From today’s top headline at Military.com.
A Navy SEAL who was killed while leading a reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan will receive the nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor.
Lt. Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue on Long Island, is the first Medal of Honor recipient for combat in Afghanistan, the Navy said in a statement Thursday.
In late June 2005, Murphy led a four-man reconnaissance mission east of Asadabad trying to find a key Taliban leader in advance of a mission to capture or destroy the local militia leadership. Taliban sympathizers alerted fighters to the SEALs’ positions, and the four men were quickly outnumbered and came under fire, the Navy said.
Even after being wounded, Murphy crawled into the open to make a radio call for help and still continued to fight, the Navy said. The call ultimately allowed the rescue of one wounded SEAL and the recoveries of the bodies of Murphy and two others killed in the firefight.
President Bush will present the Medal of Honor to Murphy’s parents at the White House on Oct. 22.
“I think it is a public recognition of what we knew about Michael, of his intensity, his focus, his devout loyalty to home and family, his country and especially to his SEAL teammates and the SEAL community,” Murphy’s father, Daniel Murphy told Newsday for a story published on its Web site.
The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award for valor in action against an enemy force. Murphy is the fourth Navy SEAL to receive the medal and the first since Vietnam.
The other two SEALs killed in the Afghan firefight, Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colo., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, Calif., previously received the Navy Cross, the second-highest honor.
A U.S. helicopter that went to rescue the SEALs was shot down by enemy fire; 16 SEALs and Army special operations troops were killed in the crash.
The entire battle resulted in the worst single-day loss of life for Navy Special Warfare personnel since World War II.
Two Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously in the Iraq war.
– Christian
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
With Respect (and to all our guys) I offer condolences and much respect to another fallen professional soldier.
I coincidently was thinking this AM about how so many people are taking shots at our soldiers conduct in the field.
The amazing amount of professionalism, is astounding to past US forces. The level of “treatment” and everything else proves todays current professional soldier is of the highest caliber ever fielded by the U.S.
If you think Im wrong, do a little history look up on how we treated lotsa “Japs” in conflicts, trust me, there was more than ONE malmedy massacre.
These young Lions make me proud to no end.
Best, DW
A true hero, not a silver screen one, died trying to save his fellow soldiers. I’m proud to live in same country as he did.
Murphy does deserve a Medal. But, behind every hero is someone else’s screw up, in this case several.
1. He darted out into enemy fire at risk to his own life to save his buddies TO MAKE A RADIO CALL FOR HELP. Thank you DOD for leaving our heros with inferior telecommunications that made that necessary.
2. The rescue helicopter was shot down killing all sixteen aboard. This points to CSAR problems, although whether those are tactical or equipment based is hard to tell.
Al Gore wins a Nobel Prize for sacrificing absolutely nothing.
Lt. Murphy is awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for sacrificing everything.
Guess which one leads the news tonight?
You don’t win the MOH or a Nobel Prize for sacrifice. You win them for achievement.
ohwilleke
Dude whats your problem. You cant take a few seconds out of your day to appreciate what this guy did for his country. Instead you have to bash the military he thought worthwhile to die for. No radio on earth will work in every location. No helicopter in the history of the world will never be shot down. Why must you bash everything the military does, even the events that make true heros. Improvise, adapt, overcome, that is what makes a hero, and no millions dollar radio can change that. You are looking for screwup, im looking for a hero, who fulfilled his mission to the best of his ability, with the tools he had.
Remember LT Audie L Murphy from WW2. He did just that, heck he fought with a rifle that had a broken stock. But I guess that was a screw up because he should have been given one that would not break.
Critisise the Military all you want, but when it comes to heros like LT Murphy (either one), don’t use them to advance your hatred on this country. They died fighting, and they fought for what they believed in, if you read the whole story you see that LT Murphy would still be here today if he shot a Shepard and his little boy. But because he had morals, and was brought up right, he decided that he just was not going to kill 2 civilians. That decision cost him his life, but saved the life’s of 2 Shepards, what does that tell you about our military.
