Table of Contents

Title PageDedicationACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONSForewordAcknowledgementsIntroduction CHAPTER ONE - The Knock on the Door

Tuesday, June 28, 2005, Kunar Province,Afghanistan

Tuesday, June 28, 2005, Patchogue, NewYork

Wednesday, June 29, 2005, Long Island,New York

Wednesday, June 29, 2005, NavalSpecial Warfare Command(NAVSPECWARCOM), ...

Long Island, New YorkAssembling the Support Network

CHAPTER TWO - Vigil for the Valiant

Thursday-Friday, June 30-July 1, 2005Saturday, July 2, 2005Sunday, July 3, 2005Monday, July 4, 2005The InevitableTuesday, July 5, 2005, Dover Air Force

Base, DelawarePeace Be with You ... and Also with YouMichael’s RevengeWednesday, July 6, 2005Sunday, July 10, 2005Honoring a HeroClayton Funeral Home

CHAPTER THREE - Funeral for the Fallen

Funeral PreparationsVisitation: Monday, July 11, 2005Arrival of the SEALsVisitation: Tuesday, July 12, 2005Family Prayer Service, Wednesday, July

13, 2005Mass of Christian BurialPlacing of the Funeral PallReplacing the FlagFuneral ProcessionMilitary HonorsThe Meaning of a Folded FlagOn Behalf of the President of the United

States . . .Home . . . FinallyA Final Message from MichaelOn Permanent Station

CHAPTER FOUR - Seeds of Greatness

Canaan Elementary SchoolSaxton Middle School

CHAPTER FIVE - “The Protector”

Patchogue-Medford High SchoolPenn State University

CHAPTER SIX - Prep Schools for SEALs

Prep School for SEALsHistory of the SEAL Recruiting District

Assistance Council (RDAC)RDAC StandardsSaturday, January 16, 1998Saturday, February 20, 1998Saturday, April 24, 1998Spring of 1998Saturday, May 16, 1998Saturday, June 19, 1998Waiting for Good NewsSuccess Breeds Success

CHAPTER SEVEN - Officer Candidate School

The Power of PersistenceNaval Air Station, Pensacola, FloridaIndoctrination WeekWeek TwoWeek ThreeWeek 4Weeks 5-6Graduation

CHAPTER EIGHT - BUD/S: The Price of Admission

Indoctrination Course (Indoc)First PhaseSecond PhaseThird PhaseGraduation

CHAPTER NINE - Agoge: Earning the Trident

Army Jump School: The “Air” in Sea, Air,Land (SEAL)

Junior Officer Training Course (JOTC)Range Safety Officer CourseDive Supervisor CourseSurvival, Evasion, Resistance and

Escape (SERE)SEAL Qualification Training (SQT)SQT GraduationCold-Weather Training—Kodiak Island,

AlaskaSEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Training

CHAPTER TEN - Warrior Community and Structure

OverviewMissionStructurePrimary or Core MissionsSEAL MissionsSEAL “Community”

CHAPTER ELEVEN - Deployment Work-upProfessional Development (PRODEV)Unit Level Training (ULT)Squadron Integration Training (SIT)The Dangers of SEAL Training

CHAPTER TWELVE - Operation Enduring Freedom

At WarThe Global War on Terror (GWOT)The Final Visit Home

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Afghanistan—Home of al-Qaeda

Afghanistan: An OverviewAfghanistan in the Wake of the 9/11

AttacksNaval Special Warfare ReorganizationApril 26, 2005, Bagram Airfield,

AfghanistanGeneral Orientation BriefingOn the Move

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - When Character MetCircumstance: Operation Red Wings

Kunar ProvinceOperation Red Wings: PlanningOperation Red Wings: The MissionFather’s DayThe Reconnaissance ElementThe PlanBagram Airfield, Sunday, June 26, 2005Operation Red Wings: ExecutionThe Battle for Murphy’s Ridge“Iron-Souled Warrior”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Rescue Mission

The Loss of Turbine 33Rescue to RecoveryJuly 3, 2005

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Answering the Call

Erik S. Kristensen, LieutenantCommander, U.S. Navy

Michael M. McGreevy Jr., Lieutenant, U.S.Navy

Daniel R. Healy, Senior Chief PettyOfficer, U.S. Navy

Eric Shane Patton, Petty Officer SecondClass, U.S. Navy

Jeffrey Allen Lucas, Petty Officer FirstClass, U.S. Navy

Jacques Jules Fontan, Chief Petty Officer,U.S. Navy

Jeffrey Scott Taylor, Petty Officer FirstClass, U.S. Navy

James E. Suh, Petty Officer SecondClass, U.S. Navy

Stephen C. Reich, Major, U.S. ArmyChris J. Scherkenbach, Chief Warrant

Officer 4, U.S. ArmyCory J. Goodnature, Chief Warrant Officer

3, U.S. ArmyJames W. “Tre” Ponder III, Master

Sergeant, U.S. ArmyMichael L. Russell, Sergeant First Class,

U.S. ArmyMarcus V. Muralles, Sergeant First Class,

U.S. ArmyShamus O. Goare, Staff Sergeant, U.S.

ArmyKip Allen Jacoby, Sergeant, U.S. Army

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - No One Left Behind

July 3, 2005July 4, 2005July 5, 2005—Ramp Ceremony

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - In the Presence of Warriors

July 8, 2005: Naval Amphibious Base,Little Creek, Virginia

July 11, 2005: National MemorialCemetery of the Pacific

CHAPTER NINETEEN - Memorials to a Hero

Little League Baseball Fields, April 29,2006

Lake Ronkonkoma, May 7, 2006Navy Memorial, September 16, 2006Continuing to WaitPatchogue Federal Post Office, October

24, 2006January 30, 2007January 31, 2007February 1, 2007Additional Memorials and Honors

CHAPTER TWENTY - Of Service and Sacrifice

Quick Travel PreparationsFDNY to Washington, D.C.Another Round of Media InterviewsWashington, D.C.—October 21, 2007Arlington National Cemetery—October

21, 2007Wreath-laying Ceremony for Michael’s

TeammatesTomb of the UnknownsThe Capitol Building—October 22, 2007The White House—October 22, 2007ReceptionDinner with Admiral RougheadThe Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes—October

23, 2007Induction to the Hall of HeroesMedal of Honor Flag Ceremony, Navy

MemorialMedal of Honor FlagUnited States Naval Academy, Annapolis,

Maryland—October 24, 2007 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Growing Legacy

A Time of Tribute and CeremonyThe Power of a Legacy

Michael Murphy Memorial TrophyThe Nature of a Legacy

PostscriptEpilogueAPPENDIX - Naval Special Warfare CommunitySupport GroupsSOURCESINDEXABOUT THE AUTHORCopyright Page

To my father, Richard A. Williams, a decoratedKorean War veteran who instilled in his children a

near-reverent respect for those who wear our nation’suniforms.

And to all those who went to war to defend ournation’s freedom, but never returned.

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ACLS Advance cardiac lifesupport

ACM Anticoalition militia AF Assault force AFB Air Force Base AOIC Assistant officer in charge AOR Assistant operations officer

ASDS Advance SEAL DeliverySystem

BATS Bleeding, airway, tensionpneumothorax, and shock

BUD/S Basic UnderwaterDemolition/SEAL

CACO Casualty Assistance CallsOfficer

Candi-O Candidate officer CAO Civil affairs operation CENTCOM Central Command

CERTEX Certification trainingexercise

CFC-A Combined ForcesCoalition-Afghanistan

CIA Central Intelligence Agency

CJSOTF-A Combined Joint SpecialOperations Task Force-Afghanistan

CJTF Combined Joint TaskForce

CJTF-HOA Combined Joint TaskForce-Horn of Africa

CNO Chief of naval operations CP Counterproliferation CPO Chief petty officer CQD Close Quarters Defense CSAR Combat search and rescue CSC Combat Swimmer Course

CSST Combat Service SupportTeam

CT Counterterrorism CTF Coalition Task Force CTT Combat Training Tank DA Direct action

DEVGRU Naval Special WarfareDevelopment Group

DI Drill instructor

DMV Department of MotorVehicles

DOR Drop on request

DUSTWUN Duty Station WhereaboutsUnknown

DZ Drop zone

EOD Explosive ordnancedisposal

FDNY New York City FireDepartment

FID Foreign internal defense FLIR Forward-looking infrared FOB Forward operating base

FRIES Fast ropeinsertion/extraction system

FTX Field training exercise GPA Grade point average GWOT Global War on Terror HAHO High-altitude, high-opening HALO High-altitude, low-opening HLZ Helicopter landing zone HQ Headquarters IAD Immediate-action drill IBS Inflatable boat, small Indoc Indoctrination Course IO Information operation IRS Internal Revenue Service J-bad Jalalabad, Afghanistan

JCET Joint/Combined ExchangeTraining

JOTC Junior Officer TrainingCourse

LAR Lung-activated rebreather LDA Lateral drift apparatus LPO Leading petty officer LUP Layup position LZ Landing zone MAS Military assault suit MSC Mission Support Center

MOPH Military Order of the PurpleHeart

MTT Military training test NAS Naval air station

NATO North Atlantic TreatyOrganization

NATTC Naval Air Technical TrainingCenter

NAVCENT Naval Forces CentralCommand

NAVSPECWARCOM Naval Special WarfareCommand

NOMI Naval Operational MilitaryInstitute

NR Naval Reserve

NROTC Naval Reserve OfficersTraining Course

NSA Naval Support Activity NSC National Security Council NSW Naval Special Warfare

NSWDG Naval Special WarfareDevelopment Group

NSWF Naval Special WarfareFoundation

NSWG Naval Special WarfareGroup

NYU New York University O-course Obstacle course

OCS OCS Officer Candidate SchoolOfficer Candidate School

OIC Officer in charge PACOM Pacific Command PC Patrol Coastal PCU Protective combat unit

PEPSE Personal environmentalprotection and survivalequipment

PFA Physical FitnessAssessment

PI Personnel inspection PJs Pararescue jumpers POW Prisoner of war

PRK Photorefractivekeratectomy

PRODEV Professional development PRT Physical Readiness Test

PSD Personnel SupportDetachment

PST Pacific standard time;Physical Screening Test

PSU Penn State University PSYOPS Psychological operations PT Physical training QRF Quick-reaction force

RDAC Recruiting DistrictAssistance Council

RIS Rail interface system

RLI Room and lockerinspection

ROEs Rules of engagement RPG Rocket-propelled grenade RSO Range safety officer RTC Recruit Training Command SATCOM Satellite communications SBR Special Boat Squadron SBU Special Boat Unit SDV SEAL Delivery Vehicle

SDVT SEAL Delivery VehicleTeam

SEAL Sea, air, land

SERE Survival, evasion,resistance, escape

SETAF Southern European TaskForce

SF Special Forces (GreenBerets)

SFO(D) Special Forces OperationalDetachment-Delta

SIT Squadron IntegrationTraining

SLT Swing landing trainer

SOAR Special Operations AviationRegiment

SOC Special operationscommander

SOCOM SOF Special operations forces

SOMPE-M Special Operations MissionPlanning Environment-Maritime

SOP Standard operatingprocedure

SPIE Special PurposeInsertion/Extraction

SPOTC Senior Petty Officer TrainingCourse

SQT SEAL Qualification Training SR Special reconnaissance

SWCC Special WarfareCombatant-craft Crewmen

TCCC Tactical combat casualtycare

TIC Troops in contact (or combat)

UAE United Arab Emirates

UBA Underwater breathingapparatus

UDT Underwater DemolitionTeam

ULT Unit Level Training UN United Nations

USMMA United States MerchantMarine Academy

USN United States Navy

USO United ServiceOrganizations

USSOCOM United States SpecialOperations Command

UW Unconventional warfare

WMD Weapons of massdestruction

FOREWORD

Of the four Navy SEALs who inserted into the HinduKush Mountains, Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on thatterrible day in June 2005, I personally knew three:Matt Axelson, Marcus Luttrell, and Danny Dietz. Theone SEAL I did not know was Michael Murphy. Now,thanks to Gary Williams’ fine portrayal of MichaelMurphy in SEAL of Honor, I know them all.

While I did not previously know Michael, my senseis that Gary’s assessment of this SEAL leader ringstrue. He seems very much like Tom Norris and BobKerrey, SEAL officers I do know well and who sharethat singular distinction as Medal of Honor recipients.Both Norris and Kerrey are humble, understated,introspective, and physically average. Both struggledin SEAL training, and once in the SEAL teams, tooktheir duties seriously. Both came from families andcommunities who raised these future heroes with astrong sense of personal accountability andresponsibility. And Tom Norris and Bob Kerry areboth humble in light of their battlefieldaccomplishments, almost to the point ofembarrassment, and invariably seek to deflect praisefrom themselves to others who served with them. Hadhe lived, I think Michael Murphy would have beenmuch the same.

Michael Murphy also shares that quality of selflessdevotion to his duty and to his brother SEALs as didtwo other “Mikes” who were awarded the Medal ofHonor. Mike Thornton and Mike Monsoor both riskedall in deadly combat to go to the aid of theirteammates. In the case of Mike Monsoor, he too gavehis life so that others would have a chance to live.

In the words of William Holden in the closingscenes in of the movie The Bridges of Toko-Ri,“Where do we find such men?” The great Americanpoet Carl Sandburg once said, “Valor is a gift. Thosehaving it never know for sure whether they have it tillthe test comes. And those having it in one test neverknow for sure if they will have it when the next testcomes.”

Major Dick Winters, of Band of Brothers fame,when asked by his granddaughter if he was a hero,answered, “No, but I served in the company ofheroes.” I also feel that I have known some heroesfrom my generation who fought in Vietnam to thecurrent generation of special warriors in the fieldtoday. They come from a variety of educationalbackgrounds and physical gifts; there is no prototypeand no common trait save that of character. LikeRobert Holden’s character in Bridges, I’ve oftenwondered where, indeed, do we find such men. SEALtraining, so ably documented in this work, may refinethe character of a hero. However, they don’t train mento be heroes, nor does SEAL training select men whoare predisposed to heroic acts. It is my belief thatthose who perform such acts of valor are so inclinedlong before they enter military service or put on auniform. With respect to Carl Sandberg, I believe this

gift of valor is somehow imparted to our most gallantwarriors by their families and their role models, andby the extended communities that help to raise them.Our military, and especially the Navy SEAL teams,have simply been blessed with young men who havebeen reared in an environment that stresses theNavy’s core values of Honor, Courage, andCommitment.

A combat leader lives, and sometimes dies, by hisability to balance two often mutually exclusive duties:he must accomplish his mission and he must takecare of his men. A great deal has been written aboutOperation Red Wings, and exactly what took place inthose mountains on that fateful day we may neverknow. But we do know this: Mike Murphy did all in hispower to accomplish his mission. When that becameimpossible, he did all in his power to take care of hismen. In the face of impossible odds and mortallywounded, he fought and led until the moment he waskilled. For those of us who have since learned ofMichael Murphy’s courage in those last terrible hours,we marvel at such gallantry. For the Murphy family andthe small community of Patchogue, New York, theirunimaginable grief aside, he was simply one of theirown, doing his duty in a manner that was consistentwith how he was raised.

—DICK COUCH SEAL (BUD/S) CLASS45 UDT 22/SEAL TEAM ONE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A project of this magnitude cannot be accomplishedby a single individual; while my name may appear onthe cover, there are literally hundreds of individualswho made this effort possible. While many are namedbelow, there are those critical individuals whoprovided firsthand accounts of much of theoperational details whose names cannot be revealeddue to the secretive or classified nature of their work.They know who they are. Anytime you begin to thankpeople, you run the risk of unintentionally omittingsomeone; therefore, I ask for their forgiveness.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents,Richard and Charlene Williams, who instilled thevirtues of hard work, patience, and persistence, aswell as a near-sacred respect for our militarypersonnel and veterans. To my wife, Tracy, and mychildren, Aaron, Lisa, Bryan, David, Daniel, andStephen, and grandchildren, Chantress and Caden,thank you for allowing me time and freedom to bothresearch and write this story and, most important, forkeeping me grounded. Your sacrifices are no lessimportant or appreciated. I hope my efforts make youas proud of me as I am of each of you. A specialthank you to my stepson Stephen, our residentcomputer expert, for easing my frequent frustrationswith a few keystrokes or a click of the mouse.

The following individuals contributed in varyingdegrees to the success of this book. Whatever levelof detail about and insight into the man MichaelMurphy was that I may have brought to these pageswould not have been possible without theircontributions and support. They are the true authors.

Family of Lieutenant Michael Murphy: Father Dan,mother Maureen and brother John ... it is very evidentwhy and how Michael became the man he was. Thankyou for your service, sacrifice, and willingness toshare the most painful of life’s events with me and theworld.

Operation Red Wings: The families of Petty OfficerMatthew Axelson, Petty Officer Danny Dietz, PettyOfficer Marcus Luttrell, Senior Chief Dan Healy,Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen, Petty OfficerJames Suh, Petty Officer Shane Patton, Petty OfficerJeffrey Taylor, Petty Officer Jeffrey Lucas, MajorStephen Reich, Lieutenant Michael McGreevy, ChiefWarrant Officer 4 Chris Scherkenbach, Chief WarrantOfficer 4 Cory Goodnature, Master Sergeant JamesW. “Tre” Ponder, Sergeant First Class MarcusMuralles, Staff Sergeant Shamus Goare, andSergeant Kip Jacoby.

United States Navy: Vice Admiral Eric Olson, RearAdmiral Joseph D. Kernan, Rear Admiral EdwardKristensen (ret.) and Mrs. Suzanne Kristensen,Lieutenant Jeff Widenhofer, Lieutenant CommanderTamsen Reese, and Lieutenant Leslie Lykins.

Naval Special Warfare: Rear Admiral EdwardWinters III, Rear Admiral Garry J. Bonelli, CaptainLarry Lasky (ret.), Commander Gregory Geisen,

Commander Todd DeGhetto, Commander ChadMuse, Lieutenant Commander Michael Martin (ret.),Lieutenant Andy Haffele (ret.), Lieutenant NathanPotter, Ensign Chris Reed, and former Gunner’s MateFirst Class Luke Barker. To all those individuals whomust remain anonymous as they continue to defendfreedom around the world, thank you, gentlemen, andGodspeed.

United States Army, 160th Special OperationsAviation Regiment: Kimberly Tiscone, Major MyronBradley, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chad Easter, andthose heroic individuals who must remain anonymousas they continue to defend freedom around the world.Again, thank you, and Godspeed.

Michael Murphy’s closest friends: The O’Callaghanfamily—Owen, Jimmie, Kerri, and Sean—JimmyEmmerich, and Jay Keenan. Everyone should havethe honor of friends like you.

Other individuals were invaluable in this effort. Theyinclude Captain Andrew “Drew” Bisset (ret.), who wasthe first to sign on in this effort back on May 7, 2008,and served as an excellent mentor and technicalexpert working tirelessly to bring me up to speed onthe Navy and the SEALs in very short order. I want toextend a very special thank you to Captain Kent Paro.His tireless efforts in reviewing this manuscript andhis near-photographic recall of details contributedimmensely to the clarity of this work. Mostappreciated was his demonstrated patience of Jobwhen it came to working with me, a nonmilitaryindividual who possessed only the utmost respect forthose in uniform and the deep desire to learn. Thankyou seems so inadequate.

Roger Froehlich, a staunch advocate for those whowear this nation’s uniforms, was and remains willingto do anything to advance this project; his belief,encouragement, and facility in putting me in contactwith the right people at the right time saved time andfrustration. At a time when he is increasinglyconsumed with family concerns, he remains a sourceof encouragement and strength.

I would also like to thank former secretary of thenavy Donald C. Winter, Vice Admiral JosephMaguire, and Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of NavalOperations, whose staff provided support andencouragement that was extremely helpful in keepingthis entire project within the Navy family, as well asRick Russell and the staff at the Naval Institute Press,who demonstrated great patience while ushering anunknown author through the sometimes intimidatingwaters of the publishing world. Finally, a special thankyou to legendary Hollywood actor Jon Voight for histireless advocacy of and undying respect for ournation’s veterans and his words of encouragementand support.

INTRODUCTION

Why would a highly successful graduate from aprestigious university, having been accepted into lawschool, forgo a lucrative law career? What causes atwenty-two-year-old college graduate to work as alifeguard and plumber’s assistant while waiting on anopportunity that may never materialize? How doesone decide to ignore the advice of loving parents andset a course so demanding that less than 1 percentsucceed? Who volunteers to put oneself throughmonths of physical and mental pain and abuse for aposition that only a few achieve? What is the sourceof the internal strength and moral courage that says, “Iwould rather die than quit”? Why would onedeliberately step into a hail of gunfire?

Although I never had the opportunity to meetMichael Patrick Murphy, it has been the privilege of alifetime during the past months to get to know himthrough his parents, family, relatives, friends,teammates, and acquaintances, whose lives weremade better for having known the young man knownas “Murph” or “Mikey.”

When this project started in March 2008, I believedthen, and even more so today, that it is a compellingstory of an all-American boy from a small town onNew York’s Long Island who rose from obscurity tobecome one of this nation’s most revered heroes,whose actions are now memorialized for all time inour nation’s Hall of Heroes. The world came to knowtwenty-nine-year-old Navy SEAL lieutenant Michael P.Murphy for his legendary actions in the Hindu Kushmountains of Afghanistan on June 28, 2005, whichresulted in his receiving posthumously the Medal ofHonor from President George W. Bush on October22, 2007.

However, there is much more to his story. On thosetwo dates, the world became aware of what familyand friends had known for twenty-nine years: thatMichael Patrick Murphy was an ordinary man with anextraordinary sense of duty, responsibility, and moralclarity. Such moral clarity and sense of duty had itsroots in a God-fearing set of parents who sowedwithin him the seeds of greatness that granted him thewisdom and strength to answer a call that few will everreceive.

It was this call to service that drove him to study andwork and prepare himself for that moment in timewhen character met circumstance in the eternalstruggle of good versus evil in the world’s mostforbidding terrain. While some may say that Michaelchose to walk a path that he could have avoided, Isuggest that he could no more have avoided hischosen path than deny the source of his moral clarityand courage. History is replete with those rareindividuals who when called upon to make theultimate sacrifice do so willingly.

Inscribed in a Wheaton College classroom are thewords “He is no fool who gives up what he cannotkeep to gain what he cannot lose.” Despite our

modern culture’s obsession with winning and therhetoric of subversion, was Michael Murphy’s younglife wasted, or did he know and understand somethingthat we haven’t yet figured out? Herein lies the realstory. It is my sincere hope that my efforts have donejustice to a calling faithfully answered, a duty justlyupheld, and a life, while all too short, very well lived.Michael Patrick Murphy clearly had it figured out. Hevoluntarily gave up an earthly life he could not keep inexchange for an eternal life he cannot lose—demonstrating the wisdom many never achieve.

CHAPTER ONE

The Knock on the Door

Youcanalmostseethebloodrunoutoftheirbodyandtheirhearthitthefloor.It’snotthebloodasmuchastheirsoul.Somethingsinks.I’veneverseenthatexceptwhensomeonedies.AndI’veseenalotofdeath.

—MAJOR STEVE BECK, Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO),United States Marine Corps, quoted in Jim Sheeler, Final Salute

Tuesday, June 28, 2005, KunarProvince, Afghanistan

Phase one of Operation Red Wings was only hours

old as midday approached. (Note: the operation hasbeen referred to by others as Red Wing or Redwing,but the official military name is Red Wings.) High inthe rugged Hindu Kush region in the Kunar provinceof Afghanistan, the twenty-nine-year-old team leader,Lieutenant Michael Murphy, USN, and three othermembers of SEAL Team Ten spent the morningtaking turns maintaining a vigilant watch on the villagecomplex situated just west of Asadabad, in theKorangal Valley—a hotbed of Taliban and al-Qaedaactivity. It was also the known hideout of MullahAhmad Shah, a Taliban fighter who aspired forgreater recognition and leader of a group ofinsurgents known as the Mountain Tigers. Under hisdirection, they were responsible for inflictingnumerous casualties on American forces operating inthe area. The latest intelligence reports confirmed thatas many as two hundred militants were in the valleyready to fight under the direction of Shah. Murphy andhis teammates, Petty Officer Second Class MatthewAxelson, Petty Officer Second Class Danny Dietz,and Petty Officer Second Class Marcus Luttrell, hadclear orders: observe the settlement in an effort toconfirm the location of Shah, then call in a surgicalstrike to eliminate him. Things, however, began to gowrong very quickly. Around noon, three goat herdersstumbled upon the team’s concealed location. Theywere quickly captured, but their presence resulted in adilemma for Murphy and the others, whose optionswere limited. They could kill the goat herders andcompromise the mission, or they could let them goand hope they did not give away their location. Theychose to let them go, abandoned their originalpositions, and continued their mission.

An hour later, the crackle of AK-47s and the roar ofrocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) erupted on themountainside. The men of SEAL Team Ten wereunder attack.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005, Patchogue,New York

Half a world away, Michael’s mother, MaureenMurphy, was asleep in her Long Island home when thebattle was joined. She awoke on the morning of June28 feeling ill, placed a call to the local title companywhere she worked as an account clerk, and took asick day. Although she did not usually watch muchtelevision, she found it a welcome distraction from theheavy traffic noise outside on a hot and humid Juneday. By the afternoon, the first reports that Americanservicemen had come under intense, heavy fire on aremote mountain in Afghanistan began to trickle outthrough the media. Few specifics were known, but itwas widely reported that a helicopter had been shotdown during an effort to rescue beleaguered soldierson the ground. Although the story grabbed Maureen’sattention, she kept saying to herself, “Nah. Couldn’tbe,” when she considered the possibility of her son

being involved. It was understandable, since she didnot know Michael was in Afghanistan. She was notalone. No one without an operational need to knowknew where he was.

For Dan Murphy, Michael’s father, it was justanother day. After a mentally stressful workday, thefifty-eight-year-old decorated and partially disabledVietnam veteran, attorney, and former Suffolk Countyprosecutor was looking forward to an evening with hisfiancée, Karen, her daughter, Kristen, and JohnMurphy, Michael’s eighteen-year-old brother. As theymade their way to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre onBroadway for the evening performance of Beauty andthe Beast, he was not worried about the news thatbroke that day. Michael, he believed, was in Iraq.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005, LongIsland, New York

After a day of rest, Maureen returned to work. Almostfrom the moment she arrived at the office around 8:00AM, coworkers began to ask anxiously if she wasaware of the news reports about American soldierswho had come under heavy fire in Afghanistan. Likethem, however, she only knew what she had heard inthe news the day before. Throughout the day, though,more and more details continued to emerge. Newsoutlets confirmed that an unknown number of NavySEALs had been killed and that a rescue helicopterattempting to reach them had been shot down, killingall sixteen on board. Maureen later admitted that witheach passing report her concern for Michael grew,and around the office everyone focused on the newswith each updated broadcast. As well-meaning andconcerned friends and coworkers continued to bringher attention to the unfolding events in Afghanistan,she tried to stay focused on her duties, but increasedcalls and reports on the local and national newschannels made her efforts nearly impossible.

Early that same afternoon, Dan was reviewingcases in his office, where he was the chief legalassistant to State Supreme Court justice Peter FoxCohalan. Immersed in work and away from atelevision, he was unaware of the new details of thefight that began to emerge. Still, his thoughtsrepeatedly drifted to his oldest son, Michael. Headamantly believed that he was in Iraq, based on apicture he had received from Michael on Father’s Dayvia e-mail. Michael and his team were wearing light-colored desert fatigues, each holding their weapons.Michael was wearing his characteristic Oakleysunglasses and his large digital chrome and blackwatch. “It must be Iraq,” he told himself.

John was also unaware of the new details in thisunfolding story. He spent the afternoon with Karen andher daughter, Kristen, at the Holtsville town pool. Ashe sat in the sun and looked around, he recalledseeing the lifeguards at their stations while a feelingof dread came over him as he thought about his older

brother Michael and his safety. The feeling wasintense for several minutes, and though it graduallysubsided, it never completely went away. Havingnever experienced such a feeling, he remaineduneasy for the rest of the day.

Like Maureen, Heather Duggan, Michael’s fiancée,grew more and more concerned with each passingminute that afternoon and was glued to the news.When she heard the reports about an accidentinvolving Navy SEALs in the mountains ofAfghanistan, she called Naval Special WarfareCommand (NAVSPECWARCOM) in Coronado,California. Michael had given her the number to call incase anything ever happened to him. After severalcalls and repeated requests, she was provided withno information because she was not listed as a nextof kin or spouse. Frustrated and angry, Heather hungup. Had she been a member of the immediate familywhen she called, her worst fears may have beenconfirmed.

While Heather called seeking information regardingMichael, the Navy was already sorting through theoutcome of the engagement and making preparationto contact family members of the fallen and missingSEALs. Around midafternoon and deep in thoughtwhile walking in downtown Manhattan, Lieutenant JeffWidenhofer’s cell phone rang. It was the Navy’sNortheast Regional Casualty Assistance Calls Officeat the Groton Naval Submarine Base in Groton,Connecticut, calling to inform him that he had beenassigned a “casualty call.” Widenhofer was informedthat Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy and the membersof SEAL Team Ten were missing after they had beenambushed while conducting a reconnaissancemission in the mountains of Afghanistan. On top ofthat, a rescue helicopter containing eight Army NightStalkers and eight Navy SEALs had been shot down,and all aboard were presumed to have been killed.

Widenhofer, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and aveteran of three Middle East deployments, had beenassigned to the Office of Naval Science at the UnitedStates Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in KingsPoint on the North Shore of Long Island in June 2005.He was selected because he was only forty-five milesaway from Patchogue. Already a difficult assignment,this casualty call was even more so because this onewas his first. After making several phone calls, helearned he would not be acting alone while carryingout this responsibility. Commander Robert Coyle,command chaplain at the USMMA, and LieutenantCommander Chad Muse, from Naval Special Warfarein California, would be accompanying him to theMurphy home.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005, NavalSpecial Warfare Command

(NAVSPECWARCOM), Coronado,California

While the Murphys each went about their day, theaction outside of Asadabad made the routine at NSWin California anything but normal. At his office at 5:30AM, Commander Todd DeGhetto received atelephone call on an unsecured line. A helicopter hadgone down in Afghanistan, he was told. Three of hismen may well have been on it. About an hour later hereceived a secured call from Captain Tom Carlson,commodore, NSW Group Three, confirming thehelicopter crash, the identities of those killed, and thatthree of his men were missing on the ground.Meanwhile, word had reached Captain Larry Lasky,assistant chief of staff for operations and planning atNAVSPECWARCOM, that Operation Red Wings hadgone into a rescue posture, “with troops in contactwith a numerically superior force.” He knew from earlyreports that the four-man SEAL unit had come underheavy attack with limited support, lostcommunications, and was possibly trying to escapeor evade the enemy by rapidly descending sheercliffs. A quick-reaction force (QRF) consisting ofseveral helicopters had been mobilized in an effort toextract the team, but the Chinook 47E helicoptercarrying the QRF had been destroyed by whatappeared to be a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG)and the remaining helicopters were ordered to abortthe mission. The reports were pieced together fromvideotape and digital photographs of the battle areaand the helicopter crash site captured by anunmanned MQ-1 Predator.

It did not take a man with Lasky’s years ofexperience to know things were not going well. Basedon these early reports, Captain Lasky recommendedthat the Crisis Action Center begin continuousoperations, in order to keep Rear Admiral JosephMaguire informed of the situation. At the time,Maguire reported to General Bryan D. Brown,commander of the United States Special OperationsCommand (USSOCOM), which controls andcoordinates all special operations forces (SOF)components from each branch of the military and isheadquartered at MacDill Air Force Base nearTampa, Florida.

Word of the engagement spread quickly. At 8:00AM Pacific standard time (PST) in theNAVSPECWARCOM Operations Center,Commander Ray Major, the operations officer,received word that all members of the SEAL unit andthose on the rescue helicopter had been declaredDUSTWUN (Duty Station Whereabouts Unknown).Also on duty was Lieutenant Commander ChadMuse, who was serving as the assistant operationsofficer after recently returning from a seven-month tourin Iraq. He immediately recognized the names ofLieutenant Murphy and Senior Chief Petty OfficerDaniel R. Healy. Muse worked with Murphy when bothwere assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One(SDVT-1) in Pearl City, Hawaii, and again whenMichael served as his operations officer for theMiddle Eastern training exercise Early Victor in 2002.Commander Major instructed Muse to stand by totravel with the Casualty Assistance Calls Officer

(CACO).Naval Special Warfare is an extremely tight and

close-knit community. It is common practice todispatch with all CACOs an officer who either knowsthe sailor or the family. For Lieutenant CommanderMuse, this was his unwritten sworn and solemnobligation, because both he and Murphy were NavySEAL team leaders, each a member of abrotherhood, a community of elite warriors to whomthe word “team” is not just a word or slogan, but thevery essence of who they are. When he saw Michael’sname on the list, he knew he was going to New Yorkand began to prepare for the most difficultassignment of his military career. With orders toconnect with Lieutenant Widenhofer before going tothe Murphy home, Muse was dispatched to providethe family with answers to nonclassified operationalquestions.

Long Island, New York

By 5:00 PM Maureen had already received telephonecalls at home, including one from Heather, who wasnearly hysterical. In a panic, she told Maureen abouther attempts to obtain information throughNAVSPECWARCOM in San Diego. She was upsetbecause she was told that no information could bereleased to her because she and Michael were notmarried. “Heather, we don’t know anything. Let’s notjump to any conclusions. Just try and calm down.Michael has been deployed before and we’ve heardnothing from the Navy,” Maureen said in an effort tocomfort her. However, neither Heather nor Maureenwas comforted by their conversation. In fact, Maureenlater remarked that Heather’s call only heightened herconcern as she watched the news with John, who hadreturned home from the pool.

Following the workday, Dan prepared for a quietevening at his home in the Long Island town ofMedford. He and Maureen, who had been divorcedsince 1998, had not yet spoken to each other aboutthe disturbing news reports. In the absence ofanything specific to Michael, there was little to do butmonitor the local and national news reports asinformation regarding the engagement in Afghanistangarnered increasing coverage. While certainlyconcerned, Dan was still clinging to his belief thatMichael was in Iraq when Heather arrived at his door,still very upset by the news of the helicopter crash.Dan anxiously retrieved a photograph of Michael andhis team and showed it to her. “See, they are wearingdesert fatigues. Michael is in Iraq,” he told her,perhaps as much to assure himself as to comfort her.But Heather was unconvinced and asked, “Whatabout those mountains in the background?” She wasnot the first to question Dan’s belief about the locationof the photo—his friend Anthony Moncayo, an Armylieutenant colonel, had questioned Dan’s belief twoweeks earlier. Trying not to add to her anxiety, Danreplied in a deliberately calm voice, telling her that

“there are mountains in Iraq, especially in northernIraq near Mosul,” but to no avail. Within momentsHeather was off to Maureen’s. Dan began to shareher concern, particularly after he learned through newsreports that those who died were Navy SEALs.

At Maureen’s, Heather joined her and John as theyanxiously watched the news. As his mother andHeather become more focused and distressed by thereports coming out of Afghanistan, John too becamemore concerned. When Heather left for home shegave Maureen the telephone number she had calledearlier, hoping that she would have better luckobtaining information about Michael. Maureen calledimmediately. She was pleasantly greeted by a womanwho answered the telephone. After Maureenidentified herself, the lady stated, “Mrs. Murphy, I knowyour son and he is a really good man. I just wantedyou to know that. I’ll put you through now.” But therewas still no news from the Navy.

At 9:00 PM reports continued to be broadcast onseveral news channels, but Maureen had heardnothing back from Navy officials. By this timeLieutenant Commander Muse had arrived from SanDiego. By 11:30 PM Maureen and John still hadheard nothing. “We haven’t heard anything, so this isgood, right? See, no news is good news,” Maureensaid to John as they climbed the stairs to theirbedrooms. John agreed and began working on hiscomputer, but despite not hearing anything officialfrom the Navy, he was concerned.

Approximately ten minutes later, Maureen, a devoutRoman Catholic, had completed her evening prayers,changed her clothes, and was standing next to herbed when she heard a car enter the Astoria FederalSavings bank parking lot across the street. Throughthe open windows above the head of her bed sheheard three doors open and close. In the dark silenceof the heavy summer night the sound traveled quickly,echoing off of the surrounding houses, carried by thegentle breeze that stirred the window curtains. Sheerterror struck her as she became frozen by fear. John,having heard the car doors too, went downstairs,where he stood in the foyer. His mother stoodmotionless in her room, overcome by a cold sweat asher heart pounded in her chest and she struggled tobreathe.

As the mother of a member of the U.S. military, shewas well aware of the notification procedure. Althoughable to stand, she could not move. Fear hadimmobilized her, and she was hoping that thosegetting out of the car were not coming to her door butperhaps only visiting neighboring households—ormaybe they were the neighbors returning home. Afterwhat seemed like an eternity, the deafening sound ofthe doorbell pierced the silence; both John andMaureen were startled by the sound, shocked back totheir senses. “John, don’t answer the door,” hismother said, but it was too late. He was already in theprocess of slowly opening it when he heard her plea.“Mom, there are three Navy officers here to see you,”he said in a somber, nervous tone.

