Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy
United States Navy (SEAL) May 7, 1976 - June
28, 2005
There have been many brave souls that have
fought for our country over the years. All of them have
paid the price for freedom in one way or another. Each of
these heroes of America had a burning desire to ensure that our
way of life remains free. One such brave hero was
Lt Michael
Murphy, who was recently awarded the Medal of Honor for his
leadership and ultimate sacrifice for his country.
"They (friends and family) remember
a patriot who wore a New York City firehouse patch on his
uniform in honor of the heroes of 9/11. And they remember an
officer who respected their opinions, and led them with an
understated, yet unmistakable, sense of command. Together,
Michael and his fellow SEALs deployed multiple times around the
world in the war against the extremists and radicals. And while
their missions were often carried out in secrecy, their love of
country and devotion to each other was always clear."
--
President George W. Bush, October 22, 2007
While fighting in Asadabad, Afghanistan,
LT Murphy courageously fought the enemy in the face of
overwhelming odds. His actions on June 28, 2005 will
forever inspire the men and women in the uniform. In the
face of death, he fought to the end so that our country can
continue to be free. Patriotman.com salutes this brave
warrior of America. May he rest in peace. May we
never forget his devotion, courage, and sacrifice to the cause
of freedom.
Citation: 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.
"Wars may be fought with
weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who
follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory."
-- General George S. Patton
Throughout the history of
America, brave individuals have made huge sacrifices for the
freedoms that we enjoy today. Over the years the names
of these brave protectors of freedom have long since been forgotten.
However, their contributions linger on today. In honor of
their great sacrifices, I offer a few names that may be unfamiliar
to most average American citizens.
Henry Knox: An
American patriot who fought all through the Revolutionary war.
His contributions helped establish America as a free nation.
Henry Knox participated in many important events in our early
history, including the Boston Massacre. Because of his
leadership, General Washington placed him in charge of crossing
the Delaware river during the cold and icy conditions.
Because of his leadership, all soldiers, equipment, and horses
crossed without a single loss. He was later promoted to
Brigadier General. He later served as Secretary of War under
Washington's administration. Henry Knox was a great hero. There
are two Army Forts named after him: Fort Knox in Kentucky and Fort
Knox in Maine. Many counties through the mid-west and
eastern states are named after him. Knoxville, Tennessee is
also named after this great hero. Henry Knox was a great
American patriot.
Fox Conner: An American
General who's influence attributed to the success of such famous
World War I and II individuals like John J. Pershing, George C.
Marshall, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. General Conner
spent the majority of his military career planning major
operations. Although he is relatively unknown, his
contributions to the success of military operations during two
major wars was instrumental. General Eisenhower stated:
"My tour of duty was one of
the most interesting and constructive of my life. The main reason
was the presence of one man, our brigade commander, General Fox
Conner---a tall easygoing Mississippian---practical---down to
earth---as open and honest as any man I have known---equally at
home in the company of the most important people and with any of
the men in the regiment. General Conner was a natural leader
and something of a philosopher---he had an extraordinary library,
especially in military affairs---The range and curiosity of his
mind was not limited to military affairs. He quoted Shakespeare at
length, and he could relate his works to wars under discussion."
Oveta Culp Hobby: One of
the most influential female leaders in the military was Colonel
Oveta Culp Hobby. Colonel Hobby led 150,000 women of the
Women's Army Corps during World War II. Devoted to the
cause, Hobby focused on training and recruitment which resulted in
great success. For her achievements, she was awarded the
Army Distinguished Service Medal. On the World War II
Memorial in Washington DC is engraved a quote by Colonel Hobby. It
states: "Women who stepped up were measured as citizens of the
nation...not as women...this was a people's war, and everyone was
in it."
Let it be remembered, that each
individual who has served or currently serves in our armed forces
do so with pride and honor. Their sacrifices are the threads
that make our country great. Please remember our soldiers,
sailors, marines, and air men and women serving. Let them
know that you are thankful for what they do. Please support our
troops!
"I will never forget the American
and coalition men and women … who provided the first stepping stones
for us to make our country better."
--
Iraqi Brig. Gen. Fadhil Jameel Jameel Barwari
"The most
rewarding thing here is interacting with the people. A lot of them,
even some of the kids, speak some English. During our patrols in
their neighborhoods they often come up and talk to us. They really
seem to appreciate what we are trying to do here."
-- Staff Sgt. Todd Kobee,
International zone police team member
One of the village sheiks couldn't say
enough about the facility and the Soldiers who helped the
project.
" (Sheik Shanno) said that he
prayed to Allah for the ability to help his people, and Allah
delivered the Coalition Forces to his village."
-- 1st Lt. Matthew
Givens,
Leader of Team Village for 1-15 Inf. Regt.
In the
early days of Operation Anaconda, members of the 10th Mountain
Division were sent into the Shah-e-kot Valley in eastern Afghanistan.
Their mission was to seal off and destroy pockets of Al-Qaeda and
Taliban forces. Members of the Afghan National Army assisted by U.S.
Special Forces would attack from the north.
CPT
Nelson Kraft and his Soldiers from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion,
87th Infantry Regiment were part of the group that would land in the
south and wait for them. As soon as the Chinooks carrying the troops
landed, the unit found itself in the midst of100 or more enemy
fighters, heavily armed and dug into the cragged mountainsides.
First
Platoon was sent up the ridgeline. From their position above the
valley, they could hear the mortars advancing closer with each volley.
One round hit close to the platoon leader, Lieutenant Brad Maroyka,
and wounded him. He gave the order to move, but the next round hit his
platoon sergeant. With both leaders out of commission, Kraft radioed
SSG Randal Perez, a supply sergeant turned infantryman, and the senior
Soldier left standing and told him to take charge.
Reconnaissance photos and intelligence reports had failed to identify
this enemy stronghold, but the men of Charlie Company knew they could
not run, so they dug in and continued to fight.
Perez did
a quick assessment, finding nine of his 26 men wounded. He knew he
needed to get them out of the area where they were pinned down. He and
five others laid down heavy fire to allow the rest of the team to move
to safer ground.
Even
though he too was injured, the company first sergeant watched from his
position below to see how Perez was handling the pressure. He was glad
that the many hours spent at Fort Drum mentoring Perez and teaching
him infantry tactics were paying off.
All
during the fight, the newly appointed leader controlled his rates of
fire, called in targets and kept his men reassured by going helmet to
helmet. He rose to the challenge, doing the job of an officer with
years of training.