I certainly don’t hate my country. But, with General George S. Patton, I am a firm believer in the notion that “The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his.”
A death you don’t learn lessons from is a life lost in vain.
Than please limit your anti Military rants to an appropriate place. A story of a soldier who died fighting, and will be awarded the Medal of Honor, is hardly the place.
A death you don’t learn lessons from is a life lost in vain.
Only if you learn the right lesson is that life not lost in vain. You know of Paul Smith, should I learn from his selfless act that the military needs bullet proof neck guards, or that “greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friend.” If a dieing soldier makes an effort to shield his fellow soldiers from a grenade, should I learn that the military needs better body armor so he could have not been harmed by the blast, or that he died in the most selfless act consequently making a decision to die, and save his men. Learn the right lesson from sure men, and they would not have died in vain.
We ow it to the fallen to not take there death in vain but to learn from them, and tell the world about what they did. LT Murphy deserves nothing less.
May God bless all the heroes of this world, and watch over their families & friends.
He has all my respect, to be so skilled, smart and lead such an amazing life and have so much impact on events. On top of all that to be so good looking!
Is it just me or is he carrying a .308 in that picture. I didn’t now they carried them. He has that FAL mag on the butt and the mag house looks a little big for a 5.56.
Heck of a soldier.
The NYTimes decided not to cover Murphy at all.
that is most likely a AR-10 made by bushmaster thay are 7.62×56
Ok thanks
Never mind that is most defiantly not a Storm, I thought at first it was the Ar-10 but wasn’t sure is Seals used em. To big of a mag for 5.56, and a storm looks way more funky, the picture shows an AR weapon for sure.
Dang shame we lost LT Murphy, he was a solid leader.
This pretty much sums up the Navy Seals.
Would you expect a Seal to do anything less than what Murphy did? He had the discipline, training and hard-earned work put into being a Seal, and he applied it as far as it could go. In the face of an impossible task, and of certain death, he continued on.
If he had NOT done everything he could have done, even in realization of the impossible, then he truly wouldn’t have gotten that medal. Seals aren’t trained to die. But he faced it, and made it worth something.
It’s rare to see someone truly grasp the values and decisions that one must face in the harsh conditions of war, but when they do, they truly are a hero.
Condolences and acknoledgement of honor to Murphy.
He’s a hero in my books!
Try reading “Lone Survivor”, by Marcus Luttrell. That will tell you the complete story of the great SEAL TEAM 10 and 160th SOAR. A book for everyone to read.
hymn to the fallen
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The Ave Maria Foundation
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FX
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A silent prayer goes out to all our soldiers!
There
TEAM GUYS don’t say”HOOYAH!”
I work with seal team 8 and 9 a lot it is sad to see any of are men in combat get killed at any time. That is the price we have to pay so that people have the right to talk about our military the way that thy do. It sad that thy can not let us morn and let send them to their finel resting plase before thy start their baby killer talk. But that is the type of low life that we die to protect. you see when I fought for my country I was in the Army and had a black uniform with no name tag or unit tags. Lets gust let the man have a moment and that him for what he gave to us all and think his family. They did have a grate loss.Pyburn
I think the heroes of the nation deserve such great honors and even more than that.
In short;they need to be honored for their great service.
I want to take this opportunity to wish all Americans a happy holiday.
With God on our side who can be against us;the lord is in contorl of the affairs of men;therefore do not be dismayed by the scare of terrorist.
God richly bless you!.
I think the heroes of the nation deserve such great honors and even more than that.
In short;they need to be honored for their great service.
I want to take this opportunity to wish all Americans a happy holiday.
With God on our side who can be against us;the lord is in contorl of the affairs of men;therefore do not be dismayed by the scare of terrorist.
God richly bless you!.
I do think that they are the real heroes and they deserve everything in the world. No one can do so much for the nation except them
Hail Michael Murphy, resting in Valhall
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lt murphy is a true hero god bless him and all seviceman and women in harms way hoorah
I always respect these heros.
No doubt about it.
For honor and glory for the country.
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- Jane
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