Story highlights Former Navy SEAL says he shot and killed Osama bin Laden

"I didn't think I would survive," he said in an interview with The Washington Post

The 38-year-old Montanan also said that other SEAL team members were involved in the raid, including Matt Bissonnette, who detailed the group's experiences in his memoir, "No Easy Day."

O'Neill, who had been serving as a SEAL for 15 years at the time of the bin Laden raid, had participated in other missions before -- but he said he feared this mission would be his most difficult.

"I didn't think I would survive," he told the Post.

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Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Vice President Joe Biden, left, President Barack Obama, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, second from right, watch the mission to capture Osama bin Laden from the Situation Room in the White House on May 1, 2011. Click through to see reactions from around the world following the death of the al Qaeda leader. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden President Obama edits his remarks in the Oval Office prior to making a televised statement announcing bin Laden's death. Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Servicemen cheer from a lamp post as thousands of people gather at Ground Zero in New York City. Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Crowds celebrate with NYPD officers in New York's Times Square early on May 2, 2011, after the death of Osama bin Laden. Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Revelers gather at the fence on the north side of the White House. Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Afghans watch television coverage in Kabul announcing the killing of bin Laden. Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden U.S. Marines watch the announcement of bin Laden's death at Camp Dwyer in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Times Square is filled shortly after the announcement of bin Laden's death. Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Students gather to celebrate at the fence on the north side of the White House. Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden A passer-by looks at newspaper headlines in front of the Newseum in Washington. Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Danielle LeMack, left, Carie LeMack and Christie Coombs, who lost relatives on 9/11, pause during a ceremony to honor the victims on May 2, 2011, at the Garden of Remembrance in Boston. Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden A visitor photographs the fence overlooking the crash site of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on May 2, 2011. Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: The death of Osama bin Laden Pakistani media and residents gather outside the bin Laden hideout on May 3, 2011. Hide Caption 13 of 13

He said it was clear that Bin Laden had been killed and not merely injured from his shot when he fell to the floor with a split skull. Before he was shot, bin Laden "had his hands on a woman's shoulders pushing her ahead," O'Neill recounts, likely to deflect the attack.

CNN's Barbara Starr confirmed from a U.S. official that O'Neill was on the raid. Two Special Operations sources confirmed to CNN's National Security analyst Peter Bergen that O'Neill was one of the shooters in bin Laden's room -- but others in the military community have wondered whether he can claim to kill bin Laden since there were at least two others in the room who fired weapons.

The Navy SEAL had previously revealed details of the mission to Esquire magazine. But he was hesitant to attach his name to the account until his identity was linked to the story on a military blog earlier this week without his consent. O'Neill also said his secret was known by members of Congress and some news organizations.

He also told the Post that he received a positive response from the families of 9/11 victims when he identified himself as bin Laden's killer to them.

"The families told me it helped bring them some closure," he said.

O'Neill's move to go public is a controversial one, as it violates an unspoken military rule: Don't seek attention for your service.

"We do not abide willful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety or financial gain," said an Oct. 31 letter to the Naval Special Warfare ranks from commanding officer B.L. Losey and force master sergeant M.L. Margaraci.

CNN has reached out to O'Neill but has not received a response.