Soldier Honored: Michael P. Murphy

Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue, New York was killed by an overwhelming Taliban force on June 28, 2005, while leading a four-man SEAL Team reconnaissance unit in the Hindu-Kush mountains of Afghanistan.

Murphy valiantly climbed into the open onto high ground to make an electronic call for rescue. Wounded, he fought on, allowing one member of his squad to escape, before he himself was killed. The movie ‘Lone Survivor’ told the story.  Lt. Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

Murphy graduated from Penn State where he played hockey.  Murphy’s favorite book was Steven Pressfield’s “Gates of Fire,” about the Spartan stand at Thermopylae.  A Scholarship Foundation has been created in his honor.