By this time Maureen had changed her clothes and

descended the five stairs to the landing. Visiblyshaking and now covered with perspiration, she sawthe officers in full dress uniform standing on the otherside of the outer glass door, their uniform brassglistening under the porch lights. LieutenantCommander Muse and Commander Coyle were intheir dark uniforms and Lieutenant Widenhofer was inhis summer whites. She instantly saw the SEALTrident on Muse’s uniform. Before the men had evenspoken a word, she took a step back as her kneesbuckled and she yelled, “No!” John reacted quicklyand braced his mother from falling.

Father Coyle immediately tried to comfort her bytelling her “all we know right now is that Michael ismissing. We don’t know anything else. Michael ismissing.” Terrified, she looked first at Father Coyle forseveral seconds and then took a deep breath beforeapologizing for her actions and invited the men intoher home. All three men removed their uniform capsas they stepped inside. It was Father Coyle whointroduced himself, Muse, and Widenhofer. Afterdirecting everyone to the living room, Coyle turned hisattention to Maureen, now visibly trembling, andassisted her into the room. There, he encouraged herto sit, but she was too nervous to sit and remainedstanding. Each of her visitors, all consummategentlemen and professional military officers,remained standing until Maureen apologeticallyasked them to be seated. Each responded with athank-you but remained standing close to her, as didJohn. John shouted, “It’s the helicopter, isn’t it. It’sabout the helicopter.” Father Coyle replied calmly,“No, Michael was not on the helicopter. He was on aground mission and right now all we know is that heand his team are missing.” Muse then brieflyexplained his professional relationship with Michaeland in very general terms went over the mission thatMichael was leading, and answered Maureen’squestions. Again, Father Coyle attempted to getMaureen to sit down, and once again she declinedpolitely. All remained standing while Father Coyle ledeveryone in prayer.

Following the prayer, Widenhofer more fullyintroduced himself and informed Maureen that he alsoneeded to contact Michael’s father. Maureen clearedher thoughts, reoriented herself to the present, andmade the call to Dan, who was at his home, just a ten-minute drive away. In a deliberately slow and calmvoice she said, “Danny, the Navy is here saying thatMichael is missing in Afghanistan. Do you want me tosend them over to your house?” Stunned, Dan couldonly exclaim, “What!” After repeating herself moreslowly, Dan’s thoughts were immediately taken backto the two earlier conversations with Heather. Heasked Maureen to keep the three men there and toldher he was on his way. It was just after midnight.

On his way, he called his sister Maureen and herhusband, John Bogenshutz. He asked his sister if shehad “heard about the helicopter that went down inAfghanistan.” Maureen said yes, and becameimmediately more alarmed as she detected the strainin Dan’s voice. “Michael is in Afghanistan ... he was

not on the helicopter, but he was on a mission and heis now missing. The Navy is over at Maureen’s houseand I am going there now,” he told her. Maureen toldher husband about the call. Both were deeplyconcerned. After several minutes of silence andstaring at the ceiling, it was clear to her that she wouldbe unable to sleep. Full of anxiety and frustration, shelooked at her husband and said, “Well, this isn’t goingto work. I can’t just lie here. I think we have to go overthere.” Within minutes they were in the car and ontheir way. As he drove to Maureen’s, Dan replayedthe day’s conversations with Heather over and over inhis head. He turned into the driveway, slammed onthe brakes, and rammed the transmission into parkwhile opening the car door, then jumped out andclosed the door in a single motion. Hearing the cardoor close, all three Navy officers rose and looked atthe front door just before Dan burst through it andcame into the living room.

Lieutenant Commander Muse then went over thesame information previously given to Maureen andJohn, and introduced Lieutenant Widenhofer andCommander Coyle. The Murphys drew some comfortand a glimmer of hope from their words. Withoutconfirmation, there was always hope, they believed.As Widenhofer finished, John and MaureenBogenshutz arrived, and Widenhofer again went overthe information that was known.

Assembling the Support Network

Around 12:30 AM, Maureen telephoned Heather andher family. She then called her sister Eileen Hillicke inWilmington, North Carolina. Eileen, who wasMichael’s godmother, booked the first available flightfor later that morning. Maureen also called herneighbors and close personal friends Tony and AprilViggiano and neighbors Joe and Benilde DeCabo,who arrived within minutes, as well as her cousinsJohn and Linda McElhone. Linda was Maureen’sclosest friend and confidante.

She also called her nieces Cathy, who was incollege in Ohio, Colleen, who was at her home in NewHampshire, and Kelly, who lived in nearby Huntingtonon Long Island. The Murphys were particularly close tothe girls as they had raised them after their father BillyJones, Maureen’s younger brother, died of cancer.Cathy and Colleen left immediately for Long Island,while Kelly arrived within the hour.

The three Navy officers and the family membersremained with the Murphys for the next three hours,leaving them just after 3:30 AM. During that timeFather Coyle led everyone in prayer on multipleoccasions. Although not everyone in the room wasCatholic, all were Christians, and prayed for His will tobe done; they believed that His will included Michael’ssafe return to those who loved him. Muse gave thefamily his hotel address, room number, and theroom’s telephone as well as his personal cellnumbers, and all three officers promised to return

later that morning. Dan too left for home, but therewas very little sleep for any member of the Murphyfamily on that night.

By the time everyone retired to their homes andhotels, Michael’s status was still unknown, but onething was clear: both the Murphy and Duggan familieswere blessed with an extensive support network—military and civilian—a support system that becameboth necessary and sustaining in the days thatfollowed the initial news. After strong encouragementfrom those arriving, Maureen finally agreed tosurrender her attempts to meet the emotional needsof those gathered around her and allow them to beginto meet her needs and those of Dan and John as well.

CHAPTER TWO

Vigil for the Valiant

They’refalling—eitherliterallyorfiguratively—andyouhavetocatchthem.InthisbusinessIcan’tsavehislife.AllIcandoiscatchthefamilywhilethey’refalling.

—MAJOR STEVE BECK, Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO),United States Marine Corps, quoted in Jim Sheeler, Final Salute

Thursday-Friday, June 30-July 1,2005

Having only a few hours of sleep, Maureen called theO’Callaghans at around 8:00 AM. Jimmie and OwenO’Callaghan, who also lived in Patchogue, werelifeguards with Michael and were his best friends. Sheremembered that Michael had told her to call Owenand Jimmie if anything ever happened to him, thatthey would “take care of everything.” They arrivedwithin twenty minutes.

As promised, arriving at about 9:00 AM in theirdress uniforms were Lieutenant Commander Museand Lieutenant Widenhofer, who remained for the rest

of the day. Muse made frequent telephone contactwith NAVSPECWARCOM, although most of the callswere very short. With Muse tied up withNAVSPECWARCOM, Widenhofer answeredquestions in between television news and updatesfrom the Murphys’ many extended family membersand friends. Desperate for information, anyinformation, the Murphys relied on the public newsmedia despite their tendency for reporting unverifiedinformation as truth. The Navy, on the other hand,would only provide information that was properlyverified.

The Murphys followed the Navy’s advice anddirected all media inquiries to the Navy’s Office ofPublic Information. Always attentive to the needs ofothers, Maureen insisted that both Muse andWidenhofer return tomorrow in comfortable streetclothes; both agreed. After a midmorning telephonecall to NAVSPECWARCOM, Muse related that atleast two helicopters carrying Navy SEALsresponded to Michael’s call for help. One helicopterwas hit by an RPG and the other was forced to abortthe mission, and there had been no further contactwith Michael’s team.

Having just arrived at work, Beth Risotto received acall from Jimmie O’Callaghan telling her of Michael’sstatus. Being a close friend of Heather’s, she calledher, but without having to ask, she knew that Heatherwas aware of the situation. Leaving work, she went tothe Duggan home in Mount Sinai, located directlynorth across Long Island from Patchogue, where shestayed for the next week.

The next day the Murphy family had begun tomentally sort through the information they hadreceived and also accept the fact that the worstpossible news could be coming. The O’Callaghansassumed the duties of managing the overwhelmingnumber of telephone calls and personal messagesand donations; but despite their best efforts, therewas no way to keep track of those who had called orsent contributions or dropped off food items. Thedining room table was completely covered with fruitbaskets and the living room full of flowers andplanters. The kitchen table and counters werecovered with food donated by caring individuals andbusinesses. As the national and international mediaintensified its coverage of the events in Afghanistan,local media had begun camping out at the Murphyhome. In Mount Sinai, in between news broadcasts,Beth and Heather spent their time taking walks andtelling “Murph” stories and returned to the Murphyhome each evening.

Saturday, July 2, 2005

After speaking to NAVSPECWARCOM, LieutenantCommander Muse explained to the Murphys that theNavy was tracking a single beacon moving down themountain. Tentatively, Maureen asked, “So is thisgood news for the SEALs or for the Murphy family?”

Cautiously, Muse responded, “The Murphy family.”While both exhaled with some relief, they knew thatthe relief was only temporary. Maureen turned to Danas they realized that there appeared to be only onesurvivor and stated, “It’s not Mike. It’s not Mike. Thereis no way he would be the only one out.” Dan andMaureen realized that Michael’s character andintegrity would not allow him to be the sole survivor.They knew that he would sacrifice himself to allowsomeone else to be the sole survivor, but it wassimply not in Michael to be the only one out.

Muse explained that Michael and his team hadbeen involved in an ambush. As Dan and Maureenprocessed the information they had received, Danrecalled his military training in Vietnam and asked ifMichael’s team had been ambushed or if his teamhad executed the ambush. He knew that if Michael’steam had executed the ambush that they would haveset the stage and environment in their favor—at night,with proper positioning and other tactical advantages.If they had walked into an ambush, that would not begood. Dan and Maureen continued to pray for thebest but began to prepare themselves for the worst asthe gravity and reality of the situation became moreand more clear.

Around noon, Captain Andrew Bisset, a thirty-seven-year Navy SEAL veteran and Michael’s SEALmentor, called to invite Michael to his upcomingretirement party in Groton, Connecticut. The family didnot take his call; they believed it was another memberof the media trying to get a family member on thetelephone. Well acquainted with the family, Bissetwas confused. He was aware of the situation inAfghanistan but did not know that Michael had beeninvolved.

Sunday, July 3, 2005

Again having received very little sleep, the familyattended morning Mass at Our Lady of Mount CarmelCatholic Church, led by Father Robert O’Connell.Special prayers were offered for Michael, his team,and the entire Murphy family. They were overwhelmedby the expression of support from the more thantwelve hundred parishioners in attendance. FollowingMass, Dan and Karen went to Heather’s home. TheNavy had previously dispatched Lieutenant JimQuattromani to stay with the Duggan family. Whilethey were there, Heather received a telephone callfrom Marcus Luttrell’s younger brother Morgan, whostated, “Marcus is all shot up! Marcus is all shot up!”The news devastated Heather. Jim took the phonefrom Heather and continued the conversation withMorgan. Morgan provided no additional informationabout Michael or any other member of the team. Thisdid not go unnoticed by Jim or Dan, who just lookedat each other but said nothing. Dan resigned himselfto the inevitable but remained mentally torn. As aprosecutor, he was used to looking at a set of facts,analyzing and organizing them together in a logical

sequence, reaching a logical conclusion. A simplestraightforward process he had done for many years.However, as a father, he could not bring himself to thelogical conclusion the facts showed him. To do sowas unthinkable.

Having returned to Maureen’s home and the nearlyone hundred family members and friends gatheredthere, Dan and Karen repeated the previous day’sroutine. Rosary prayer vigils were constantly held asfamily members and friends worked and prayed inshifts. Early in the afternoon it was announced thatMarines had rescued Michael’s teammate MarcusLuttrell, and the names of the Navy SEALs and ArmyNight Stalkers killed on the helicopter were released.

Captain Bisset called again, but this time Maureentook his call, and after several questions she wassatisfied that he was the “real” Captain Bisset. Shetold him of Michael’s status, and he took severalseconds to regain his thoughts. He reassured her thatMichael was well trained and that if anyone couldmake it, Michael could. Maureen agreed. Even thoughthe family was mentally and physically exhausted, theprayers continued. At one point Dan’s sister Maureennoticed him with a set of rosary beads, the samerosary used by their mother when Dan was seriouslywounded in the jungles of Vietnam thirty years earlier.

Monday, July 4, 2005

At about 2:00 PM, the family turned the television toCBS, as word had been received that there werenews reports that two dead Navy SEALs had beenrecovered in Afghanistan. The family questionedMuse, who made an immediate phone call toNAVSPECWARCOM. Muse was told that theinformation being reported was not confirmed andthat the Navy believed “someone was jumping thegun.” Dan and Maureen, now desperate forinformation and despite being warned by the Navy tothe contrary, began paying increased attention to thenews reports as it appeared that more informationwas available, despite the media’s reputation forreleasing unconfirmed and sensationalizedinformation as fact.

However, after the initial reports, there were norebroadcasts or any additional information regardingthe two Navy SEALs. Maureen became upset, voicingher concern that Michael and the others “could beseriously injured and bleeding to death and there isno one to help them. I don’t want Michael lying outthere alone, bleeding and in pain. Someone needs tohelp those boys.”

Dan began to wonder if this was indeed a case ofunconfirmed information being released, but this didlittle to affect his increased pessimism. As heintensified his silent prayers for Michael, he alsobegan praying for Maureen, who visibly showed boththe mental and physical strain of the ordeal. Althoughtheir family and friends continued to be optimistic intheir conversations, Dan and Maureen both had

consciously begun to accept what they believed wasthe inevitable, this being the sixth day since Michael’steam had come under fire. Beth and Heather returnedto Mount Sinai, and Lieutenant Widenhofer returnedto his apartment and wife in Queens.

The Inevitable

At about 11:00 PM, Muse made his usual late-evening call to NAVSPECWARCOM. This call wasdifferent. Dan knew that Muse’s usual routine was togo outside in the front yard, make his call, and thenreturn within three to five minutes and report that therewas no new information. Tonight was different.

After just a minute or two into the conversation, Dansaw Muse walk to the end of the tree line and standalong the road as he engaged in an extendedconversation. Dan walked out onto the front porch toobserve as the conversation continued for anothertwenty minutes. Dan knew that it was not good newsand tried mentally to prepare himself for the worst.

After completing the call to NAVSPECWARCOM,Muse immediately telephoned Widenhofer andexplained the situation. Michael Murphy had beenkilled in action. As the CACO, Widenhofer askedMuse to wait until he arrived to inform the family.Seeing Dan standing on the front porch, Museexplained that Dan had been watching him and thathe could not go back into the house and not tell themwhat he knew. Both agreed, then Muse hung up. Afterinforming his wife of the news, Widenhofer changedinto his uniform for a quick and emotional trip to theMurphy home.

Muse took several deep breaths and then, with a lotof “self-talk,” walked back toward the house with hishead down, desperately searching for the right wordsas he approached Dan. Dan yelled, “No, I’m not goingto let you tell me what you have to tell me. No!”

“Mr. Murphy, I am so sorry.”Dan, mentally and physically exhausted, began to

walk away, but after a couple of steps he turned toMuse and said, “You are going to have to tellMaureen. I can’t do it; she has been through enoughalready.” Muse nodded his head and entered thehouse. Dan began pacing around the front yard andcrossed the street to the bank’s parking lot, whichwas surrounded by a tall wooden fence. Muse foundMaureen in the kitchen. She appeared mentally andphysically exhausted. She looked up at him with hervery tired blue eyes. His heart ached as he put hishand on her arm and said, “Mrs. Murphy, I am sosorry, but Michael didn’t make it.” Immediately herknees weakened as an unbearable stabbing paindeep inside her stomach took her breath away. Shewinced and fell back against the refrigerator. Musebraced her from collapsing. After about ten secondsshe regained control and threw her hands up andsaid, “No. If Michael is not here, he is in a betterplace. He is not alone and he is no longer in pain andbleeding.” There were no tears—yet.

The word of Michael’s death immediately spreadthroughout the house. John heard the emotional criesand walked into the hallway just outside the kitchen.The crowd of people was so big that he was unable tosee his mother or into the kitchen.

“What’s going on?”James and Thomas Allmer, John’s cousins,

embraced him and said, “I’m so sorry, man.” Johninstantly realized his brother’s fate. Stunned, he turnedand walked slowly down the hallway and out the backdoor. James and Thomas followed him to theredwood table on the patio where he and Michael hadspent many hours over the years hanging out andtalking. He reminisced about the years that heidolized his brother and how he had always lookedafter and protected him, how he had included him inmany activities, such as swimming, lifeguarding, andsocial events, and how he had taken him to PennState for a week when Michael was a student thereand used him as a “chick magnet.”

Across the street in the parking lot, Dan yelled atthe stars, “Life is so dammed unfair!” In anger andfrustration as a constant stream of tears ran down hisface, he punched the wooden fence over and over,alone with his thoughts.

Having brought John inside, Dan’s sister Maureenbegan to look for Dan. His fiancée, Karen, went outthe front door and saw Dan punching the fence andyelling. She crossed the street and heard him talkingincoherently. He did not respond to her repeatedattempts to gain his attention. She noticed blooddripping from his hands, as well as the rosary he washolding.

Dan’s sister Maureen saw Karen leading Dantoward the house. She watched as he walked over tothe trash can, lifted the lid, and threw something in,then walked toward the house. After Dan and Karenwere inside, his sister went out and emptied the trashcan onto the driveway, sorted through the loose trash,and retrieved the rosary beads.

After a hurried trip across Manhattan, LieutenantWidenhofer arrived within forty-five minutes. After heentered the house he immediately expressed hiscondolences to Maureen and John, and sought outDan, who was now on the back patio with severalother family members. Hearing Widenhofer’s voice,Dan said, “I don’t want to talk to Jeff, I don’t want totalk to Jeff!” Widenhofer overlooked the outburst andexpressed his condolences, then gave Dan sometime to continue the grieving process.

Within minutes after Muse had delivered the worstpossible news, he telephoned the Duggan home. DanDuggan, Heather’s father, who served as the MountSinai police chief, took the call using the upstairstelephone away from Heather. Heather and Beth werebusy in the kitchen downstairs, cleaning and gettingready to retire for yet another night of nerve-rackinguncertainty. As her father came down the stairs, bothBeth and Heather turned toward him. Seeing theredness of his face and the tears that streamed downhis face, both knew. After Dan informed her of thenews, Heather screamed and crumbled to the kitchen

floor, sobbing uncontrollably.Shortly after the Duggans learned the news,

Michael’s friends Jay Keenan, James Emmerich, andJimmie, Owen, Sean, and Kerri O’Callaghan arrived.Beth went outside to meet them, while Heatherremained in the arms of her parents on the kitchenfloor, unable to talk to visitors. Beth could tell thateveryone had been crying, and at that moment realitysunk in. She just sat down on the driveway and cried.As the group slowly approached, each knew that lifehad changed for every one of them and would neverbe the same.

After nearly an hour of crying and sharing memoriesof the many good times they’d had with Michael, JayKeenan, Jimmy, Owen, Kerri, Beth, Heather’s sisterBrianne, and Jim Quattromani walked around to theDuggan’s patio deck. There they spent the nextseveral hours telling more stories about Michael andthe “good old days.” In the midst of their sorrow, theycould still celebrate Michael’s life.

One of them began to tell a story that Michael wasnot particularly fond of. Just then it began to rain andthey all laughed. They believed it was Michael’s wayof getting them to stop telling the story. As soon asthey stopped talking, the rain stopped. But soon thelaughter subsided and the reality of Michael’s passingbegan to sink in. Each knew they were better forhaving known Michael.

Tuesday, July 5, 2005, Dover AirForce Base, Delaware

Early the next morning, Muse and Widenhoferexplained that Michael’s and Danny Dietz’s remainshad been recovered, but Matt Axelson was stillmissing. Michael’s and Danny’s remains would beescorted by SEALs from Bagram Airfield inAfghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center,the U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, andthen brought to the United States under an Air Forcehonor guard escort. The plane was scheduled to landat Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, at about fiveo’clock that afternoon.

Believing that Michael would know that his familywas with him, the Murphys asked to meet the plane atDover. Although families usually did not attendarrivals, Muse and Widenhofer made the necessaryarrangements. John and Maureen Bogenshutzrealized that neither Dan, Maureen, nor John was inany physical or mental condition to make the nearly250-mile drive themselves and insisted on drivingthem to Dover. The Murphys agreed. Early in theafternoon, Dan, Maureen, and John left for Dover inthe Bogenshutzs’ SUV, followed by Widenhofer andMuse. As it turned out, delays changed the plane’sarrival time to between ten and eleven o’clock. Theyall met with the Dover Air Force Base commandinggeneral and a chaplain, who explained the procedureafter the plane arrived and that Michael’s remains

could not be returned to New York until all militarymatters, such as funeral arrangements andpaperwork, were completed.

Back in Patchogue, the media had descended onMaureen’s home, where Sharon McKenna, JusticeCohalan’s secretary, and Karen handled the endlesstelephone inquiries. Dozens of media cameras,trucks, and personnel were set up in the front yard.Several members of the media went door-to-door andtried to get someone to make an on-cameracomment. They got no takers, but neighbor LanceMarquis identified a yearbook picture of Michael.Lance called Dan and told him about the mediaonslaught, and Dan asked him to tell the media thatthe family would hold a media briefing at 10:00 AMthe next day at Maureen’s home.

At approximately 10:00 PM the family, along withthe general and the chaplain, were driven in an AirForce bus to the tarmac and positioned about thirtyfeet from the plane that had just arrived. The side doorof the plane opened and they could see the Air ForceHonor Guard that surrounded the flag-draped coffininside. A hi-lo machine was raised into position. TheAir Force escort turned and saluted, then slowly liftedthe coffin and placed it on the machine. They salutedagain and went back inside the plane. As tearsstreamed down their faces, Dan turned to Maureenand said, “Maureen, there’s our boy.”

Peace Be with You ... and Also withYou

As Michael’s remains reached the ground, Maureenmentally pictured Michael getting up in his white dressuniform and walking over to them, putting his armsaround them, and saying, “I’m home.” At the sametime Maureen “saw” Michael approach, Dan wasovercome by a sense of calmness and peace. Heimmediately turned to Maureen, who said, “Do youfeel that?” Both acknowledged the sense of calm, asdid John. Dan later described the moment: “It’s waslike Michael touched us, it was such a sense ofcalmness ... and so unusual. It was something like Ihave never ever felt before ... it was like this realemotional moment ... there’s this anticipation ... thisagitation ... there’s this anxiety, and then_just whenMichael came level to the ground, within seconds thisoverwhelming sense of calmness and peaceenveloped us.”

Maureen recalled, “It was such a calmingexperience, like I have never felt before. It was like Icould picture when Michael’s casket reached theground, he got up and walked over to us and put hisarms around us and said, ‘It’s OK, I’m home now.’ Ican’t begin to tell you how comforting that momentwas to me ... to all of us.”

Four Navy honor guard sailors marched towardMichael’s coffin, saluted, and placed the coffin in thewaiting ambulance truck, which drove slowly to the

Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs at theother end of the base. As described in his favoritebook, Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield, LieutenantMichael P. Murphy had returned home not carrying hisshield, but on it, “because a warrior carries helmetand breastplate for his own protection, but his shieldfor the safety of the whole line. There is a forcebeyond fear. More powerful than self-preservation.”

After the truck left, all reentered the Air Force bus,still feeling peaceful and calm. As they took theirseats, the Air Force chaplain, having heard Dan andMaureen’s comments, asked, “When did you feelthis?” Dan and Maureen looked at each other andrelated their feelings, then the chaplain responded,“You know, it is not an uncommon occurrence. I can’texplain it, but the few families who come here seemto get the same effect. Those who don’t thinkspiritually find it difficult to explain.” Dan and Maureenwere comforted by the fact that other families hadreceived the same healing they had just experienced.

Michael’s Revenge

As they all sat in the bus, it refused to start. Thegeneral voiced his extreme displeasure to theunfortunate airman, who tried repeatedly to get thebus started. The Murphy family laughed, becauseMichael had always been mechanically challengedwhen it came to cars. “This is not the airman’s fault, itis Michael’s revenge for making such a big deal ofhim coming home.”

The family finally returned home, while LieutenantCommander Muse and Lieutenant Widenhoferremained at Dover to coordinate funeral and transportarrangements with Maureen’s uncle, EddieMcElhone, who owned and operated the ClaytonFuneral Home in Kings Park, across Long Island onthe North Shore.

Wednesday, July 6, 2005

After a few hours of needed rest, Dan, Maureen, andJohn met with the press. Six television stations andforty to fifty members of the broadcast and printmedia had packed the front yard. Dan, an attorney,was accustomed to dealing with the media and withcrowds. He spoke for the family, as John andMaureen were somewhat intimidated by all of thebright lights, the microphones, and the shouting ofquestions. He explained that they had been at DoverAFB as their son’s remains were brought back to theUnited States. After the briefing, several members ofthe media were invited into the home to photographpictures of Michael. Generally, the members of themedia were very sympathetic and supportive of thefamily. But the family did have one painful experience.A cameraman noticed a picture of Michael at his

graduation from Officer Candidate School sitting onthe large wooden shelf above the living room sofa. Inorder to properly get a picture without the glare of theglass, he placed the picture on the floor to shoot thepicture at a straight angle. Maureen gasped andcovered her mouth with her hand as tears streameddown her face.

Dan cried, “No, you can’t do that. We do not wantour son’s picture on the floor.”

The cameraman apologized and said he meant nodisrespect, but it was necessary to get a goodpicture. He continued to attempt a picture and Danquickly picked the picture up off the floor.

“I don’t care; you are not putting our son’s picture onthe floor.” He placed it back on the shelf, much toMaureen’s comfort.

Dan informed Lieutenant Commander Muse that hewanted Michael brought to New York as soon aspossible, as he did not want his son left alone in amortuary. Later that afternoon, the Murphys met withEddie McElhone. Compassionately, Eddie explainedthe service and burial arrangements. The familyrefused the Navy’s offer for Michael to be buried inArlington National Cemetery and decided to bury himin Calverton National Cemetery, about fifteen milesfrom Patchogue. They accepted the Navy’s offer forfull military honors.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Early in the morning, a motorcade consisting of ahearse, a limousine that carried Dan, Maureen, andJohn, along with John and Linda McElhone, and aWestbury police cruiser driven by Dan Duggan andcarrying his wife, Lynda, and Heather left for Dover.The motorcade arrived just before 9:00 AM at theCharles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs. Thecombined military honor guard solemnly placedMichael’s flag-draped gray steel casket into thehearse, and two cruisers from the Delaware StatePatrol provided an escort to the New Jersey stateline. Dan rode in the hearse and kept his hand on thecasket throughout the trip and talked to Michael,telling him that he was on his way home anddescribing the scenery as they passed.

Honoring a Hero

At the state line, two New Jersey State Patrol cruisersassumed the escort and led the motorcade to theNew York state line. In New York, authorities hadclosed the Belt Parkway to the Nassau County line,with a uniformed New York City motorcycle policeofficer positioned at each entrance to the parkway. Asthe hearse approached, each officer snapped toattention and saluted, holding the salute until themotorcade had passed. Dan and Maureen were

unable to control their emotions. They were in awe ofthe fact that total strangers would have so muchrespect for their son. Dan tried to describe the sceneto Michael, but was unable to do so through his tears.At the Nassau County line, six cruisers from theNassau County Police Department escorted them tothe Suffolk County line into Kings Park, whereadditional local police cruisers joined the escort. Asthey waited outside the funeral home, EddieMcElhone and a Navy honor guard from the NavalOperational Support Center in Plainville, Connecticut,heard the sirens even though the motorcade was stillseveral miles away.

Clayton Funeral Home

After the hearse backed into position, Michael’scasket, with three members of the honor guard ateach end, was carried through the front doors andplaced on a church truck. From there it was wheeledinto Chapel C, and the double-wide white doors wereclosed. The casket was taken to the front of thechapel, where the honor guard centered it on the bier.Members of the honor guard then faced the casket,saluted, and retired. Eddie then quickly prepared theroom by placing a red lighted votive candle at eachend of the casket and next to each votive a tallerlighted torchère. He then centered the brassResurrection Cross behind the flag-draped casketand escorted the family in from a nearby room.

As the family approached the casket and knelt atthe prayer rail, Eddie walked slowly to the back of theroom. After several minutes, Dan and Maureenstepped back and sat in the center of the front row,along with John. They couldn’t help feeling theunfairness of it all. Michael’s death violated the naturalorder of life. Children bury their parents. Parentsshould not have to bury their children.

After about ten minutes, the Duggan family wasescorted into the chapel. They also knelt and prayed.After several minutes at the prayer rail, they joined theMurphys in the front row. The chapel was quiet, exceptfor the sound of soft cries and sobs of parents andfamily.

Afterward, Dan pulled Eddie aside and asked toview Michael’s remains. Even though Dan was alongtime homicide prosecutor, Eddie was stronglyagainst it. Maureen then asked that Michael’s beard,grown for the Afghanistan mission, be shaved beforeviewing. Delicately, McElhone explained that becauseof the manner in which Michael died, coupled with thetime it took to recover his remains, he could not beviewed. He further explained that Michael had beentightly shrouded and his uniform pinned to the shroud.Undeterred, Heather asked that the wedding ring shehad bought for Michael be placed on his hand.Reluctantly, McElhone agreed, which renewed Dan’sdesire to view Michael, or at least hold his handbefore he was buried. Eddie again explained that hewas strongly against this, and Dan finally relented.

When the family left the funeral home, they weremet by a large crowd of people waving flags in theparking lot. Several called out words of sympathy andsupport, many politely applauded, and some juststood in solemn reverence. Dan and Maureennodded and acknowledged them while they walkedtoward the waiting limousine.

After the family left, the members of the honor guardtook their positions at each end of the flag-drapedcasket, where they remained until the funeral.

CHAPTER THREE

Funeral for the Fallen

It’snotanending.It’snotaperiodattheendoftheirlives.It’sasemicolon.Thestorywillcontinuetobetold.

—MAJOR STEVE BECK, Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO),United States Marine Corps, quoted in Jim Sheeler, Final Salute

Long Island Newsday,Monday, July 11, 2005:Michael Patrick MurphyMURPHY—Lt. MichaelPatrick. U.S. Navy SEALDelivery Vehicle TeamOne. Pearl Harbor, HI ofPatchogue, NY on July 4,2005 in Afghanistan.Devoted son of MaureenT. (née Jones) and DanielJ. Murphy. Dear brotherof John. Loving Fiancé ofHeather L. Duggan.Cherished grandson ofKathleen (née McElhone)and Frank Jones and thelate James P. and ElinorMurphy. Reposing atClayton Funeral Home,Inc. 25 Meadow Road(corner of Indian HeadRd.) Kings Park, NY. AMass of Christian Burialwill be offered at 11:00AM Wednesday, at Our

Lady of Mt. Carmel R.C.Church, 495 N. OceanAvenue, Patchogue, NY.Interment to follow atCalverton NationalCemetery, Calverton, NY.Visiting hours Mondayand Tuesday, 2-5 and 7-9PM. In lieu of flowers,donations to Michael P.Murphy ScholarshipFund, c/o Clayton FuneralHome.

Funeral Preparations

The Navy quickly arranged to bring in Michael’sSDVT-1 from Pearl City, Hawaii. Dan agreed to arequest from V. Anthony Maggipinto, a lawyercolleague and a retired petty officer second class, toassist in the celebration of the Mass. Maggipintoserved as the judge advocate for the Long IslandNavy League and as a deacon at the St. Philip andJames Catholic Church in St. James, New York.

By now it had become clear that Michael’s funeralhad captured the attention of the Navy at the highestlevels. The family had been informed that several flagofficers (admirals) would be attending Michael’sfuneral, including Rear Admiral Joseph Maguire, thecommander of Naval Special Warfare. Part of thefuneral arrangements included the selection of theNavy officer who would present Maureen withMichael’s burial flag. Lieutenant Jeff Widenhoferexplained the usual protocol, but Maureen insistedthat Captain Andrew Bisset present Michael’s flag,and she also requested that Michael’s fiancée,Heather, also receive a flag.

To ensure that her wishes were honored, Maureencalled Bisset and asked him to present the flag. Thistask was not new to Bisset, as he had performed thisfunction at an increasing number of funerals for WorldWar II and Korean War veterans throughout the NewEngland region. He was humbled by Maureen’s callbecause he felt guilt-ridden, having trained andrecommended Michael for the very service thatultimately cost him his life. He knew that this would bethe most difficult assignment of his career.

Back at the funeral home, floral arrangementssurrounded the base of the ivory bier as the U.S. Navyhonor guard remained motionless at each end of thecasket. A full-length tripod with a large picture ofMichael greeted visitors as they entered the chapel.Although the family had requested memorials bemade to the scholarship fund newly established inMichael’s memory, dozens of floral displays weredelivered during the day that extended the length ofthe room on both sides, while additionalarrangements were set in the hallway as well as anadjacent room that had been set up for additionalseating.1

Visitation: Monday, July 11, 2005

The first of four separate visitations was scheduled tobegin at 2:00 PM, but the line of those who waited topay their respects began forming outside the ClaytonFuneral Home by midmorning. By the time the doorsopened, the line had woven its way through the rowsof parked cars in the parking lot, along the sidewalk,around the front of the parking lot, and nearly twoblocks north. Local law enforcement officials assistedwith traffic, while a group of forty to fifty veterans onmotorcycles, known as the Patriot Guard, lined theparking lot with large U.S. flags.

Two separate receiving lines were established, thefirst for members of the general public and the secondfor members of the immediate family and the military.The large military contingent that arrived was madeup of active-duty, reserve, and retired SEALs andsailors, along with both active-duty and retiredmembers of each of the other service branches andthe Merchant Marine Academy. Because Dan hadbeen the Suffolk County prosecutor, a large number ofcourt officers, judges, and attorneys arrived, as wellas local, state, and national political leaders, to honorthe life and sacrifice of Lieutenant Murphy. For threehours, the Murphys received a continuous line ofmourners.

Arrival of the SEALs

When visitation resumed at 7:00 PM, many ofMichael’s fellow SDVT-1 teammates, led byLieutenant Commander Mike Marshall, arrived fromPearl City, Hawaii. Among them was Lieutenant AndyHaffele, who gave Dan a heartfelt letter he had written.The SEALs brought with them Michael’s uniforms,pictures, and other SEAL mementos, which weredisplayed near the front of the room on severallinendraped tables. A large SEAL contingent from theNaval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia, alsoarrived, as well as Rear Admiral Joseph Maguire, thecommander of Naval Special Warfare, and RearAdmiral Joseph D. Kernan, the deputy commander ofNSW. During Maguire’s short conversation with Dan,he leaned over and said, “Mr. Murphy, I just wantedyou to know that I don’t think that your son and his menwent down easy, because there were Taliban bodiesstrewn all over the place, eighty-some causalities,blood trails everywhere. This was a pitched battle andthey did not go down easy.” Although he did notimmediately realize the importance of his words at thetime, he was extremely proud that Michael had notgiven up the fight, taking it to the enemy with his lastbreath—warrior’s death, a hero’s death.

Representatives from the New York fire and policedepartments soon arrived, including Engine Co. 53,

Ladder Co. 43. As an officer, Michael had chosenLadder Co. 43, “El Barrio’s Bravest,” as the symbol ofhis team. Even though the visitation was scheduled toend at 9:00 PM, the family remained until 10:30 PMand received nearly two thousand mourners. Althoughexhausted, they were humbled and honored by theunexpected large crowd. After returning home, Danremoved his jacket and was reminded of the letter hehad received from Lieutenant Haffele. Despite beingboth physically and emotionally exhausted, he satdown and began to read the letter. It contained theinnermost thoughts of a SEAL who had been spareddeath and who credited Michael with saving his life.The letter brought Dan comfort.

Visitation: Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Again having arrived early for the 2:00 PM visitation,the Murphy and Duggan families remained nearphysical and emotional exhaustion. By the time thedoors were closed at five that afternoon, the familieshad again received nearly a thousand mourners. Asthe family arrived for the final visitation at 7:00 PM,another line of mourners extended the length of theparking lot. Although McElhone closed the doorspromptly at ten o’clock, the families remained until thevery last visitor had been greeted. Neither Dan norMaureen remembered even a small percentage of thenearly four thousand people they had received overthe previous forty-eight hours, but they were gratefulthat each of them had thought enough of Michael andhis sacrifice to take time out of their busy schedulesand wait in line for several hours in the heat andhumidity to honor their son.

Family Prayer Service, Wednesday,July 13, 2005

The next day, with every detail of the funeral arranged,the Murphys awoke from their short night of sleep to atorrential rain, which only added to the early summerhumidity. Dan arrived early at Maureen’s home,followed by the limousine from the Clayton FuneralHome that waited to take the family to yet anotherround of emotional turmoil that had begun more thantwo weeks before with events that occurred in themountains of Afghanistan. Since then, the object oftheir sorrow had traveled from Landstuhl RegionalMedical Center in Germany to Dover Air Base,Delaware, then to Kings Park, New York, and nowhome to Patchogue, and would soon journey toCalverton National Cemetery, Michael’s final dutystation and resting place.

