Medal of Honor: LT Michael Murphy, USN (God Bless this Navy SEAL)

Brain Shavings ^ | 10/22/07 | USN Press Release

[scottdeus12]

A Navy SEAL will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor on October 22. Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy is the third man to receive America's highest military award for valor in the War on Terror.

U.S. Navy press release:

Murphy was the officer-in-charge of the SEAL element, which was tasked with locating a high- level Taliban militia leader to provide intelligence for a follow-on mission to capture or destroy the local leadership and disrupt enemy activity. However local Taliban sympathizers discovered the SEAL unit and immediately revealed their position to Taliban fighters. The element was besieged on a mountaintop by scores of enemy fighters. The firefight that ensued pushed the element farther into enemy territory and left all four SEALs wounded.

[scottdeus12]

If you read the account of this Fallen Hero in Marcus Luttrel’s book, “Lone Survivor”, it will give you goosebumps.

What a hero.

[ArrogantBustard]

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.

[ArrogantBustard]

Citation here.

[scottdeus12]

Have you read Lone Survivor?

[ArrogantBustard]

Not yet.

It's in "The Stack" (of books have bought, but not yet read).

[scottdeus12]

Please sign his guest book here:

http://www.legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonID=14469233

[scottdeus12]

It’s a must read. Incredible story.

[Dante3]

“Lone Survivor” sounds also like a good book to give as a gift.

[A.A. Cunningham]

[Jazzman1]

I wonder why I never heard about this on the MSM? hmmm

[Dante3]

BUMP

[angcat]

I ordered it last night for Hubby.

[Dante3]

"Lone Survivor" is #6 on Amazon.

Does anyone know if you have to buy it from Amazon to review it there or if you can have bought it from elsewhere?

[in hoc signo vinces]

It’s available at any Barnes and Noble...

[angcat]

I got mine from Amazon.

You can review it for free on Amazon.

[Miss Didi]

Kudos to Bill O’Reilly who has done some excellent segments on this American hero including exposing CNN, MSNBC, etc. for their complete lack of coverage.

[Dante3]

That lack of coverage is offensive. While the fires is a big story, the media could have some of the scenes they kept repeating because there was nothing new to report. Also, they could have cut reports of Copperfield picking up women at his show, etc. It would have been easy to make time.

[ks_shooter]

I just finished reading this book last night. My son, who is in the Army Reserve and trying to transfer to Special Forces, gave it to me to read. It is an amazing story of courage. After reading it I can only say that I wish that there had been a few more of them there and then they could have fertilized that desolate ground with ALL of those crazy-eyed lunatics. The citation talks about 40 to 50 Taliban fighters, but in the book Marcus estimates that there were more like 140 of them, about half of which 4 Navy Seals killed before three of them fell.

[Miss Didi]

Bill will continue this discussion tonight. From Tuesday and Wednesday on the Factor:

Talking Points Memo
Disrespecting the American military

"Last night our lead story was the Medal of Honor awarded to Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan trying to save his unit. Lt. Murphy's bravery is truly an incredible saga, so why did CNN and MSNBC fail to report the story in prime time last night? CBS News gave Lt. Murphy more than three minutes, ABC more than two minutes. But apparently Lt. Murphy was not ready for prime time on our cable competition. The hard truth is that MSNBC and CNN are not going to report stories that reflect well on the American military because they despise the Bush administration and believe anything positive detracts from their negative assessment. And it is ideology that is driving those people, not an effective business plan. Here's the proof: over the first three weeks of October, Fox News Channel has doubled CNN and tripled MSNBC in the ratings. At 8 PM, The Factor beats those two combined, with about a million viewers to spare. So ignoring great stories like Lt. Murphy can't be based on news value or business. I don't want to hear CNN or MSNBC say they 'support the troops.' CNN and NBC News can't get enough of negative war zone stories, but on their prime time broadcasts last night, CNN and MSNBC said 'no' to Lt. Michael Murphy and his proud family. There is no excuse."

Anti-American media continues to spread

As reported previously, the heroism of Medal of Honor winner Lt. Michael Murphy was ignored by many in the media. And that was not an isolated incident - The Factor welcomed Ginger Gilbert, whose husband Troy was killed when his plane crashed in Iraq. After Al Qaeda videotaped his remains and supplied the footage to Al Jazeera, American media outlets reported only that part of the story. "It was heartbreaking and frustrating," Gilbert lamented, "that this was the way they choose to show my husband, who was an American hero. There was never a mention about the 22 lives he saved on the ground or his focus on the safety of Iraqi civilians. We fed right into the terrorists' hands by putting it on the news, and yours is the only show that has reached out to me." The Factor again accused many of flat-out dishonesty. "Most of the media are against the Iraq war and despise the Bush administration, so they're going to spin negative news all day long to further their political agenda. The reality is that politics is trumping the war effort."