03Fox2/1
27-10-07, 18:01
Associated Press:
October, 2007
"Nation Honors Fallen SEAL"
Washington -- President Bush publicly honored a fallen Navy SEAL Monday by presenting his grieving parents with the Medal of Honor, and privately honored their sacrifice by wearing a dog tag they'd given him moments before.
The President awarded the nation's highest military honor for valor to Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue, N.Y.. It was the first Medal of Honor given for combat in Afghanistan.
Before the emotional White House ceremony, Murphy's parents, Dan and Maureen Murphy, met with Bush and gave him a gold dog tag in tribute to their son.
"What we were most touched by was that the President immediately put that on underneath his shirt, and when he made the presentation of the Medal of Honor, he wore that against his chest," said the father.
After the ceremony, Dan Murphy said, Bush told the family: "I was inspired by having Michael next to my chest."
The father, who fought back tears during the ceremony, said they were "deeply moved" by Bush's gesture.
Bush presided over a solemn ceremony honoring their son's battlefield decision to expose himself to enemy fire to make a desperate call for help for his elite combat team.
"While their missions were often carried out in secrecy, their love of country and devotion to each other was always clear," Bush said. "On June 28, 2005, Michael would give his life for these ideals."
Murphy's parents cried at points in the ceremony as they stood next to the President and heard their son's heroism recounted.
"There's a lot of awards in the military, but when you see a Medal of Honor, you know whatever they went through is pretty horrible," said Marcus Luttrell, the lone member of Murphy's team to survive the firefight with the Taliban.
Murphy, Luttrell and two other SEALs were searching for a terrorist when they were spotted by locals, who presumably alerted the Taliban to their presence.
An intense gun battle ensued, with more than 50 anti-coalition fighters swarming around the outnumbered SEALs.
Murphy, who died before his 30th birthday, is credited with risking his life by moving into the open, despite being wounded, for a better position to transmit a call for help. At one point he was shot in the back, causing him to drop the mobile phone. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and kept firing at the enemy closing in.
He then returned to his men and continued the battle. A U.S. helicopter sent to rescue the men was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, killing all 16 aboard. It was the worst single-day death toll for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
By the end of the two-hour gunfight, Murphy and two of his comrades were also dead. An estimated 35 Taliban were also killed. Luttrell was blown over a ridge and knocked unconcious. He escaped, and was protected by local villagers for several days before he was rescued.
Michael Murphy is the fourth Navy SEAL to earn the award and the first since the Vietnam War. Two Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously in the Iraq War.
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Semper Fi
Rest in Peace, Lt. Michael Murphy
http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/index.html
October, 2007
"Nation Honors Fallen SEAL"
Washington -- President Bush publicly honored a fallen Navy SEAL Monday by presenting his grieving parents with the Medal of Honor, and privately honored their sacrifice by wearing a dog tag they'd given him moments before.
The President awarded the nation's highest military honor for valor to Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue, N.Y.. It was the first Medal of Honor given for combat in Afghanistan.
Before the emotional White House ceremony, Murphy's parents, Dan and Maureen Murphy, met with Bush and gave him a gold dog tag in tribute to their son.
"What we were most touched by was that the President immediately put that on underneath his shirt, and when he made the presentation of the Medal of Honor, he wore that against his chest," said the father.
After the ceremony, Dan Murphy said, Bush told the family: "I was inspired by having Michael next to my chest."
The father, who fought back tears during the ceremony, said they were "deeply moved" by Bush's gesture.
Bush presided over a solemn ceremony honoring their son's battlefield decision to expose himself to enemy fire to make a desperate call for help for his elite combat team.
"While their missions were often carried out in secrecy, their love of country and devotion to each other was always clear," Bush said. "On June 28, 2005, Michael would give his life for these ideals."
Murphy's parents cried at points in the ceremony as they stood next to the President and heard their son's heroism recounted.
"There's a lot of awards in the military, but when you see a Medal of Honor, you know whatever they went through is pretty horrible," said Marcus Luttrell, the lone member of Murphy's team to survive the firefight with the Taliban.
Murphy, Luttrell and two other SEALs were searching for a terrorist when they were spotted by locals, who presumably alerted the Taliban to their presence.
An intense gun battle ensued, with more than 50 anti-coalition fighters swarming around the outnumbered SEALs.
Murphy, who died before his 30th birthday, is credited with risking his life by moving into the open, despite being wounded, for a better position to transmit a call for help. At one point he was shot in the back, causing him to drop the mobile phone. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and kept firing at the enemy closing in.
He then returned to his men and continued the battle. A U.S. helicopter sent to rescue the men was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, killing all 16 aboard. It was the worst single-day death toll for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
By the end of the two-hour gunfight, Murphy and two of his comrades were also dead. An estimated 35 Taliban were also killed. Luttrell was blown over a ridge and knocked unconcious. He escaped, and was protected by local villagers for several days before he was rescued.
Michael Murphy is the fourth Navy SEAL to earn the award and the first since the Vietnam War. Two Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously in the Iraq War.
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Semper Fi
Rest in Peace, Lt. Michael Murphy
http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/index.html