After they arrived at the Clayton Funeral Home, ashort private prayer service was conducted for theimmediate family and the Navy personnel inattendance, and all said their final good-byes. Dan

requested that Eddie place on Michael’s uniform thePurple Heart medal he had earned in Vietnam;Maureen, a St. Michael/ Navy SEAL keychain alongwith a key to her home. After the family left for thewaiting vehicles, the casket was locked, secured, andcovered with an American flag; the blue field at thehead over Michael’s left shoulder. The Navy honorguard carried Michael slowly to the waiting hearse. Asthe casket was placed into the hearse, a loud roll ofthunder was heard overhead, which lasted until thecasket was completely inside. Dan and Maureen justlooked at each other. With a police escort, themotorcade made its way across Long Island to OurLady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Patchogue.

Mass of Christian Burial

With North Ocean Boulevard in Patchogue cordonedoff, the motorcade arrived at the church, turned intothe crescent drive, and stopped at the base of theconcrete steps that led up to the massive portico withtwo oversized doors. Above the doors was a largefull-color mosaic of Blessed Virgin and Child.Although the intense rain continued, the curb, thesidewalk, and the steps were lined with New Yorkcourt services officers, members of the New York CityFire Department, veterans in uniform, and active-dutyNavy SEALs who stood at attention. The honor guardremoved Michael’s flag-draped casket and carried itup the front steps of the church and placed it on therolling church truck with the family close behind. Insidethe gathering space stood a crowd of about threehundred that extended up the balcony stairs on bothsides.

Placing of the Funeral Pall

The casket bearers solemnly removed and folded theAmerican flag as the family placed the funeral pall, aswell as a crucifix and the family rosary, over thecasket. The funeral pall, a white cloth placed on acasket as a reminder of the garment given at baptismas a sign of the life in Christ that Michael had lived,covered the casket and extended almost to the floor.

The sanctuary was filled with a standing-room-onlycrowd that exceeded the permitted capacity of twelvehundred. Everyone stood silently as the casket wasslowly escorted to the front of the church, followed bythe family. As the casket passed, members of themilitary snapped to attention and saluted. The onlysounds were the sniffles and quiet sobs throughoutthe cavernous church, the sounds of emotion brokenby the synchronized and haunting crisp sound of thesteel taps of the shoes of Navy casket bearers on themarble floor.

At the front of the church, the honor guard turned thecasket horizontally and then assumed positions at

each end as the crowd was seated by Father RobertO’Connell and Father Robert Coyle, cocelebrants ofthe Mass. Seated in the left front row were Dan,Maureen, and John, along with Maureen’s parents,Frank and Kathleen Jones, and Dan’s sister andbrother-in-law, John and Maureen Bogenshutz. In theright front row were Michael’s cousins Kelly, Colleen,and Cathy, along with Michael’s SEAL teammatesand Lieutenant Commander Chad Muse andLieutenant Jeff Widenhofer. As requested, DeaconMaggipinto served as the altar server.

At a Catholic Mass there are three readings, thefirst from the Old Testament, the second from the NewTestament, and the third from the Gospel. The FirstReading, given by Lieutenant Commander Muse, wasselected from the book of the prophet Daniel (12:1-3).Muse was followed by Lieutenant Widenhofer, whoread from 1 John 3:14-16. The Gospel Reading wasLuke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53 and 24:1-6a and was readby Father O’Connell. The first eulogy was provided byRobert Lichtenberger, national commander of theMilitary Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH). He wasfollowed by Lieutenant John Waggoner, Michael’sSEAL teammate, who recalled with emotion that heand Michael had made a promise to each other that ifanything ever happened to one of them the otherwould speak at his funeral. He never thought that hewould ever have to act on that promise. The finaleulogy was given by Father Robert Stegman, who atage eighty-eight served as the national chaplain forthe MOPH.

Maureen, Daniel, John,Heather, Kathleen, Frank,Cathy, Colleen, Kelly, mydear friends in the Lord ...When his father andmother named himMichael they invited intohis life and purpose themission of St. Michael theArchangel, who led thegood angels to overcomethe bad angels, led bythose who thought theycould match GodHimself.... At times likethis we must rememberthat Michael has notdisappeared—he has justgone ahead of us toprepare a place for us—that he would want us tosmile through our tears—knowing that he is aliveforever and loving useven more than when hewas with us on earth. Wecan do this if weremember each andevery day these threesimple things: God lovesus, God knows us, and

God understands us.God loves us: That

same God who createdthis whole world with asimple word—that Lordwho could turn this worldback into nothing—thatGod loves you, He lovedMichael and granted him,as He will welcome youwhen he calls you home,his eternal peace. He willbecause He will not stoploving you—no matter ifyou fail—because God islove.

God knows us: Heknows all Michael hasdone—his love for you,God and country.Michael’s love for Himand what he has offeredto the Lord—knows whatyour needs are and willreach out to you in yourloss and your love.

God understands us: If Iwere to ask each one ofyou how you felt—eachone would have adifferent answer andcould say “you don’tunderstand”—but theLord looks into yourhearts and says “Iunderstand.” Finally Ibelieve that if Michaelwould speak to you todayhe might say somethinglike this,

“ToThoseILoveandThoseWhoLoveMe,“WhenIamgone,releasemeandletmego,Ihaveso

manythingstoseeanddo,youmustn’ttieyourselftomewithtears.Behappythatwehadsomanyyears.Igaveyoumylove;youcanonlyguesshowmuchyougavemeinhappiness.Ithankyoufortheloveyoueachhaveshown.But,nowit’stimeItraveledonalone.So,grieveawhileforme,

ifgrieveyoumust.Then,letyourgriefbecomfortedbytrust.It’sonlyforawhilethatwemustbefaraway,forlifegoeson.So,ifyouneedme,callandIwillcome.Thoughyoucan’tseeortouchme,I’llbenear.

“And,ifyoulistenwithyourheartyou’llhear,allmylovearoundyousoft

andclear.And,then,whenyoumustcomethiswayalone,I’llgreetyouwithasmileandwelcomeyouhome.. ..”

Replacing the Flag

Following the Mass, Michael was slowly escortedback down the center aisle to the sounds of therecessional hymn, “On Eagle’s Wings.” The familyfollowed close behind holding hands. Through histears, Dan looked toward the entrance and saw thatthe heavy rain continued. After they reached thegathering space, the family removed and folded thefuneral pall while the Navy casket bearers replacedthe American flag over the casket and secured it intoposition. As the honor guard reached the top of thestairs, the rain stopped. The honor guard thenproceeded and placed Michael’s casket in the hearsefor his final journey.

Funeral Procession

Having grown to 120 vehicles, the motorcade pulledout escorted by ten uniformed local law enforcementofficers on motorcycles, and at the rear of themotorcade were four motorcycles carrying uniformedlaw enforcement officers from various jurisdictions. Asthe motorcade proceeded, neighbors as well asstrangers with American flags lined both sides of theroad. The motorcade stopped momentarily in front ofthe house on Old Medford Road that Michael hadcalled home for twenty-seven years. On the LongIsland Expressway local law enforcement blocked offeach exit and provided escort and chase vehicles. Onthe causeway leading into Calverton, sixteen fireladder trucks from various Long Island departmentslined both sides of the road with their ladders fully

extended, forming a protracted arch with a large,thirty- by fifty-foot American flag that hung from thecenter of each set of ladders. Uniformed personnel atattention saluted as Michael passed, while the gentlebreeze moved the flags in a manner that appeared tousher the motorcade into the cemetery.

With a large crowd anticipated, parts of the serviceopen to the public were scheduled in the largest of thepublic assembly areas near the front of the cemetery,while the small, private graveside service attended byfamily, close friends, and the U.S. Navy personnelfollowed the pubic service. Many members of thelocal, national, and international news media werepresent, some intent upon attaining a photo of a grief-stricken family member. In an effort to protect thefamily from this invasion of privacy, a large contingentof active-duty military surrounded the media pool andgreatly limited their field of view.

Military Honors

As the funeral party arrived at the public assemblyarea, about thirty feet from the funeral coach weretwelve of Michael’s teammates from SDVT-1, six ashonorary pallbearers and six as casket bearers. Theseven-man firing party stood at attention in thedistance but remained visible to the family. As thefuneral coach came into view, the six pallbearers andsix casket bearers held their salute until the coachhad stopped. The driver opened the rear door andslowly pulled Michael’s flag-draped casket partwayout. As Father Coyle took his position on the curb atthe head of the pallbearers, the Murphy and Dugganfamilies exited their vehicles, while the officer incharge ordered the pallbearers into position at therear of the funeral coach. As the pallbearers removedMichael’s casket from the funeral coach, the firingdetail was ordered to present arms.

Father Coyle, followed by the officer in charge, ledthe way to the assembly area. As the casket passedthrough the pallbearer ranks, each turned andfollowed. Directly behind the pallbearers were theMurphy and Duggan families, who were escorted totheir seats under two large green canopies.

As the casket bearers placed the casket on thebier, Father Coyle stood at the head of the casket.Captain Bisset stood to his right. After the casket wasproperly positioned, all uniformed military personneldropped their salute as the firing detail was orderedto order arms, then to parade rest. The pallbearersstood directly to the left of the casket and faced theMurphy family, while the casket bearers, in unison,raised the flag from the casket, held it waist high andstretched taut over the casket, and remainedmotionless throughout the remainder of the service. Atthe conclusion of the invocation by Father Coyle, RearAdmiral Maguire and Captain Pete Van Hooser, asenior East Coast naval officer holding the honoraryrank of commodore, presented the Murphy family withtwo medals that Michael had earned as a result of his

service in Afghanistan. First came the Silver Star, withthe following citation:

The President of theUnited States takes pridein presenting the SILVERSTAR MEDAL

posthumously toLIEUTENANT MICHAEL

P. MURPHY UNITED STATES NAVY For service set forth in the

following

CITATION:For conspicuous gallantryand intrepidity in actionagainst the enemy whileserving as part of aSpecial Reconnaissanceelement with NavalSpecial Warfare TaskUnit, Afghanistan, from 27to 28 June 2005. In hisrole of Assistant Officer inCharge of Alfa Platoonand the Reconnaissanceand Surveillance groundelement commander forthe mission, LieutenantMurphy demonstratedextraordinary heroism inthe face of grave dangerin the vicinity ofAsadabad, KunarProvince, Afghanistan.Operating in the middle ofan enemy-controlledarea, in extremely ruggedterrain, his SpecialReconnaissance elementwas tasked with locatinga high-level Anti-CoalitionMilitia leader, in supportof a follow-on directaction mission to captureor destroy the leader anddisrupt enemy activity. On28 June 2005, theelement was spotted byAnti-Coalition Militiasympathizers, whoimmediately revealedtheir position to the militiafighters. As a result, theelement directlyencountered the enemy.Demonstratingexceptional resolve andfully understanding thesituation, LieutenantMurphy’s element bravelyengaged the militia, who

held both a numerical andpositional advantage. Theensuing firefight resultedin numerous enemypersonnel killed, withseveral of the Navymembers sufferingcausalities. Ignoring hisinjuries anddemonstratingexceptional composure,Lieutenant Murphycontinued to attack theenemy, eliminatingadditional militia fighters,until he was mortallywounded by enemy fire. Achampion of freedom,Lieutenant Murphy will beremembered for hissacrifice in the continuingGlobal War on Terrorism.By his bold leadership,exceptionalprofessionalism, andloyal devotion to duty,Lieutenant Murphyreflected great creditupon himself and upheldthe highest traditions ofthe United States NavalService.

The Silver Star is the third-highest militarydecoration that can be awarded to a member of anybranch of the United States armed forces for valor inthe face of the enemy awarded uponrecommendation by a general or flag officer.

Next, the Purple Heart, with the following citation:

THE UNITED STATESOF AMERICA

TO ALL WHO SHALLSEE THESEPRESENTS,

GREETINGS: THIS IS TO CERTIFY

THAT THE PRESIDENTOF

THE UNITED STATESOF AMERICA

HAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART (Posthumously)

ESTABLISHED BYGENERAL GEORGE

WASHINGTON AT NEWBURGH, NEW

YORK, AUGUST 7, 1782 TO

LIEUTENANT MICHAELP. MURPHY

UNITED STATES NAVY

FOR WOUNDSRECEIVED IN ACTION

ON 28 JUNE 2005

The Purple Heart, this nation’s oldest militaryaward, is awarded to any member of the military whois wounded or killed by direct enemy action. Notrequiring a recommendation, the wounded ordeceased is entitled to it by his action in combat.

Following the presentations, Father Coyle readfrom Psalms 129-130, followed by St. John 11, andthe invitation to the Lord’s Prayer. As Father Coylestepped back from the casket, the firing party wasordered to attention and all military personnel inuniform saluted. In perfect unison, the seven-manfiring party fired three volleys in a twenty-one-gunsalute. Although the loud crack of the rifle volleysstartled those who had gathered, the militarypersonnel at attention did not move. After the finalvolley, as the echo and the smoke faded, the firingparty was ordered to present arms, while in thedistance a single bugler began the haunting notes of“Taps.”

The Meaning of a Folded Flag

At the conclusion of “Taps,” the honor guard beganfolding Michael’s burial flag. The lower striped sectionwas folded over and the folded edge was folded overagain to meet the open edge. A triangular fold wasthen started by bringing the striped corner of thefolded edge to the open edge. The first triangular foldsymbolized life. The outer point was turned inward sothat it was parallel with the open edge, forming thesecond triangle, symbolic of our belief in eternal life.The third fold was made in honor of our veterans whogave their lives in the defense of our country. Thefourth fold represented our weaker human nature. Thefifth fold was a tribute to our country, while the sixthstood for where the people’s hearts lie—it is with ourhearts that we pledge our allegiance to the flag of theUnited States. The seventh fold was a tribute to ourarmed forces. The eighth fold symbolized the tributeto Christ, who entered into the valley of the shadow ofdeath on our behalf, that we might have eternal life.Fold nine was a tribute to all women and mothers, forit was through their faith, love, and loyalty that thecharacter of those who have made this country greathas been shaped. The tenth fold was a tribute to ourfathers, for they too have given their sons anddaughters in defense of their country. The eleventhfold was symbolic of King David and King Solomon’sseal, which glorified the God of Abraham. Fold twelvesymbolized eternal life, glorifying in Christians’ eyesthe Trinity. The thirteenth and last fold, with the starsfacing upward, was to remind us of our nation’s motto,“In God We Trust.”

After the flag was folded, Master Chief Petty OfficerGary Lee delivered three shell casings from thetwenty-one-gun salute to the officer in charge, who

placed them inside the flag and tucked the end insidethe fold. The folded flag looked like a cocked hat,which reminds us of those who served under GeneralGeorge Washington, and under Captain John PaulJones.

After the folding of the flag, the clouds parted and abright ray of sunshine reflected off Michael’s casket.Dan and Maureen looked at each other and manageda smile through their tears.

On Behalf of the President of theUnited States . . .

The honor guard team leader delivered the folded flagto Lee. He then turned and approached CaptainBisset, who stood with Father Coyle and RearAdmiral Maguire. Lee cradled the flag with left handover right and with the stripes facing toward the sky.He then sharply flipped the flag, right hand over left,with the blue field facing toward the sky and remainedmotionless. Bisset stepped forward, slowly saluted,and accepted the flag, right hand over left. Leestepped back, saluted, turned, and resumed hisposition. Bisset slowly walked over to the Murphyfamily.

Maureen stood with John to her left and Dan stoodto her right under the large green canopy. CaptainBisset who shared an emotional closeness with theMurphy family, was relieved to see that Maureen woredark glasses that eliminated direct eye contact.

“Maureen, on behalf of the president of the UnitedStates and the secretary of the navy, please acceptthis flag as a symbol of your son Michael’soutstanding and faithful service to his country and theUnited States Navy.” With a whisper-quiet responseof “Thank you,” she accepted the flag and clutched itto her breast, as a mother would hold her infant.Bisset saluted, turned sharply, and returned to hisposition.

Next, SEALs Jim Quattromani, Jerry Caldwell, andJames Westin of SDVT-1 approached Heather, whowas dressed in black, ashen-faced, and physicallysupported by her mother, Lynda, and her sisterBrianne. With all three at full attention, Quattromani,who was in the center, held the flag and dropped tohis right knee and looked into Heather’s tear-filledeyes. “Heather, on behalf of the president of theUnited States and the secretary of the navy, pleaseaccept this flag as a symbol of your fiancé Michael’soutstanding and faithful service to his country and theUnited States Navy.”

Accepting the folded flag, Heather exploded in anagonizing cry that released a flood of tears from manyof the mourners. As her tears flowed, they rolled downher face and onto the flag she clutched to herabdomen.

The SEALs then formed a line on each side of thecasket and removed their Tridents, the goldeninsignia of a Navy SEAL. Then, one at a time, each

man approached the casket, saluted, and laid hisTrident on the top of the casket, again saluted, thenstepped back into formation. As Lieutenant Haffeleplaced his Trident on Michael’s casket, Danremembered the words in Haffele’s letter. Thissolemn ceremony proceeded for nearly twentyminutes. In all, thirty golden SEAL Tridents restedatop Michael’s casket. Father Coyle then resumed hisposition at the head of the casket and delivered theCommittal. and concluded the public service with theBenediction.

Home . . . Finally

At the conclusion of the public ceremony and after thecrowd had dispersed, Michael’s personal friendsJimmie and Owen O’Callaghan, James Emmerich,and Jay Keenan, along with Lieutenant CommanderMuse and Lieutenant Widenhofer, returned Michael’scasket to the waiting hearse for the short ride to hisfinal resting place for an intimate graveside ceremonyto celebrate an earthly life that had been all too short,but very well lived.

As the hearse disappeared behind the cover of asmall grove of trees, Eddie McElhone asked thedriver to stop. While the driver watched, Eddieunlocked and opened the casket and placed theSEAL tridents around Michael’s torso beforeproceeding to the gravesite.

After the brief graveside ceremony, family, friends,and a “widowed” fiancée slowly walked away withheads bowed as tears flowed down their faces.Several turned back to look at Michael’s casketseveral times before they reached their cars; eachtime the sun’s bright light reflected off the casket.

In a memorable moment, as Widenhofer and hiswife, Jennifer, walked back toward the car, bothlooked back at the gravesite and watched as JimQuattromani, up until that moment a pillar of strengthand courage for the Murphy and Duggan families,approached Michael’s casket. Although not closeenough to see his face, they saw Jim gently placeboth his hands on Michael’s casket, then lower hishead as his body trembled uncontrollably for severalminutes. They both watched in silence at the depth ofthe unbreakable bond of the warrior culture.

After everyone had left the area, Eddie approachedthe casket. Having worked tirelessly over the pastseveral days and unable to properly grieve for a familyhero—a national hero—he now took his own personalmoment.

A Final Message from Michael

As Dan, Maureen, Karen, and Kristen walked back totheir car, Maureen heard her cell phone ring. Her firstinstinct was to ignore it until later, but something

prompted her to take it from her purse. Her cell phonesignaled she had received a text message. Shepushed the button to retrieve the message, and thewords “Momma, home safe and sound. Mike”appeared on the screen. In shock, she dropped thephone, gasped, and covered her mouth. Maureenthen picked up the phone and just stared at themessage screen for several seconds before handingthe phone to Dan. They looked at each other andmanaged a smile through their tears.

It had become Michael’s practice to call or textmessage his parents whenever he left New York to letthem know that he had arrived safely at hisdestination. Both Dan and Maureen remembered thatthey had not received a message after Michael’sarrival back in Hawaii the previous March for whathad turned out to be his last deployment. Now,apparently, Maureen had received that message.These devout Catholic parents, who believe thateverything happens for a reason, felt sure that thiswas Michael’s way of telling them that he had arrivedat his eternal home, safe and sound.

On Permanent Station

As Eddie concluded his prayers, he checked thecasket for the final time and watched as he lowered itinto the concrete vault below. United States NavySEAL Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy was now at hisearthly rest. A rest well earned and deserved, but as aNavy SEAL, he remains on permanent station “Onpoint” in Section 67, Site 3710 in Calverton NationalCemetery, along with 187,000 more of this nation’smilitary heroes.

CHAPTER FOUR

Seeds of Greatness

Thereisnocureforbirthanddeath,savetoenjoytheinterval.

—GEORGE SANTAYANA, quoted at QuotationsBook,www.quotationsbook.com/quote/10038 (accessed July 14, 2008)

Daniel James Murphy, a successful young SuffolkCounty prosecuting attorney and decorated VietnamWar combat veteran, and Maureen Theresa Joneswere married on April 12, 1975, in the Saint FrancisDeSales Catholic Church in Patchogue. Located fifty-five miles east of Manhattan, on the South Shore ofLong Island, New York, Patchogue is a predominatelywhite, Catholic, blue-collar, working-class village of12,000 descendants of primarily Italian, German, and—like Dan’s and Maureen’s parents—Irishimmigrants.

Dan and Maureen’s first child, described by thedoctor as a “beautiful bald baby boy,” was born onMay 7, 1976, and named Michael Patrick, after thearchangel Michael, one of the principal fifty angelsand viewed as the field commander of the Army ofGod. Michael appears in the book of Daniel as onewho comes to Gabriel’s aid as the advocate of Israeland a “great prince who stands up for the children. ...”

Dan and Maureen took Michael home to their two-bedroom, second-story apartment in Holtsville, NewYork, on Long Island, where Charlie, their veryprotective black, flat-coat retriever, awaited theirarrival. Charlie became Michael’s constantcompanion over the next several years and kept awatchful and protective eye on him.

It became very clear when he was a toddler thatMichael loved the water. At a backyard cookout atDan’s parents’ home, Maureen saw Michael, not eventwo years old, climbing the stairs of the four-foot-highswimming pool. She took off to grab him, but just asshe reached the ladder, he jumped into the water.Frantic, Maureen climbed to the top and saw Michaelunderwater with a big smile on his face. She reached

down and pulled him out. Trying not to scare him, shetold him that he was not permitted in the water withouthis inflatable life jacket. As Maureen turned to retrievethe jacket, Michael jumped back into the pool,surfaced, and sloshed his way to the side with a biggrin on his face.

In December 1978, two-year-old Michael and hisfamily moved into their newly built house on OldMedford Avenue. On their first day in their new house,Maureen took Michael upstairs and showed him hisroom. That evening, when Maureen was puttingMichael to bed, he pointed to his diapers and said,“Not these, Mommy, not these. I’m a big boy.” Michaelnever wore diapers after that—and never had an“accident.”

The following summer in June, while at the home oftheir next-door neighbors, Ralph and KathieBelmonte, Michael bolted for the large in-groundswimming pool and jumped in before Dan could getto him. By the time Dan jumped in, Michael hadsurfaced and got to the other side of the pool using arudimentary swimming motion. When Dan lifted himout of the pool, Michael turned around, raised hisarms into the air, and flashed a large grin.

Maureen frequently took him to the nearby Holtsvillepublic pool and allowed him to frolic around in thebaby pool. Although initially satisfied, he soon turnedhis attention to the larger pool. With his life jacket inplace, Maureen took Michael into the pool with her,much to his delight.

One day in the summer of 1979, Maureen andMichael were enjoying a walk in the park in Holtsvillewhen they came upon the town’s diving pool. Michaelbolted and began climbing the twelve-foot ladder. Thelifeguard on duty frantically blew his whistle and beganyelling at Michael to get down.

Hurriedly, Maureen climbed the ladder and talkedcalmly to Michael, hoping to catch up to him before hefell. But Michael, who was very quick, reached the topof the ladder and, without the slightest evidence offear, ran out onto the board before she could reachhim. Ignoring his mother’s warnings, Michael jumpedoff the diving board, which immediately sent thelifeguard into the water. As Michael surfaced he againbegan his own particular swimming motion to the sideof the pool. Unassisted, he reached the side, wherethe lifeguard lifted him out of the water. Michael stoodproudly with a big smile on his face. Frightened by theexperience, Maureen took Michael home, telling him,“We won’t be doing that anymore.”

Michael was reared in a loving home by parentswith a strong moral clarity and a directed sense ofpurpose. With a father who served as a localprosecuting attorney and extended family memberswho served as police officers, firefighters, and otherpublic servants, Michael learned early the virtue ofsacrifice and selfless service to others.

As a toddler, Michael’s favorite book was WattyPiper’s The Little Engine That Could, a children’sstory used to teach the value of optimism and hardwork. Michael knew the story by heart, and wouldslowly stride from room to room acting like a train

engine, saying, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”After making the rounds through every room, hebegan running as fast as he could, saying, “I thought Icould, I thought I could, I thought I could.” The lessonslearned from this story carried Michael through someof the most challenging times in his life.

Despite their best efforts, the young parents werefrequent visitors to their doctor’s office and the localemergency room to have their active and fearlesschild treated for cuts and other accidental injuries.After several visits for stitches, Maureen asked, “Whyis it always my kid?” Dan later related, “Thank God Iwas a prosecutor, because I am sure otherwise theywould have thought this kid was being abused.”

When Michael was age three, Dan’s youngestbrother Brian was in the backyard chopping wood.Brian was the “black sheep” of Dan’s family. He wasgregarious, but lacked considered judgment when itcame to mature decision making regardingemployment, his wife, and his two children. Maureenasked Michael to go to the edge of the patio and tellhis uncle that lunch was ready. Instead of stopping atthe edge of the patio, Michael went up to Brian, whodidn’t notice him and accidently hit him with the butt ofthe ax and knocked him down, leaving a large, heavilybleeding gash above his right eye. Brian carried himinto the house.

When Maureen saw the gaping wound, shepanicked, and excused herself to regain hercomposure as her sister tended to Michael. Maureensaid, “I never panicked when it is someone else’s kid,but when it is mine, I just went to pieces.” Michael sawhis mother crying and began wiping the blood fromhis face, saying, “It’s OK, Mommy, it’s OK, it doesn’thurt. See, Mommy, it doesn’t hurt.” She wasovercome with emotion at Michael’s sensitivity.Because the large, gaping wound obviously needingsutures, they made yet another trip to the hospital innearby Smithtown.

During the summer of 1982, Michael would sneakout of the house early on Sunday mornings while hisparents slept. He and Charlie would walk next door tovisit the Belmontes, who always had their Sundaybreakfast on the back patio. As Michael approachedthe Belmontes, he would say, “My mommy and daddywon’t feed me breakfast. Can I have one of yourbagels?” As they laughed, they pulled out a chair forhim and served him a toasted bagel with lots of butterand a glass of milk, Michael’s favorite. This soonbecame a ritual for young Michael throughout thesummer, and one that the Belmontes soon joyfullycame to expect. After a couple of weeks, theBelmontes told Dan and Maureen of Michael’sSunday morning ritual. Although embarrassed, hisparents got a big laugh at the tale.

Canaan Elementary School

Excelling in all of his academic subjects, Michael wasan outgoing and likable student. He was a voracious

reader, and would often read the same book severaltimes—a practice he never outgrew.

A natural athlete, Michael played soccer in the firstand second grade. At age six, he began playing T-ball with Dan as his coach. Two years of “B” ball andthree years of “A” ball followed. In the fifth grade, heearned the coveted white belt that signified hisposition as a member of the Safety Patrol.

Dan’s friend Tony Viggiano, who was connectedwith the local Sachem Athletic Club, asked Dan aboutenrolling Michael to play football. When asked,Michael jumped at the opportunity. At Tony’sinsistence, Dan agreed to be the team’s coach,although he readily admitted he knew nothing aboutcoaching football. Tony insisted that all Dan neededto do was to design a few simple plays and thingswould be fine.

After a few practices and several scrimmagesagainst other teams, Michael displayed genuineathletic ability, speed, and throwing accuracy, andbecame the starting quarterback for the Sachem WolfPack in the Sachem Youth Football Club, sponsoredby the Suffolk County Police Athletic League. On thevery first play from scrimmage of the first game,Michael dropped back to pass the ball and wasgrabbed by the face mask and thrown to the ground.Witnessing the play, Dan immediately ran onto thefield. Dan saw the referee throw his flag andapproached him, saying, “Good, you saw that!” Thereferee told Dan that the penalty was against him,because the coach was not permitted to run onto thefield. Michael ran over to his father and said, “Dad,you’re not supposed to be out on the field. I’m OK.”Dan and Michael laughed as the referee walked offthe fifteen-yard penalty.

Of course, this being New York, street hockey wasanother of Michael’s favorite sports, frequently andspontaneously organized by his neighborhood friendsin any empty driveway or parking lot, an activity thathe would continue into his middle-school years.

One evening, when Dan believed Michael wasasleep, he began working on a gruesome murdercase that he was trying. He laid out some large andvery graphic color photos of the case and wasabsorbed in reviewing them. Suddenly Dan heardMichael ask, “Hey, Dad, is that chicken?” Danimmediately tried to cover the pictures with anewspaper. However, after a few seconds, Michaelrealized what the pictures were, turned very pale, andimmediately vomited all over the pictures. Feelingguilty, Dan apologized and tried to calm Michael bytalking with him about why he had the pictures andtelling him that he was trying to convict the “bad guyswho did such a terrible thing to that poor man.”

During the summer of 1983, when he was seven,Michael was out in the front yard playing with somefriends when his mother heard the loud screeching ofa car hitting its brakes. Terrified, Maureen ran outsideand saw Michael lying in the road about five feet infront of the stopped car. As Maureen screamed andran for the road, Michael slowly got up clutching asmall dog, which had escaped without a scratch. The

driver, visibly shaken, got out of the car, and as sheand Maureen reached Michael, they saw that he wasno worse for wear other than a few abrasions on hisarms, legs, and forehead. Frantically they asked himwhat he was doing. “This little dog ran into the streetand was about to get run over, so I ran out andgrabbed him.” Later that evening at the dinner table,Michael admitted, “It was pretty scary. All I could seewas those big black tires coming right for my head.”

Michael was nurtured in an extended family ofdedicated public servants and also benefited by hismother’s acute sense of compassion toward others.Even at a young age he began to take a keen interestin protecting and helping other people, especiallythose he viewed as weak or being taken advantageof.

Dan’s brother Brian always seemed to be down onhis luck and frequently called to ask Dan for money tohelp his wife and infant daughter. Although hefrequently wasted the money on beer and cigarettes,Dan always provided him with $20 to $40. Michaelwas now old enough to understand his uncle’swayward habits and their consequences.

One day, after his uncle had left the Murphy homewith yet another $40 of his father’s hard-earnedmoney, Michael asked Dan why he continued to giveaway money when he knew that Brian would probably“just blow it.” Dan explained that while he wouldindeed probably just blow it, Brian was his brother,and he would never turn away someone whogenuinely needed help, especially family.

Young Michael never forgot that conversation, andby the time he left Canaan, he had internalized theschool motto: “With the courage of a lion, always dothe right thing.” This motto was a frequent motivatorthroughout his life.

Saxton Middle School

Michael continued to clearly demonstrate hisacademic excellence throughout his middle-schoolyears. It was during that time that his parents alsobegan to see the development of his natural-bornleadership qualities, his maturity, and his sensitivitytoward others. Maureen later recalled that when shearrived for her first parentteacher conference withMichael’s new sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Schwab, hesaid, “Michael Murphy, yes. A great young man.Listen, I’ve been teaching for nearly thirty-five years,and this kid is really something. Mark my words, he isgoing to make his mark someday.”

During middle school, Michael continued to playfootball and organized baseball, having moved to the“major leagues” with the bases now ninety feet apartinstead of the previous sixty feet. At first Maureen andDan worried that Michael’s running ability hadmarkedly decreased until they learned that thedistance between bases had been increased.

Michael began to internalize his father’s frequentmantra that “adversity builds character.” In fact,

Maureen remembered that on one particular occasionwhen Michael had suffered yet another injury thatrequired medical treatment, he said, “Mom, I’ve hadenough character building. I would like for things to goright for a change.”

Through his father’s career as a prosecutingattorney, Michael was able to see both the good andbad in people, and that even “bad” people can dogood things while “good” people do bad things. Onecase that really affected young Michael involved ayoung man his father was prosecuting for a string ofburglaries. Dan had a sense that this was indeed acase of a good person who got caught up in a badsituation, and that if given the opportunity, the youngman would make amends and live a good, honest life.

Although the young man clearly could have receiveda jail sentence, Dan explained to Michael why he wasgoing to recommend probation, community service,and restitution. Several years later the young mancame to the Murphy home and thanked Dan for hisunderstanding and leniency. He said that he hadopened his own shoe-repair business in a nearbytown and was a successful businessman, and offeredto provide free shoe-repair service for the family. Thatepisode stuck with Michael. He subsequently andinherently believed the best in people and alwaysgave them the benefit of any doubt.

On occasion Michael accompanied his father towork, where he was able to observe criminal courtproceedings firsthand. One particular day, hewatched his father argue before the United StatesDistrict Court for the Eastern District of New York.After the long day in court, Michael asked his father ifhe had won or lost. Dan responded, “Michael, it’s notwinning or losing so much as justice being served andthe truth being decided.” That answer stayed withMichael and later appeared on his law schoolapplications.

In another instance, young Michael and his friendPaul received the results of a major examination.Young Paul was very proud of his score and toldMaureen that he had received a 92. Maureen turnedto Michael and asked how he had done. Michaelanswered, “Oh, I did OK.” Later that evening at dinner,the topic of school was discussed, and Maureenagain asked Michael his score on the test. Michaelresponded that he had received a 96. When Maureenasked him why he did not mention his score when shehad asked earlier, Michael responded, “Mom, Paulwas so excited about his 92, telling him my scorewould have just thrown cold water on him, so I didn’tsay anything. It was not that important.” Dan andMaureen just looked at each other and realized thatMichael was much more mature than either of themwere when they were his age.

CHAPTER FIVE

“The Protector”

Theonlycorrectactionsarethosethatdemandnoexplanationandnoapology.

—RED AUERBACH, quoted at Good Fortunes,www.goodfortunes.com/v/quote/sorry.html (accessed March 5, 2008)

At age ten, Michael’s protective instincts developedfurther with the birth of his younger brother, John. Hewas very excited when John was born, and heimmediately took on the role of protective big brother.

Because his father was politically active, youngMichael was frequently around adults in a variety ofbusiness, political, and social settings. When Michaelwas twelve, the Murphy family took a summervacation to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Atthat time, Michael was very close to his cousin TaraReidy, the daughter of Dan’s sister Gerri. Tara wentalong and stayed with them at the exclusive HotelHershey. Unaccustomed to large, expensive hotels,Tara was apprehensive. On their first day, the familywent to dinner. All of the various forks, othersilverware, and folded napkins made Tara quiteanxious. She said she couldn’t eat because she didn’tknow what to do with all the utensils. Michael leanedover and said, “Tara, don’t worry about it. You’renever going to see these people again; use whateverfork you want. It really doesn’t matter.” Tara lookedanxiously at Michael, who just smiled and nodded hishead. Tara returned the smile and became perfectlyat ease. After that, Tara and Michael developed aclose bond that remained for the rest of his life.

While in the eighth grade, Michael saw a group ofboys taunting a special-education child and trying topush him into a locker. Michael interceded and gotinvolved in a fight with several of the bullies. Afterteachers broke up the fight, the principal of the schoolcalled Maureen and said, “Mrs. Murphy, I’m calling notto get Michael into trouble, but I am required to callbecause the incident happened.” He explained thatMichael had been involved in a fight defending a

special-education child. While Michael’s parents didnot condone fighting, both Dan and Maureen couldnot have been prouder of their son. After this incident,Michael garnered the nickname “the Protector.” Thefollowing year, while taking a shortcut home through asmall wooded area, Michael came upon a group ofstudents tormenting a homeless man who had beencollecting bottles and cans in a plastic bag. Michaelyelled for the other kids to stop. One of them turnedtoward him and said, “Aw, Murphy, are you going tostart?”

Michael replied, “No, I’m not going to start, butyou’re gonna stop.”

The students left grumbling. Michael approachedthe man, who was cowering near a tree, and said, “It’sOK. Here, let me help you.” Michael picked up all ofthe cans and bottles the boys had thrown and putthem back into the large plastic bag. As Michaelstarted toward the man to give him the bag, he beganshaking and covered himself. Sensing his fear,Michael stopped and set the bag down and said, “It’sOK. No one is going to bother you. I’m leaving. Yourbag is right here when you want it.” When Michaelwas a safe distance away, the man slowly got up andpicked up his bag. Michael turned around and justsmiled at the man and waved.

Dan and Michael spent many hours together doingyard work and playing sports. Dan occasionally talkedabout his military service in Vietnam. He explained toMichael the misfortunes of the enlisted troops on theground in Vietnam, many of whom were killed as theresult of the actions of incompetent or overzealousofficers with little or no combat experience. He wasadamantly opposed to his son serving in the military—so much so that he repeatedly told Michael that hewould disown him if he ever enlisted in the armedforces.

During a memorable game in his last season in the“major leagues,” which was also his last year ofmiddle school, Michael came to the plate with onerunner on base and his team down by one run. On thesecond pitch, Michael hit a home run to win the game.As he rounded the bases and returned to the dugout,everyone patted him on the back and said that he wonthe game. Taught by his father that a leader is only asgood as his team, Michael was quick to point out,“Not really, guys. I only scored one run, and the rest ofyou scored the others. That’s what allowed us to winthe game, not me.”

