives … It’s important that they tell the entire story, not just the story of the 9/11 attacks.
- Rep. Carolyn Maloney
Maloney said the shirt is an important part of the story of Sept. 11, 2001, from the horror of the terror plot to the eventual payback for bin Laden.
“It’s important that they tell the entire story, not just the story of the 9/11 attacks,” she said.
Little is known about the SEAL who gunned down bin Laden.
In a 2013 interview with Esquire magazine, the SEAL remembered the fear that he felt before embarking on the mission and recalled writing what could have been his last letter to his family.
“I have no idea what I said except I’m explaining everything . . . I’m saying I wish I could be there for them,” he said. “And the tears are hitting the page, because we all knew that none of us were coming back alive.”
Since he came home, his life has been a struggle. He has had trouble finding work and his wife separated from him.