Penn State alumnus killed in Afghanistan to be awarded Medal of Honor

Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy Penn State alumnus Michael P. Murphy was killed behind enemy lines in Afghanistan in June 2005

University Park, Pa. -- Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Penn State graduate and Navy SEAL who was killed while leading an intelligence mission behind enemy lines in Afghanistan, has been awarded the Medal of Honor, the White House announced on Oct. 11.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award for valor. Murphy's father, Daniel, accepted the award on behalf of his son, who is recognized for his heroism while leading a four-man reconnaissance mission on June 27 and 28, 2005 deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in Afghanistan.

"We are thrilled by the President's announcement today, especially because there is now a public recognition of what we knew all along about Michael's loyalty, devotion and sacrifice to his friends, family, country, and especially his SEAL teammates," the Murphy family said in a statement. "The honor is not just about Michael, it is about his teammates and those who lost their lives that same day."

The 29-year-old Murphy, a Patchogue, N.Y. native and 1998 Penn State graduate with a degree in political science, was the officer-in-charge of a SEAL team tasked with locating a high-level Taliban militia leader to provide intelligence for a mission to capture local leadership and disrupt enemy activity. Local Taliban sympathizers discovered the SEAL team and revealed its location to Taliban fighters, who moved on the SEAL team on a mountaintop. The firefight thatensued pushed the element farther into enemy territory and left all four SEALs wounded.

The SEALs were outnumbered more than four to one. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Murphy, already wounded, deliberately moved from cover into the open where he took and returned fire while transmitting a call for help for his teammates. Shot through the back while radioing for help, Murphy completed his transmission while returning fire. The call ultimately led to the rescue of one severely wounded team member, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell, and the recovery of the remains of Murphy and Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson.

Eight more SEALs and eight Army "Nightstalker" special operations personnel comprising the initial reinforcement also lost their lives when their helicopter was shot down before they could engage the enemy. The entire battle, the culmination of Operation Redwing, resulted in the worst single day loss of life for Naval Special Warfare personnel since World War II.

The sole surviving SEAL, Marcus Luttrell, wrote a book about the battle after he departed the Navy this summer. In his book Luttrell credited all three of his teammates for their heroism, including Murphy's sacrificial act that eventually led to his rescue.

Murphy was inducted into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon during a ceremony on Oct. 23. His name will be engraved beside the names of some 3,400 other service members who also have been awarded the nation's highest honor.

Awarded by the President in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor was created in 1861 as personal award of valor for members of the Navy. Soon thereafter another version was created for the Army and ultimately the Medal of Honor was presented to more than 1,500 Civil War veterans. Later the Air Force created its own unique Medal of Honor design. Marines and Coast Guardsmen are awarded the Navy's version of the Medal of Honor.

To read President Bush's remarks from the ceremony, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/26781 online.

Murphy also was honored on the field at Beaver Stadium before the Ohio State game. To view photos from that ceremony, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1487 online.

For more information on Lt. Michael P. Murphy, visit http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/index.html online.