Michael remembered this invaluable advice fromhis father: “When you are the leader, when you are outfront, someone will always criticize and try and findfault. As the leader, it is your job to lead—your job tomake decisions.” As the starting quarterback and theteam captain for the Sachem Wolf Pack for fouryears, Michael became the unquestioned leader ofhis team. While not always correct, he never hesitatedto lead, never hesitated to make a decision, andnever abdicated his role as the leader.

Patchogue-Medford High School

In 1991 Michael entered Patchogue-Medford HighSchool as an honor student and took a full collegepreparatory course load. Among his small group offriends, Paul Viggiano, Pete Lopez, and Tim Scottwere his best friends. With his reputation as theProtector preceding him, Michael was the target ofthe occasional snide comment, but no one challengedhim.

A couple of traumatic incidents that involved friendsand acquaintances had a major impact on Michael.First, Michael’s girlfriend Adrienne’s younger brotherwas killed while riding his bicycle in theneighborhood. Later, a young girl who frequently satwith Michael at the lunch table was hit by a car andkilled one evening while crossing the highway.

During the summer of Michael’s junior year, in1993, his uncle Billy Jones, Maureen’s youngerbrother, lost his battle with cancer and left his wife andthree daughters. Their mother was incapable ofcaring for them, and the three girls, Cathy, Colleen,and Kelly, faced being placed in foster care. This wasunacceptable to both Dan and Maureen, so the threegirls came to live with the Murphys.

As Maureen tried to set up sleeping arrangements,Michael approached her and insisted, “Mom, I havethe biggest room. Put their girls in my room and I’llmove to the sewing room. It’s no big deal.” With thatMichael moved to the sewing room, the smallest inthe house, without complaint. Naturally, the addition ofthree additional children in the house created astressful environment until everyone got used to livingunder the same roof and to each other’spersonalities.

During the summers of both his junior and senioryears, Michael served as an intern in the SupremeCourt of New York. Here he had the opportunity toresearch past cases for attorneys and the court, aswell as draft preliminary decisions, and having hiswork reviewed and critiqued by both attorneys and thecourt. He learned the importance of accuracy andstrict attention to detail. Throughout high school,Michael was regularly on the Honor Roll and selectedfor the National Honor Society his junior year. Michaelspent his junior year taking advanced-placementclasses that resulted in his taking only two courses hissenior year. His cousin Kristen Bogenshutz was twoyears behind Michael in high school and describedhim as “always humble. He was talented in everysport he played, and was considered a ‘team player,’was dedicated, motivated, and put his team interestsbefore his own personal pursuits. Mike did what wasbest for all involved, rather than choose to put himselfin the spotlight. He was brighter than anyone knew,more athletic than we considered, more driven thanwe could have imagined. He was funny, had a sharpwit, intelligent sense of humor, and was always readyfor a prank, but fiercely loyal to those he loved.”

He spent a lot of time on college applications toschools both in New York and neighboring states.

Graduating with academic honors in 1994, andaccepted at several colleges, Michael chose PennState University for three specific reasons: it wasaway from home but within driving distance, it had anexcellent academic reputation, and it was a publicschool with a lighter tuition cost for him and hisparents.

Having graduated from high school, Michael’s first“real” job was with the Brookhaven parks departmentpicking up litter and doing general maintenance. Healso acquired basic aquatic and lifeguarding skillsand began working as a lifeguard at several areapools and beaches, including Lake Ronkonkoma.While he mastered his lifesaving skills, he frequentlyenlisted the help of his cousins Kelly, Colleen, andCathy, dragging them across the pool while practicinghis waterrescue skills. Here he met Jay Keenan, theO’Callaghan’s, Jimmy Emmerich, and others withwhom he became lifelong friends.

When Kelly turned sixteen and was just sittingaround the house, Michael walked up to her, droppeda Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) manual intoher lap, and said, “Read this.” The next day he tookher to the DMV, where she passed her written testand received her temporary permit. Michael exhibitedgreat patience and composure and made sure thatshe was proficient and obtained her license.

Penn State University

Michael entered Penn State University (PSU) in thefall of 1994 with advanced academic placement. Hefinished the first semester with a respectable 3.02grade point average (GPA), and become involvedwith the intramural football and ice hockey teams.

His 1995 spring semester GPA of 3.69 resulted inhis first appearance on the dean’s list, a feat heaccomplished five more times, including everysemester his junior and senior years. At PSU he ledboth of his intramural teams to championships whileserving as captain.

At some point between his sophomore and junioryears, Michael decided to pursue a career in themilitary. During a family dinner at the Cull Houserestaurant in Sayville, New York, Michael told hisfather and brother that he was seriously considering acareer in the Marines. John believed Michael waskidding and did not take him seriously, nor did hisfather, who believed Michael was just expressing hisnewfound freedom of being in college. On the five-hour drive between PSU and Patchogue, Dan andMichael had lengthy talks about life, school, career,and relationships that strengthened the bond betweenfather and son. It was during the long drives in hisjunior year that Michael talked about his desire to jointhe military—only now interested in the Navy. The firsttime Michael brought the subject up, Dan was sostartled that he nearly ran off the road.

In an attempt to get his son back to a “correct” wayof thinking, he said, “Michael, I thought you wanted to

go law school and be a lawyer.” After some hesitationMichael admitted to his reluctance in becoming alawyer. He argued that there was an overabundanceof lawyers and, as a result, the standards of getting into law school were exceedingly high.

Dan insisted, “Michael, I told you that I woulddisown you if you ever went into the military.” Althoughconcerned, Dan was comforted by the thought thatMichael was only in his junior year and would probablychange his mind and appreciate the potential of a lawcareer. Knowing his father’s concern, Michaelavoided any further conversation regarding the Navy.While this curbed Michael’s talk of a military career, itdid not lessen his interest.

During Michael’s senior year, he became open andinsistent about his desire to become a Navy SEAL,and it became a frequent topic of conversation on thelong trips to PSU. Dan, now having backed off histhreat to disown Michael, tried to impress upon himthat he did not need the service to complete hischaracter. He emphasized that the SEALs werecalled upon to perform the most arduous anddangerous missions, many of them covert. Due to thenature of their missions, many times they were left totheir own devices with little or no support. Dan did notwant a military life for his son; he was adamant thatMichael forget about a military career and follow in hisfootsteps and pursue a lucrative law career.

Dan believed that military service was important foryoung men who had lost their way and neededregimented guidance or a heavy dose of discipline toget them on the straight and narrow. Michael neededneither, and Dan believed that he was wasting histime and talents forgoing a law career and pursuingthe military. While Michael agreed that his fathermade several good arguments, his mind was madeup. He would pursue Officer Candidate School (OCS)and Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S)training upon graduation. If those two avenues did notmaterialize, he could always go to law school.

In early 1998, during his senior year and afterhaving done well on his LSAT examination, Michaelapplied to numerous prestigious law schools,including Columbia, St. John’s, Fordham, New YorkUniversity (NYU), the University of Tennessee, BostonUniversity, and Cornell. In April and May letters of bothacceptance and rejection came back. Accepted intoSt. John’s, the University of Tennessee, andFordham, Michael was both disappointed andpleased: disappointed at not being accepted intoNYU, but pleased because the letters strengthenedhis resolve to join the SEALs as a Navy officer. Hecontinued doing extensive research on the SEALsand the Navy’s Officer Candidate School.

CHAPTER SIX

Prep Schools for SEALs

Unlessamanhastrainedhimselfforhischance,thechancewillonlymakehimlookridiculous.

—WILLIAM MATTHEWS, quoted at Famous Quotes & Authors,www.famousquotesandauthors.com/authors/william_matthews_quotes.html

(accessed December 21, 2009)

In early November 1997, during his senior year atPenn State University, Michael began seriouslyresearching the Navy SEALs, including admissionrequirements, training, and selection process. Duringhis research he learned of a former SEAL captainwho served as the senior Navy representative andfacility instructor at the U.S. Army War College inCarlisle, Pennsylvania, just eighty miles from PSU.Ryan J. McCombie had more than twenty-six years ofservice, having previously served as the commandingofficer of SEAL Team Two, perhaps the nation’s mostelite group of special warriors. McCombie had spentmost of his naval career in special operations andwas highly decorated. He had received more than twodozen significant medals and awards, including theBronze Star Medal with V device, which was awardedfor valor, a Legion of Merit, and two Defense SuperiorService Medals, as well as awards from the Frenchand Vietnamese governments.

With the SEALs, McCombie trained and servedwith commandos from all over the world. He was thefirst American to complete the training for Frenchmarine special operators and served a two-year tourwith the elite Commando Hubert. He served asoperations officer of the highly regarded Red CellTeam, a U.S. special operations team essentiallycomprised of Navy SEALs that was the subject ofmuch media reporting for its innovative and highlyeffective counterterrorist and antiterrorist missions.

Because of his knowledge of French and specialoperations, McCombie was selected to be the firstmilitary attaché to the U.S. embassy in Brazzaville,Congo. Following that billet, he commanded SEALTeam Two from 1985 to 1987, and then served inhigh-level positions at the Defense IntelligenceAgency in Washington, D.C.

After several requests, Michael was granted anappointment to meet with Captain McCombie at hishome. McCombie seldom saw students or anyonethere. He had long ago tired of those who were simplycurious about the SEALs, as opposed to those withthe determination and work ethic to become one.When Michael arrived at the house, he was directedto the backyard, where he found McCombie choppingwood. He stopped a few feet away as McCombiesplit a log with a single swing of his ax. Withoutlooking up, McCombie said, “So, you are interestedin talking about the SEALs?”

Michael responded, “No sir, I want to be a NavySEAL. There’s a difference.”

Saying nothing, Captain McCombie looked atMichael from head to toe for several seconds, thencontinued chopping wood.

“We can talk when I am finished.”As he looked around, Michael noticed several big

stacks of wood and another ax leaning against one ofthe stacks. He took off his jacket and tossed it on topof one of the piles, picked up the ax, and beganchopping beside McCombie. Over the next severalhours, the two exchanged some casual conversationas they worked. By midafternoon the work wasfinished.

McCombie invited Michael onto his back porch,where they talked for the next two hours. Michael laidout his background and discussed his studies andactivities. McCombie learned that Michael was notonly serious about becoming a Navy SEAL, but also aNavy SEAL officer. Michael explained that followinggraduation, he would enlist with the condition that hewas accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS)and Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S)training.

Having dealt with many wannabes over the years,McCombie was skeptical regarding Michael’sambitious agenda; however, by the time theirconversation ended, he was impressed with everyaspect of the young man. As Michael was gettingready to leave, McCombie told him to contact CaptainAndrew Bisset, the Recruiting District AssistanceCouncil (RDAC) district coordinator in Stamford,Connecticut, who coordinated a SEAL training andmentorship program each month at the United StatesMerchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point,New York.

That night McCombie telephoned Bisset and holdhim about his meeting with Michael, including hisobvious work ethic, determination, attitude, anddesire. Later McCombie said, “If Michael just hadwatched me work, I wouldn’t have given him the timeof day. The fact that he picked up the other ax I hadsitting there and helped me complete the work told

me a lot about him. It turns out, I was right.”

Prep School for SEALs

Captain Andrew Bisset, a Navy SEAL with thirty-seven years of combined active and reserve NavalSpecial Warfare (NSW) experience, had served forfive years active duty with SEAL Team One andUnderwater Demolition Team Twenty-one (UDT-21).While in the Naval Reserve (NR), he commanded twoNR Special Warfare Group Two detachments, as wellas NR SEAL Team Two and NR Special BoatSquadron Two, and ultimately served as reservecommodore of NR Special Warfare Command, thesenior SEAL reserve position.

Following through on McCombie’s instruction, onMonday, November 9, 1997, Michael contactedBisset, who invited him to attend the RDACmentorship and training program beginning thefollowing January. Bisset told him about theprogram’s standards and how it operated. Heexplained that meeting the U.S. Navy SEALrequirements was not enough to successfullycomplete the program; all candidates recommendedto the Naval Special Warfare Command must farexceed the minimum SEAL standards. Undaunted,Michael accepted the invitation.

History of the SEAL RecruitingDistrict Assistance Council (RDAC)

In the 1970s, with the increased demand for SEALs,the Navy lowered its training standards to increasethe success rate, which was 25 percent, meaning that75 percent of all those who began BUD/S training didnot successfully complete the program. This loweringof standards concerned Captain Bisset, who stronglybelieved that by starting with a better-preparedBUD/S candidate, there would be a correspondingincrease in the success rate.

Bisset founded the council in 1994. Its membershipis composed of SEAL Naval Reservists and retireeswho mentor SEAL candidates and prepare them forBUD/S. Statistics show that the cost of transforming aman into a Navy SEAL is very expensive—about$500,000—so efforts to produce a better BUD/Scandidate could greatly increase the effective use oftax dollars and provide the Navy with better-qualifiedapplicants. In addition to the mentors, the council alsoincludes other high-level civilians who network withvarious spheres of influence within the civiliancommunity that benefits the RDAC. The SEAL RDACfocuses on helping recruiters find qualified SEAL andSpecial Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC)candidates and then mentors, evaluates, andprepares them for BUD/S. Through PhysicalScreening Tests (PSTs) and mentoring sessions,

candidates are taught swim-stroke and otherstrength-training techniques and given individualencouragement to prepare them both physically andmentally for the boot camp at Naval Station GreatLakes and then for eventual success as a SEALoperator after completing their training at BUD/S inCoronado, California.

RDAC Standards

To help increase the success rate of thoserecommended and selected for BUD/S, RDACstandards are deliberately much higher than thoseestablished by BUD/S. The RDAC PST measures thesame five areas: a timed swim, push-ups, sit-ups,pull-ups, and a run. To successfully complete theRDAC PST, the candidate must complete a timedfive-hundred-yard swim using the breast- and/orsidestroke in under twelve and a half minutes.Following a ten-minute rest, they must perform aminimum of forty-two push-ups in two minutes,followed by a two-minute rest. The test continues witha minimum of fifty sit-ups in two minutes, followed byanother two-minute rest. The candidate must thenperform a minimum of six pull-ups with no time limit.Following a ten-minute rest, the candidate, wearingboots and long pants, must complete a 1.5-mile run inunder eleven and a half minutes.

Saturday, January 16, 1998

Michael reported to the USMMA in Kings Point,where he was introduced to the RDAC mentors, thengiven a brief overview of the program, programexpectations, and his initial PST. Records show thathe completed his five-hundred-yard swim in nineminutes flat; did ninety push-ups in two minutes, fifty-eight sit-ups, and eighteen pull-ups; and completedhis run in 8:46. While this certainly got Bisset’s andthe other SEAL mentors’ attention, they withheldjudgment and their excitement. They did encouragehim to work out on his own in between monthlysessions, and reminded him that his commitmentwould be evident by his improved marks each month.Michael committed to continuous improvement, andestablished a daily workout routine.

Saturday, February 20, 1998

Again reporting to the USMMA, Michael’s PST resultswere mixed. His 8:02 swim was a fifty-eight-secondimprovement, but his push-ups dropped to eighty-six.His sit-ups increased to sixty, his pull-ups went downto sixteen, and his run was clocked at 9:22, over hisinitial time by thirty-six seconds. Although Michael

was dissatisfied, his mentors continued to encouragehim to work out on his own, and emphasized theirsatisfaction with his swim. He committed toredoubling his efforts for the next month.

However, Michael was unable to make the Marchsession because of academic requirements. Hetelephoned Captain Bisset and reiterated hiscommitment to the program, promising to continue towork out on his own and to report for the Aprilsession. He continued his self-designed workoutprogram, and it paid off.

Saturday, April 24, 1998

Michael was able to report to the USMMA for his Aprilsession. While his swim was timed at 8:13, up fromFebruary, his push-ups increased dramatically, from86 to 107, as did his sit-ups, from 60 to 83. His pull-up numbers also jumped, from 16 to 21, and hedecreased his run time to 8:54. The RDAC mentorsrealized they had themselves a highly motivatedindividual. They also began to see Michael’sleadership skills. Being one of the top finishers in theswim, he constantly encouraged the slower swimmersand encouraged others during push-ups, sit-ups, andpull-ups. After he finished the run near the front, he ranback several times and ran with and encouraged theslower runners. Although Michael had caught theattention of Bisset and the other mentors, they did notestablish any type of personal relationship with him.They had found it better not to do so with a candidateuntil a preliminary decision to recommend was made,allowing them to maintain their objectivity.

Spring of 1998

To reinforce among the SEAL candidates the value ofa life of selfless service and sacrifice as well as toinvolve them in a vital community outreach, in thespring of 1998, Bisset partnered with a local outreachagency called Rebuilding Together. This programassisted low-income elderly veterans or widows ofveterans who needed home maintenance andrepairs. This being the first attempt at such apartnership, Bisset approached Michael to getinvolved with the project for two reasons. First, as apotential officer candidate, he would need todemonstrate organizational and leadership qualities;second, this would give the RDAC team anopportunity to further evaluate him.

Bisset explained that as the “House Captain,” hewould be responsible for assembling a team toassess the property for needed repairs, draft abudget, obtain individual and corporate sponsors toprovide the materials, and draft a work schedule. Hewould also have to assemble a team of SEALcandidates to complete the work. Bisset reminded

Michael that he and his team would be under scrutinyduring each step of the project and have their workassessed and evaluated at the end of the project.When Bisset asked Michael if he was up to the task,the young man just grinned and responded, “Yes, sir.I’ll take care of it, sir.”

With no other assistance or guidance from theRDAC mentors, in less than three weeks, underMichael’s leadership, the project and all repairs werecompleted. Following the success of the inauguralpartnership, the Rebuilding Together initiativecontinued as an integral part of the RDAC mentorshipprogram.

In early May 1998 Michael Patrick Murphygraduated from Pennsylvania State University withacademic honors and with dual degrees in politicalscience and psychology.

Saturday, May 16, 1998

Again demonstrating that determination, hard work,and individual training paid dividends, Michaelcontinued to better his overall PST numbers. Helowered his swim time by fourteen seconds to 7:59,performed one hundred push-ups and eighty-four sit-ups, increased his pull-ups to twenty-three, andfinished his run in 8:57. As in the previous month, afterhe completed each phase of the PST, he encouragedthose who were still working out and running. Again,the mentors noted this with admiration.

Saturday, June 19, 1998

After graduation, Michael resumed his position as thesupervising lifeguard at Lake Ronkonkoma and otherarea beaches and began working at HartcornPlumbing and Heating in Ronkonkoma as aplumber’s assistant.

On the nineteenth, he reported to the USMMA. Hisswim time dropped another twelve seconds to 7:47;he did 102 push-ups, 84 sit-ups, and 22 pull-ups; andhe lowered his run time to 8:55. He accomplished allthis even as he continued to encourage his fellowclassmates

After the PST, Bisset called Michael into his office.Following a truly enlightening and revealing interview,Bisset completed the required NAVCRUIT 1100/13Interviewer’s Appraisal Sheet. He was impressedwith Michael’s goal-oriented determination andobvious work ethic. He awarded Michael the highestmarks in categories of appearance, communication,leadership potential, and willingness to serve in acommand or commissioned role, and made thefollowing remarks.

Mike Murphy is anoutstanding and well-rounded candidate who

appeared before meconfident, clean cut,articulate and above all,committed to becomeNaval Officer in the SEALprogram. Hedemonstrated to me inhis interview that he hasresearched and isextremely knowledgeableon the Navy SEALProgram and theirmission. He has anintensity and focus thatare extraordinary. This hehas demonstrated notablyin his superb answers tome in his interview butalso in his drive to obtainonly the most competitivePST SEAL scorespossible. Furthermore, hehas displayed strongleadership skills notablyas a supervising lifeguardin Suffolk County, NY butalso as co-CAPT of aPenn State intramuralfootball team. A teamwhich he led to a campuschampionship at PennState in an extremelycompetitive environmenthis senior year. I would bemost eager to have thisindividual serve in mywardroom. Select now.

In his final comments, Captain Bisset added thefollowing: “This is an intensely motivated individualwho has the focus, determination and perseveranceto carry him through the rigors of Basic UnderwaterDemolition SEAL (BUD/S) Training.”

On July 26, 1998, RDAC SEAL Mentor Lieutenant(junior grade) Barry McCabe sent the following letterto the U.S. Navy Officer Recruiting Station in NewYork.

For the past three years, Ihave been workingclosely with Drew Bisset,CAPT USNR, in testing,screening and evaluatingpotential Navy SEALcandidates. Over thatperiod of time, I have hadthe opportunity to meet,see and talk to manyyoung men who aspire tobecome SEALs.Recently, one of thosemen, Mike Murphy, hasstood out from the others

and I’ll tell you why.We all know that

physical prowess in theSEAL disciplines is agiven when considering aSEAL candidate. Butwhat truly counts is themental determination andcommitment to become aSEAL. I have monitoredMike in several SEALphysical screen tests, andeach time he hasproduced excellentscores. And when it cameto his commitment, Iasked him to put it onpaper why he wants to bea Navy SEAL. Well, itcame back with one ofthe strongest, mostenthusiastic rationalesthat I have seen and amconvinced he will do thejob and then some. And,it’s worth noting, that hisfather served in Vietnamand his grandfather inWorld War II, which to meis a real plus.

In talking with Mike,and getting to know himbetter, I’ve beenimpressed with hisknowledge and his clean-cut straightforwardmanner, which areimportant for a Navyofficer. He has theenergy, intellect, physicalability and attitude to bean asset to the U.S. Navy,and I think I’m in aposition to know.

As for my background, Ivolunteered forUnderwater Demolitionprior to receiving mycommission as Ensign atColumbia University inOctober 1944. Aftertraining at Fort Pierceand Maui, I was assignedto UDT 21 and served inthe Pacific during WorldWar II. Our team was thefirst military unit to land onJapan before thesurrender was signed.Currently, as a member ofthe Recruiting DistrictAssistance Council

(RDAC), I assist CAPTBisset in his recruitingendeavors anddemonstrate as well ashelping him evaluateSEAL candidates.

Being a senior citizen,and having gone througha war as a Frogman, Ithink I know how toevaluate a SEALcandidate’s character,capability andcommitment, and believeMike has the necessaryattributes andqualifications. Should youwish to discuss thisfurther, please feel free tocall me, I’d like to dowhatever I can to see thatMike Murphy is givenserious consideration.

Waiting for Good News

With his OCS and BUD/S applications in the works,Michael continued to work as a lifeguard and aplumber’s assistant for Hartcorn Plumbing while hemaintained his rigorous physical training regimen.

Navy SEALs required 20/20 vision, somethingMichael did not have. He researched surgicalcorrective measures, including LASIK. However,LASIK left multiple tiny scars on the cornea of the eyethat could cause serious problem at the depthsSEALs are required to dive. LASIK corrective surgerywas unacceptable, leaving only the photorefractivekeratectomy (PRK) as viable option. In November1998 Michael underwent his PRK, and for the next sixweeks he endured the discomfort and physicalrestrictions that followed.

After recovering from his surgery, Michaelcontinued to work as a plumber’s assistant while hewaited on his acceptance into both Officer CandidateSchool and SEAL training. He also continued to trainwith the RDAC throughout 1999.

As the weeks and months dragged on, Danseriously doubted his son’s career decision. Hereminded Michael that he had been accepted byseveral prestigious law schools and had the potentialfor a lucrative career, and that continuing to work as aplumber’s assistant on the hope of being grantedadmission to both OCS and BUD/S might not be thewisest of career choices. Michael was also offered afull-time plumber’s apprenticeship, which he declined.

Additional months passed, and Dan becameincreasingly concerned, which led to several moreserious father-and-son discussions. During their talks,Dan posed several questions: What if he wasaccepted into one but not the other? What if he was

accepted into OCS but not BUD/S? Would he besatisfied being a fleet officer? Would he then reapplyto BUD/S? What if he was not accepted into OCS?Would he enlist in the Navy and apply for BUD/s afterbasic training? Would he then reapply to OCS? Whatabout obtaining his law degree first, which, if he wasthen still interested in the Navy, would certainlystrengthen his OCS application? What if the lawschools withdrew his acceptances and his Navyapplications were denied?

Michael did not have answers for all of his father’squestions, but one thing remained perfectly clear—hisgoal of becoming a Navy SEAL officer. DespiteDan’s increased persistence, Michael, with faith inhimself and his abilities, held his ground andcontinued working as a plumber’s assistant.

Meanwhile, his best friend, Owen O’Callaghan, hadapplied for a job with the New York City FireDepartment, which required the passing of ademanding physical-fitness test. Michael trainedOwen using his RDAC regimen, working one-on-onewith his friend. Soon Jimmie and Sean O’Callaghan,as well as Jay Keenan, began working out withMichael and Owen. The training paid off when Jimmiepassed his physical with flying colors and entered theNew York City Fire Academy.

In the early spring of 2000 Michael’s persistencepaid off. He received official notification that he hadbeen accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS),after which he would enter BUD/S training. He did notattend the two RDAC sessions following hisacceptance, but he did notify Captain Bisset that hehad been accepted into OCS and BUD/S and wasscheduled to begin OCS in mid-September.

The Saturday before he left for OCS, on September11, 2000, Michael attended his final RDAC session.His PST numbers remained consistent with a 7:49swim, 103 push-ups, 80 sit-ups, 20 pull-ups, and a9:10 run.

Success Breeds Success

In 2000 Captain Bisset extended his commission forfive years, which allowed him to continue the highlysuccessful mentoring program he had established. Asof December 2009, 89 of the 126 candidates Bissethas mentored have completed BUD/S training, for a70 percent success rate, compared to the normal 25percent. In addition to Michael Murphy, recipient of theMedal of Honor, Bisset has mentored two UnitedService Organizations (USO) George Van CleaveMilitary Leadership Award recipients: Michael P.Murphy and Nathan Hardy.

Assigned to Naval Special Warfare DevelopmentGroup (NSWDG), Senior Chief Petty Officer NathanH. Hardy, twenty-nine, of Durham, New Hampshire,was killed in Iraq in February 2008 while on his fourthdeployment in the Global War on Terror. Buried inArlington National Cemetery with full military honors,Senior Chief Hardy left behind his wife, Mindi, and a

seven-month-old son, Parker.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Officer Candidate School

Patienceandperseverancehaveamagicaleffectbeforewhichdifficultiesdisappearandobstaclesvanish.

—JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, quoted at ThinkExist.com,www.thinkexist.com/quotes/john_quincy_adams (accessed

December 8, 2009)

The Power of Persistence

Officer Candidate School (OCS) is one of three waysa civilian can become a naval officer. The first is bygraduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolisand the second is by graduating from a NavalReserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program.OCS is a twelve-week course designed to providecandidates with a working knowledge of the Navyboth afloat and ashore, prepare them to assume theduties of a naval officer, and help them reach theirfullest potential by intensive immersion in leadership,physical, and military training and academics.

As a member of Captain Bisset’s RDAC program,Michael was invited to participate in the annualprogram/demonstration on the flight deck of the USSIntrepid (CVS-11), a decommissioned Essex-classaircraft carrier. Intrepid participated in the Pacifictheater of operations during World War II and in theVietnam War. Since 1982, Intrepid has been part ofthe Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located atNew York City’s Pier 86. In early June 2000, Michaelarrived at the Intrepid. Following the program anddemonstration, Rear Admiral Thomas Steffens,serving as the chief of staff at the U.S. SpecialOperations Command, located at MacDill Air ForceBase in Tampa, Florida, administered the oath to thenewly enlisted members of the U.S. Navy. As hisSEAL mentor, Captain Bisset, watched as MichaelMurphy raised his right hand and repeated his oath ofenlistment, thereby making him a member of theNavy.

Over the next couple of months, Bisset helpedprepare Michael for the rigors of OCS. In addition to

maintaining his physical training regimen, Michaelcontinued to work as lifeguard and as a plumber’sassistant while he waited to begin his naval career.

Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida

Michael reported to the naval air station (NAS) inPensacola, Florida, on a sunny September Saturdayin 2000. It was the beginning of another step in hisjourney to become an elite warrior—a U.S. NavySEAL.

Michael checked in with base security. OCS is amilitary training center. It is designed to makecandidates consider and then reconsider theirchoices and then reconcile those choices with theirgoals. At OCS, if you believe that you want to be anaval officer, it will become more apparent with eachpassing day. If you don’t, that will become equallyobvious. Michael was well aware that his personalhonor, courage, and commitment would be tested andchallenged to live up to the highest standards. Havingdone his research, and having talked extensively withOCS graduates, he knew that the hardest thing tolearn was that at OCS, everything is regimented.Everything he did would be dictated by a candidateofficer, a drill instructor, or OCS regulations, which hewas expected to know completely. Michael got hisorders stamped and met with a candidate officer, whotold him about the procedure for the next day.

Indoctrination Week

The next day, Michael reported as ordered, and wasmet by a different candidate officer. Life for Michaelwas about to change. He was given his room, whichwas called a “space,” and a small notebook and penfor recording “gouge,” or information he would berequired to know. The four main initial pieces ofgouge are the Code of Conduct, the General Ordersof a Sentry, the chain of command, and the rankstructure and insignia of the Navy and Marine Corps.This information must be memorized verbatim and isessential for the candidate to successful complete thefourth-week inspection. From the moment he checkedin Michael was deliberately placed under stress, oftenby many people at the same time, and disciplined forfailing to do things that were impossible to do. He didnot take it personally, because he understood fourimportant things.

1. Fear is used to teach. In onlytwelve weeks, a significant amountof material must be learned; theuse of fear facilitates this.2. Fear strengthens, both physicallyand mentally. Since fear comesfrom the unknown, after a fewweeks at OCS, fear is replaced by

routine. In most cases OCS will bethe most strenuous part of thecandidate’s naval career.However, this will not be the casefor Michael.3. Individuals must be broken downbefore they can be built into ateam. Everyone must be at thesame level.4. All candidates get their headshaved and wear the sameclothes, and everyone is punishedwhen one of them makes amistake.

The first week of training is known as Indoctrinationand has several objectives:

1. To prepare candidates for thenext twelve weeks of training.Basic marching, facingmovements, military bearing, andgouging are taught.2. To prepare candidates for thefirst meeting with the class drillinstructor. Candidate officers,known as Candi-Os, lead classmembers from check-in until theclass in which drill instructor andchief petty officer are introduced.3. To complete all preliminaryadministrative work, including theNaval Operational MedicineInstitute (NOMI), Personnel SupportDetachment (PSD), book bagissue, and Navy Exchange.4. To introduce the candidates totheir class officer.

Michael received his military haircut on Tuesday.The OCS barbers were extremely proficient inhairstyling—as long as the style was a shaved head.On Wednesday his class met its drill instructor, classchief petty officer, and class officer. Also onWednesday and again on Thursday, class memberswere occupied with medical examinations, uniformissue, and their Indoctrination Physical ReadinessTest. On Saturday the class began physical training(PT). Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Indoctrinationare the most brutal for those at OCS.

From the minute he arrived, Michael stood or sat atattention with the familiar “thousand-yard stare.” Whenstanding or sitting, his feet were always at a preciseforty-five-degree angle with his head and eyesstraight ahead. At the position of attention, his handswere clasped into tight fists with thumbs along thetrouser seam. While walking in buildings, his rightshoulder remained four inches from the wall, knownas the “bulkhead,” at all times. As he approached acandidate officer or class drill instructor he had to“brace the bulkhead,” positioning himself with hisback and heels four inches from the wall, and give thegreeting of the day. His communications had to beprecise and given “ballistically,” which meant that heshouted them with authority and conviction. There

were only five appropriate statements or responses.To speak, he first had to request and receivepermission. To answer a question, he had to sayeither “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.” To respond to acommand or order, he had to say “Aye, sir.” If asked aquestion to which he did not know the answer, he hadto respond, “Sir, this Indoctrination candidate doesnot know but will find out.” His every action wasscrutinized and any shortcoming was immediatelyand rigorously corrected. He understood andrespected the strict Code of Honor. OCS is more amental rather than a physical environment. Hisbiggest enemy was time, as there never seemed tobe enough to accomplish all that was demanded.

During Indoctrination it was critical that Michael andhis classmates remained focused and not allow thedrill instructors to get to them—which clearly was theirintent. Each day was another day closer tograduation. The most stressful time for Indoctrinationofficer candidates was during meals. There is a strictprocedure for entering, sitting, eating, and departing.To prepare the candidates for drill and to learn strictattention to detail, Michael and his class were taughtchow hall procedures.

After chow hall procedures, the biggest stressorwas standing watch. Here the candidates had beattentive to everything that was occurring at theirstation and salute all officers.

Week Two

On Monday of week two the class experienced its firstPT session, followed by a two-mile run. Academicclasses followed, with courses in personneladministration and naval history. All classes weregiven extremely fast and required a significant amountof memorization and word recognition. Tests weremultiple-choice, with the first one given onWednesday, two days after classes had begun, andfinal exams on Friday.

During this period, the candidates also began toreceive basic military instruction, with an emphasis onmilitary customs and courtesies, uniform assemblyand requirements, inspection procedures, andtraining requirements. Rifle drills, conducted everyafternoon from the second through the seventh week,taught the class discipline and how to obey orders,and also bonded the class and the drill instructor.

As the class settled into a routine, Michael and theother candidates endured long runs in the earlymorning, followed by classes until afternoon rifle drill.Breakfast and lunch were at predetermined times.After the evening meal the class was given thirtyminutes of free time before the mandatory two-hourstudy period, which was followed by job assignments.“Taps” was played exactly at 10:00 PM, after whichthe drill instructors inspected the barracks for thirtyminutes.

On Tuesday of the second week, Michael wasgiven his initial swim test, which consisted of

swimming twenty-five yards across the pool whileperforming the backstroke, the sidestroke, thebreaststroke, and the American crawl.

Week Three

At this point, the pace of the program increased. Theywere given an average of two examinations and therewas a personnel inspection (PI) every Monday. Thecandidates also prepared for the military training tests(MTTs), which consisted of room and locker andpersonnel inspections that were coming up thefollowing week. The candidates’ academic workloadincluded training in navigational techniques. Theystudied dead reckoning, coastal piloting, rules of theroad, and electronic navigation, and were required toplot simulated movements and positions of a ship atsea.

Week 4

On Wednesday the first MTT was given, with arequired score of 85. The MTT was a uniqueexperience, one best explained in the followingexcerpt from an article that appeared in the May 30,1994, issue of the Navy Times and was written byPatrick Pexton.

The 34 Candidatesdressed in well-pressedsummer whites—sevenothers have alreadydropped out—are adiverse lot. They areblack, brown, yellow,white, male and female,nuke and aviation,surface and unrestrictedline. But they share onething in common today.

They are all hating life.Young men and women

graduates from Harvard,Penn and stateuniversities around thecountry, who weeksearlier were livingcarefree lives of students,stayed up until 3:00 AMlast night polishing brassbelt buckles until theyreflected like mirrors.

They slept on the hardlinoleum floor so theirbunks would be pristineand wrinkle-free for themorning inspection. Likealchemists, they

experimented with novelways to prevent ancient,rusting waste cans fromflaking onto the floor whenthe Drill Instructors poundon them duringinspection. They did thesame with what looked tobe about 40-year-oldbrown leather book bags,which are cracked andworn with age.

The DIs enter the four-bunk rooms to smoothbeds, clean weapons,and orderly lockers.When they end theinspection for each roomprecisely eight minuteslater, slamming the doorbehind them, they leavebehind a tornado-likepath of destruction.

Candidates are leftstanding at attention, butlooking disheveled anddemoralized. Their pantspockets are pulled insideout, their beltsunceremoniously rippedfrom their waists and lyingon the floor, their voiceshoarse from shoutingrapidfire responses to thedemanding DIs.

Towels that werefolded with precision andfreshly shined shoes thatwere placed in straight,ordered rows are strewnabout the room. Carefullyironed uniforms arepulled off their hangers inpiles. The bunks, soperfectly made, with thepillow an exact 12 inchesfrom the foldover of thesheet, are a wreck.

And the gunnerysergeants are justwarming up.

The only defense tosuch a strategy wasconfidence, a loud voice,and the clock.

Weeks 5-6

Rifle drill was the main focus during this period. Onthe Thursday of week five, the final swim test, known

as the third class swim, was held. This consisted ofjumping from the ten-meter platform, swimming thelength of the pool and back, treading water for oneminute, and survival floating for five minutes.

Academic classes and tests were given in navalwarfare, military law, engineering, and damagecontrol. The good study skills Michael learned at PennState proved essential here. He understood thatacademics were designed for stress as well asknowledge. Individuality was not tolerated at OCS;teamwork was the essential key to success.

The military training at Officer Candidate Schoolcomprised four broad categories.Physical training. There were three Physical FitnessAssessments (PFA) at OCS: the Indoctrination PFA,the Mid-PFA, and the Out-PFA. Passingrequirements were Satisfactory-Medium for the IN-PFA, Satisfactory-High for the Mid-PFA, and Good-Low for the Out-PFA.Room and locker inspection (RLI). A candidate’sroom was subject to inspection at any time. To ensurecleanliness and to maintain standards, roominspections occurred at regular intervals in lieu ofzone inspections. Rooms were to be maintained inaccordance with the daily room standards. Rackswere to be made between 5:00 AM and 10:00 PM.Personnel inspection (PI). Each candidate wasinspected for proper uniform, haircut, shave, hygiene,and general military appearance.Drill.Approximately forty hours were spent learningand practicing drill. The candidates also marched toand from every evolution.

