TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Rob O’Neill’s life is the stuff of movies. Several parts of his life have already been turned into feature films.
He was a part of Seal Team 6 when they rescued Captain Richard Phillips from the Maersk Alabama after it was attacked by Somali pirates in April 2009.
He was part of the rescue operation for Marcus Luttrell, known as the “Lone Survivor” when an operation with other Seal Team members was compromised.
The incident in O’Neill’s life that has gained him the most fame is the operation to kill Osama bin Laden.
O’Neill has now acknowledged that he was the member of the team that fired the two shots that killed the world’s most wanted man.
He has written a book about his life and career as a member of the special forces. The book is titled “The Operator”.
“It’s a book about a guy from Butte, Montana who didn’t know how to swim, joined the Navy kind of on accident, became a Navy Seal through hard work, ended up with some of the greatest warriors in the history of the world and in Osama bin Laden’s bedroom,” said O’Neill.
His book and account of the bin Laden mission have been criticized by some who believe members of the special forces are obligated to maintain a code of silence about their work.
O’Neill maintains people knew about the operation and his role in it long before he retired from the service and wrote the book.
“People knew what happened, when it happened. People knew in the community. A lot of the communities down here in Tampa and they knew damn well we got him. The first question every other operator asked was, ‘well who shot him?'” said O’Neill, who came to Tampa to campaign for Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
“I’ve got a great history with law enforcement and he seemed like a guy I really want to support down here in Tampa,” said O’Neill.
He now tours the country as a motivational speaker, delivering a message that is a central theme of his book.
“It’s not about where you are from or what you look like, as long as you keep a positive attitude, never quit, you can do anything you want,” said O’Neill.
Follow Jeff Patterson on Facebook
WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON RIGHT NOW: