P
Patriot Games
Guest
http://www.newsmax.com/us/medal_of_honor/2007/10/11/40174.html
SEAL to Get Posthumous Medal of Honor
Thursday, October 11, 2007
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- 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.
SEAL to Get Posthumous Medal of Honor
Thursday, October 11, 2007
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- 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.