Graduation

On December 13, 2000, with his parents and brotherin attendance, Ensign Michael P. Murphy graduatedwith Honor Class 07-01 and was commissioned asan officer in the U.S. Navy. After OCS, he returned toPatchogue, where he remained until mid-January. Hethen departed for San Diego and his next dutyassignment—BUD/S.

CHAPTER EIGHT

BUD/S: The Price of Admission

TheOnlyEasyDayWasYesterday!

—BUD/S motto, Naval Special Warfare,www.sealchallenge.navy.mil/seal/default/aspx (accessed December

9, 2009)

To begin to appreciate the level of skills and trainingpossessed by Michael Murphy and his teammates,we’ll need to take a look at his SEAL training. 2 Thenewly commissioned Ensign Michael Murphyreported to Naval Special Warfare Command,located at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado,California, and began thirty months of the most brutaltraining of any military unit in the world. Having arrivedsafely, he called his mother. He knew that 75 to 80percent of those beginning BUD/S training do notfinish. He also knew that the training was notdesigned to build a superior physically trainedindividual, but rather a member of a warrior culturewith relentless drive to fight and win as a team—someone who would rather die than quit.

Despite the brutal training, Michael soon realizedthat almost anyone could meet the physicalrequirements of the SEALs, but the unendingchallenge from day one would be the mentaltoughness, that never-ending inner drive that pushesyou forward when every nerve and muscle fiber in yourbody tells you to stop—to quit. That warrior mind-set—the mental toughness—is what separates a NavySEAL from any other airman, seaman, soldier, orMarine, regardless of their level of training.

Michael Murphy had prepared for two years to getthere. As a commissioned Navy officer, he completedhis training alongside his fellow officers and enlistedmen, although as an officer he was held to a higherstandard. The men trained and suffered together in aritual that built both a warrior and a warrior bond thatunited enlisted, junior, senior, and flag officers into aclose, very tight-knit community that most peoplenever realize exists or understand. The completemental rewiring that takes place makes youunderstand that your teammates are more importantthan you.

Michael Murphy, and all of his classmates, werevolunteers and could quit at any time. If a trainee quit,he had to return to the fleet for a minimum of eighteen

months before he could return to BUD/S—but only ifhe had demonstrated potential and had beenrecommended for a second attempt.

Indoctrination Course (Indoc)

On day one, at 4:30 AM, Ensign Murphy joined therest of his BUD/S teammates in Class 235 at theswimming pool, known officially as the CombatTraining Tank (CTT), located along GuadalcanalRoad. The class arrived to roll and put away the poolcovers and string the lane markers. At 5:00 AM, hestood on the cool concrete that surrounded the CTT innothing but his canvas Underwater Demolition Team(UDT) swim trunks. Soaking wet from a cold shower,he and his classmates sat in rows in bobsled fashion,chests to backs, to conserve body heat. Their militaryduffel bags, containing the few items they werepermitted to bring, were beside them and separatedeach row of students.

As the instructor arrived, the class leader yelled,“Feet!” and all immediately sprang to attention,shivering in the cold. Each row of students made up aboat crew of seven trainees.

“Drop!” commanded the instructor, and allscrambled for a piece of the concrete in a fullyextended push-up position. “Push ’em out!” The classcounted out twenty push-ups and returned to the fullyextended position.

“Push ’em out!” The class again counted out twentypush-ups before hearing the same command for yetanother twenty push-ups. After sixty push-ups theclass instructor left them in the fully extended positionas they all tried to shift their position to relieve theintense burning in their arms.

“Seats!” All sat on the cool concrete.BUD/S training is separated into three phases,

each phase designed to build on the skills of theprevious one. First Phase is the conditioning phase. Itis followed by Second Phase, diving, and ThirdPhase, weapons and tactics. However, before EnsignMurphy and his classmates reached First Phase, theyhad to complete the five-week Indoctrination Course,during which they learned the rules and protocols ofBUD/S training—how to conduct themselves at thepool, how to perform at the obstacle course, and howto handle their small inflatable boats in the roughPacific surf. They learned SEAL culture and began tointernalize the ethos of the warrior. Every trainingevolution, whether PT or academic, was evaluated insome manner and every student’s performanceclosely monitored by the Academic/ PerformanceReview Board, a committee of three BUD/Sinstructors. Failure to live up to the standards resultedin the student being held back, called a rollback, tothe next class, or even a quick trip back to the fleet orhis previous assignment.

Although every man present successfully completedthe BUD/S Physical Screening Test (PST) prior to hisarrival, each had to pass it again. The PST consisted

of:1. A five-hundred-yard swim usingthe breaststroke or sidestroke in12:302. A minimum of forty-two push-upsin two minutes3. A minimum of fifty sit-ups in twominutes4. A minimum of six dead-hangpull-ups5. A mile-and-a-half run in 11:30wearing combat boots and longpants

After successfully completing the PST, only twothings could remove a student from Indoctrination, orIndoc: a request to quit, known as drop on request(DOR); or failing the comprehensive psychologicalexamination. After completing the PST, all successfulstudents ran two miles to the chow hall. Afterbreakfast, they ran two miles back and continued theirtraining.

During Indoc, students underwent a physicaltraining regimen designed to build solid, well-trainedbodies, especially the upper body. The upper-bodyexercises of choice were pull-ups and push-ups withvarying degrees of difficulty. Special emphasis wasplaced on the abdominal muscles. Here, theexercises of choice were sit-ups, crunches, log sit-ups, and flutter kicks. The students learned early that itpaid to be a winner. Those who were not winnerswere losers and gained the unwanted attention of theinstructors in the form of more cold water (ocean),sand, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and obstacle course(O-course) runs.

While in Indoc, the trainees lived in small, often-cramped barracks. Just as each BUD/S trainingphase was built on the previous one, each day inIndoc was more intense than the previous one. Eachday began at 5:00 AM at the CTT. After a two-hourpool evolution, the trainees were ordered into theirfatigue pants and shoes. Fully dressed, they wereordered back into the pool. Though they were coldand wet, they ran the two miles to chow and then backagain to continue their day’s training.

The Indoc trainees ran twelve miles a day just to eatand return. They lived on the run and were always coldand wet. At the training center they were ordered intothe cold Pacific surf several times a day, then orderedto roll in the sand. Cold, wet, and sandy—that waseveryday life for a BUD/S trainee. While theinstructors may have seemed cruel and insensitiveand at times even brutal, they knew that building spiritand character, both individually and as a class, wasessential to the success of the SEAL trainees.

At the CTT the trainees learned that the water iswhat separates the SEALs from all other specialoperations forces. For most special operators, thewater is an obstacle; for the SEALs, it is theirsanctuary. The trainees learned buoyancy control andhow to swim more like a fish than a human. Theymastered breathing techniques and how to use theirarms to make themselves longer in the water, which

added balance.The men in Michael’s class completed their training

in very modest surroundings. The classroom was asingle large concrete-block room with pale yellowpaint, a concrete floor, long, narrow wooden tableswith unpadded chairs, and a large retractableprojection screen centered on the front wall behind aslightly elevated platform and podium. Many timesduring classroom instruction, the students wereordered into the surf and sand and then sent back tothe classroom for the remainder of the trainingevolution. Calisthenics and other physical training areconducted on the “grinder,” a thick square area ofasphalt just outside the classroom door. On theasphalt about three feet apart the numbers onethrough fifty were painted in yellow, designating aposition for each student. During multiple twenty-repetition calisthenics, the students again wereordered into the surf and sand and then returned tothe grinder to complete their evolutions. With PTcompleted, the class set out on a four-mileconditioning run in the soft sand, during which theywere directed back into the surf several times. Noneof the training evolutions was designed to punish thetrainees; instead, each was designed to teach aspecific skill that will be needed when the menbecame Navy SEALs.

During the second week of Indoc, the class beganinflatable boat, small (IBS) training. Here they learnedto work together as a boat crew. The IBS was a 13-foot, 170-pound inflatable rubber boat. Poorlydesigned and too bulky for operational use, it wasperfect for teaching BUD/S trainees to work togetheras a team in the surf.

On the final day of Indoc, each trainee’sperformance was reviewed by theAcademic/Performance Review Board, whichdecided who would continue on to First Phase. Theboard could not remove a student from BUD/S, butrather only decided who continued on to the nextphase of instruction. In addition, each student had theopportunity to evaluate each of his instructors and thetraining in writing. The review board determined thatMichael Murphy had successfully completed Indocand was given the rite of passage to the first phase ofBUD/S training.

First Phase

Eight weeks long, First Phase was much like Indoc,only the intensity and expectations were elevatedseveral levels. Running, swimming, and physicaltraining grew harder as the weeks passed. Studentscontinued weekly four-mile runs in combat boots andlong pants in the soft beach sand, and were expectedto decrease their obstacle-course times, swimdistances of up to two miles wearing fins, andcontinue to learn small-boat seamanship and theimportance of teamwork.

Drown Proofing

Drown proofing was an important part of basicconditioning. During this training evolution, thestudents learned to swim with their hands and feetbound, more of a psychological test than a physicalone. It originated in the Vietnam era, when anAmerican POW was hog-tied, then tossed into theMekong River to drown. That POW proved that a mancould swim with his hands and feet tied if he put hismind to it.

In order to pass drown proofing, the trainees had toenter a nine-foot-deep pool with their hands and feettied, and (1) bob from the surface to the base of thepool for five minutes, (2) float on the surface for fiveminutes, (3) swim one hundred meters, (4) bob fortwo minutes, (5) complete forward and backwardflips, (6) swim to the bottom of the pool and retrievean object with their teeth, and (7) return to the surfaceand bob five more times.

Knot Tying

The students learned to tie knots underwater—not aneasy task. The knots—bowline, sheet bend, clovehitch, and right angle—are important because theyare used to secure underwater demolition charges.

Cold-Water Conditioning—“Surf Torture”

In the waters of the Pacific just off Coronado, thewater temperature usually hovers around 65°, in thesummer, never going above 68°. In the winter thewater temperature never gets above 58°. Thestudents were ordered to wade into the water up totheir waists with their arms linked to prevent a studentfrom being swept out to sea, and then sit while beingpounded by the cold saltwater waves breaking overtheir heads. Another variation was to have thetrainees lie with their arms linked and their headstoward the water’s edge to allow the crashing surf towash over them. On the very brink of hypothermia,they were ordered out of the surf and onto the beachfor calisthenics to warm up, and then back into thesurf in a training evolution that lasted for about onehour.

Unfortunately, cold-water conditioning was not aonetime experience; it was repeated frequently duringBUD/S. Its purpose was to teach the prospectiveSEALs to mentally fend off the effects of hypothermia—which more than likely could save their lives in thefuture.

Log PT

This relatively simple but brutal training evolutionrequired that a boat team carry an eight-foot, 150-pound log that was twelve inches in diameter over themen’s heads while running in the soft beach sandwearing long pants and combat boots. During these

timed beach runs, the trainees did hundreds of gut-busting sit-ups while holding the log on theirstomachs; they also performed calisthenics such asjumping jacks and overhead tosses.

Rock Portage

In these evolutions the seven-man boat crew in theirunwieldy IBS attempted to navigate the large piles ofsharp rocks in the surf in front of the Hotel delCoronado. A five-star luxury hotel, Hotel del Coronadois located on the Silver Strand between NavalAmphibious Base, Coronado and Naval Air StationNorth Island. Extremely risky, these evolutions wereconducted both day and night.

Obstacle Course (O-course)

Not to be confused with a confidence course, thisintimidating true obstacle course must be seen to bebelieved. Requiring a twenty-yard sprint betweenobstacles, it demanded a combination of balance,coordination, upper-body strength, technique,endurance, and, most of all, a positive mental attitude.All obstacles were designed to teach, develop, andreinforce a specific skill that would be needed whenMichael and the other trainees reached the SEALteams.

• Parallel bars. Using only theirarms, the trainees had to either“hop” or “walk” through a set ofparallel bars approximately fiftyfeet in length with an initial 45-degree climbing angle.• Pilings. This obstacle consistedof eight log pilings of varyingheights and distances. Theprospective SEALs were requiredto leap from one piling to the nextto access the next obstacle.• Tires. In a controlled, balancedsprint, the trainees had to passthrough six rows of four tireswithout falling.• Low wall. To navigate thisobstacle, consisting of a woodenwall about fifteen feet high, thetrainees took two hops and jumpedup, keeping their bodies low whilesliding over the top.• High wall. The students had tograb a rope and “walk” up awooden wall about thirty feet high.Staying low, they slid over the topand grabbed the rope on the otherside, then walked down.• Barbed wire. Keeping their headsdown, the trainees had to crawlthrough a trench in the sandapproximately thirty feet long and

covered with logs and barbed wire.• Cargo net. To pass over a fifty-foot vertical rope cargo net, thetrainees had to climb close to theedge, where the net is tighter andeasier to negotiate, while keepingthree points of contact, with theirhands on the vertical ropes andtheir feet on the horizontal ropes.They had to climb at a steadypace, stay low while going over thetop, and come down in a controlledfall.• Balance logs. The students hadto run along the top of a forty-footlog, across a ten-foot section, andstraight down another forty-footsection. If anyone fell off, he had tostart over.• Hooyah logs. With their handsclasped over their heads, thetrainees ran up one side of six logsstacked in a pyramid and down theother.• Transfer rope. Two twenty-footropes and a steel ring suspendedfrom a wooden beam formed thisobstacle. The trainees had to climbthe rope, reach over and grab thesteel ring, transfer to the otherrope, and then descend.• “Dirty name.” To pass over thisset of uneven log parallel bars, thetrainees first had to climb on thestep log, then jump and pushthemselves up. Maintaining theirbalance, they stood up and jumpedup to the other log, then pushedthemselves up and over the top.• Hooyah logs. With their handsclasped over their heads, thetrainees ran up one side and downthe other of another pyramid, thisone consisting of nine logs.• Weaver. This low-level, ladder-shaped obstacle constructed ofwide logs required the students topass under the first bar and usetheir momentum to swing andweave themselves up to the nextbar. They had to do this for a totalof eight bars up and eight barsdown the other side.• Burma Bridge. This obstacleconsisted of an elevated ropebridge accessed by a hangingrope. The trainees had to climb upthe rope at one end, cross thebridge, and climb down the endrope.• Slide for Life. The traineessurmounted a thirty-foot-high, four-

level platform tower by jumping uponto the first level, then flipping upthe next three levels to the top.There, they laid on top of the ropewith one leg on the rope and theother hanging down for balance.Then using their forearms, theypulled themselves across aseventy-five-foot rope and down a40-degree angle to the other side.They then got off the rope anddescended another rope at theother end.• Rope swing. The trainees had toswing over to a log beam, rundown the beam to a set of monkeybars, using their arms to “walk”their way through the ten rungs tothe balance beam, and then run thelength of another log.• Tires:. In a controlled balancedsprint, the trainees had to passthrough six rows of four tireswithout falling.• Incline Wall. To surmount this 45-degree-angle wooden wall, theytrainees had to jump over the highend and slide down.• Spider Wall. This obstacleconsisted of a wooden wall withalternating flushmounted two-by-fours. The trainees had to climb tothe top on one side and descendthe other.• Vaults. The trainees had to crossover each of an elevated series offive logs using only their hands.

The student with the slowest O-course time had towear a pink T-shirt that read “Always a Lady” until thenext course run.

As if the O-course was not challenging enough,each boat crew was frequently charged with the taskof carrying their IBS on their heads as they wentthrough the course as a team.

Physical Testing

Prior to Hell Week, which is the most intense periodof training during First Phase, Michael and hisclassmates faced an extremely challenging physicaltraining evolution. The trainees had to complete atwelve-hundred-meter pool swim with fins in forty-fiveminutes, a one-mile bay swim with fins in fifty minutes,a one-mile ocean swim with fins in ninety-five minutes,a one-and-a-half-mile ocean swim with fins in seventyminutes, a two-mile ocean swim with fins in ninety-fiveminutes, the O-course in fifteen minutes, and a four-mile beach run in thirty-two minutes.

Additional Motivation

In the days leading up to Hell Week, the mental strainwas apparent on the faces of many in Michael’s class.Most were convinced that they could deal with thephysical requirements of the week, but many wereworried about the mental toughness they hoped theypossessed and would need to muster to survive theupcoming ordeal.

Michael remembered his father telling him aboutthe extensive leg injuries he suffered in Vietnam afterbeing hit by an exploding grenade, and the weeks ofagonizing surgeries and treatment he endured duringhis several months of hospitalization. He alsoremembered his father showing him a picture of himlying in a hospital bed in Vietnam receiving a PurpleHeart from his commanding officer. He telephonedhis father and asked him for a copy of the picture sohe could look at it when he needed to reinforce hismental toughness the following week. Dan sent thepicture out the following day. It arrived on Friday, andMichael looked at it frequently over the weekend. Hebelieved that if his dad could endure being woundedby a grenade, multiple surgeries, weeks ofhospitalization, and months of physical therapy tolearn how to walk again, he could certainly handlewhatever Hell Week dished out.

Hell Week

The first four weeks of First Phase were designed toprepare Michael and his classmates for the fifth week,known as Hell Week, the most notorious part ofBUD/S. By this time approximately 30 percent of theclass had quit. Hell Week was the real gut check ofFirst Phase and would be the defining moment in boththe lives and careers of most of those who would goon to become SEALs.

During Hell Week, the students participated in fiveand a half days of continuous physical training, with amaximum of four hours’ sleep for the entire week, withnever more than two hours at one time. Deliberatelydesigned as the ultimate test of physical and mentalmotivation, Hell Week proved to those whosucceeded that the human body can do ten times theamount of work and exercise than they previouslythought possible. The Academic/PerformanceReview Board reviewed each student’s academicand physical training scores and decided who wouldgo through Hell Week. Michael was cleared toproceed.

AnticipationOn Sunday, just after their noon meal, Michael’s entireclass was sequestered in the classroom. Along theback wall were brown paper bags, labeled with theirlast names, that contained a change of socks andunderwear. Some of the men tried to sleep, someread, and some even halfheartedly attempted towatch a video on the screen.

Meanwhile, the instructors put the final touches on

the initial “breakout” experience, which was set tostart at a predesignated time. Inside the classroom,all knew it was coming; they just didn’t know when orhow. They had heard stories about Hell Week fromthe previous class, but no two Hell Weeks begin thesame. Several of the boat crews met to encourageeach other, and some even engaged in bravadoabout being able to take “whatever they decide to putus through.” As an officer, Michael personally talkedwith each member of his boat crew and offered wordsof encouragement. He knew that the six men hebegan Hell Week with might not be the same ones hewould finish with. Despite his words, the looks on theirfaces and in their eyes revealed their real feelings. Asthey looked around the room, they were aware of the30 percent that had already dropped out and that thestatistics said they would lose another 20 percent inthe next twenty-four hours and an additional 20percent before the end of the week. They couldn’t helpwondering if they had what it takes. Yes, they all knewit was coming, but they just didn’t know when or how.

As the minutes and hours passed, the anxietyreached heightened levels, and many of the traineesbegan expressing their desire to “get this thinggoing.” By midafternoon their frustration wasbecoming obvious. Some wondered aloud if the waitand anticipation was just as bad as what they wereabout to experience. Several students acted aslookouts, sitting next to the doors and watching forapproaching instructors, and some sat alone withtheir thoughts. At 5:00 PM the movies were beingrepeated for the third time, but no one was reallypaying attention. The students, visibly apprehensive,began to walk around the room, and conversationsamong teammates were hushed and infrequent.While a few had relaxed and began playing games ofcards, others sat quietly staring blankly into thedistance. Certainly, something had to happen soon.

When All Hell Broke LooseAt 5:45 PM an instructor quietly crawled to the doornear the front of the classroom and secured the lock.A few seconds later, several instructors flanked therear door on each side. Armed with smoke grenades,Simunitions (simulated ballistic charges designed toprovide realistic training) canisters, andsemiautomatic weapons loaded with blank rounds,they moved into position. Outside, on the grinder,several more instructors armed with high-pressure firehoses took up positions on both sides of the door.Numerous obstacles and barricades had beenerected, as well as empty fifty-five-gallon barrelsloaded with low-intensity percussion grenades.

Quietly and slowly an instructor turned the doorknoband opened the door just enough to get his hand inand shut off the lights. As the lights went off theinstructors, rushed in, screaming through bullhorns,firing their semiautomatic weapons over the heads ofthe students, who had hit the floor and covered theirheads and ears. As the instructors ran through the

room trying not to step on anyone, hot spent shellcasings hit the floor. Students started yelling,coughing, and hacking. After several minutes of totalchaos and confusion, the instructors ordered thestudents outside, yelling through their amplifiedbullhorns. Several ran for the front door, but finding itlocked, they immediately turned and ran for the backdoor. The doorway backed up with students, who fellover each other in total confusion. As a group ofstudents cleared the doorway and reached thegrinder, they tripped over several of the obstacles thatwere not there when they entered the classroomseveral hours earlier. High-pressure fire hosesknocked several to the ground, blinded by smoke andwater.

Totally disoriented, some students crawled in everydirection trying to escape, while others ran into oneobstacle after another as well as into each other. Thenoise produced by the amplified music, bullhorns,gunfire, and fire hoses was deafening. Somestudents, totally confused and disorientated, resortedto crawling on the asphalt with their ears covered.Some tried to escape to the beach but were blockedand knocked backward by more instructors with firehoses. The breakout had been designed to createchaos and confusion. It worked.

After about twenty minutes of mayhem and chaos,the hoses were shut off and the last echoes ofsemiautomatic weapons faded into the evening air.Bewildered, soaked, confused, and in total shock, thestudents were ordered to the beach for a roll in thesand then back to the grinder. Many were stillcoughing and hacking, several with their eyes stillclosed tightly from the irritation of the cordite, water,and smoke. There were numerous bleedingabrasions on knees, elbows, and ankles fromcrawling on the rough asphalt.

“Drop!” came the order over the bullhorn.Instinctively, each trainee assumed the fully extendedposition for push-ups.

“Push ’em out!”In unison the class began its first of what would be

twenty-five sets of twenty push-ups, alternated with tensets of twenty sit-ups and hurried trips to the pull-upbars for additional repetitions, then back to thegrinder for multiple sets of flutter kicks. During thepush-ups, several vomited as they extended up fromthe asphalt. The instructors continued to issue thesame order: “Push ’em out!”

Following their warm-up of five hundred push-upsand two hundred gut-busting sit-ups and multiple setsof pull-ups and flutter kicks, the trainees mustered fora run through the O-course. Several more vomited asthey ran between obstacles but kept moving. Severalstudents quit and returned to the grinder and theirrooms. They had had enough.

Michael was well aware that there were two criticalmental elements to surviving Hell Week: taking thepunishment handed out by the instructors; and tryingnot to think about what was to come, because moreoften than not it was the anticipation that destroyedthe will to go on, rather than the punishment itself. He

also had a clear vision of where he wanted to go inlife. Having this vision made him less likely to fall preyto the mental and physical torture of BUD/S.

Those who remained headed to the beach foranother roll in the sand before they assembled in aline, linked arms, and entered the cold surf for anotherround of surf torture. Each realized that this was justthe beginning of what was in store for the next fivedays: hundreds more push-ups and sit-ups, dozens ofmore miles to run, another dozen or more runsthrough the O-course, more surf torture, and moresand. Several more quit. After surf torture it was off fora two-mile run to warm up.

At about 11:00 PM the boat crews paddled theirrubber boats fifteen miles around the waters offCoronado, after which they were ordered to placetheir craft above their heads and run the two miles fortheir breakfast. During Hell Week, the importance ofteamwork was seared into both their conscious andsubconscious minds. They ran everywhere they went,carried their 170-pound inflatable boat above theirheads, and spent a significant amount of time in the65° waters of the Pacific. Students endured theeffects of deliberate and repeated hypothermia andexposure while highly trained medical teamsconstantly observed all training evolutions. Under thewatchful eyes of the instructors and medicalpersonnel, cases of hypothermia were immediatelytreated with warm intravenous fluids until the corebody temperature rose to a safe level, then thestudent rejoined his classmates back in the water orin the next training evolution.

An unbreakable bond of community is developedamong those who complete BUD/S. Great risk isinvolved in the training of the world’s most elitewarriors, and nowhere is that risk greater than in HellWeek. Stress fractures of the legs are common dueto the constant running, as well as moderate to severecases of cellulitis, an infection of the skin that cancause redness, swelling, cracking, bleeding, andseepage of fluids, from the extended submersion incold, polluted saltwater. These and other injuries canresult in hospitalization for a candidate and his beingrolled back to the next BUD/S class. During meals itis not uncommon for students to fall asleep in theirfood, and many remain in a constant state ofdisorientation and confusion. The result is a classgreatly diminished in size by the end of Hell Week.

Michael developed bilateral stress fractures and asevere case of cellulitis in both of his feet and lowerlegs. Somehow he was able to continue running andhide the swelling, redness, and bleeding from histeammates, the instructors, and the medical teams.Severe cases of cellulitis can compromise circulationto the affected areas and are considered extrememedical emergencies.

Tragedy in TrainingAfter their Wednesday evening meal and followingtheir routine examination by the medical staff, the fifty-

two students in Michael’s class entered the CTT for atraining evolution known as the caterpillar swim. Thisteam-building exercise required students wearingtheir fatigues and boots to float on their backs whileinterlocking their legs around the next man’s torso,and using their arms to swim around the pool. Atsome point during the exercise, the senior studentofficer in the class, Lieutenant John Anthony Skop,began to have trouble staying afloat and wasremoved from the water by medics. Found to bewithout a pulse and respiration, medics begancardiopulmonary resuscitation and transferred him tothe Sharp Coronado Hospital, where he waspronounced dead soon after arrival. After Skop’stransfer from the CTT by medics, the NSWcommanders canceled the remaining thirty-six hoursof Hell Week. While all the students were stunned bySkop’s death, nowhere was the loss felt more thanamong the officers. Unfortunately, this would not bethe only training incident to deeply affect EnsignMichael Murphy.

Michael made his way back to his room and fell intoa chair. His feet and lower legs were so severely redand swollen that he was unable to remove his bootsor move his toes. After sitting for a few minutes, hewas unable to move his legs and had no feeling belowhis knees, and he could not bend down to reach hisboots. His roommate called for medical assistance.When the medical team arrived, they were unable toremove his boots and had to cut them off, along withhis socks, as well as his pant legs to the groin. Bothlegs were very hot to the touch, with red streaks thatextended above the knee to the groin. There wasblackened dead and decayed skin between his toesand on the bottoms of both feet, along with massiveswelling and several large cracks in the skin on bothlower legs that drained a blood-tinged fluid. Several ofhis toenails were found in his socks.

Now barely conscious, Michael was transferred tothe base hospital, where intensive intravenous fluidsand powerful antibiotics were started in both arms.Following the surgical removal of the blackened deadskin, an aggressive wound management programwas started that included antibiotic creams andpainful sterile-dressing changes several times eachday. He was confined to his bed with his lower legselevated to assist in decreasing the swelling. Afterabout forty-eight hours, Michael was conscious andmore alert. When commanders and doctors told himthat he could not continue BUD/S training with hisclass, he immediately tried to get out of bed andreturn to his boat crew. Only after BUD/S instructorstold him that he would be rolled back and permitted tocontinue with a future class did he finally relent.

The Slow Process of Healing

While Michael remained confined to his hospital bed,he frequently thought about his father, who had beenin the same position in Vietnam decades before. Hedrew both physical and mental strength from histhoughts. He spent his hours in bed reading books

such as Bill O’Reilly’s Who’s Looking Out for You?a nd The No Spin Zone: Confrontations with thePowerful and Famous in America. Despite theaggressive therapy of the medical staff, the deadblackened areas of skin between his toes and thebottoms of his feet continued to grow and requiredadditional surgical removal. The medical staffbecame very concerned about the circulation to bothof his feet: if the condition worsened, he could welllose one or both of his feet.

With Michael’s permission, the doctors notifiedMaureen and Dan, who arrived at Coronado thefollowing day and met with Michael and his medicalteam. After another three days of aggressivetreatment, Michael’s circulation had improved, andthe areas where the decayed skin had been surgicallyremoved were showing signs of improvement. Whilethis was certainly good news, his condition was stillserious. After another week of continuedimprovement, doctors began an aggressive physicaltherapy program to restore full range of motion toMichael’s toes, ankles and lower legs. Michael’sparents flew back to Long Island, but remained incontact twice each day with Michael and his medicalteam. After three weeks of extensive treatment andtherapy, Michael was discharged. As an outpatient,he continued on oral antibiotics and followed a highlystructured and aggressive physical therapy anddressing-change program twice per day. His job wasto follow medical instructions, heal, and preparehimself to return to BUD/S training. His dream ofbecoming a Navy SEAL had been delayed, but hewould not be denied. Having been rolled back to thefollowing class, Michael spent the next nine weekshealing both the stress fractures and his wounds. Healso spent considerable time doing pull-ups and sit-ups and other upper-body-strengthening calisthenicsthat did not interfere with his healing.

Finally cleared to return to training, he joined Class236 on the Monday following its Hell Week. The weekwas spent entirely in the classroom studyinghydrographic reconnaissance, surveys, and charting,and gave Michael and his new classmates healingtime for their abused bodies. On the followingMonday, it was back to First Phase conditioning atpre-Hell Week levels.

Post-Hell Week Testing

Following Hell Week and the week of hydrographicreconnaissance training and mission planning,Michael and his new classmates were required tocomplete a two-thousand-meter swim and a one-and-a-half-mile night bay swim. In addition, the two-mileocean swim with fins had to be completed in ninety-five minutes, a four-mile run in thirty-two minutes, andthe O-course in thirteen minutes.

While a significant amount of time was spent on thephysical requirements, an equal amount of time wasspent in the classroom. The academic requirementsto successfully complete BUD/S exceed graduate-level requirements at the most prestigious universities

in the United States. Enlisted men must achieve aminimum of 70 percent on all their academics, whileofficers are held to the higher standard—80 percent.Michael would have it no other way. Academicsubjects included dive physiology, Navy dive tables,weapons, hydrographic charts and reconnaissance,ground tactics, weapons nomenclature, leadershipand communications, psychology, mission planning,and munitions.

Ben Sauers, one of Michael’s new classmates,related the following story about him.

During one of ourfrequent boat crewevolutions, the instructorshad repeatedly told us notto use our knives whileworking around the IBSs.Michael was serving asour boat crew leader andwe were determined tobe the winning boat crewon this evolution.Something happened thatresulted in several of theropes on the IBS gettingtangled in a knot and wewere unable to get theIBS free. Michael took outhis knife and beganworking on the ropes.Sure enough, hepunctured the IBS. Therewas no way to cover this.The loud hissing soundattracted the instructor’sattention immediately. Asthe instructorsapproached, they beganshouting. Michaelsnapped to attention andimmediately acceptedresponsibility andinsisted that he should bethe only person punished.Although certainlyappreciated, we all knewthat is not how BUD/Soperates. We allcompleted a hundredpush-ups with our feet onanother IBS and ourhands deep in the sand,which put our faces in thesand during the downphase of the push-ups.After our push-ups andanother lecture from theinstructors, we ran to getanother IBS.

Later that evening afterthe last evolution, Michaelwas walking with us back

to our rooms when heturned to us and with abig grin on his face said,“Well, I won’t do thatagain, but it went ratherwell, don’t you think?” Hethen took off running aseach of us chased him.

Monster Mash

On Thursday of the last week of First Phase, the finalphysical training evolution was a race called theMonster Mash, which proved, as always, that “it paysto be a winner.” The students assembled behind thebuildings surrounding the grinder dressed in T-shirts,fatigue pants, and boots, then headed down to thebeach, where they all lined up. Start times wereseparated by thirty-second intervals. To start,everyone had to eat a jalapeño pepper. Officers werealso required to take a big drink of jalapeño juice.Then each man took off down the beach to completethe first half of the O-course. After doing this, thestudent ran back to a section known as Gator Beach.Here he stripped down to his canvas swim trunks,threw his clothes in a truck, and ran up the beach,where instructors were waiting for him. The studentgrabbed his gear from another vehicle and then wentinto the water. He headed out to a huge pile of rocksabout a hundred yards from shore, then returned toshore for a change back into his shirt, fatigues, andboots, and then ran back to finish the O-course. At thetop of the Slide for Life obstacle tower there was abucket of eggs and a bucket sitting at the bottom. If astudent could drop his egg in the bucket, he wasrewarded by having two minutes subtracted from histime. At the end of the O-course he ran back up thebeach, did four sets of thirty push-ups, ran into thesurf, then went into the sand, and was finished. Thestudent with the slowest time overall got the honor ofdrinking the remainder of the jalapeño juice andwearing the pink T-shirt.

On Friday, the students evaluated their training andtheir instructors. The Academic/Performance ReviewBoard again diligently reviewed the academic andphysical-training performance of each student todetermine who would proceed to Second Phase. Theboard reviewed with each student where he excelledand where he could use improvement. Michaelearned the right to proceed to the next phase ofBUD/S.

Second Phase

During Second Phase, also known as the dive phase,Michael and his fellow classmates would be expectedto decrease their O-course times, do PT every day,and lower their beach run and ocean swim times andbegin learning the process of becoming combat

swimmers. The first three weeks were spent in theclassroom learning diving physics and divingphysiology. They learned about the Navy dive andtreatment tables. They successfully completedextensive, rigorous examinations before entering thewater and were subjected to the recompressionchamber to monitor their ability to breathe pureoxygen under pressure. The equipment used wassimilar to that used by recreational or open-waterdivers. During what was called Pool Week, theylearned the three different life-support systems:opencircuit compressed air; closed-circuit, 100percent oxygen LAR V Draeger underwater breathingapparatus (UBA); and (3) closed-circuit mixed-gasMK 15 UBA.

Michael and the others were required to becompletely familiar with their equipment so that theycould prevent or remedy any malfunction underwaterwithout panic. Surfacing from deep water was simplynot an option. Also included in the dive phase werethe basics of underwater navigation and long-distance underwater swimming. The trainees alsolearned how to work with limpet mines, underwaterexplosives that feature a time-delay exploder and areattached to the hull of a ship or submarine with a strapor a powerful magnet. The students made nearly fiftydives during this phase of training.

After eight weeks, all were considered expertdivers by commercial standards, although it wouldtake about three years of mission experience for themto be considered competent combat swimmers. It isthe dive component of SEAL training—makingSEALs as comfortable in the water as on land—thatseparates them from all other special operationsforces. These diving skills would become essential inlater training. After mastering these skills, the traineeswere given a competency test. Here, they went one-on-one with an instructor who “attacked” themunderwater, removing their regulators from theirmouths, turning off their air supply, tying their hoses inknots, pulling off their masks and fins, then tumblingand turning them around. In response, they had toreestablish their equipment and air supply and repairtheir equipment underwater. Only as a last resortcould they surface without their equipment.

After gaining competency and confidence in theCTT, they headed for the waters of the Pacific andSan Diego Bay, learned underwater navigation andpace count, and began mastering the skills necessaryto become competent combat swimmers, in bothdaylight and nighttime. Their last dive evolution was afiveand-a-half-mile swim from the NSW Center toImperial Beach.

Dive Tower

After learning how to tie knots on land, it was time forthe trainees to practice their skills underwater. Thiswas done at the dive tower, a fifty-foot vertical steelcylinder filled with clear, heated freshwater. In the firstevolution, the students dived to a depth of thirty feetand tied three separate knots on a post. The second

evolution, a real confidence booster, involved tying asingle knot during a fifty-foot dive. Instructors were inthe water monitoring every student during the secondevolution.

Physical-Skills Evolutions

First Phase scores were no longer good enough. Thetimed and graded evolutions now required a two-mileocean swim with fins in eighty minutes; a four-mile runin long pants and boots in thirty-one minutes;completion of the O-course in 10:30; and successfulcompletion of three-and-a-half-mile and five-and-a-half-mile ocean swims. As in First Phase, on Friday ofthe last day in Second Phase, the students evaluatedtheir training evolutions and their instructors. TheAcademic/ Performance Review Board againreviewed the academic and physical trainingperformance of each student to determine whoproceeded on to Third Phase. The board reviewedwith each student where they excelled and where theycould use improvement. Michael earned the right toproceed to the next phase of BUD/S.

Third Phase

Third Phase, also known as the Land-Warfare Phase,introduced the prospective SEALs to demolitions andtactics. This nine-week program was where the classlearned the elements of land warfare as practiced byNavy commandos. As in the previous phases, thisrequired specialized equipment used by the U.S.Army, including H-gear, weight-bearing harnesses,canteens, ammunition pouches, sleeping bags, andrucksacks. During Third Phase, sailors learned thebasics of being a soldier.

H-Gear

H-gear was a canvas utility belt used to carry a lightload of personal infantry gear. It was supported by apadded pair of nylon suspenders, and had to be setup in a prescribed manner: four ammunition pouchesin front, two on either side of the front-buckle catch; acanteen hung just behind each hip; and a personalfirst-aid kit in the small of the back. The only piece ofequipment with optional placement was the combatknife, which was usually placed opposite therappelling line. All buckles and metal surfaces werepainted flat black or covered with olive-colored tapeto prevent them from making noise or reflecting light.

