Selfless Valor: Navy LT Michael P. Murphy

American Thinker ^ | October 22, 2007 | John B. Dwyer

[neverdem]

In a White House ceremony today at 2:30 PM, President Bush will award a posthumous Medal of Honor to the family of Navy LT Michael P. Murphy.  For Operation Red Wing he led a 3-man SEAL recon team that was taken under fire by several dozen Taliban in June 2005.  When his commo man was wounded, Murphy had to expose himself to enemy fire to radio for a rescue chopper (shot down upon arrival; all aboard killed). 

Though shot in the back while doing so, he completed that call and, multiply wounded, returned to the team, now engaged in a desperate battle.  Some 2 hours later, only one, Luttrell, remained alive.  There is a complete account of his selfless heroism at this link.

On Tuesday October 23 at 11:00a.m., LT Murphy will be inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, where all Medal of Honor recipients are honored.

At 6:00 p.m. on the 23rd, there will be a Medal of Honor flag presentation for LT Murphy at the US Navy Memorial. 

LT Michael Murphy is the first member of the US armed forces to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions above & beyond the call of duty in Afghanistan. 

The Medal of Honor originated as a US Navy award in 1861.  Legislation for an Army Medal came a year later. 

Those interested in reading Medal of Honor citations from all wars and pertinent information about the Medal should go to this site. It might be the best time you spend today. If there is one phrase descriptive of al those actions it is "selfless valor" -- putting your life on the line to protect fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines or Coastguardsmen or to rescue them.  Of the 464 Medals of Honor awarded during WW2, 266 were posthumous.  For Vietnam, it was 154 out of 245.  Amazingly, 14 heroes representing the Army, Navy and Marine Corps earned two Medals of Honor for separate actions.  Read about them here.    

The texts of the citations for posthumous awards are not mere words, they are sacred texts, for they describe what in essence is perhaps ultimately unfathomable -- the decision to sacrifice your life in Christ-like fashion, for your fellow man. All of the citations are inspirational and will leave you brimming with awe, admiration and gratitude. 

That there are lessons to be learned goes without saying.  I would suggest that Americans take some time tomorrow to meditate on the actions of LT Murphy, on those of all Medal of Honor recipients, and find therein the impetus to re-dedicate themselves to unswerving support for all US armed forces fighting the global war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere; to re-armor themselves with implacable will to persevere in this fight until victory is achieved.   

John B. Dwyer is a military historian.

[Patriot Hooligan]

“I consider it no sacrifice to die for my country. In my mind, we came here to thank God that men like these have lived rather than to regret that they have died.”

General George S. Patton

[SevenMinusOne]

Good post - Though I would point out - AARs have shown that there were well more than “several dozen” Taliban. With the more accurate number being somewhere over 100 by the end of the extremely fierce and extended engagement (of which a majority of those Taliban were either KIA/WIA by this SEAL Team).

[BGHater]

[BGHater]

Typical of most recent battles with operators the kill ratio has been insane. Shughart and Gordon, and Regiment took, 200-300 muzzies out. Thats on the low side.

[DTogo]

The Medal of Honor: awarded to those with, by those without.

[Miss Didi]

Last night Bill O’s Talking Points featured this American hero and the treatment by the media followed by an excellent segment with Marcus Luttrell...Bill also urged everyone to read his book.

[neverdem]

Say a prayer for Lt. Murphy's family, if you please, not to mention all the other families of those who died.

Michael Yon: Settling Down - Rashid in transition.

The Surge is Only the First Step Part I

The Coalition and Iraq Part II

From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[SLB]

Ping

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank God for this hero!

[PhilDragoo]

Marcus Luttrell was interviewed by Jan Mikelson for an hour last week on WHO Des Moines. They were very aware they faced prison if they killed the goatherders who ratted them out.

I spent considerable time discussing this in conjunction with the Medal of Honor for Lt. Michael P. Murphy with our congressman's staffer. I speak with her two to three times a week and have done so for a year and have never found her so moved as by this act of valor and the larger implications.

The Haditha Marines are the most infamous example of our fighting men betrayed for doing the dangerous work we ask them to do--and now the men of SEAL Team 10 and their QRT.

Next crisis requiring extraction, salt the area with JAGS and let them explain the rules of war to a hundred or more Taliban with RPGs, mortars and AKs.

Oh, and do take Murtha.

The power of these heroes is clearly displayed on the following video wherein even the execrable Matt Lauer is awed into respect:

Navy Seal: ‘I died on that mountain’

[alfa6]

Thanks for the ping, Phil

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[neverdem]

Thanks for the link.

[jazusamo]

Great post, neverdem.

Thanks for the ping and link, Phil.

[potlatch]

Good comments Phil.

[gonzo]

Thanks, Phil ....................... FRegards

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you Phil. I had been listening to Mr. Luttrell’s intervieww on Glenn Beck, we have his book “Lone Survivor” on order.

From his interview I gather his instinct was to kill the goatherders and his instinct was right. It’s a shame, a disgrace that our soldiers cannot do what they are trained to do.