Monday, May 26, 2008
God bless our Heroes
As we remember and salute those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on this Memorial Day, I'd like for you to read something I posted some six months ago ...
Once upon a time, books were written, and movies were produced, in which Congressional Medal of Honor recipients were profiled. These days, a soldier who receives a Medal of Honor is lucky if his award is even mentioned in the papers or on the nightly news.
A damn shame, if you ask me.
Earlier this week, Navy (SEAL) Lt. Michael Murphy was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor for his brave actions in Afghanistan. Lt. Murphy is the first American serviceman to receive the Medal of Honor for combat in the Afghan theatre.
I searched high and low looking for a newspaper that mentioned Lt. Murphy's Medal of Honor on the first page. I couldn't find one.
Again, what a damn shame.
You may agree or disagree with how the War on Terror is being fought. You must agree, however, that Lt. Michael Murphy was one brave soul. To wit:
"Murphy, [Lt. Marcus] Luttrell and two other SEALs were searching for a terrorist in the Afghan mountains on June 28, 2005, when their mission was compromised after they were spotted by locals, who presumably alerted the Taliban to their presence.
"An intense gun battle ensued, with more than 50 anti-coalition fighters swarming around the outnumbered SEALs.
"Although wounded, Murphy is credited with risking his own life by moving into the open for a better position to transmit a call for help.
"Still under fire, Murphy provided his unit's location and the size of the enemy force. At one point he was shot in the back, causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in.
"He then returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle. A U.S. helicopter sent to rescue the men was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, killing all 16 aboard.
"By the end of the two-hour gunfight, Murphy and two of his comrades were also dead. An estimated 35 Taliban were also killed. Luttrell was blown over a ridge and knocked unconscious. He escaped, and was protected by local villagers for several days before he was rescued. ...
"Murphy, who died before his 30th birthday, is the fourth Navy SEAL to earn the award and the first since the Vietnam War. Two Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously in the Iraq war: to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, who was killed in 2004 after covering a grenade with his helmet, and to Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, who was killed in 2003 after holding off Iraqi forces with a machine gun before he was killed at the Baghdad airport.
"Murphy's heroics have been widely recognized on Long Island, where he graduated in 1994 from Patchogue-Medford High School."
God bless Lt. Murphy and his family ...
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Monday, May 26, 2008 