Timed Evolutions

The timed PT evolutions of Second Phase were nolonger good enough and again lowered. Almost all ofthe conditioning runs in Third Phase were done withfull rucksacks and H-gear. A fully loaded rucksack

might weigh forty pounds, not including otherequipment on the H-gear. The O-course time waslowered to an even ten minutes; the four-mile beachrun in long pants and boots to thirty minutes. Inaddition, the trainees had to complete a two-mileocean swim with fins in seventy-five minutes, andsuccessfully complete a fourteen-mile run with a fullyloaded rucksack.

Weapons Training

Week one of Third Phase consisted of learning thebasics of using a compass, reading a map, andwalking a line of bearing using a pace count tomeasure distance. Week one also introduced fieldweapons, beginning with weapons safety andbecoming familiar with the SEAL arsenal.

Monday of week two sent the students to NSW’sMountain Warfare Training Facility at La Posta,California. At an elevation of three thousand feet, thistraining center, located on thirteen hundred acres,includes a five-thousand-meter mountain-endurancetraining course for a timed land-navigation checkoutevolution. The facility continues today to play a vitalrole in the training of NSW forces because the terrainclosely resembles the environments found in Korea,Iraq, and Afghanistan.

During their field training, Michael and the otherstudents were introduced to the SEAL’s primaryweapon, the M4 rifle, weapons training, and shootingqualifications. The training facility has a state-of-the-art shooting range that includes metal silhouettes atdistances of fifty to one hundred meters. The traineeslearned that smooth is fast. Speed comes fromlearning a correct, smooth technique. Firing two shotsin rapid succession at each target, they were gradedon both time and accuracy. NSW and all U.S. SpecialForces use a modified M4, specifically the M4A1, afully automatic variation of the basic M4 carbine. TheM4A1 is a gas-operated, aircooled, magazine-fed,selective fire, shoulder-fired weapon with atelescoping stock that provides greatermaneuverability in close quarters and combat-extended range with lethal capability. It has aneffective range of about five hundred to six hundredmeters. The USSOCOM modification is a SOPMODBlock I Kit that features a rail interface system (RIS), aspecial hand guard, a shortened quick-detachableM203 grenade launcher, a leaf sight, a soundsuppressor, a backup rear sight and a visible laser-infrared designator, reflex sights, and a night-visionsight.

“Gentlemen, This Changes Everything”

At about 5:45 Pacific time on the morning ofSeptember 11, 2001, Ensign Michael Murphy and hisBUD/S classmates were conducting a morning PTsession before continuing their reconnaissancetraining. One of the instructors suddenly called theminto the classroom. There, two large television

screens suspended in the corners at the front of theroom displayed the carnage and devastationoccurring on the other side of their country. For thenext ninety minutes the men all sat in disbelief as bothtowers of the World Trade Center collapsed, thePentagon was attacked, and a fourth plane wasreported down in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

As Ensign Murphy watched the events unfold soclose to his home, he was concerned for his bestfriends, Jimmie and Owen O’Callaghan, both nowserving as New York City policemen. He knew thatthey would be at the World Trade Center, along withtheir uncle, who was a member of the New York CityFire Department. As his thoughts of home moved likea video screen through his mind, he stared at thetelevision. The images of the towers collapsing andthe resulting deaths of thousands of his fellow NewYorkers was seared into every neuron of his brain.

Newly commissioned Ensign Michael P. Murphyreceiving his first salute upon graduating from OfficerCandidate School on December 13, 2000. (Courtesyof the Murphy family)

Graduation picture of BUD/S Class 236. EnsignMichael Murphy is on the far left in the top row. (U.S.Navy)

This is where the fight took place. The image alsoshows where Murphy, Dietz, and Axelson fell alongwith Lutrell’s route of escape. (Photo courtesy ofEnsign Christopher Reed)

Taken on June 18, 2005, as he prepares for yetanother mission, this is one of the bestknown picturesof Lieutenant Michael Murphy. (Courtesy of theMurphy family)

The ramp ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan,on July 5, 2005. The flag-draped military cases arecarrying the remains of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy(front) and Petty Officer Third Class Danny Dietz(rear). (Courtesy of Ben Sauers)

Sixteen fire trucks from various Long Island fire

departments formed an arch that suspended eight 30’x 30’ flags as Michael’s funeral procession enteredCalverton National Cemetery on July 13, 2005.(Courtesy of the Murphy family)

Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy’s headstone atCalverton National Cemetery, located in Section 67,site 3710. (Photo by the author)

The reverse side of Michael’s headstone, noting hisSilver Star and Purple Heart, along with his SEALTrident. (Photo by the author)

Sign welcoming visitors to Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P.Murphy Memorial Park overlooking LakeRonkonkoma, where Michael served as a lifeguardand beach manager for several years. (Photo by theauthor)

Dedication of the Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. MurphyMemorial Park on May 7, 2006. The monument wasdonated by the Military Order of the Purple Heart.Standing in the back row are Rear Admiral JosephMaguire and Michael’s father, Daniel J. Murphy. In thefront row are Michael’s younger brother, John, and hismother, Maureen Murphy. (Courtesy of the Murphyfamily)

Lieutenant Murphy’s parents with CongressmanTimothy Bishop and Rear Admiral Joseph Maguire atthe Lake Ronkonkoma park’s dedication on May 7,2006. (Courtesy of the Murphy family)

Sailor’s Cross dedicated to the memory of LieutenantMichael Murphy, located in front of the AmericanLegion Post in Patchogue, New York. (Photo by theauthor)

Dan Murphy prays at the grave of Chief WarrantOfficer 4 Chris Scherkenbach, the helicopter pilotfrom the 160th SOAR who lost his life on June 28,2005, during the Murphys’ visit to Arlington NationalCemetery on October 21, 2007, the day beforeLieutenant Murphy received the Medal of Honor.(Courtesy of the Murphy family)

Lieutenant Mike McGreevy’s widow, Laura, anddaughter, Molly, accompanied the Murphys on their

visit to Arlington National Cemetery. (Courtesy of theMurphy family)

Escorted by a Navy honor guard, the family ofLieutenant Michael Murphy places wreaths at thegraves of those lost in Operation Red Wings interredat Arlington National Cemetery. (Courtesy of theMurphy family)

Lieutenant Michael Murphy’s parents being escortedby a Navy and Army honor guard during the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns atArlington National Cemetery. (Courtesy of theMurphy family)

Lieutenant Michael Murphy’s parents standing at theTomb of the Unknowns. (Courtesy of the Murphyfamily)

Maureen Murphy holds the Medal of Honor presentedto her and Dan by President Bush. (Courtesy of the

Murphy family)

Michael’s parents stand with President Bush as amilitary aide reads the Medal of Honor citation.(Courtesy of the Murphy family)

A Navy honor guard stands at the display table in thePentagon’s Hall of Heroes during Lieutenant MichaelP. Murphy’s induction ceremony on October 23, 2007.(Courtesy of the Murphy family)

The program for the induction ceremony in thePentagon’s Hall of Heroes. (Courtesy of the Murphyfamily)

The Murphys being interviewed by members of themedia following the Hall of Heroes inductionceremony. (Courtesy of the Murphy family)

The parents of Lieutenant Michael Murphy stand withSecretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter during theMedal of Honor Flag ceremony at the Navy Memorialin Washington, D.C., on October 23, 2007. (Courtesy

of the Murphy family)

A U.S. Navy honor guard prepares to fold Michael’sMedal of Honor Flag. (Courtesy of the Murphyfamily)

Admiral Gary Roughead, the chief of navaloperations, presents Lieutenant Michael Murphy’s

Medal of Honor Flag to his mother, Maureen.(Courtesy of the Murphy family)

Dan Murphy prays at the grave of LieutenantCommander Erik Kristensen at the U.S. NavalAcademy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland, onOctober 24, 2007. (Courtesy of the Murphy family)

Four-foot-diameter granite marker located in theSerenity Plaza, Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. MurphyMemorial Park, Lake Ronkonkoma, New York.(Courtesy of the Murphy family)

Rear Admiral Edward Kristensen, USN (ret.), andSuzanne Kristensen visit the grave of LieutenantMichael P. Murphy at Calverton National Cemetery onOctober 31, 2008. (Photo by the author)

On November 1, 2008, Michael Murphy’s parents visitthe New York City Fire Department station “adopted”by their son. (Photo by the author)

The reflection of Michael Murphy’s mother in the largedisplay honoring him at FDNY Engine Co. 54, LadderCo. 43—“El Barrio’s Bravest.” Michael’s funeralprayer card is in the upper left corner, and the actualstation patch worn by him on June 28, 2005, is underhis picture, as is his SEAL Trident. (Photo by theauthor)

Oil portrait of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy paintedby New York artist Gerald Slater and presented to thefamily on May 7, 2008. Replica prints now hang inseveral places around the country that have beennamed in honor of Lieutenant Murphy. (Courtesy ofGerald Slater)Every muscle in his body tightened; his teethclenched, and his jaws began to ache from thetension. The rock-hard muscles of his physically fine-tuned body became clearly defined. To MichaelMurphy, this was personal.

The instructor walked toward the front of theclassroom while he muted the sound with his remotecontrol. The sudden silence mentally snappedMichael to attention. As the instructor reached thefront center of the classroom, he turned sharply, facingthe class. Without looking behind him, he pointed toone of the television screens and in a low stern voicestated, “Gentlemen, this changes everything. We’regoing to war!” But Ensign Michael Murphy was notgoing to war—he was already there.

After several more minutes of discussion, the classassembled back outside to complete their PT beforegoing on to reconnaissance training. As the PTrepetitions were being counted, the men’s voices

were louder and crisper. Ben Sauers noticed a visiblechange in Michael: “Michael always had a smile onhis face, was intense but very easygoing; after 9/11something changed in him. You could see it. While hewas still very personable and went out of his way tohelp anyone and everyone, his intensity changed. It’slike he became quieter. To those who didn’t knowhim, they would have noticed nothing out of theordinary, but having been with him since his rollback, Icould see it. He internalized 9/11.”

Top Gun and Beyond

With the resolve of the class having changed, themen’s last day at La Posta began with familiarizationshooting without scores to get ready for the Top Guncompetition, a single-elimination tournament withmembers going one-on-one on the range. Eachmember contributed $10 for the Top Gun Trophy, aKA-BAR knife engraved with the class number.

Each shooter possessed an M4, ten rounds, andan extra magazine. On command the traineesdropped to a kneeling position and fired rounds at thetarget at twenty-five meters, then shifted to a proneposition and fired at the target at fifty meters. Theycould fire as many rounds as they liked, and the firstshooter with a hit on each target was the winner andprogressed on to face another opponent.

After La Posta, the students of Class 236 traveledto Camp Pendleton, California, the U.S. MarineCorps’ 125,000-acre facility, where the studentsutilized the Edison Range, one of the most completeshooting-range training facilities anywhere. There theycontinued to hone their shooting skills using the entireSEAL arsenal, but with special emphasis on theirM4A1.

The next two weeks found them back at the NSWCenter for demolitions training. A SEAL must be veryfamiliar with a variety of military and other types ofdemolitions, and must be able to safely detonateexplosives both on land and at sea. While the basicsof priming both electrical and nonelectrical demolitioncharges were covered at Coronado, the majority ofdemolition training was conducted during four weeksof field training on San Clemente Island.

San Clemente Island

Michael and his class loaded their equipment into aMcDonnell Douglas C-9 for the short flight to the“Rock,” San Clemente Island. Upon arrival theyunloaded their weapons and personal gear into an oldwhite bus for the two-mile drive to the training facility.

San Clemente Island is the southernmost of theChannel Islands off California. Officially uninhabited,the twenty-one-mile-long island hosts an active sonarbase, a simulated embassy, and a rocket-test facility.Known for its high winds, dangerous terrain coveredwith scrub grass, ice plants, and prickly pear andgolden snake cactus, it is the home of the Camp AlHuey SEAL training facility, located just north of the

runways of the Naval Auxiliary landing field. Built in1989, Camp Al Huey was named after a Vietnam-eramaster chief petty officer who had dedicated manyyears to both the SEAL teams and the training ofSEALs. It is a complete training facility containingbarracks, chow hall, armory, weapons-cleaningstations, classrooms, shooting, demolition, and handgrenade ranges, and an O-course.

During their last four weeks of Third Phase training,the students began to work seven days a week from 6AM to 8 PM without a break, until their BUD/Sgraduation.

Flight TrainingOne of the more lighthearted but extremelychallenging exercises performed by Michael’s classwas “flight training.” Flight training for BUD/Scandidates involved the frequent running up and downof the steep hills of San Clemente while carrying alarge heavy wooden pallet over their heads. With thevery strong winds coming off the Pacific, it was morethan a challenge for the SEAL candidates to maintaintheir balance and footing. It was not uncommon for thewinds to lift them off the ground, which slowed their“flight” time. As in every training evolution, there was aprecise procedure to flight training, including aprearranged “flight pattern” and “maneuvers,” as wellas proper “landing instructions.” Failure to followinstructions resulted in another “flight.”

Chow PTIn life, nothing is free. The same is true in BUD/S. AtCamp Al Huey, to earn breakfast, the trainees had toperform maximum push-ups and sit-ups in two-minutetimed intervals with full H-gear and full canteens.Before lunch they completed a two-hundred-meter runup a steep hill to “Frog Rock”; this was also made infull H-gear with full canteens, and it had to becompleted in ninety seconds. The price for theirevening meal was fifteen pull-ups and fifteen dips—also with full H-gear and canteens.

Land-Warfare SkillsHaving familiarized themselves with the SEALweapons arsenal earlier at the Naval SpecialWarfare’s Mountain Warfare Training Facility, Michaeland the other students learned combat shootingtechniques with both the M4A1 and the SIG SAUERpistol. Combat shooting involved fast and accurateshooting as well as changing magazines whilecontinuing to get rounds on target. The trainees thenprogressed to immediate-action drills (IADs), whichtaught the men how to break contact in a firefight orquickly assault an enemy position. During these drills

they learned how the leapfrog maneuver, in which oneelement of the combat unit moved while the otherprovided covering fire. This meant that someone off toa trainee’s side and behind him was firing at a targetin front of him. Class 236 first walked through theIADs, then ran through them at full speed, both indaylight and then at night. Other land-warfare skillslearned were ambushes, structure searches, handlingof prisoners, reconnaissance techniques, and raidplanning—again, each skill was taught in theclassroom and then practiced in the field, both indaylight and at night. The trainees learned the skill ofholding one’s breath and diving twenty feet to placedemolitions on obstacles submerged off the island’scoast. Using the hydrographic reconnaissance skillslearned in First Phase, the class conducted asimulated night-combat beach reconnaissance,prepared a hydrographic chart, and returned thefollowing night to place the charges and blow them up.

Class 236’s final field training exercise (FTX)problem was conducted over a five-day period. First,the men were divided into squads, upon which eachsquad entered a period of isolation to begin missionplanning. Each squad then conducted fourconsecutive night operations utilizing the skills theylearned during the previous six months at BUD/S.

These separate and exhausting exercises made ita sobering but exciting time for Michael and hisclassmates, because they saw their months oftraining begin to gel and pay off. They knew theseskills would be utilized in the months and yearsahead.

Graduation Week: Final Training Evolutions

Back at the NSW Center, their last graded physicalevolution was the SEAL Physical Readiness Test(PRT). The test began with the maximum number ofpush-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups in timed two-minuteintervals, then continued with a three-mile timed runand a half-mile timed swim. It was not uncommon forindividual scores to seem unbelievable by civilianstandards, with the number of push-ups exceeding200, sit-ups exceeding 150, and pull-ups exceeding30, with near fifteen-minute three-mile runs andtwelve-minute half-mile swims.

After the men successfully completed their SEALPRT, only two physical evolutions remained beforegraduation. The first, Hooyah PT, consisted of a runthrough the O-course, a seven-mile beach run, andthen another run through the O-course. The other wasthe Balboa Park Run, a ten-mile run from Balboa Parkin San Diego back to Imperial Beach.

With one day left in their training, the studentscompleted their BUD/S checkout briefing, receivedtheir orders, and spent time rehearsing for the eventthey had been working toward for the previous ninemonths—graduation.

Graduation

On the Friday of Class 236’s final week at BUD/S, thegrinder was transformed with flags, rows of chairs, asmall stage, a microphone, and colorful and patrioticbunting. With family, friends, SEALs, and the entireNSW command in attendance, and after remarks byinvited guests, each graduate received a certificate ofcompletion. Having threatened to resign theirpositions with the New York City Police Department ifnot permitted to attend their best friend’s graduation,Jimmie and Owen O’Callaghan joined Michael’sparents, Maureen and Dan, and his brother, John, asthey watched Michael receive his certificate ofcompletion.

Ben Sauers remembered him as “the guy thatalways had a smile on his face and words ofencouragement for everyone. And he was always theguy that during our rare time off could be seen runningwith full combat gear and doing extra PT. He was notthe fastest. He was not the strongest, but very smartand very determined. No one had more determinationthan Ensign Murphy. I would follow him anywhere.”

On October 18, 2001, Ensign Michael P. Murphysigned his Fitness Report and Counseling Record forBUD/S. The written comments about his performanceread as follows: “Completed 25 weeks of instructionin physical conditioning, surface swimming, smallboat handling, hydrographic reconnaissance,weapons training, small unit tactics, demolitiontraining, and open and closed circuit scuba. Hisprofessional performance was outstanding during thisphysically and mentally demanding course ofinstruction.”

For Murphy and the rest of his class, it was abittersweet moment. The cost had been high, with theloss of Lieutenant Skop, and Michael’s near loss ofboth his lower legs and feet. Although they hadgraduated, Michael Murphy and each of the othermembers of BUD/S Class 236 realized that hiscertificate of completion was merely a ticket ofadmission to the next phase of their training.

T h e agoge was the warrior-training programutilized by the ancient Spartans. NSW had its ownversion of the agoge to train modern-day warriors fora nation at war.

CHAPTER NINE

Agoge: Earning the Trident

Iexpectyoutoleadattheupperlevelsofyourknowledge,skill,andauthority.

—ADMIRAL ERIC OLSON, quoted in Dick Couch, The FinishingSchool

Sparta was a city-state in ancient Greece, located onthe Eurotas River in the southern part of thePeloponnese. It rose to become the dominant militarypower in the region in 650 BCdue to its militaryefficiency and its social structure, unique in ancientGreece. In 480 BC a small force of Spartans, alongwith allies from Thespiae and Thebes, led by KingLeonidas made the legendary last stand at the Battleof Thermopylae against the massive Persian army,inflicting very high casualty rates on the Persians. Theweaponry, strategy, and bronze armor of the Greekhoplites and their phalanx proved far superior to thatof their opponents. The phalanx was a militaryformation in which the soldiers would lock shields andproject their spears over the shields and progress in afashion that all but prevented a frontal assault, makingthe phalanx greater than the sum of its parts.

T he agoge, a rigorous training regimen for allSpartan male citizens, involved stealth, cultivatingloyalty to one’s group, military training, hunting,dancing, and social preparation. The agoge, firstintroduced by the Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus in thefirst half of the seventh century BC, was designed totrain male citizens from the ages of seven throughtwenty-nine. The goal was to produce physically andmorally strong males to serve in the Spartan army byencouraging conformity and stressing the importanceof the Spartan state over one’s own personal interest,and so generating the warrior elites of Sparta.

When a boy reached his seventh birthday, he wasenrolled in the agoge under the authority of the

paidonomos, or magistrate, charged with supervisingeducation. This began the first of three stages of theagoge: the paides (ages seven to seventeen), thepaidiskoi (ages eighteen to nineteen), and thehebontes (ages twenty to twenty-nine). The boys weregiven one item of clothing per year and expected tomake or acquire other needed clothing. They werealso deliberately underfed, and taught to becomeskilled at acquiring their food.

At the beginning of paidiskoi, around the age ofeighteen, the students became reserve members ofthe Spartan army. At the beginning of hebontes,roughly at the age of twenty, the students became fullpart of the syssitia, the obligatory daily meal for menand youths in the army, and were finally permitted tomarry, although they continued to live in barracks, andcontinued to compete for a place among the Spartanhippeis, the royal honor guard. The modern-daySEALs view their training, community, and tactics asbeing very similar to that of the ancient Spartans, so itis not uncommon to see and hear references toSpartans and the Battle of Thermopylae in manySEAL training evolutions, events, and ceremonies.

With his college education at Penn State, OfficerCandidate School, and BUD/S behind him, EnsignMichael Murphy had earned the right to progress tothe next level in the SEAL agoge: SEAL QualificationTraining, or SQT. 3 Before getting there, he had fivedifferent applications or prepatory schools tocomplete.

Army Jump School: The “Air” inSea, Air, Land (SEAL)

Following a week of well-earned leave, EnsignMurphy reported to Fort Benning, Georgia.Successful completion of the Army Airborne School,more commonly known as jump school, would result inmilitary certification and the awarding of silver jumpwings for completion of five static-line jumps.Conducted by the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507thInfantry Regiment, U.S. Army Infantry School, jumpschool was designed to qualify students in the use ofthe parachute as a means of combat deployment, andto develop leadership, self-confidence, and anaggressive spirit through mental and physical training.

The instructors were known as Black Hats becauseof the black baseball caps they wore, along with theirdress uniforms, rank insignia, and parachutistbadges. All students were required to call them“Sergeant Airborne” (or “Petty Officer Airborne” incase the instructor was from the Navy). At jumpschool, the instructors were from not only from theArmy, but also the Air Force, the Marine Corps, andthe Navy. Because trainees from all four mainbranches of the military are able to attend jumpschool, each branch insists that it have at least onerepresentative present to ensure quality instruction.

Compared to the physical-training demands at

BUD/S, the Army’s requirements at jump school mighthave seemed like nothing more than a mere warm-upto Michael and other prospective SEALs; however,the students were expected to remain professionaland respectful in their attitude toward their classmatesfrom the other service branches, as well as theinstructors. The three-week program was designed toteach the basics of successful military static-linejumping and mass troop evacuation of an aircraft, andwas broken down into three distinct phases, each ofwhich had to be successfully completed beforeprogression to the next phase was permitted.

Ground Week

During Ground Week students began an intensiveprogram of instruction designed to build individualairborne skills, which prepared them to make aparachute jump and land safely. The studentssimulated jumping from an aircraft using a mockairplane door and practiced parachute landingsthrough controlled falls from a thirty-four-foot tower. Tosuccessfully complete Ground Week, each traineehad to qualify individually on all of the trainingappratus and pass all PT requirements.

Tower Week

During Tower Week the element of teamwork wasadded to the training with the introduction of mass-exittechniques. The apparatuses used for this trainingwere the 34-foot tower, the mock airplane door, asuspended harness, and a 250-foot free tower. Thestudents completed their individual skill training andbuilt teameffort skills during this week. To move on tothe final week of training, each trainee had to mastermass-exit procedures and pass all PT requirements.Although SEALs do not use mass-exit procedures intactical applications, Michael and other SEALtrainees were required to successfully complete thispart of the course.

Jump Week

During the final week of training Michael made fiveparachute jumps into the drop zone (DZ), the area inwhich training parachute jumps are conducted.Michael and his class were required to run to theairfield, conduct pre-jump training, and then get intotheir harnesses and wait their turn to jump. Two ofthese jumps were combat-equipment jumps, in whichthe jumper carried a rucksack and a dummy weapon.The other three jumps were “Hollywood jumps,”meaning that the jumper only wore a parachute and areserve. In addition, one jump was made at night.

Ensign Murphy successfully completed allrequirements and was awarded his silver jump wings.Upon completing five additional jumps, he wasawarded his gold wings. His next duty station wasback at the NSW Center in Coronado.

Junior Officer Training Course(JOTC)

Throughout BUD/S each trainee is expected toassume a leadership role. Petty officers and officersare rightfully held to a higher personal standard andalso responsible for ensuring their respective boatteam is up to standard. Failing to ensure thereadiness of their men results in discipline of theentire team. For Michael Murphy, having the barraised was not a matter for concern—for him, thehigher the better. In the SQT course to follow therewould be an increased dichotomy of training betweenthe enlisted men and their officers. Enlisted menwould be expected to become experts incommunications, diving, air operations, weapons,and reconnaissance, as well as all of the specifictechnical specialties required by the SEAL teams.The officers would be primarily responsible formission planning and tactical decision making.

In NSW there are two primary leadershipdevelopment courses: Junior Officer Training Course(JOTC) and Senior Petty Officer Training Course(SPOTC). The JOTC is for new officers through therank of lieutenant. The SPOTC is for team pettyofficers with two or more deployments who are beinggroomed for leading petty officer (LPO) or chief pettyofficer (CPO) duties.

The JOTC is a five-week training programconducted at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado.The first three weeks consist of a comprehensivegroup of leadership seminars covering topics such asNSW history, command relationships, enlistedperformance evaluation, and public speaking, as wellas presentations from SEALs, both active and retired.Students also are schooled in the other specialoperations forces (SOF), such as the Army’sRangers, Special Forces (Green Berets), and 1stSpecial Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (DeltaForce), the Marine’s Force Recon, and the AirForce’s pararescue jumpers, known as PJs.

Ensign Murphy and the others learned where NSWfalls in the chain of command in a special operationsmission involving another service branch as well as ina special operations combined and/or joint task force.There were also classes on their administrative andlegal responsibilities as officers. As in BUD/S, eachday started with a rigorous PT session and an oceanswim.

Their leadership classes featured case studies ofactual events, battles, and operations involving SEALteams during deployment. They learned quickly that incombat situations there are few instances of blackand white, but rather all varying shades of gray. It isthese shades of gray that required true leadership.Michael Murphy would learn that lesson all too well.

The first three weeks were full of guest speakersdescribing deployments in the combat theaters ofVietnam, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf,

Bosnia, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Michael’sclass also received several presentations by thecommanding officer of NSW. In one suchpresentation, Admiral Olson had this to say:

I expect you to lead at theupper levels of yourknowledge, skill, andauthority. Be a teammate.What’s good for the teamhas priority over what’sgood for you.Demonstrateprofessionalism in all thatyou do. Be sharp, looksharp. Teach, coach,guide, and mentor yourforce, but don’t claimexperience that you don’thave.

Never sacrifice whatyou know is right for whatis convenient orexpedient. Live the life ofa leader—one of values,character, courage, andcommitment. What youdo and what you toleratein your presence bestdemonstrates yourstandards.

Empower yoursubordinate leaders towork at the full level oftheir authority. Encourageyour subordinate leaders;train them, trust them,hold them to standard.Remember—the primemeasure of yourperformance is theperformance of your men.

The fourth week of training was also classroombased, with the emphasis on mission planning, usingthe most current mission-planning software and theSEAL Mission Support Center (MSC). Ensign Murphylearned the mission-planning platform known asSOMPE-M (Special Operations Mission PlanningEnvironment-Maritime). The Mission Support Centerwas utilized by deployed teams to allow them tointeract with rear-echelon support units for logisticalsupport and tactical information on a real-time basis.

Again Admiral Olson addressed the class,providing a firsthand account of the fight inMogadishu, Somalia, in October 1993. His insightsturned his session into a series of lessons learned.

Amid all the heroics andthe carnage, and yes, themistakes, we found outsome things that mayhelp us the next time. Andthese lessons did not

come cheap. Twohundred men from TaskForce Ranger wereinvolved start to finish.We suffered ninety-ninecasualities—sixteendead. No SEALs werelost, but we did collectsome Purple Hearts. Sowhat did we learn? ...

There are some macroissues, like the lack ofarmored vehicles and thenonavailability of an AC-130 gunship, but thereare times when yousimply may not have theassets available youwould like to have for amission or for missioncontingencies. We alsohad a mission statementfocused on capturing asingle personality—thewarlord GeneralMuhammad FarrahAideed. Our missionstatement in Somalia wasto get General Aideed,which meant that wecould destroy hisinfrastructure, nab his toplieutanants, restore globalpeace, and solve worldhunger, but it would havestill been mission failure ifwe didn’t capture Aideed.So, although we hadmany tactical successes,we still didn’t get Aideed,so we failed our mission.Aside from those terribletwenty-four hours, sincewe didn’t get him, ourmission was a failure inthat regard. The lives welost in Mogadishu droveour national policyregarding the use of themilitary up until 9/11.That’s why we fought theconflict in Bosnia with airpower alone from twenty-one thousand feet. Noone wanted to accept thepolitical risks of anotherMogadishu. A policy thatinvolves a singlepersonality sets you upfor failure. Much the samething could be said inAfghanistan because we

did not get bin Laden.However, in Afghanistan,we successfully routed abrutal regime.

In answer to the question “Sir, what should ourmission be in these situations?” the admiralresponded:

They should be asgeneral as possible. InSomalia, to go after theclan infrastructure thatwas opposing ourhumanitarian effortsthere. In Afghanistan, it isal-Qaeda and those whosupport terrorism. I thinkour failure to find binLaden cost us somethingin the eyes of those whooppose our interests inthe area. But these arebig issues, well aboveyour pay grade and mine.

Let’s talk about thingswe can do—what you cando as future naval leadersas you train and prepareyour platoons for specialoperations. First of all,you cannot do enoughmedical preparation andtraining. Every man in thesquad file has to bemedically competent. Youdon’t always want to sendyour corpsman to dragthe wounded out of theline of fire, but the menyou do send must havethe medical skills to dealimmediately with the life-threatening injuries. Youhave to be prepared tocarry on the fight and themission while you treatyour casualities. We hadsome problems withcommunication inMogadishu. We clutteredup the nets when thingsgot hot and didn’t useproper call signs. Keepyour comms clean andstay with procedure. Thatsaid, train for this. In allyour scenario-basedtraining, have a man godown; have your radiomalfunction. Train for theworst-case scenarios.

As Admiral Olson continued, he began to pace

around the room.

If it’s a daytime mission,plan for what will happenif you have to stay outafter dark, and for thereverse as well. InMogadishu, when wewent back in that eveningwith the relief convoy, itwas to be a daytimemission, in and outquickly. We didn’t get outuntil the next morning.One of my SEALshanded me a night-visionoptic right before we left.As it worked out, I wouldhave been hard-pressedto do my job without it.Close air support. Knowyour fire supportplatforms; know how touse them. Our specialoperations pilots are thebest in the world. We hadpilots flying continually forfifteen hours in a verydangerous environment.They were magnificent.Know what they can andthey can’t do; don’tmisuse these brave andtalented airmen. Bodyarmor. It’s heavy and thatday it was very hot, butsome of those sixteengood men we lost couldhave been saved if theyhad worn body armor withballistic plates. YourSEALs might complain,especially during trainingon a hot day, but in anurban environment, it’s alife saver. You areleaders; do the right thing.Train like you intend tofight. See that you andyour men train exactly asif you were doing it forreal.

After a deliberate pause, and looking into the eyes ofthe junior officers, he continued:

One last thoughtconcerning Somalia. InMogadishu, we put menat risk and remained inharm’s way to bring backthe bodies of those wecould. We have to bringthem back; it’s part of

who we are. It’s the rightthing to do for ourselvesand for the families of ourfallen comrades, but italso affects policy. If weare involved, it’s a toughmission and we are onthe world stage. Thebodies of thoseAmericans they draggedthrough the streets ofMogadishu changedAmerican policy for morethan a decade. It willalways be a judgmentcall, risking lives to bringhome the remains of ourown, but it’s somethingwe must do if at allpossible. Someday itmay be your call. Thinkabout it ahead of time,because if that decisionfalls on you, it will be inthe heat of battle underthe worst possibleconditions. Good luck toall of you. Take care ofyour men.

Little did anyone in that classroom realize thatAdmiral Olson’s words were not only reflective, butprophetic as well.

The final week was field based, at the NSW LaPosta training facility, conducting leadership quick-reaction drills. These fast, hard-hitting drills weredesigned to teach tactical decision making in asimulated combat environment. The training wasessentially continuous for five days, with the officerseating and sleeping in the field.

While Ensign Murphy finished the JOTC with greatanticipation of SQT, he had to complete three morecourses before getting there.

Range Safety Officer Course

The range safety officer (RSO) course taught theessentials of using firearms in a safe and effectivetraining environment. Conducted over a one-weekperiod on multiple firing ranges, the training wasdesigned to familiarize the students with all NSWshooting and training regulations and instruct themhow to comply with those standards.

Dive Supervisor Course

This one-week course emphasized compliance withall NSW training and diving regulations. While actual

diving was an important aspect of this course,Michael and each of his fellow classmates also had toestablish and supervise a diving evolution. Thisinvolved making sure that all of the students undertheir charge were properly checked out beforeentering the water.

Survival, Evasion, Resistance andEscape (SERE)

Established by the Air Force at the end of the KoreanWar, SERE was extended during the Vietnam War toArmy and Navy personnel. A course common tonearly all SOF operators, it is conducted by the navalaviation community at Warner Springs, California.

Survival and Evasion

The majority of the SERE training focused on survivaland evasion. Woodcraft and wilderness survivaltechniques in all types of climates were taught,including emergency first aid, land navigation,camouflage techniques, methods of evasion,communication protocols, and the making ofimprovised tools.

Resistance and Escape

This segment was designed based on theexperiences of former prisoners of war. It includedtraining on how to resist the enemy and survive in theevent of capture. The majority of this training isclassified.

After spending five days in the classroom learningsurvival skills, assisting rescuers in the event they arecaught behind enemy lines, and learning the U.S.military code of conduct as it pertains to prisoners ofwar (POWs), Michael and his class were placed inthe field. There, for five more days, they applied theskills they had learned in the classroom. In asimulation of an actual event, they engaged in combatand were captured and detained as as POWs.Through this both physically and psychologicallydemanding course, Michael and his classmates got asmall glimpse as to what might be in store for them asPOWs.

SEAL Qualification Training (SQT)

Considered the capstone course, more money, time,resources, and talent are given to SQT than any otherprogram conducted at NSW. As such, the pace andschedule are elevated several levels. Successfulcompletion of all training up to this point does notguarantee a student his Trident. Only after succeedingin the fifteen-week SQT course is a student awarded

the coveted Trident, the symbol of the SEALs.For Michael and his classmates, after PT, the first

evolution was combat medicine, called tacticalcombat casualty care, or TCCC. Here they learnedhow to treat combat casualties, prevent additionialcasualties, and still complete their assigned mission.Overall, the best battlefield medicine is superiority infirepower. TCCC required the SEAL trainees to useBATS, a procedure that focused on bleeding, airway,tension pneumothorax, and shock, rather than thecivilian ACLS (advanced cardiac life support)protocol. After Michael and his class successfullycompleted their classroom instruction and passed awritten examination, they were placed in simulatedcombat positions under simulated fire conditions withsingle as well as multiple combat casualties withvaring degrees of injury. The skills Michael Murphylearned during this training would serve him well in theyears ahead.

Next was the land-navigation evolution, whichbegan with two days in the classroom learning mapreading and land-navigation techniques that includethe use of a compass. During this phase of theirtraining, Michael and the other students were alsotaught how to classify their equipment.

First line gear was what they wore: camouflageuniforms (known as cammies), boots, hat, andwhatever they carried in their pockets, which shouldinclude a pencil, a notebook, a waterproof penlight, amap, a compass, a pocketknife, a strobe light,emergency rations (usually a PowerBar or two), and asurvival kit. Primary and backup weapons were alsoconsidered first line gear.

Second line gear, also known as operational gear,was all the equipment carried on their H-gear. Thisincluded ammunition and grenades, a personalmedical kit, a PRC-112 survival radio, twenty-fourhours’ worth of rations, and two quarts of water. Alsoon the H-gear should be a weapons cleaning kit,insect repellent, water purfication tablets, a snap link,an IV pouch and extra field dressings, and abattlefield knife.

Third line gear consisted of their rucksack and itscontents, which should include a sleeping bag, aground pad, rations, water, socks, extra ammunition,demolitions, and grenades.

The students were taught to pack and secure allthree levels of their gear to ensure it made absolutelyno noise when walking, running, or jumping. Each ofthem was issued a basic set of first, second, and thirdline gear.

Following land navigation, they headed off to theNSW Mountain Warfare Training Facility in La Posta,California, to become combat shooters. Sight picture(properly aligning the target within the weapon’ssights) and trigger control were stressed, as well asthe combat stance: feet apart, knees bent slightly,arms straight, shoulders rolled forward, elbows intight. Thousands of rounds were fired by each studentas he learned to get rounds downrange and on target.

From La Posta they traveled to the firing range atCamp Pendleton, California. Here they learned

marksmanship for five days. Again, thousands ofrounds were fired by each student, with minimumscores required.

After these evolutions the students moved on toClose Quarters Defense (CQD) training back atNSW. During this phase of their training, only a fewhours were spent in the classroom; this training wasall hands-on. Here they learned to manage and utilizeaggression for self-protection in what are called BoxDrills. Box Drills were one-on-one training exercisesutilizing the hand-to-hand combat skills they had beentaught. The action continued until one of thecontestants was knocked out of the box. This trainingwas all about the student dominating his space andfighting to win in a tactical situation. The instructionalso included several sessions on prisoner control.Following their week of CQD, Michael’s classprepared for the next evolution, at Camp BillyMachen, NSW’s Desert Training Facility, locatedabout 135 miles east of the Special Warfare Center.Camp Billy Machen is a Navy SEAL desert trainingfacility located at the edge of the ChocolateMountains in southern California named after the firstNavy SEAL killed in Vietnam.

