Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan will be awarded Medal of Honor
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 12, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. — A Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan will be awarded the Medal of Honor, according to the Navy.
Lt. Michael P. Murphy is the first U.S. servicemember to be awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan, and the third to receive the award for service in the war on terrorism.Murphy, originally from Patchogue, N.Y., and 29 years old at the time, was one of three SEALs killed on June 28, 2005, after their team was discovered by the Taliban.
The SEALs had come across local goat herders whom they released and who may have told the Taliban where the SEALs were. In the ensuing firefight, the SEALs faced a much larger force of Taliban fighters.
Murphy left his protected position to radio for backup, exposing himself to enemy gunfire, a Navy news release said.
“At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter,” the news release said. “Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy, who was closing in.”
Although Murphy was successful in getting a Quick Reaction Force dispatched to the scene, the backup team’s helicopter was shot down, killing all 16 troops aboard.
The SEALs continued to fight, but in the end, Murphy and two other SEALs were killed.
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Lt. Murphy was a member of the team upon which Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell was the only survior. Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell's book Lone Survivor his account of that event can be purchased here.
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