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San Jose Mercury News (California)
August 10, 2012 Friday
Son of Santa Clara County judge killed in action in Afghanistan
By Tracey Kaplan [email protected]
Five years ago, a blast from an improvised explosive device slammed
into Capt. Matt Manoukian. Even with a debilitating concussion, the
Marine leader scrambled to the aid of one of his men, quickly applying
a tourniquet to his leg that saved the soldier's life.
But Manoukian's bravery and resourcefulness couldn't save him this
week from a surprise attack in southern Afghanistan by an insurgent
disguised as an Afghan policeman.
Manoukian, the 29-year-old son of a Santa Clara County judge and state
appellate court justice, and two other Marines were fatally shot after
a pre-dawn meal and security meeting at a police checkpoint. It was
the third attack on coalition forces by their Afghan counterparts in a
week.
The meal took place before dawn because of Ramadan, the month in which
Muslims abstain from food during daylight hours. Manoukian's father,
Judge Socrates "Pete" Manoukian, said Friday that his son was
observing the holiday out of profound respect for the people of
Afghanistan and Iraq, whom he made a point to get to know during his
four tours of duty.
"He was very into their culture,'' the judge said. "He managed to
learn Arabic and worked on opening up a school and setting up a police
station and got a courthouse running with some of his people. He even
taught little kids to play baseball after one of our friends sent
baseballs and bats.
"Who knows, one of the these days, maybe little Abdul will be the
leadoff batter for the Giants because of Matt.''
Notice of Matt's death came Thursday night with a knock on the door of
the family's Los Altos Hills home while the judge was preparing
fattoush, a Lebanese salad made of pita bread. When he first opened
the door, the porch light wasn't on and all he saw in the gloom were
four figures.
"I thought they were Jehovah's witnesses,'' the judge said, his voice
cracking. "Then I saw the insignia and I thought, 'oh, this isn't
good.'''
Matt's mother, Associate Justice Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian, was
returning home from Southern California and couldn't be reached for
comment.
Matt Manoukian had dreamed of becoming a Marine since he was 10 years
old. After making the dean's list, he graduated from the University of
Arizona in 2005 with a degree in political science. A year later, he
attended officer candidate school in Quantico, Va., and then infantry
school in 2007.
As a platoon commander in Iraq, he was supposed to patrol in a Humvee.
But Matt didn't want to be cut off from the locals.
"He didn't believe in that,'' his father said. "So he always walked
into town with his guys and talked to little kids and shopkeepers.''
Matt was checking out an abandoned building in 2007 in hopes of
opening a sub-station there when the IED went off. He received a
Purple Heart, just one of several commendations over the years.
He joined Camp Pendleton's 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion
after enduring a grueling training program that only 40 out of 100 men
passed, his father said. Matt was in the top five. Among other tests
of fortitude, the men had to stay awake for four days.
After seven years of service, Matt was looking forward to leaving the
Marines at the end of the year. He was planning to attend law school
in the fall of 2013, possibly at Golden Gate University where he'd
already been accepted.
He wanted to be a public defender, his father said.
"Matt said he wanted to be one because he was always accused in school
of something he didn't do,'' Judge Manoukian said.
His father said he definitely had the chops, recalling how his son
stood up to him once after returning home with a detention slip. A
teacher had told Matt to throw away his soda. Matt had capped the
bottle and complied. But then he had a friend retrieve it and was
drinking it again when he ran back into the teacher, who was livid.
So was his father, who as a judge is accustomed to having the last
word. But Matt deftly argued his case by bringing up his grandfather,
who had nearly starved to death as a victim of the Turkish genocide of
Armenians. His grandfather wouldn't approve of wasting food, even
soda, Matt insisted, disarming his dad.
He displayed that same pluck in combat, winning a reputation in
special ops as "just fearless,'' his father said.
To his younger brothers, Martin and Michael, the tall handsome Marine
was their hero.
"Matt was the man,'' his brother Martin said. "Everybody looked up to him.''
Arrangements for services will be announced at a later time.