At Camp Billy Machen, Michael and his classmatesbegan a three-week evolution that required them todemonstrate sound judgment, teamwork, and physicalstamina. The first week was spent at the range forweapons training. During week two the men engagedin night evolutions, practiced hand and arm signals,and had a day of rocket firing training, They also hadto survive the combat conditioning course, whichincluded a thirteen-mile run that began at 3:00 AM,with full gear and weapons. Several days of practicewith military demolitions were followed by immediate-action drills, or IADs. Combat search and rescue(CSAR) was also covered. The last three days weredevoted to the final mission problem, or final fieldtraining exercise.The final field training exercise wasa full-scale exercise that required Michael to use all ofthe skills he had learned.

Camp Billy Machen was followed by the two-weekCombat Swimmer Course (CSC). In a stark changefrom the desert heat, the students now endured the60° waters of the Pacific. Here, they would learnabout the placing of mines and the vulnerabilities of aship’s hull, master underwater navigation, and honetheir knottying and diving skills. To successfullycomplete this evolution, a dive pair swam into aharbor, attacked two ships with limpet mines, andexfiltrated to a pickup point without being detectedfrom the surface.

On April 4, 2002, Ensign Michael P. Murphyacknowledged and signed his SQT Fitness Reportand Counseling Record. The report noted Michael’s“solid performance as a student in SEAL QualificationTraining (SQT) learning the full spectrum of NavalSpecial Warfare tactics, techniques, procedures, andequipment. He had participated in Medical Training,Land Navigation, Parachuting, Live-fire Weapons andDemolition Scenarios, Combat Diving, and MaritimeOperations. He performed well in all aspects of this

training and successfully completed all graduationrequirements and was recommended for full duty at aSEAL team.”

SQT Graduation

With his family present, Ensign Michael Murphygraduated from the Naval Special Warfare CommandCenter wearing his golden Trident, the symbol of aNavy SEAL. It had taken him nearly six years ofeducation, dedication, and training to get here.

No one graduated from SQT without the theapproval of the officer in charge, Chief WarrantOfficer 2 Mike Loo. At SQT he was referred to as “theWarrant.” Before graduation he provided eachstudent with a handout that was headed “Rules to liveby in Naval Special Warfare.”

1. Congratulations. You guys havecompleted a major milestone inyour Special Warfare career. Hereat the Naval Special WarfareCenter you have completedBUD/S, Army airborne training,and SQT, and you have beenawarded the NSW SEAL insignia,the Trident. SQT has taught you theSEAL tactics, techniques, andprocedures required tosuccessfully integrate into a SEALplatoon. You are now prepared togo in “harm’s way” as anoperational SEAL. This course haslaid the foundation of warfightingknowledge and skills you will usefor your entire Special Warfarecareer. Mastering these skillsshould be your primary mission.Your lives and the lives of yourteammates depend on it.2. Don’t forget that SpecialWarfare is the number onemaritime Special OperationsForce in the world and arguably thenumber one Special OperationsForce in the world. Being numberone in the world in anything meanspaying a very high price. You haveto be more focused, smarter, workharder, and have more desire thananyone else in other SOF units.Accomplishing the many tasks anddifficult assignments that arethrown our way requires greateffort, dedication, and persistence.3. When you get to your team youneed to work extremely hard toprepare yourselves for real-worldoperations. You must be physicallyand mentally prepared—trained towin the gunfight and accomplish

the mission. Stay focused, trainhard, and be the professionals weexpect you to be. Always maintainyour own integrity and the integrityof the teams. This handoutcontains, in no particular order, alist of lessons learned and rules tolive by in Naval Special Warfare.Some of these are my personalrules for success and others arefrom great leaders in NSW whohave been mentors and rolemodels in my life. Keep thishandout! Refer to it now and then.Never forget that you are the futureof Naval Special Warfare. Talk ischeap; action is everything. Put outthe effort and take the actionneeded to keep our force the bestin the world.

a.Masterthebasicsandyouwillbeagoodoperator.Takecareofyourequipmentandalwayshaveyouroperatinggearcomplete,ingoodworkingorder,andreadytogotothefield.Forgettingaflashlightorhavingadeadbattery

inyourstrobemaycostlivesand/orthemission.Payattentiontothebasics,intrainingandreal-world.Betheconsummateprofessionalwhetherinthewater,intheair,oronland.Practicegoodnoisedisciplineandsituationalawareness—360-degreesecurity.Knowyourdutiesandresponsibilities.b.Nevermakethesamemistaketwice.Youareyourbestcritic!When

youmakeamistakeordosomethingwrong,takeitonboardandtakeitseriously.Behardonyourselves.Dowhatyouhavetodoinordertonotmakethesamemistaketwice.c.Striveforperfection.You’llnevergetthere;perfectiondoesn’texistforSEALs,butwecanALWAYSdobetter.Beingnumberoneintheworldisaheavy

burden.Youwilloftenfeelthatyouarenotready—thatyouhaven’ttrainedenoughinacertainareaoryou’renotintopphysicalshapeorthereareshortfallsinyourgear.Takeaction.Atanytimeyoucouldhavetoriskyourlifeonadangerous,real-worldmission.Knowingthiswillhappeninadvance,likerightnowasyou

readthis,willmakeyoutrainthatmuchhardertogettothehighestpossiblelevelofreadiness.Putout110percentineveryendeavor.Identifyyourweakpoints,tacklethemaggressively,andmakethemyourstrongpoints.d.TheSEALworkethic.Ourjobisnoteighttofive.Youcannotbenumberoneintheworldandnotputin

extrahours.Don’tbelazy;itisinfectious.Ifsomepartofyourplatoon’strainingisnotworking,perhapsit’samatterofcommandandcontroloragearproblemoratacticalmaneuver;fixitnow!Don’tletitgoorputitofftothenexttrainingday.Asanewguyintheplatoonyouhavetherightto

speakupandtakeactiononissueslikethis.

Asanewguy,you’llfindthelearningcurvemoresteepanddifficult.Youwillberequiredtoknowandperformanumberoftaskstoahighoperationalstandard.Youwillhavetomasterspecificassigneddutiesintheplatoonorganization.Thismeansworkingovertimetogetthejobdone.Thiswill

notend,evenwhenyouhaveadeploymentortwounderyourbelt.ItistheSEALworkethic.e.Responsibility/Accountability.Ultimately,youhavearesponsibilitytothechainofcommandandtothiscountrytobepreparedtoriskyourlifeandthelivesofyourteammatesasyougointoharm’swaytosuccessfullycompletethemission.Youareaccountable

todowhatisnecessarytomakethishappen.Thatisthebigpicture.Onasmallerscale,takeyourresponsibilitiesseriouslyandbeaccountableforyouractions.f.Beasubject-matterexpertinyourfield.Weareasmallcommunityandwerelyonin-housesubject-matterexpertsincommunications,ordnance,airoperations,divingoperations,intelligence,etc.,toaccomplish

ourmissions.Strivetobethe“goto”guyinyourfield—theonetheycometofortherightanswer.Knowallthereferences,knowwhatotherservice/unitsaredoinginyourfield;strivetoknoweverythingthereistoknowaboutyourdepartmentorareaofexpertise.g.Trainasyouwouldfight.AnoldArmysayingbuta

goodone.Whenpossible,trainwithallthegearyouwilluseinrealcombat.Trainashardandasrealisticallypossible.Thatmeansdon’tcutcorners.Duringyourplatoontraining,ifyouaccomplisheverythingsuccessfully,thenthetrainingneedstobemorechallenging.Neversay,“Ifthiswasreal,I’dhavethispieceofgearwithme,orwe’ddoit

thisway.”Trainasyouwouldfight.UseSimunitionsasmuchaspossibleinurban,CQC,VBSS,andland-warfaretraining.WheneverpossibleuseroleplayersandotherSEALstoopposeyou.Youmaylearnthattacticsyouusedforshootingpapertargetsorbullettrapsinthekillhousemayhavetobechangedormodified.h.Don’tgetcocky;stay

humble.Rememberthedisadvantageswealwaysface:

•Fightinginanunfamiliarforeigncountry—someone’sbackyard.•Badguyswhoarehighlytrained.Theymayhavealotmorereal-worldcombatexperiencethanyoudo,havetop-of-the-linegear,andmayknowourtactics.•Badguyswhoarepassionateabouttheircauseandwanttokillyou

intheworstway.•Remember,wearingaTridentdoesn’tmakeyouinvincible.

i.Thinkaheadandstayorganized.j.Whenyouhaveagoodideathatbenefitsyourplatoon/team,shareitwithotherteams.k.Officersandpettyofficersneedtobeadministrativelysavvy;beproficientwithawardsandevaluations;takecareofyourmen.l.Lookoutforyourbuddies

onandoffduty.m.Stayphysicallyfit;bejustassmartasyouaretough.n.YouareanambassadorofNSWwhereveryougo.Youenjoyareputationthatwasearnedbytheblood,sweat,andtoilofthetruefrogmenofold.Youhaven’tearnedthis;youhaveinheritedit,basedonthegoodfaiththatyouwillfurther

thetradition.Donothingtotarnishsomethingyouhaven’tearnedbythought,word,ordeed.o.Ifyoudon’tknowordidn’tunderstand,ASK!It’syourresponsibilitytofindout.Research;demonstrateanunquenchabledesiretoknoweverythingaboutyourjob.p.Ifsomethingisbrokenornotright,taketheinitiativetofixitormakeitright!Don’twaitfor

someoneelsetotakeaction.q.Alwayscheckyourequipmentagainbeforegoingintothefield.Makesureyouhaveeverythingandthatit’sserviceable.LPOandCPOinspectionsaretomakesurethishappens.r.ListenandtakenotesduringallPatrolLeaderOrder.Priortogoingintothefield,knowtheminimum:

•Routesinandout.Haveamap

andcompass.•Rallypoints.•Basiccommunicationsplan,callsigns,andfrequencies.•Actionsattheobjective.•Yourplatoon’smedicalplan.•YourE&E[evasionandescape]plan.

s.ALWAYSrehearse/DirtDiveeverything.Planthedive(operation).Divetheplan.t.Mobility.Takeonlywhatyouabsolutelyneedinthefield.Whentheshithitsthefan,youwantto

beaslightaspossibleandfastonyourfeet.Youneedenergyandmobilitytowinandsurvive.u.Thereisnosecondplaceinagunfight.Winnerskill,losersgetkilled.Fighttowin.Traintolive.v.Allencountersduringamissionareathreattoyourteam.Neverdropyoursecurityandalwaysexpectcontact.Neverturnyour

backonathreat.w.Ittakesashootertoleadashooter.x.Theeasywayoutmaynotbethesafestwayout.y.Iftheenemyisinrange,soareYOU!z.Tracersworkbothways.

Conclusion: You are a U.S. Navy SEAL, feared by theenemy and respected as the best maritime warrior inthe world. Others envy your iron willpower andsuperior physical toughness. Countless men havedreamed they would become SEALs. Thousandshave tried, but only a select few ever earn the right towear the Trident. Wherever you go, whatever you do,whomever you meet, remember this: you areresponsible for your actions. You must protect anddefend your country to the best of your ability anduphold the honor of the U.S. Navy and the Navy SEALTeams. There is no “I” in SEAL team.

You exist to serve the mission. No one owes youanything. You are always on duty, every moment ofyour career. Your responsibility to be fit and ready tofight never ceases. A crisis will not wait until youcomplete your next training cycle or recover from ahangover. A warrior’s responsibility to be ready forcombat never goes on liberty or leave. Think positivemission accomplishment at all times. Synchronizeand train your mind and your will just as you train yourbody. Discipline yourself. Study tactical and

leadership material daily. It is only a matter of timebefore you will engage the enemy in a gunfight. SEALoperations mean you may have to stand toe to toewith an enemy. For those who want to win, there isnever enough time to train. Aggressively seek anyknowledge that will assure mission accomplishmentand make you a survivor and a winner. Never lose thedesire to find a new tactic or technique that will makethe difference for you and your teammates.

Be openly patriotic. You pay for that right. Wearyour uniform proudly and with the same precision andquality with which you would execute a mission.

Live the legend of the teams every day. NCDUs,UDTs, and SEALs have been decorated forincredible acts of valor and accomplished seeminglyimpossible feats in combat. You are responsible forcarrying the SEAL reputation above and beyond yourpredecessors. Carry yourself with SEAL confidenceand professionalism. Leave all who come in contactwith you with a positive sense of your combat skills,your loyalty, and your tactical savvy. Make the Tridentstand out as the most select special operationsinsignia in the world.

Be passionate in the pursuit of excellence. Becautious when working with those who are not. Neverallow another man’s attitude to jeopardize the mission[or] your teammates’ lives. Look for the best in yourteammates, not the worst. There are plenty of flawswithin each of us. Look for the positive; help andassist those with weaknesses. Openly build andcultivate the close esprit-de-corps that has made theteams famous.

Never show weakness or dissension to anyoneoutside the teams. When you speak, you learnnothing; you learn only by listening. Listen, then speak,and speak from the heart. Take only those actionsthat make you a stronger SEAL or strengthen theteams. Think before you act. If an action does notmake you or the team better, then don’t take it. Youmust use every precious moment of training to moveforward and prepare for combat. You must always beaware that your every action affects the reputation ofthe team. Never lose the physical and mental couragethat you discovered in yourself in BUD/S. You will failat many things as an individual during your career butyou will always face combat as a member of a team.Never be a loner; never leave a teammate alone. Relyon your teammates and never let them down. You area member of the Naval Special Warfare community;you are the teams.

Looking back on the good times, the bad times,and the hard times in my career in the teams, it hasbeen challenging, rewarding, and fun. If I had to do itall over again, I would relive my career in the teams.The experiences and the lifetime friends I have madeare priceless.

Have fun, train hard, and when the time comes, kickass. It was great working with you.

Cold-Weather Training—Kodiak

Island, Alaska

Even though he now wore the Trident, Ensign Murphywas still assigned to the NSW Center for anothermandatory training course. Like each of his previoustraining courses, it would offer new challenges andrequire the acquisition of an entirely new and differentset of skills.

After twenty-four hours of well-deserved leave andanother twenty-four hours of preparation, EnsignMurphy found himself on Kodiak Island, Alaska.Claiming more American bald eagles than seagulls,Kodiak is the largest island in the United Statesoutside of the Hawaiian Islands. The SEAL trainingcompound was located at Camp Spruce, home of theNaval Special Warfare Detachment, Kodiak, andconsisted of two steel buildings that containedsleeping facilities, a classroom, equipment bays, agalley, and a small clinic. A third building served as aboat barn, an indoor climbing facility, and a smallerstorage area.

This three-week training evolution was designed totrain Michael and his classmates how to survive insome of the harshest conditions and terrain. Thistraining had become vital because SEALs might findthemselves involved in operations in the highestelevations of the Hindu Kush mountain range inAfghanistan.

The first few days were spent in the classroom,where the students received medical, nutritional, andenvironmental briefings and learned about cold-weather gear—how to use and care for it. They wereissued their protective combat uniform (PCU), thecold-weather garment issue that formed an entireclothing system, consisting of multiple layers ofspecial fabric and outer materials to protect thewearer in temperatures as low as 50° below zeroFahrenheit. The system had seven separate layers ofvarying thickness to permit the wearer to mix andmatch the layers to fit the environment.

They were also issued their field equipment, calledpersonal environmental protection and survivalequipment (PEPSE), which consisted of a sleepingbag, a sleeping shelter, ground pads, cookingutensils, water bottles, a portable stove system,boots, balaclavas (knit caps), several hats, and sixpairs of gloves and mittens, as well as a water-filtration system, a pack shovel, a folding saw, and aclimbing harness. For mobility they were issuedsnowshoes, crampons, and folding ski poles.

Their last issue was the military assault suit (MAS).A lightweight dry suit designed for surface swimmingin frigid waters, it featured latex wrist and neck sealsand a waterproof zipper. With built-in feet, it could beworn with sneakers or boots.

Upon completing a few days of classroompreparation, the new SEALs were off to the field.Their first exercise occurred over three days and twonights. The objective of this exercise was tofamiliarize the men with the equipment. Drills wereconducted at low elevations in which the men used

altimeters and contour maps to navigate their waythrough the rough terrain. During this first exercisethey carried only sixty-five pounds of gear—nooperational equipment or weapons. The first nightwas spent near sea level. The second day found themoperating at an elevation of twenty-one hundred feet,and spending the night at fifteen hundred feet.

On the third day, the SEALs returned to sea level,where they developed a real appreciation of theequipment they were issued earlier. In what wascalled the rewarming exercise, each man strippeddown to his underwear and waded into the 42° waterup to his neck and remained there for ten minutes.The objective was to lower the body temperatureseveral degrees. The men all knew that after those tenminutes they had exactly six minutes—a period knownas the six golden minutes—to get warm. They weretaught that their low core body temperature would goeven lower as they began to move about and bloodflow was restored to their arms, hands, fingers, legs,feet, and toes. It was imperative that the SEALs getwarm quickly. Working in pairs, they dried off with onelayer of their PCUs while putting on another. Afterputting on a balaclava and a stocking cap, one got thestove going and began to heat water while the othererected a sleeping shelter. Both got quickly into theirsleeping bags and then went into their shelter whilethe water heated up. The objective was to get warmliquids and a hot meal prepared.

After this training evolution, Michael and hisclassmates received a day off to reassemble andrepack their equipment, then went back into theclassroom, then went back out for another fieldtraining evolution. Before their three weeks of trainingwere complete, they had practiced climbing andrappelling on dangerous cliffs in the most brutal ofweather conditons with full gear, during both day andnight, when the only light is that from the moon and thestars. Their final training evolution was conducted inweather conditions common to Kodiak Island—a fullblizzard that delayed their flight back to NSW for twodays.

After returning to Coronado, the men were releasedand dispatched to their teams. Those reporting toSEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams, including EnsignMichael Murphy, would remain at the NSW Center.

SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV)Training

Volunteering for the SDV Teams placed EnsignMurphy at the apex of the NSW teams. Heparticipated in an intensive three-month programconducted at the NSW Command Detachment SDVin Panama City, Florida, which taught SEALs how tooperate the MK-16 mixed-gas dive rig and to pilotand navigate the MK-8 SEAL Delivery Vehicle. TheSDV is a “wet” submersible used to conduct long-range underwater missions. Much of the training and

information regarding the MK-8 as well as the newAdvanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) remainsclassified.

Graduating on July 1, 2002, Ensign Michael P.Murphy again signed for his Fitness Report andCounseling Record, which stated in part: “...completed two weeks of MK 16 UnderwaterBreathing Apparatus Operator course with 80 contacthours of instruction including maritime CombatSwimmer operations during day and nightenvironments. Completed 10 weeks of SEALDelivery Vehicle (SDV) Operator/Navigator courseconsisting of 64 hours of high risk diving operations,548 contact hours of instruction in basic pilot andnavigator skills, SDV subsystems, maintenanceprocedures and mission planning.”

Having been promoted to lieutenant (junior grade),Michael Murphy served as the assistant operationsofficer, assisted with schools management, fieldtraining, and exercise planning and execution. Duringthe period of July 3-10, 2002, he deployed to CentralCommand (CENTCOM) as an assistant operationsofficer. His Fitness Report and Counseling Recordcovering the period of July 3, 2002 to January 2, 2003stated as follows:

LTJG is a model SEALOfficer. Possesses thesuperior leadership,creative ability and self-confidence traits to excelin any wardroomassignment. Deployed toCENTCOM AOR filling aKey 04 billet as a JointOperations CenterCommander. AssistantOperations Officer forExercise Early Victor 02,involving five CNSWTGs,and one SDV Task Unit.Expertly coordinatedeight full mission profilesand produced 35 dailysituational reports and adetailed after actionreport. TacticalOperations Center Watchofficer for a 14-daysubmarine underwayperiod. Served as keyinformation relay betweenunderway SSN andSEAL Platoon in the fieldresulting in five successfulat sea rendezvous andcertification of theSSN/NSW/ DDSpackage. Extremely fit.Regularly scoresoutstanding on NSWSEAL physical readinesstest. Junior officer mentor.

Developed electronicnotebook of NSWWarfare PQS studymaterials andrequirements greatlyincreasing junior officerreadiness for oral andwritten boards. Expertlycoordinated five CombatCapabilityDemonstrations for VIPsincludingCOMNAVSPECWARCOMand Secretary of the AirForce. Hard chargingOfficer with unlimitedpotential. Unquenchablethirst for knowledge ofNSW. Recommended forearly promotion,assignment as a PlatoonOIC, and follow-on PostGraduate education.

Michael’s Fitness Report and Counseling Recordfor the period of January 13-April 9, 2003 revealedthe following:

Ranked # 1 of 3outstanding LTJGs.Proven Wartimeperformer! Flawlesslyperformed as SOCCENTJoint Operations Centermaritime OperationsOfficer, a positionnormally filled by anO4/O5. Providedoperational-levelcoordination, support andoverwatch for highlysuccessful maritime SOFmissions in the openingphase of the Iraqicampaign. Theseoperations were vital tosecuring southern Iraq oilinfrastructure, directlysupporting of theachievement ofCOMUSENTCOMstrategic militaryobjectives.

Chosen for advanceparty to establishtransition of SOCCENToperational control intothe CENTCOM AOR.Helped ensure aseamless shift ofSOCCENT CO ofongoing operations.

Single-handedly

developed missiontracker used bySOCCENT to monitorspecial operationsmissions. Tracked andfacilitated combatoperations in support ofOperations ENDURINGFREEDOM and IRAQIFREEDOM. Theseoperations involved morethan 15,000 specialoperations forces from avariety of Coalitioncountries. Created flag-level briefings forCOMSOCENT andCOMUCENTCOM.

LTJG Murphy is one ofthe finest junior officers Ihave ever worked with. Arising star in NavalSpecial Warfare, his workethic, devotion to duty,and overallprofessionalism farexceeds that of his peers.Detail to only the mostdemanding assignments.Promote now!

The following assessment of Michael’sperformance comes from his Fitness Report andCounseling Record for the period March 1-July 3,2003, during which he served with SDVT-1.

INTELLIGENT ANDFOCUSED! LTJGMurphy excels in criticalposition of responsibility.AGGRESSIVEOPERATOR. As ALFAPlatoon AOIC, LTJGMurphy deomonstratedsuperior operationalacumen and led 12SEALs in executing fivehigh-risk at-seamaritime/air trainingevolutions and twentyarduous combatswimmer diving profiles.DEDICATEDPROFESSIONAL. Hand-selected to deploy asFuture Operations Officerfor NSWTG-HOA. Ledreal world operationalplanning for sensitive andhighly classified intrusiveISR operations, whichencompassed three largesurface combatants, a

nuclear submarine, a P-3squadron, for NSW RIBs,three SEAL platoons andan NSW Task Group. Hisefforts facilitated missionsuccess and positivelyimpacted the War onTerror!Meticulous manager.LTJG Murphy’s skill withadministrativetechnologies andattention to detail ensureaccurate accountabilityfor 16 platoon membersand over $8M in materialand equipment.Personable mentor.Recognizes potentialleaders and continualychallenges juniorpersonnel to reach fornew heights and apply forcommissioningprograms.LTJG Murphy is a matureand motivated NSWOfficer whos soundjudgement andoperationasl expertiseforetell a highly successfulNSW career. PROMOTEEARLY AND ASSIGN ASPLATOONCOMMANDER!

CHAPTER TEN

Warrior Community and Structure

Onlyasawarriorcanonewithstandthepathofknowledge.Awarriorcannotcomplainorregretanything.Hislifeisanendlesschallenge,andchallengescannotpossiblybegoodorbad.Challengesaresimplychallenges.

—CARLOS CASTANEDA, Journey to Ixtlan (New York: Simon &Schuster, 1972)

Overview

The NSW Command was commissioned April 16,1987, at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado,California. As the Naval special operationscomponent in the United States Special OperationsCommand (USSOCOM), headquartered at MacDillAir Force Base in Tampa, Florida, it is responsiblefor providing the vision, leadership, doctrinalguidance, resources, and oversight needed to ensurethat its units are ready to meet the missionrequirements of commanders.

requirements of commanders.The mission of the commander of the Naval

Special Warfare Command is to prepare NSW forcesto carry out assigned missions and to developmaritime special operations strategy, doctrine, andtactics. It exercises operational control over all U.S.-based NSW Command training, has operationalcontrol over all U.S.based Naval Special Warfareforces, and is responsible for training, equipping,supporting, and providing trained and ready forces tothe combatant commanders. The commander ofNSW Command is a Navy flag officer, Rear AdmiralEdward G. Winters III.

The Naval Special Warfare Center serves as theschoolhouse for much Naval Special Warfare training.It is a major component of the Naval Special WarfareCommand and is commanded by an NSW captain. Inaddition to the twenty-sixweek BUD/S and nine-weekSpecial Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC)courses, the Center also conducts advancedmaritime special operations training for NSW andother service-component SOF personnel. The Centermaintains a detachment at the Naval AmphibiousBase, Little Creek, in Virginia, for selected training ofpersonnel assigned to commands on the East Coast.

There are three types of personnel assigned toNAVSPECWARCOM: NSW officers, Navy enlistedSEALs, and Special Warfare Combatant-craftCrewmen.

Mission

The NSW mission areas include unconventionalwarfare, direct action, combating terrorism, specialreconnaissance, foreign internal defense, informationwarfare, security assistance, counterdrug operations,personnel recovery, and hydrographicreconnaissance. NSW forces can operateindependently or integrate with other U.S. specialoperations forces or within U.S. Navy carrier battlegroups and amphibious ready groups.

Naval Special Warfare units are organized, trained,and equipped to conduct special operations inmaritime and riverine environments. They aredeployed in small units around the world in support offleet and national operations. They provide aneffective means to apply an effective counterforce inconjunction with national policy and objectives inpeacetime and across the spectrum of hostilities frompeacetime operations to limited war and to generalwar.

Structure

NSW is a highly structured and close-knitorganization. The major operational components ofNaval Special Warfare Command include NavalSpecial Warfare Group One and Special Boat

Squadron One, located in Coronado, California, andNaval Special Warfare Group Two and Special BoatSquadron Two, stationed in Little Creek, Virginia.These components deploy SEAL teams, SEALDelivery Vehicle Teams, and Special Boat Units(SBUs) throughout the world.

Naval Special Warfare Groups (NSWGs) are majorcommands led by a Navy captain that providecommand and control as well as trained and readySEAL and SDV platoons and forces to specificgeographic areas. NSW Groups One and Two areorganized into (1) three SEAL teams, consisting ofsix sixteen-man platoons, which conductreconnaissance, direct action, unconventionalwarfare, foreign internal defense, and otheroperations in maritime or riverine environments; (2)one SDV Team, which operates and maintainssubmersible vehicles that deliver and recover SEALsin hostile areas and conduct reconnaissance anddirect-action missions; and (3) NSW Units, which aresmall command-and-control elements located outsidethe continental United States used to support otherNSW forces assigned to theater special operationscommanders (SOCs) or components of naval taskforces.

A Naval Special Warfare Command CombatService Support Team (CSST) is assigned to eachNSW Group and provides a full range of support fordesignated SEAL teams, Special Boat Units, NSWTask Groups/Task Units, and/or special mission units.Special Boat Squadrons, also commanded by Navycaptains, equip, support, and provide trained andready special operations ships and craft to theassigned geographic areas of operations. Eachcommand is comprised of one or more active orreserve component Special Boat Units (SBUs) andCyclone-class Patrol Coastal (PC) ships.

SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team

Although SEALs are expert combat swimmers, thereare times when the distances they must swim wouldbe too great for them to remain effective, or when theyhave too much gear to transport to the sitethemselves. SDV Teams use underwater SDV craftto increase the areas in which SEALs can operate.SDV Teams usually deploy from submarines, butwhen necessary, they can also deploy from shore-based stations or surface ships. The SDV provideslife support for the embarked SEALs. The older boatsallow each SEAL to plug into an onboard air sourceand are flooded during operations, but the newAdvanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) carries theSEALs in a dry compartment, keeping them warmerlonger and increasing their effectiveness once theyreach their drop-off point. Each type of SDV ispowered by batteries and offers navigation andcommunications equipment in addition to thepropulsion and life-support systems.

The primary SDV used by SEALs currently is theMK-8 Mod 1. At 22 feet, it is rated to carry six SEALs(two operators and four passengers). It can travel at

about six knots out to a range of about seventy miles,although in many cases the effects of water conditionson the crew is more of a limitation than the batterypower of the SDV. The MK-9 SDV was developed tocarry a crew of two SEALs and two MK 37 torpedoesfor use in standoff attacks against enemy shipping buthas been superseded by the MK-8.

The MK-8 is used to conduct long-rangesubmerged missions as well as deliver SEALs orother agents onto enemy territory from a submarine orother vessel at sea. Mission usage would includeunderwater mapping and terrain exploration, locationand recovery of lost or downed objects, offshore andin-port intelligence collection, and infiltration orexfiltration of personnel on direct-action missions.

The latest addition to the delivery vehicles is thenew Advanced SEAL Delivery System. It is a dry, 65-foot mini submersible used for long-range insertion ofSEALs from a larger platform, either a surface ship ora submarine. Along with its increased range, speed,and capacity above that of the MK-8, it has thedistinct advantage of keeping the SEALs dry, therebyminimizing their exposure to cold and fatigue whilebeing transported to their target. The ASDS can alsobe transported by land, sea, or air by C-5 or C-17aircraft.

T w o Los Angeles-class submarines, the USSGreenville and the USS Charlotte, have beenstructurally modified to carry the ASDS, which isconnected to the ship by a watertight hatch. With asophisticated sonar and hyperbaric recompressionchamber and operating with a sixty-sevenhorsepower electric motor, the ASDS is manned by acrew of two and can carry eight SEALs.

There are two SDV Teams. SEAL Delivery VehicleTeam One (SDVT-1) is based at Pearl Harbor,Hawaii, and operates in the Pacific Command andCentral Command geographic areas. Team Two isbased at Little Creek, Virginia, and conductsoperations throughout the Atlantic, Southern, andEuropean Command areas.

SEAL Team

Currently there are ten SEAL teams, each under theleadership of a Navy commander, consisting of sixoperational SEAL platoons with a headquarterselement and support personnel.

SEAL Platoon

A SEAL platoon is the largest operational elementthat will normally be used to conduct a mission. ANavy lieutenant normally commands a SEAL platoon.A platoon consists of sixteen SEALs—two officers,one chief petty officer, and thirteen enlisted men. Thesenior officer is the platoon commander or officer incharge, the junior officer is his assistant, the seniorenlisted man is the platoon chief, and the next seniorenlisted man is the leading petty officer. The LPO is incharge of the day-to-day management of the enlisted

platoon members.A platoon may divide into two squads of eight or

four elements of four. All SEALs are dive, parachute,and demolitions qualified. They can destroy orsabotage enemy shipping, port and harbor facilities,bridges, railway lines, communications centers, andother lines of communication, or infiltrate and exfiltrateselected personnel by submarine, surface vessel,aircraft, or land vehicle. They also can conductreconnaissance and surveillance in multipleenvironments, and organize, train, and assist U.S.,allied, and other friendly military or paramilitary forcesin the conduct of special operations.

Primary or Core Missions

Regardless of whether a SEAL team is workingstrictly for the Navy or as a component of a joint taskforce operating within the USSOCOM, SEALs havenine primary or core missions:

1. Direct action (DA).Direct actionrefers to small-unit, short-durationstrike operations designed todestroy, seize, capture, recover, orinflict damage on facilities orpersonnel in denied overseasareas. This type of mission cantake place on land or at seaagainst all types of fixed or mobiletargets, and may take the form of araid, an ambush, sabotage, or adirect assault, which may beaccompanied by explosives orhandheld weapons. SEALs alsoconduct standoff attacks from theground, water, or aircraft, andemploy handheld laser devices toguide aircraft or weapons strikes.Their targets are always ofstrategic, operational, or tacticalimportance, and may be hit well inadvance of declared or formalhostilities.2 . Counterterrorism (CT).Increasing in importance iscounterterrorism, which refers tooffensive action taken to preempt,deter, or respond to terrorism. Thisis a highly specialized mission typerequiring specialized courses andtraining for those who perform it.Certain special operations forcesfrom the Army, Navy, and Air Forceare assigned full-time to thisprimary mission throughout theworld. Maintaining a high state ofreadiness, they can deployoverseas on short notice. CTactivities may include attacks onterrorist organizations and facilities

having strategic importance tothose groups.3 . Foreign internal defense (FID).This primary mission type involvesactive assistance by U.S. militaryand civilian government agenciesin aiding a foreign country in itsefforts to fight subversion,lawlessness, or insurgency. TheSEALs’ primary contribution to thismission type is to train, advise, andassist the host nation’s military andparamilitary forces. They alsoassist in the development of theirhost’s maritime capabilities andinstruct its forces about tacticaloperations on its rivers and alongits coastlines.4 . Unconventional warfare (UW).In contrast to direct action, UWinvolves a long-duration, covert orclandestine military or paramilitaryoperation conducted by local orsurrogate forces overseas. SEALsand other SOF and certaingovernment agencies organize,train, equip, and support theseforces to varying degrees toachieve U.S. strategic objectives.5 . Special reconnaissance (SR).SR is performed when intelligence-gathering activities are bestaccomplished by humans on theground with their eyes on thetarget. It is conducted to collectinformation on the capabilities,intentions, and activities of theenemy. SR is also conducted toprovide vital weather,hydrographic, and geographicinformation about a specific target.Prestrike SR is done toaccomplish target acquisition,while poststrike SR assesses thebattle damage inflicted againsttargets identified. SR can also bedone to assess chemical,biological, nuclear, orenvironmental hazards.6 . Psychological operations(PSYOPS). Psychologicaloperations are conducted toinfluence the emotions, motives,objective reasoning, and ultimatelythe decision-making processes offoreign governments,organizations, groups, andindividuals. This is accomplishedthrough dissemination of selectedinformation or disinformationdistributed by a wide variety ofmeans, such as radio, media, or

leaflets dropped by aircraft.7. Civil affairs operations (CAOs).Capitalizing on U.S. relationshipswith foreign military forces,government organizations, and thecivilian population, these civilaffairs operations are conductedby specially trained and equippedunits. These operations could beconducted in friendly, neutral, orhostile areas before, during, andafter military action. A civil affairsoperation could include setting upand managing a hospital, a school,or other local governmentfunctions.8 . Information operations (IOs).These operations are conducted toaffect an enemy’s technologicaland information infrastructure, suchas computers, command andcontrol, and sophisticatedweapons systems, while at thesame time defending our ownsystems.9 . Counterproliferation (CP) ofweapons of mass destruction(WMD). This mission typeencompasses actions taken toseize, destroy, render safe,capture, or recover WMD. Specialoperations forces provide uniquecapabilities to both monitor andsupport foreign countries’compliance with arms controltreaties or agreements.

SEAL Missions

SEALs have performed these core or primarymissions around the globe. An integral part of SEALtraining is studying previous missions. During thisprocess they not only analyze what went right andwhat went wrong, but also, more important, why andhow to prevent errors from reoccurring on futuremissions. Michael Murphy and his classmatesexamined numerous previous SEAL missions.

• Operation Urgent Fury. In October1983 President Ronald Reagansent U.S. forces to the island ofGrenada to obtain the release ofU.S. students being held hostage.SEAL Teams Four and Six wereattached to U.S. forces to aid in theassault.• Operation Earnest Will was ineffect from 1987 through 1989.SEALs were part of a policingforce that was to prevent Iranians

from seeding mines in a maritimeseaway used by many of theworld’s oil tankers. SEALsparticipated in an assault on theship Iranian Air, which U.S. Armyscout helicopters had found layingmines. The ship fired on thehelicopters when ordered to stop.The ship and crew were capturedwithout U.S. casualties.• On April 14, 1988, the USSSamuel B. Roberts hit a mineplaced by the Iranians. On April 18,SEALs took part in OperationPraying Mantis in retaliation.• Operation Just Cause. InDecember 1989 SEALs werecharged with two missions; bothinvolved preventing Panamaniandictator Manuel Noriega’s escape.One team was assigned to disabletwo fast boats while the otherdisabled his Learjet at the PatillaAirfield near Panama City. FourSEALs were killed, and eightseriously wounded.• Operation Desert Shield. SEALswere present in the Persian Gulfwhen Iraq invaded Kuwait onAugust 2, 1990. Following theinvasion, SEAL Team Five andNavy Special Boat Units were ableto cross the Kuwaiti border beforeit was sealed off by the invadingIraqi forces. In addition to TeamFive, Teams One and Three werein the country on various missions.• Operation Desert Storm. OnFebruary 23, 1991, SEALs werethe first into Kuwait City, racingahead of Allied forces to scoutIraqi resistance in Fast AttackVehicles, and later escorted theU.S. ambassador to the U.S.embassy and provided perimetersecurity.• In February 2000 the Russian-flagged Volgoneft-147 was forciblyboarded by fast rope by SEALTeam Two after it had failed tostop for boarding and inspectionunder suspicion of smuggling Iraqioil, in violation of U.S. sanctions.• Operation Restore Hope. In 1993SEALs were involved in thepeacekeeping missions inSomalia, initially providing beachhydrographic reconnaissance forMarine units that would be landing.SEALs were subsequently involvedin the Battle of Mogadishu onOctober 3-4, 1993.

