Medal of Honor Recipient Lt. Michael Murpy

Medal of Honor recipient and Navy Seal Lt. Michael Murphy exemplifies integrity, selflessness, and valor; the beliefs that I hold dear. Murphy earned the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in the mountains of Afghanistan during Operation Red Wing. Murphy displayed these same qualities at an early age by defending a special needs classmate from bullies. During Operation Red Wing, Murphy and his team of four seals were conducting reconnaissance for one of Osama bin Landen’s top lieutenants and his militia force. Once they located the lieutenant and his force, the team attempted to move to a higher position that would enable them to communicate with their commanders. While moving to this position the team was compromised by three goat herders. Murphy and his team made a critical decision based on pre-mission intelligence and rules of engagement to release the herders. This decision would ultimately lead to their demise. Murphy and his team were soon attacked by close to 100 Taliban fighters. The team was severely outnumbered and still unable to communicate. The attacking force quickly gained the upper hand injuring all of the members of the team. Murphy, realizing the gravity of the situation and with gunfire all around him, moved to an open position to use his cell phone to call for help. While making the call, Murphy was shot in the back, but even after being mortally injured he was able to communicate his location and situation to his commanders before his death, in an attempt to save the lives of his team. It is due to his lifelong commitment to integrity, selflessness, and valor that I chose to write about Navy Seal Lt. Michael Murphy.