"HERO" - SEAL Lieutenant Mike Murphy Considered for MOH

Posted By Blackfive • [February 02, 2007]

"My best guess is that Lt. Murphy will be granted the Medal of Honor based on the fact that three others won the Navy Cross and Murphy was the leader who assured that at least one of them survived." - Marine Lt. Col. (ret) Matthew Dodd, senior editor of the online magazine "DefenseWatch"

Froggy and I have posted about the SEAL fight in Afghanistan several times. 

Froggy Ruminations - SEAL Memorial at the Punchbowl MUST READ
Froggy Ruminations - The One
Pundit Review - Blackfive podcast about the battle
Blackfive (Froggy) - Axelson and Dietz to Receive Navy Crosses
Blackfive (Froggy) - Mike Murphy Beach

Robert Stevens at Alphabet City saw this at his Long Island newstand and sent the links.  The headline reading simply "Hero" is a good start:

The NewsDay article says:

...The unit was reported to be trailing a high-ranking terror leader near 10,000-foot peaks when they were ambushed and overrun by scores of insurgent fighters on June 28, according to Newsday interviews and media reports. The newspaper Navy Times reported in October that Murphy's actions -- "far outnumbered and surrounded by enemy" -- were being reviewed for the U.S. Navy's first Medal of Honor awarded since the Vietnam War.

A troop transport helicopter that sped to their rescue with eight Navy SEALs and eight Army commandos aboard crashed after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. All aboard were killed. A single member of Murphy's team managed to elude capture, and eventually was reunited with U.S. forces.

Relatives of the SEALS have said the lone American survivor told them that Murphy came to his rescue when he was trapped by insurgents during the battle, according to the interviews and reports.

The survivor also told relatives that Murphy was shot when he climbed to higher ground and into the open to send an electronic call for help. Wounded, Murphy completed the call, then continued fighting. It is this action that is believed to be at the heart of his consideration for the Medal of Honor.

Two of Murphy's colleagues who were killed in the firefight -- Sonar Technician 2/C Matthew G. Axelson and Gunner's Mate 2/C Danny Dietz -- were awarded the Navy Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, during a posthumous ceremony in September.

The lone survivor, whom the Navy has not named because he has returned to covert duty, also received the Navy Cross in a private ceremony. Conspicuously, Murphy did not receive an award at that time and Navy officials typically do not comment on such matters.

On Wednesday, Cmdr. Gregory Geisen, a Navy spokesman, said Murphy is being considered for a high honor, but he said the Navy would not release any details...

The community refers to the lone survivor as The One.  His brother is also a SEAL.  They have been and are actively engaged in this fight.  The One's father comments here occasionally as 'Pops'.  As Froggy has said, if he shows up, show him the proper respect.  I can only imagine what kind of father and mother produce two SEALs of the highest caliber.

I've also said that when the details are released about the entire fight, it will be recorded as one of the most courageous and faithful demonstrations of American warriors in our nation's history.

---

Comments

"HERO" - SEAL Lieutenant Mike Murphy Considered for MOH

"My best guess is that Lt. Murphy will be granted the Medal of Honor based on the fact that three others won the Navy Cross and Murphy was the leader who assured that at least one of them survived." - Marine Lt. Col. (ret) Matthew Dodd, senior editor of the online magazine "DefenseWatch"

Froggy and I have posted about the SEAL fight in Afghanistan several times. 

Froggy Ruminations - SEAL Memorial at the Punchbowl MUST READ
Froggy Ruminations - The One
Pundit Review - Blackfive podcast about the battle
Blackfive (Froggy) - Axelson and Dietz to Receive Navy Crosses
Blackfive (Froggy) - Mike Murphy Beach

Robert Stevens at Alphabet City saw this at his Long Island newstand and sent the links.  The headline reading simply "Hero" is a good start:

The NewsDay article says:

...The unit was reported to be trailing a high-ranking terror leader near 10,000-foot peaks when they were ambushed and overrun by scores of insurgent fighters on June 28, according to Newsday interviews and media reports. The newspaper Navy Times reported in October that Murphy's actions -- "far outnumbered and surrounded by enemy" -- were being reviewed for the U.S. Navy's first Medal of Honor awarded since the Vietnam War.

A troop transport helicopter that sped to their rescue with eight Navy SEALs and eight Army commandos aboard crashed after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. All aboard were killed. A single member of Murphy's team managed to elude capture, and eventually was reunited with U.S. forces.

Relatives of the SEALS have said the lone American survivor told them that Murphy came to his rescue when he was trapped by insurgents during the battle, according to the interviews and reports.

The survivor also told relatives that Murphy was shot when he climbed to higher ground and into the open to send an electronic call for help. Wounded, Murphy completed the call, then continued fighting. It is this action that is believed to be at the heart of his consideration for the Medal of Honor.

Two of Murphy's colleagues who were killed in the firefight -- Sonar Technician 2/C Matthew G. Axelson and Gunner's Mate 2/C Danny Dietz -- were awarded the Navy Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, during a posthumous ceremony in September.

The lone survivor, whom the Navy has not named because he has returned to covert duty, also received the Navy Cross in a private ceremony. Conspicuously, Murphy did not receive an award at that time and Navy officials typically do not comment on such matters.

On Wednesday, Cmdr. Gregory Geisen, a Navy spokesman, said Murphy is being considered for a high honor, but he said the Navy would not release any details...

The community refers to the lone survivor as The One.  His brother is also a SEAL.  They have been and are actively engaged in this fight.  The One's father comments here occasionally as 'Pops'.  As Froggy has said, if he shows up, show him the proper respect.  I can only imagine what kind of father and mother produce two SEALs of the highest caliber.

I've also said that when the details are released about the entire fight, it will be recorded as one of the most courageous and faithful demonstrations of American warriors in our nation's history.

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