Lt. Michael P. Murphy

The Congressional Medal of Honor is perhaps the single most fitting tribute to our heroes of war. Having special significance among Navy SEALs this Medal of Honor serves to pay homage to all war veterans. One such leading man killed during Operation Redwing was Lt. Michael P. Murphy.

That fated day

It was during a special operation conducted in Afghanistan that Lt. Michael P. Murphy was killed during his Navy SEAL mission. He was leading a SEAL team comprising 4 members and it was on June 28th in the year 2005 that “Murph” or Murphy breathed his last. The team of 4 members comprised of the following members: Matthew G Axeson, Marcus Luttrell, Danny P. Dietz and Lt. Michael P. Murphy.

The task at hand

The task of the 4 member SEAL team was to try and locate an important and strategic leader of the Taliban. They were on their Navy SEAL operation located at a strategic tactical location when they encountered heavy enemy firing. This 4 man team bore the brunt of the firing without submitting to them or giving up. In addition to the heavy enemy firing a heavy grenade propelled by a rocket was hurled at the team. All died except Hospital Corpsman Second Class Marcus Luttrell. Soon after the grenade exploded all the team members were hurled into a ravine while being thrown over a massive ledge. Even the remaining two members Danny P. Dietz as well as Matthew G Axeson died instantly.

The killing rampage

Soon after the grenade was exploded, a rescue helicopter was immediately dispatched to the site to help save any survivors. However even the plane which had over 16 rescue members were all shot down with a rocket fire. All people on board were instantly killed. This massive killing spree caused one of the biggest and most devastating losses of life in the Navy SEALs mission Operation Enduring Freedom.

Risking his life

Lt. Michael P. Murphy was already in a very bad state, having suffered severe injuries on account of the grenade explosion. However, in spite of all his injuries he decided to touch base and establish a comms signal with the SEAL base. He advanced into the open ground, not caring for his life and also testing his level of Navy SEALs fitness in the process. He was instantly targeted with numerous fire shots by the enemy and in spite of heavy bleeding he managed to relay his position and ask for instant fire support from the SEAL base. Even though he was so heavily injured he still managed to drag himself back into cover and continued his firefighting until he finally succumbed to injuries.

The recognition

It was on the day of October 11th in the year 2007 that the Whitehouse announced the posthumous award of Congressional Medal of Honor to Lt. Michael P. Murphy. The courage that Lt. Michael P. Murphy showed coupled with his immense bravery and presence of mind even during such a strenuous Navy SEALs mission just goes to show the kind of dedication this Lieutenant had for our country.

FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS THE LEADER OF A SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE ELEMENT WITH NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE TASK UNIT AFGHANISTAN ON 27 AND 28 JUNE 2005. WHILE LEADING A MISSION TO LOCATE A HIGH-LEVEL ANTI-COALITION MILITIA LEADER, LIEUTENANT MURPHY DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN THE FACE OF GRAVE DANGER IN THE VICINITY OF ASADABAD, KONAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN. ON 28 JUNE 2005, OPERATING IN AN EXTREMELY RUGGED ENEMY-CONTROLLED AREA, LIEUTENANT MURPHY’S TEAM WAS DISCOVERED BY ANTI-COALITION MILITIA SYMPATHIZERS, WHO REVEALED THEIR POSITION TO TALIBAN FIGHTERS. AS A RESULT, BETWEEN 30 AND 40 ENEMY FIGHTERS BESIEGED HIS FOUR-MEMBER TEAM. DEMONSTRATING EXCEPTIONAL RESOLVE, LIEUTENANT MURPHY VALIANTLY LED HIS MEN IN ENGAGING THE LARGE ENEMY FORCE. THE ENSUING FIERCE FIREFIGHT RESULTED IN NUMEROUS ENEMY CASUALTIES, AS WELL AS THE WOUNDING OF ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF THE TEAM. IGNORING HIS OWN WOUNDS AND DEMONSTRATING EXCEPTIONAL COMPOSURE, LIEUTENANT MURPHY CONTINUED TO LEAD AND ENCOURAGE HIS MEN. WHEN THE PRIMARY COMMUNICATOR FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED, LIEUTENANT MURPHY REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTED TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE FOR HIS BELEAGUERED TEAMMATES. REALIZING THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF COMMUNICATING IN THE EXTREME TERRAIN, AND IN THE FACE OF ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH, HE FOUGHT HIS WAY INTO OPEN TERRAIN TO GAIN A BETTER POSITION TO TRANSMIT A CALL. THIS DELIBERATE, HEROIC ACT DEPRIVED HIM OF COVER, EXPOSING HIM TO DIRECT ENEMY FIRE. FINALLY ACHIEVING CONTACT WITH HIS HEADQUARTERS, LIEUTENANT MURPHY MAINTAINED HIS EXPOSED POSITION WHILE HE PROVIDED HIS LOCATION AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE SUPPORT FOR HIS TEAM. IN HIS FINAL ACT OF BRAVERY, HE CONTINUED TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY UNTIL HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED, GALLANTLY GIVING HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY AND FOR THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM. BY HIS SELFLESS LEADERSHIP, COURAGEOUS ACTIONS, AND EXTRAORDINARY DEVOTION TO DUTY, LIEUTENANT MURPHY REFLECTED GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

SIGNED GEORGE W. BUSH

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