What can we learn from Mike Day's experience?

H

Hiker 1

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As far as I can tell, this hasn't been discussed yet:

On April 6, 2007, Navy SEAL Sr. Chief Mike Day entered a house in Iraq’s Anbar Province searching for a HVT. Four al Qaeda bad guys were in the room and opened fire on him immediately. He was hit 27 times.

His M4 rifle was shot out of his hands and his body armor, rated to absorb a single shot, absorbed 11. He was hit 16 additional times throughout both arms, both legs, abdomen and his groin by a combination of 7.62x39 and 5.56 (presumably captured). He also took grenade shrapnel.

Chief Day transitioned to his sidearm (SIG P226 9mm) and took out all 4 bad guys.

This is was inside of 10 feet and only a few seconds. You can Google SEAL Mike Day if you would like additional info.

What can we all learn from this gunfight? What is applicable to us?
 
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What can we all learn from this gunfight? What is applicable to us?
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I think the biggest lesson here is that you are NEVER out of the fight. Even if hit mtpl times...take the fight to the enemy
 
Like Indiana Jones and Superman, this is probably not someone you have wanted to try to take a candy bar away from when he was a kid.

The above about NEVER quiting is vary applicable. Many combat and police personnel have written about people dying because they just gave up when had they fought they likely would have survived.

Second, too many people discount the advantage of having a handgun in modern combat, thinking that a rifle alone is enough and the pistol is outdated as a modern combat arm.

Last, you fight like you train and need to train like you'll fight.
The SEALs spend plenty of time doing transition drills from rifle to pistol.
Probably, the Chief never even thought about going for his pistol. He'd trained so often in doing so it was almost automatic and required no conscious thought.
 
What I learned here is how not to walk in a room with 4 baddies in it.

He was very very lucky that he didn't get a head shot.
 
Actually, he did get hit in the head suffering a brain injury. He is now retired and an active advocate raising funds for the treatment of others with brain injuries as a result of service to our Country. (Wounded Warriors)

Our Country does not seem capable of helping those suffering such injuries through the Veterans Administration. :(
 
LamarW noted
Our Country does not seem capable of helping those suffering such injuries through the Veterans Administration.
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Actually the U.S. is quite capable of helping those who served, but neither the directive nor the will from the very top appears to be there. Rank and file citizens clearly do support it.
 
Exactly TXAZ, but as I stated not through the VA. People like Mike Day are sacrificing their time and support to help those in need through volunteer endeavors.
 
Being in LE and prior military, I have done a lot of live fire tactical training with Simunition and paintball. One thing we always come away very surprised over, is how many times the FAs gets hit. It drives home the point that if your FA gets hit in a real gunfight by a real round, good chance its going out of commission.

If one is using a long gun as primary, your muscle memory training needs to transition smoothly to the handgun w/o thinking. Also, your gear/sling needs to be set up so the long gun swings effortlessly out of the way so that you can transition to the handgun. If you are using handgun and it gets hit, transition to the back up. Sometimes you go through several firearms being knocked out. It also teaches you the importance of staying on the move and not getting honed in on as a result of shooting more than once from the same position.

One also learns that interchangeability of magazines between primary and back up in a gunfight (like our Glocks), is a huge advantage to keep you in the fight. Also teaches that positioning of the backup is critical to make an effective transition.

The tactics described in the OP are very routine and second nature to those in the business.
 
He was not hit in the head:

Anywhere you can put your finger on me, I was shot, except for my head… I was there, and I don’t believe it… And here I am today, to tell the story.
 
Lessons for the rest of us:

This is probably the most important:I think the biggest lesson here is that you are NEVER out of the fight. Even if hit mtpl times...take the fight to the enemy

Also, train, train, train. Practice, practice, practice. For most of us, transitioning from a rifle to a pistol is not very likely, but clearing a malfunction or dealing with another problem in a defensive situation certainly can be.

I don't know this for certain, but I bet he fired his SIG with one hand. Practice one-handed and weak-handed.

Don't expect "it" to go down in a neat pre-packaged scenario. Chief Day knew the dangers of his job, but I suspect he didn't plan on running into 4 guys with assault rifles who immediately opened up on him.
 
Welp, I just learned that if I ever have to clear a room, I want Mike Day to lead the way.

Born again hard, all the way.
 
What I learned is all the internet airchair commandos are full of crap. But I knew that already.

He used a 9mm and not a 45. He used a Sig 226 and not a 1911. I am guessing his ammo was 9mm ball round nose FMJ. And yet he was able to take out 4 baddies and live to tell the tale. How was he able to do this without a $2000+ custom 1911 45acp loaded with the nastiest hollow points available? It sorta makes you lose all faith in the internet blowhards don't it?

I am glad he survived.
 
ratshooter - you're 100% correct. We can see that training and shot placement ruled the day, not caliber.

Fortunately the bad guys' training was as bad as Chief Day's training was excellent.
 
Hiker1
Fortunately the bad guys' training was as bad as Chief Day's training was excellent.
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They seized the initiative and they hit him 2 dozen+ times..... I don't know if we can say their training was completely off. (edit: this is my guess, but...) I'd say 99 times out of 100 twenty plus hits will take someone out of a fight. Maybe he looked so chewed up that they overlooked him to engage a second, still-mobile target?

Definitely, you're not out until you're out.
 
Definitely not a guy you would have wanted to try to take something by force. Alternately he likely would give you his last dollar if you needed it and asked. I have never understood how as a nation we can fail them when they come home. If the VA system isnt up to the task there are lots of hospitals in the US , the tab should be covered, period. May be a little more paperwork but if my insurance company can figure it out surely the government can figure it out.
 
He used a 9mm and not a 45. He used a Sig 226 and not a 1911. I am guessing his ammo was 9mm ball round nose FMJ
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He was also a highly trained SOF operator. I wish I had half the time and money to train my guys and girls up Chief Day's standard.

The biggest lesson I take form it is continue to fight until you either get evaced or win.
 
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