August 10, 2012 Friday
Son of Santa Clara County judge killed in action in Afghanistan
By Tracey Kaplan [email protected]
Five years ago, a blast from an improvised explosive device slammed
into Capt. Matt Manoukian. Even with a debilitating concussion, the
Marine leader scrambled to the aid of one of his men, quickly applying
a tourniquet to his leg that saved the soldier's life.
But Manoukian's bravery and resourcefulness couldn't save him this
week from a surprise attack in southern Afghanistan by an insurgent
disguised as an Afghan policeman.
Manoukian, the 29-year-old son of a Santa Clara County judge and state
appellate court justice, and two other Marines were fatally shot after
a pre-dawn meal and security meeting at a police checkpoint. It was
the third attack on coalition forces by their Afghan counterparts in a
week.
The meal took place before dawn because of Ramadan, the month in which
Muslims abstain from food during daylight hours. Manoukian's father,
Judge Socrates "Pete" Manoukian, said Friday that his son was
observing the holiday out of profound respect for the people of
Afghanistan and Iraq, whom he made a point to get to know during his
four tours of duty.
"He was very into their culture,'' the judge said. "He managed to
learn Arabic and worked on opening up a school and setting up a police
station and got a courthouse running with some of his people. He even
taught little kids to play baseball after one of our friends sent
baseballs and bats.
"Who knows, one of the these days, maybe little Abdul will be the
leadoff batter for the Giants because of Matt.''
Notice of Matt's death came Thursday night with a knock on the door of
the family's Los Altos Hills home while the judge was preparing
fattoush, a Lebanese salad made of pita bread. When he first opened
the door, the porch light wasn't on and all he saw in the gloom were
four figures.
"I thought they were Jehovah's witnesses,'' the judge said, his voice
cracking. "Then I saw the insignia and I thought, 'oh, this isn't
good.'''
Matt's mother, Associate Justice Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian, was
returning home from Southern California and couldn't be reached for
comment.
Matt Manoukian had dreamed of becoming a Marine since he was 10 years
old. After making the dean's list, he graduated from the University of
Arizona in 2005 with a degree in political science. A year later, he
attended officer candidate school in Quantico, Va., and then infantry
school in 2007.
As a platoon commander in Iraq, he was supposed to patrol in a Humvee.
But Matt didn't want to be cut off from the locals.
"He didn't believe in that,'' his father said. "So he always walked
into town with his guys and talked to little kids and shopkeepers.''
Matt was checking out an abandoned building in 2007 in hopes of
opening a sub-station there when the IED went off. He received a
Purple Heart, just one of several commendations over the years.
He joined Camp Pendleton's 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion
after enduring a grueling training program that only 40 out of 100 men
passed, his father said. Matt was in the top five. Among other tests
of fortitude, the men had to stay awake for four days.
After seven years of service, Matt was looking forward to leaving the
Marines at the end of the year. He was planning to attend law school
in the fall of 2013, possibly at Golden Gate University where he'd
already been accepted.
He wanted to be a public defender, his father said.
"Matt said he wanted to be one because he was always accused in school
of something he didn't do,'' Judge Manoukian said.
His father said he definitely had the chops, recalling how his son
stood up to him once after returning home with a detention slip. A
teacher had told Matt to throw away his soda. Matt had capped the
bottle and complied. But then he had a friend retrieve it and was
drinking it again when he ran back into the teacher, who was livid.
So was his father, who as a judge is accustomed to having the last
word. But Matt deftly argued his case by bringing up his grandfather,
who had nearly starved to death as a victim of the Turkish genocide of
Armenians. His grandfather wouldn't approve of wasting food, even
soda, Matt insisted, disarming his dad.
He displayed that same pluck in combat, winning a reputation in
special ops as "just fearless,'' his father said.
To his younger brothers, Martin and Michael, the tall handsome Marine
was their hero.
"Matt was the man,'' his brother Martin said. "Everybody looked up to him.''
Arrangements for services will be announced at a later time.