Jesse Ventura

The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History (2012)

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• published: 24 Aug 2015
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Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle (April 8, 1974 − February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL and the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with over 160 kills officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. Kyle served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. He received two Silver Star Medals, five Bronze Star Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals[7] and numerous other unit and personal awards.[8] Kyle was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 2009 and wrote a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, which was published in January 2012. A film adaptation of Kyle's autobiography, directed by Clint Eastwood, was released in December 2014. On February 2, 2013, Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas, with his friend, Chad Littlefield. The man accused of killing them, Eddie Ray Routh, was found guilty of both murders and later sentenced to life in prison without parole. Kyle left the U.S. Navy in 2009 and moved to Midlothian, Texas, with his wife, Taya, and two children.[19] He was president of Craft International, a tactical training company for the U.S. military and law enforcement communities.[20] In 2012, HarperCollins released Kyle's autobiographical book American Sniper.[7] Kyle had initially hesitated to write the book but was persuaded to move forward because other books about SEALs were underway.[21] In his book, Kyle wrote bluntly of his experiences. Of the battle for control of Ramadi he says "Force moved that battle. We killed the bad guys and brought the leaders to the peace table. That is how the world works."[22] In the book and in interviews following, Kyle stated he had no regrets about his work as a sharpshooter, saying, "I had to do it to protect the Marines."[23] American Sniper had a 37-week run on The New York Times bestseller list and brought Kyle national attention. Following its release, media articles challenged some of Kyle's anecdotes, but the core of his narrative was widely accepted. "Tales of his heroism on the battlefield were already lore in every branch of the armed forces," writes Michael J. Mooney, author of a biography of Kyle. In interviews on The Opie and Anthony Show in January 2012, Kyle claimed to have punched former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura at a bar in Coronado, California, in 2006 during a wake for Mike Monsoor, a U.S. Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient killed in Iraq. The story parallels an incident in his book which does not mention Ventura by name, and claims a character named "Scruff Face" said that the SEALs "deserved to lose a few guys." Kyle, in radio and television interviews following the book’s publication, admitted that “Scruff Face” was Ventura. Ventura, who denied the incident happened, filed a lawsuit against Kyle for defamation in January 2012. After Kyle was killed the following year, Ventura continued the lawsuit against Kyle's estate. The court found that the Kyle estate was unjustly enriched and awarded Ventura $1.8 million in damages. Kyle's widow is appealing the verdict on behalf of Kyle's estate. In August 2013, Texas governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 162, also known as the "Chris Kyle Bill", to recognize military training in the issuance of occupational licenses. The bill had been co-sponsored by Republican Representative Dan Flynn of Van and Democratic Senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio. The ceremony was attended by Kyle's widow Taya. Sculptor Greg Marra created a memorial statue of Kyle for presentation to his widow. Fundraising for production of the statue has been provided by members of the Tea Party movement. Clint Eastwood's 2014 film American Sniper is based on Kyle's autobiography. Kyle is portrayed by Bradley Cooper and his wife Taya Kyle is portrayed by Sienna Miller. For his portrayal of Kyle, Cooper received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and the film was nominated in five other categories, including Best Picture. The film won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing. On February 2, 2015, exactly two years after Kyle was killed, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared the day to be "Chris Kyle Day" in his honor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Kyle