In any trouble spot throughout the world, whereverand whenever American interests are threatened,SEALs are most likely involved. In most cases SEALsare in and out before the main combat action begins,a role requiring a special breed of warrior.

SEAL “Community”

There are just over two thousand active-duty SEALoperators, comprising about one-tenth of the U.S.Navy’s personnel. Because of the nature of theirhighly specialized training and missions, members ofthe SEAL community tend to be very close-mouthedand guarded. The elite of all special operationsforces, SEAL operators are fully mindful of theirtraining, responsibilities, and, most important, theirethos. SEALs effectively “police” themselves and arehesitant about, if not resistant to, non-SEAL or -NSWattempts to penetrate their community.

While some may view this reluctance as beingaloof or arrogant, it is neither. The SEAL bond andsense of community is developed in and throughBUD/S training. While the first law of nature is self-preservation, the metamorphosis, the fundamentalrewiring, of those who successfully complete BUD/Sbrings the SEAL to realize that any one of histeammates is more important than himself. It is thisfundamental mind-set that separates SEALS from allother military units and that is foreign to most non-SEAL operators. It is the mind-set of a warrior.

Having completed BUD/S, each and every SEALknows what every other SEAL knows. In the civilianworkplace many people with many different thoughtprocesses, training, capabilities, and characterintermingle with varying degrees of attitude andcommitment, if any, to the overall mission of theenterprise. In all too many cases, most believe thatwhat is best for them is what is best for everyone elseand the workplace.

However, as a member of the warrior community,all SEAL operators know each other’s thoughtprocesses, endurance, training, capabilities, andcharacter. They know that their lives are in theirteammates’ hands. This knowledge of each other isnecessary to accomplish their core missions, and it isthis stark distinction from the civilian world that mayappear to isolate SEAL operators from others.

SEALs are fully aware that they are the most highlytrained and specialized military unit in the world, andthat SEAL missions are, in most cases, beyond thelevel of training and capability of any other militaryunit. With that awareness comes an underlying level ofconfidence that is clearly visible in how SEALs talk,act, and carry themselves, as well as in theirinteraction with the civilian populace. It is thisfundamental difference that may lead some to viewSEAL operators as distant and overbearing.

But there is a difference between confidence andconceit, commitment and convenience, and characterand contrition. It is the SEALs’ fundamental difference

in thought process and attitude that provides themwith confidence, commitment, and character.Thankfully, conceit, convenience, and contrition simplydo not apply to the warrior community.

Unlike the mission statements framed on manycorporate walls, but in most cases totally unknown totheir workers, the SEAL Creed is ingrained into everyaspect of a SEAL’s being. The SEAL Creed is notsimply words. SEALs eat it, breathe it, and live it—every minute of every day:

In times of war anduncertainty there is aspecial breed of warriorready to answer ourNation’s call. A commonman with uncommondesire to succeed.Forged by adversity, hestands alongsideAmerica’s finest specialoperations forces toserve his country, theAmerican people, andprotect their way of life. Iam that man.My Trident is a symbol ofhonor and heritage.Bestowed upon me bythe heroes that have gonebefore, it embodies thetrust of those I am swornto protect. By wearing theTrident I accept theresponsibility of mychosen profession andway of life. It is a privilegethat I must earn every day.My loyalty to Country andTeam is beyondreproach. I humbly serveas a guardian to myfellow Americans, alwaysready to defend thosewho are unable to defendthemselves. I do notadvertise the nature of mywork, or seek recognitionfor my actions. I voluntarilyaccept the inherenthazards of my profession,placing the welfare andsecurity of others beforemy own.I serve with honor on andoff the battlefield. Theability to control myemotions and my actions,regardless ofcircumstance, sets meapart from other men.Uncompromising integrityis my standard. My

character and honor aresteadfast.My Word is my Bond.We expect to lead and beled. In the absence oforders I will take charge,lead my teammates andaccomplish the mission. Ilead by example in allsituations.I will never quit. Ipersevere and thrive onadversity. My Nationexpects me to bephysically harder andmentally stronger than myenemies. If knockeddown, I will get back up,every time. I will draw onevery remaining ounce ofstrength to protect myteammates andaccomplish our mission. Iam never out of the fight.We demand discipline.We expect innovation.The lives of myteammates and thesuccess of our missiondepend on me—mytechnical skill, tacticalproficiency, and attentionto detail. My training isnever complete.We train for war and fightto win. I stand ready tobring the full spectrum ofcombat power to bear inorder to achieve mymission and the goalsestablished by mycountry. Execution of myduties will be swift andviolent when required yetguided by the veryprinciples that I serve todefend.Brave men have foughtand died building theproud tradition andfeared reputation that Iam bound to uphold. Inthe worst of conditions,the legacy of myteammates steadies myresolve and silentlyguides my every deed. Iwill not fail.

SEALs are not maniacal individuals hell-bent onself-destruction. They have hopes and dreams forthemselves and their families just like each of us do.However, SEALs are acutely aware that freedom is

not free. They understand better than most thateverything has a price that must be paid. Like theSpartan warriors described in Steven Pressfield’sGates of Fire, SEALs know that their “seasons aremarked ... not by calendared years themselves, but bybattles. Campaigns fought and comrades lost; trialsof death survived. Clashes and conflicts from whichtime effaces all superficial recall, leaving only thefields themselves and their names, which achieve inthe warrior’s memory a stature ennobled beyond allother modes of commemoration, purchased with theholy coin of blood and paid for with the lives ofbeloved brothers-in-arms.”

SEALs give all and ask for nothing. Their reward iscoming home to their families and friends, watchingthem and others enjoy the freedoms they helpedsecure, ever vigilant that for as long as the Lordtarries, the fight is never complete.

Thank God for America’s warriors. We continue toenjoy our freedoms because of men such as these.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Deployment Work-up

Theonlyeasydaywasyesterday.

—SEAL motto, quoted in Richard Schoenberg, The Only Easy DayWas Yesterday

SEAL platoons operate on a twenty-four-month cycle.Of those twenty-four months, eighteen consist oftraining work-up followed by a six-month deploymentoverseas in an operational status. The type of trainingwork-up is dictated by three major factors: advancedindividual and platoon-level skills that will benecessary for the conduct of all special operations,the anticipated methods of delivery (insertion) andextraction most likely to be used while on deployment,and the geographical area of operations.

The West Coast (odd-numbered) teams areprimarily responsible for the Pacific Rim, the FarEast, Africa and the Middle East, and eastern blocregions; the East Coast (even-numbered) teams areresponsible for South and Central America, theMediterranean and Caribbean areas, Europe, andRussia. Even though the teams have primary areas ofresponsibility, the Global War on Terror (GWOT)dictates that each team be utilized to maximumefficiency, thereby necessitating an overlapping ofgeographic regions of responsibility.

In the teams SEAL operators are either on amission or preparing for the next one. It is a constantcycle. The predeployment work-up is divided intothree distinct phases: professional development(PRODEV), Unit Level Training (ULT), and SquadronIntegration Training (SIT).

Professional Development(PRODEV)

PRODEV is a six-month training block in whichindividual SEALs attend a number of schools andcourses, leading to individual qualifications anddesignations that, when combined with the otherSEALs, allow the platoon to operate as an effectiveoperational combat team. Depending on theoperational needs of the overall team, or platoon,

SEALs acquire any number of advanced skills:sniper; breaching; surreptitious entry; electronic andmedia exploitation; technical surveillance; high-threatprotective security; advanced weapons training;advanced driving skills (rural, urban, security);advanced climbing and rope skills; advanced airoperations, including high-altitude, low-opening(HALO) and high-altitude, high-opening (HAHO)parachute jumping; parachute rigging and packing;diving supervisor; range safety officer; instructorschool; leadership school; foreign weapons;unmanned aerial vehicle and precision bombingoperator; language school; and advanced specialoperations.

Unit Level Training (ULT)

ULT is the following six-month training block thatfollows PRODEV. It allows individual SEALs toperfect the skills they obtained during PRODEV andincorporate them into the platoon/team core missionareas: land warfare; close-quarters combat; urbanwarfare; maritime interdiction; combat-swimmeroperations; long-range interdiction; air operations;special reconnaissance and maritime operations;and combat operations involving advancedmarksmanship and heavy weapons.

The first ninety days of ULT is commonly spent ongetting back to basics, such as hydrographicreconnaissance combined with underwaterdemolition of submerged targets. Another twenty-onedays are spent on air training, including several “Duckdrops” from different aircraft during both day andnight. “Duck drop” is a term used to describe thepractice of dropping inflatable watercraft from aircraft.Other training includes combat equipment jumps, fast-roping, rappelling, and SPIE (Special PurposeInsertion/Extraction) rig techniques.

Mission planning is conducted in the classroom,followed by intelligence gathering and reporting. Thisis followed by Intel Week, when a platoon willreconnoiter a local utility facility, gatheringphotographic and sketch data, and then compile acomprehensive report on the facility’s strengths,weaknesses, and vulnerabilities.

Mission planning is followed by the CombatSwimmer course (CSC) over the next twenty-onedays. The platoon will execute over thirty dives in thiscourse, including a full mission profile, in whichSEALs are inserted by aircraft or surface vessel at apredetermined location for a thirty-mile “over-the-horizon” transit in a vehicle. This is followed by a“turtleback,” which is a surface swim in full dive gear,then a four-hour multileg dive into the enemy harbor toplace limpet mines on the hulls of designated targetships, and then evasion of the antiswimmer measuresput in place by the trainers.

The platoon then moves on to land warfare. Herethey again start with the basics of small-unit tactics,building to a full mission profile in simulated combat

situations. Here the training takes place nearly twenty-four hours a day. One of the SEALs’ favorite and mostintensive training exercises is the immediate-actiondrill (IAD). Although IADs are classified, it is safe tosay that they are so effective that they can totallymislead the enemy into believing that they are upagainst a whole company (one hundred men) ofsoldiers. Special attention is given to the use of smallarms, including pistols and sniper rifles. Skills neededfor sniper and countersniper operations and close-quarters battle are all emphasized.

The advanced land-warfare phase includes trainingin intelligence gathering; structural penetration; long-range reconnaissance and patrolling; close-quarterscombat; sniper/countersniper skills; advanced drivingskills; edged weapons; hand-to-hand combat;extreme environment survival; field medicine;explosives; small-unit tactics; infiltration andexfiltration; snatch-and-grab missions, and prisonerhandling.

The teams responsible for areas often covered withsnow conduct extreme cold-weather and winter-warfare training, usually in Alaska, Montana, NewYork, Norway, and Canada. This training coversmountaineering, free climbing, mountain patrollingand raiding, arctic survival and navigation, high-altitude mountaineering, camouflage, concealmentand cover techniques, fire and manuvering techniqueson skis and snowshoes, winter orienteering, cross-country skiing, evasion and escape, extreme cold-weather diving, snowshoeing, building snow cavesand shelters, winter survival, heavy weaponsmanagement, and avalanche survival.

The teams responsible for the parts of the worldcovered by dense jungle and swamp conduct theirtraining in the sweltering and treacherous jungles ofPanama or Pineros Island in Puerto Rico.

Squadron Integration Training (SIT)

During the third six-month training block, six platoons,along with their supporting SEAL squadron, SpecialBoat Squadrons, medical teams, explosive ordnancedisposal (EOD) detachment, interpreters, intelligenceunit, and cryptological support team, conductcoordinated advanced training under simulatedbattlefield conditions. A final intense, gradedcertification training exercise (CERTEX) is thenperformed by the entire SEAL team using battlefieldconditions. The purpose is to coordinate platoonoperations under a task force group umbrella whileusing live ammuition. After successfully completingthe CERTEX, the SEAL team becomes a SEALsquadron and is scheduled for deployment.

The Dangers of SEAL Training

Ensign Andy Haffele, a graduate of the U.S. NavalAcademy who had recently earned his Trident, arrivedat SDVT-1 in Pearl City, Hawaii, in 2003. He wasslated to become the third officer in charge in AlfaPlatoon, behind the platoon commander, LieutenantGeorge Stahl, and the assistant platoon commander,Lieutenant Michael Murphy. Murphy and Haffelequickly became good friends—as Haffele describedthem, “two peas in a pod.”

Approximately four months after joining AlfaPlatoon, Michael and Haffele were leading theirplatoon in conducting live-fire immediate-action drills(IADs) on Point Man Range at Schofield Barracks.Haffele later described IAD as being “as close toactual combat as you’re going to get without beingthere.” IADs were necessary, according to Haffele,because “when bullets are flying for real in bad guycountry, that is not the time to be involved in live firefor the first time. When it all hits the fan, you will fallback on your muscle memory. Muscle memory isdeveloped in training. Live rounds coming out the endof your weapon are completely different than blanks.You have to train as you will fight. Live fire isnecessary.”

Alfa Platoon had been conducting IADs severaltimes a day for the previous week or so. On March18, 2004, Alfa Platoon had divided into two squads.The second squad consisted of Chris Hall, DanHealy, Andy Haffele, Shane Patton, Michael Murphy,and Matthew Axelson. Both squads had walkedthrough the exercise without gunfire, and the firstsquad had completed the live-fire IAD. At about 2:45PM the second squad, led by Michael, was in squadformation patrolling the assigned training area.Suddenly the range safety officer detonated anexplosive charge and fired live rounds behind thesquad. The squad’s rear security officer, Chris Hall,yelled, “Contact rear!” Hall, Healy, Haffele, Patton,Murphy, and Axelson, who was on point, came towardthe rear to meet the threat. Murphy yelled, “Centerpeel!” the correct tactical manuever for the situation.

The center peel is designed with human psychologyin mind. This tactical manuever is utilized by modern-day military units when a smaller group of troopsneeds to withdraw from an engagement with a muchlarger force. Generally it is a sloped or diagonalretreat from the enemy utilizing suppression fire. Thediagonal motion of the manuever gives theimpression of increasing numbers of soldiers joiningthe battle, a psychological move designed todemoralize the opposition. The slanting motion alsohas the benefit of keeping open the field of fire.Retreating directly backward would put the soldier tooclosely behind his own men, severely limiting his fieldof fire.

All members of the squad went into their field offire, the target area directly in front of them. Chris Hallwas the first to get his weapon firing downrange; hewas followed by Dan Healy. Once Healy began firing,that was the signal for Hall to stop firing, put hisweapon on safe, get up, and retreat, tapping Haffeleon the shoulder as he passed. That was the signal for

Haffele to begin firing. Healy then stopped firing, puthis weapon on safe, got up, and retreated, tappingShane Patton on the shoulder as he passed. Thatwas the signal for Patton to begin firing. When Pattonbegan firing, Haffele stopped firing, put his weaponon safe, got up, and turned to retreat. He wasimmediately hit by a .556 green-tip round fromMurphy’s M4 and went down to the ground, unable tobreathe.

Murphy was the first to get to Haffele, followedwithin seconds by Chris Hall. With Haffele remainingfully conscious, Michael immediately placed a traumadressing and direct pressure over the now profuselybleeding wound in Haffele’s right upper chest. Thebullet had pierced the right axillary artery, resulting ina tension pneumothorax. Marcus Luttrell, the medic,and Corpsman John Dane quickly arrived and startedlifesaving treatment. Dane began insertingintravenous lines into both of Haffele’s arms whileLuttrell conducted a head-to-toe emergencyassessment. The fact that he might well have beendying never crossed Haffele’s mind until CommanderTodd DeGhetto, the commanding officer of SDVT-1,asked for his wife’s contact number. Andy andChrissy had only been married for seven months andlived near the base. He was loaded onto a backboardand placed in a transport truck and rushed to thehelicopter landing area and the awaiting Blackhawkmedevac helicopter. Luttrell ordered the pilot to headto Queen’s Medical Center, Oahu’s only Level ITrauma Center. Andy made it through five hours ofsurgery, fifty units of blood, and the administration oflast rights, Chrissy at his side. The next twelve hoursresulted in additional surgeries and an additionaltwenty units of blood.

Following four weeks of hospitalization, Haffele’sattention turned to the physical and occupationalrehabilitation of his right arm, which was nownonfunctional. During this time Michael Murphy was afrequent visitor. On several occasions Andy andMichael had heart-to-heart conversations, withMichael expressing extreme remorse for what hadhappened. During the subsequent investigation by thejudge advocate general, Commander DeGhettorepeatedly interviewed Michael Murphy and reportedthe following.

Mike was a young officerwith limited experienceand it is part of growingand learning, andunfortuately it had dire—almost direconsequences for AndyHaffele. Over the yearsthere have beennumerous close callswhen conducting live fireexercises, that after thefact everyone looksaround wipes their browand says, “Thank Godnobody got hurt.”

Everything we do is highrisk. Mike was learning.They were doing a closedterrain manuever. I waswith the patrol at the time,maybe three or four feetaway from Mike who wasthe squad leader on thisiteration. They had acontact rear, a centerpeel was called, becausethere was no othertactical manuever youcould do. Everybodygoes down into their fieldof fire. When Andy stepsdown into his field of fire,there is very tall elephantgrass, perhaps five or sixfeet tall between Mikeand Andy. As the guyswere center peeling back,Mike went down on hisfour power scope. Assoon as he went down onthat scope, he lostsituational awareness, asAndy stood up. Beingthree feet away, I sawMike fire—I saw themuzzle flash, I looked atAndy’s chest and didn’tsee any blood, I thenlooked in his eyes and Icould tell he was hit. I toldthe Range Safety Officerthat he had a man downand the medical safetyprocedures were put intoaction.

Ironically enough, twodays before the shooting Ihad fired the corpsmanand replaced him withMarcus Luttrell, the lonesurvivor. Make nomistake, Andy Haffele isalive today because ofMarcus Luttrell.

After the incident, I satdown with my CommandMaster Chief, myOperations boss, seniorleaders, my XO myexecutive officer, thesenior guys especially inthe training departmentthat saw Mike and hisabilities day in and dayout. As a community,sometimes we “eat ourown” in situations like

this. It is easy to firesombody, throw them bythe side of the road andsay you are not worthy towear that Trident. Mikemade a mistake. He lostsituational awareness fora split second, but hewould never, ever do thatagain. I made thedecision, I briefed myAdmiral [Maguire], hebacked me up, because Itold him point blank thatMike would never makethat mistake again, asthis was a mistake thatyou learn from.

Every single person Italked to recommendedkeeping Mike, putting himback on the horse andkeeping him in ALFAPlatoon. He was thatgood. It was not a easydecision, because I knewthat a lot of people wouldsecond-guess mydecision, but it was theright thing to do. We allmake mistakes, and itwas a mistake. Granted,it cost Andy his career,but it was a mistake.Mike took this incident toheart and he learned fromthat mistake. He was asmart kid.

Commander DeGhetto related that he hadabsolutely no mental hesitation in making hisdecision, and stated that had he had any reservationsor reason to believe that Mike had not learned fromhis mistake, he would have been “sent packing,”either back to the fleet or to the street.

Michael Murphy’s Fitness Report and CounselingRecord covering the period from March 1, 2004, toJanuary 31, 2005, filed by his commanding officer,documented the following:

LT Murphy was a LTJGfor 10 months of thisreporting period. O-3effective 01JAN05.CONFIDENT,INTELLIGENT, SOLIDPERFORMER. LTMurphy’s care forsubordinates and loyaltyto superiors are secondonly to his relentless drivefor NSW knowledge andcombat effectiveness.

MISSION FOCUSED.Demonstratedexceptional tacticalleadership and situationalawareness throughthirteen months of pre-deployment training.Safely conducted 306hours of high risk SDV,land warfare and specialreconnaissanceevolutions.GETS RESULTS. Hisexemplary performanceas SDV Navigator andspecial reconnaissanceteam leader for an 80-hour Full Mission Profilein the harsh environmentof Puget Sound, WA wasinstrumental to hisplatoon’s success andcombat readiness.Distinguished himselfwith his mastery of SDVsubsystems, tacticalcommunications, specialoperations surveillanceequipment and the Semi-AutonomousHygrographicReconnaissance Vehicle(SAHRV).Selfless. LT Murphyconsistently shifts praiseto subordinates andnever ceases to secureprofessional recognitionfor fellow platoonmembers, including twoNAMs and one commandSOY (Sailor of the Year)in less than 10 months.His personableleadership style andmentoring methods haveled directly to hisplatoon’s high morale and100% retention rate.A TRUE NSWOPERATOR. READYNOW FOR ANASSIGNMENT AS SEALPLATOON OIC!

CHAPTER TWELVE

Operation Enduring Freedom

OurwaronterrorbeginswithalQaeda,butitdoesnotendthere.Itwillnotenduntileveryterroristgroupofglobalreachhasbeenfound,stoppedanddefeated.

—PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, State of the Union Address,2002

At War

The Global War on Terror (GWOT), or War on Terror,is the common term for the military, political, legal,and ideological conflict against terrorism. It is morespecifically used in reference to the September 11,2001, attacks against the United States and theiraftermath; however, America was at war for yearsbefore its people and leaders recognized the crisis.Al-Qaeda had been carrying out attacks against theUnited States and its interests and allies since themid-1990s.

U.S. forces learned on February 24, 1997, that wewere at war with al-Qaeda and radical Islam. On thatdate, Ali Abu Kamal opened fire on tourists on anobservation deck atop the Empire State Building. Itwould take another year before the American people

and her political leaders would come to the sameconclusion.

Having been emboldened by their successfulattacks against U.S. targets overseas, in the fall of1998 a meeting was held in Afghanistan betweenKhalid Sheikh Mohammed and Osama bin Laden.During the meeting, Mohammed received binLaden’s permission to proceed with his plan to attackthe U.S. mainland. Bin Laden provided the leadershipand finances and was involved in the selection of theparticipants for the attacks.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, al-Qaedalaunched the largest and most deadly terrorist attackin history against a sovereign nation, with nineteenhijackers taking control of four commercial airliners enroute to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Boston,Newark, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. At 8:46AM American Airlines Flight 11 was flown into thenorth tower of the World Trade Center in New YorkCity. Seventeen minutes later, at 9:03 AM, UnitedAirlines Flight 175 was crashed into the World TradeCenter’s south tower. American Airlines Flight 77 wascrashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 AM. A fourth plane,United Airlines Flight 93, whose ultimate target wasthe U.S. Capitol, crashed near Shanksville,Pennsylvania, at 10:03 AM when the passengers,aware of the hijackers’ plan, tried to retake control ofthe plane.

The subsequent loss of life was staggering. In theplanes, 246 people died; at the Pentagon, 125; and inboth towers of the World Trade Center, 2,627. Withinhours of the attacks, the FBI determined the identitiesof the hijackers. The Pentagon/Twin Towers BombingInvestigation, code-named PENTTBOM, was thelargest investigation in world history, involving overseven thousand agents of the FBI alone.

The Global War on Terror (GWOT)

After the September 11, 2001, attacks, PresidentGeorge W. Bush set forth a policy regarding the U.S.response to terrorism. In what has become known asthe Bush Doctrine, the United States put the world onnotice that it reserved the right to aggressively secureitself from countries that harbor or give aid to terroristgroups.

In his address to the nation on the evening ofSeptember 11, 2001, President Bush stated thisresolve by stating that “we will make no distinctionbetween the terrorists who committed these acts andthose who harbor them.” In his September 20, 2001,address to a joint session of Congress, PresidentBush reemphasized this doctrine: “We will pursuenations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism.Every nation, in every region, now has a decision tomake. Either you are with us, or you are with theterrorists. From this day forward, any nation thatcontinues to harbor or support terrorism will beregarded by the United States as a hostile regime.”

This doctrine was published by the U.S. National

Security Council (NSC) on September 20, 2002, in atext entitled The National Security Strategy of theUnited States. The policies outlined in the NSCdocument represented a significant foreign policychange, since it was not the Afghanistan government(the Taliban) who had initiated the attacks, and therewas no evidence that the Taliban had anyforeknowledge of the attacks; however, the Talibandid harbor bin Laden and al-Qaeda, who did committhe attacks.

In a subsequent address to the cadets of the U.S.Military Academy at West Point, New York, on June 1,2002, President Bush clearly stated the role thatpreemptive war would play in the future of Americanforeign policy and national defense: “We cannotdefend America and our friends by hoping for thebest. We cannot put our faith in the word of tyrants,who solemnly sign non-proliferation treaties, and thensystemically break them. If we wait for threats to fullymaterialize, we will have waited too long ... Oursecurity will require transforming the military you willlead. A military that must be ready to strike at amoment’s notice in any dark corner of the world. Andour security will require all Americans to be forward-looking and resolute, to be ready for preemptiveaction when necessary to defend our liberty and todefend our lives.”

President Bush made it clear that the United Statesshould depose foreign regimes that represent apotential or perceived threat to the security of the thiscountry or its national interests, even if that threat wasnot an immediate one. He further advocated a policyof spreading democracy around the world, especiallyin the volatile, war-torn region of the Middle East, asan overall strategy of combating terrorism, even if thismeant acting unilaterally.

Despite the fact that most Americans believe thatthe fight against terrorism is limited to a region orarea and against a single group, the reality is that theGWOT is global in nature. This is a war being foughton several different fronts on several differentcontinents and against more than one group.

Europe

Operation Active Endeavor, which began on October26, 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks,is an ongoing naval operation of the North AtlanticTreaty Organization (NATO). NATO, a military allianceestablished on April 4, 1949, consists of twenty-sixindependent countries whose members have agreedto participate in a mutual defense in response to anattack by any external party. Operation ActiveEndeavor operates in the Mediterranean Sea. It isdesigned to prevent the movement of terrorists orweapons of mass destruction and to enhance thesecurity of area shipping in general, as well ashelping Greece with the prevention of illegalimmigration.

The Philippine Islands

In January 2002 the United States deployed SOFoperators to the Philippines to advise and assist thearmed forces of that country in combating terrorism,specifically the Abu Sayyaf Group and JemaahIslamiyah, which have strongholds on the island ofBasilan.

The Horn of Africa

The American effort in the Horn of Africa was initiatedin response to the September 11 attacks on theUnited States. While this effort does not have aspecific terrorist organization as a target, it focuseson the detection and disruption of terrorist groups inthe region and works with host nations to prevent aresurgence of terrorist cells and activities.

In October 2002 Combined Joint Task Force-Hornof Africa (CJTF-HOA) was established at CampLemonier in Djibouti. Approximately two thousandpersonnel, including SOF and coalition forcemembers, were assigned to a naval task forcedesignated Coalition Task Force 150 (CTF-150). Thecoalition task force included ships from Australia,Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,Pakistan, New Zealand, Spain, and the UnitedKingdom. Its primary goal remains as originallystated: to monitor, board, and inspect shipmentsentering the Horn of Africa and other areas.

Afghanistan

Despite the U.S. government’s repeated calls for theTaliban to turn over Osama bin Laden, the Talibanrefused. In response, on October 7, 2001, the UnitedStates and the United Kingdom led an unprecedentedaerial bombing campaign. High-altitude long-rangebombers attacked al-Qaeda training camps andTaliban air defense sites. Within days, with theTaliban defenses neutralized, the bombing wasconcentrated in and around the cities of Kabul,Jalalabad, and Kandahar, taking out command,control, and communications targets, which crippledthe Taliban’s ability to communicate.

During the intense aerial bombing campaign, theUnited States had few combat troops on the ground,instead utilizing special operations forces to serve asliaisons with local Afghan militia. Militia units led U.S.forces to the White Mountains (Safed Koh), where al-Qaeda forces had dug into the extensive Tora Boracave complex and underground bunkers. Acontinuous targeted heavy bombing of the areaensued. The B-52s that performed that mission werecalled in and guided by U.S. special operationsforces. On December 17, 2001, the defenders wereoverrun. SOF found thousands of weapons andmillions of rounds of ammunition within the cavenetwork. SOF remained in the area and continued tocoordinate numerous successful Air Force bombingmissions that destroyed the weapons cache. OnDecember 6, 2001, Taliban leader MullahMohammed Omar was seen leaving Kandahar,

essentially surrendering control of Afghanistan. It isbelieved that he escaped over the mountains intoneighboring Pakistan. As efforts continued inAfghanistan to find and rout out the remnants of binLaden’s al-Qaeda, the United States turned itsattention to Iraq.

Iraq

Beginning in 1990, the United States listed Iraq as astate sponsor of terrorism. Moreover, Iraq hadstrained relations with the United States and theUnited Nations since the Gulf War. Saddam Husseinremained a threat for his refusal to allow internationalweapons inspectors to account for his knowninventory of known chemical and biological weaponsof mass destruction in violation of UN resolutions, andits open support of terrorist activities against Israeland its neighbors.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operators andU.S. special operations forces entered Iraq on July10, 2002, in an attempt to monitor and verify Iraq’schemical and biological weapons program. On March20, 2003, the American invasion of Iraq was launchedas what the Bush administration said were the“serious consequences” spoken of in UN Resolution1441. While encountering little real resistance fromIraqi forces, the United States was now fighting theGlobal War on Terror on several different fronts,thereby straining the capabilities of our military forces.Saddam Hussein’s regime was quickly overrun, andGeorge Bush stated on May 1, 2003, that majorcombat operations in Iraq had ended. But aninsurgency quickly arose against the U.S.-ledcoalition and the newly developing Iraqi military andpost-Saddam government.

During the ensuing years, the war in Afghanistanbecame a lower priority for the U.S. administrationthan the war in Iraq. This was confirmed in a July 22,2008, Jim Lehrer interview with Admiral Mike Mullen,chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Admiral Mullensaid that while the situation in Afghanistan was“precarious and urgent,” the ten thousand additionaltroops requested by the commander there would notbe made available “in any significant manner” unlesstroop withdrawals from Iraq were initiated. He addedthat “my priorities ... given to me by the commander-in-chief are: Focus on Iraq first. It’s been that way forsome time. Focus on Afghanistan second.”

The Final Visit Home

After having been promoted to the rank of lieutenanton January 1, 2005, Michael returned home on March16 for a well-deserved leave. While he was inPatchogue, he visited family and friends, and spenttime with his fiancée, Heather Duggan, who was busymaking wedding preparations. While Michael wascertainly interested in his wedding, he was somewhat

distant and appeared preoccupied with othersmatters.

While visiting John and Maureen Bogenshutz,Michael and his uncle were seated in the living room,talking and enjoying a cold beer. John was fascinatedby Michael’s chosen profession and had a never-ending set of questions. Michael answered thequestions he could and deflected the rest.

After listening to the extended conversation,Maureen interrupted and said to Michael, “So,Michael, how are the wedding plans coming?”Michael looked at his aunt and said, “Fine, I guess.”Maureen responded with a puzzled look to whichMichael, having experienced the career-endingaccident involving his friend Andy Haffele, respondedfirmly, “Aunt Maureen, I know that Heather is reallyupset that I am not more involved in the weddingplans, but I can’t be thinking like that right now. After Iget back, I can take time and think about that, but rightnow I have got to stay focused and keep my headstraight. If I don’t, there won’t be any wedding. It’s assimple as that.” Maureen and John looked at eachother. Now very uneasy, she nervously smiled andchanged the subject.

During his leave, Michael met with the FBI in NewYork City. He was planning on leaving the Navy afterhis initial enlistment, and he was considering joiningthe FBI’s elite counterterrorism unit.

With Michael being home, a large family St.Patrick’s Day family reunion was held at the spaciousMcElhone home in Kings Park. As with most largefamilies whose members have hectic individualschedules and may live in different locations, it wasdifficult, if not impossible, to assemble the extendedfamily. When they got word that Michael would behome and in attendance, his relatives made an extraeffort to be present. Many members of his largeextended family were there, and Michael was pleasedto have the opportunity to see them all again.Naturally, his relatives asked a large number ofquestions about his military service and activities.Michael answered most, deflected some, andrespectfully declined to answer a few. One of the mostfrequent questions he received was about his nextduty assignment. This question, of course, could notbe answered, and he gave a vague answer thatsubstantively said nothing but satisfied those asking.

What Michael knew but could not share was that inFebruary 2005, the Taliban had announced theirintention to increase attacks on the electedgovernment of Afghanistan and its president, HamidKarzai, who was in a struggle to maintain controloutside Kabul. Even though much of the Talibanleadership was hiding in Pakistan, many rank-and-fileTaliban fighters had remained in Afghanistan andlaunched a series of drive-by shootings and suicidebombings directed at local officials and otherprogovernment clergy. In southern and easternAfghanistan they began targeting U.S. troops. OtherTaliban fighters would cross the border and hitquickly, then retreat over the mountains or through oneof thirteen passes between Afghanistan and

Pakistan.Mullah Ahmad Shah, a key terrorist leader, and his

ever-growing band of well-trained fighters hadincreased their attacks on U.S. and coalition forces.As a result, additional SEALs were requested in bothIraq and Afghanistan. SEAL Team Ten had beenordered to Afghanistan and SEAL Team Three toIraq. Commander Kent Paro served as SEAL TeamTen’s commanding officer, with LieutenantCommander Erik Kristensen serving as task unitcommander and Lieutenant Mike McGreevy as SEALplatoon commander.

Prior to deployment, both Paro and Kristensenrequested the additional support of SDVT-1, based inHawaii, and SDVT-2, based in Virginia. As a result ofthe request, SDVT-2 initially deployed with SEALTeam Ten to Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.Included in the SDVT-2 deployment were Danny Dietzand Ben Sauers, both petty officers second class.Sauers had graduated from BUD/S Class 236 withMichael.

Bahrain is a major Middle Eastern U.S. allyapproximately four times the size of Washington, D.C.Comprised of thirty-six small islands interconnectedby causeways, the country is home to multiple U.S.military facilities, including the Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Paro and his SEALs arrived at Camp Ouellette,located at the air base in Bagram, Afghanistan, onApril 1, 2005. Camp Ouellette was named in honor ofPetty Officer First Class Brian Ouellette of NSWGroup Two, who was killed in action on May 29, 2004,in Afghanistan.

Paro and his team were assigned to a unitcomprised of about 1,200 NSW personnel known asCombined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A), under the command of anArmy colonel, David Pahl. Organizationally, CJSOTF-A was part of Combined Joint Task Force 76 (CJTF-76), which was a subordinate unit of CombinedForces Coalition-Afghanistan (CFC-A),headquartered in Kabul under the overall command ofMajor General Eric T. Olson. The Southern EuropeanTask Force (SETAF) assumed control of CJTF-76 inMarch 2005. In addition to the Navy’s SEALS, theCJTF’s 13,000 troops also consisted of ArmyRangers, the Delta Force, the Marine’s Force Recon,and the Air Force’s pararescue jumpers (PJs). Afterreceiving their initial briefing, both Paro andKristensen renewed their request for SDVT-1, whichwas approved.

As a result, Michael’s next duty station wasBahrain. However, he knew that Bahrain was only atemporary stop. There would be subsequentantiterrorist missions to Qatar, the United ArabEmirates (UAE), Dubai, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.Uzbekistan, which had been a member of the formerSoviet Union, bordered Afghanistan. Knowing that hemight soon be under fire in one of the world’s hotzones, he discouraged further questions at thereunion by reminding everyone that this was a St.Patrick’s Day family celebration, to which everyoneraised their glasses and cheered.

On March 31, 2005—Easter Sunday—Dan tookMichael to LaGuardia Airport, where he departed forwhat would be his final deployment. Michael hadasked his father to take him to the airport so theycould discuss investment options Michael wanted topursue. Learning that Michael was departing on adiscount airline to Hawaii, Dan insisted that his soncall or text-message both him and Michael’s motherwhen he arrived back in Hawaii.

As promised, when he arrived in Hawaii, he text-messaged his mother, “Momma, home safe andsound. Mike.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Afghanistan—Home of al-Qaeda

Thisistheirlandandtheyknoweveryinchofit.Sowhenyou’reoutthereandyoucomeacrossthem,ormorelikely,theycomeacrossyou,don’tfreakoutornothing,don’tbecallingbackforaQRFforanextraction.Justassessthesituationandgoonwiththe

mission.—BEN SAUERS, interview with author, October 9, 2008

Afghanistan: An Overview

Afghanistan is a landlocked country locatedapproximately in the center of Asia. Bordered byPakistan in the south and east, Iran in the west,Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north,and China in the far northeast, it is a culturally mixednation that serves as a crossroads to the east and thewest. What is now Afghanistan was conquered byAlexander the Great (356-323 BC), one of the mostsuccessful military commanders of all time, who hadconquered much of the civilized world by 331 BC.

Afghanistan has a continental climate, with very hotsummers and bitterly cold winters. It is the site offrequent earthquakes, although these are isolatedmainly to the northeast in the Hindu Kush range.

The Taliban, under the leadership of MullahMohammed Omar, came to power in Afghanistan in1998, controlling nearly 90 percent of the country.Once in power they established one of the mostoppressive regimes ever established. There werewidespread abductions of women and forcedprostitution, as well as reports of stonings andlashings for those who refused. Women were barredfrom attending schools or working outside the homeand could only be seen in public fully robed from headto toe. Warlords in the north used propertydestruction, rape, and murder to discouragedisplaced Pashtuns from reclaiming their homes, andchild labor and human trafficking were commonoutside Kabul. The Taliban’s human rights violationsplaced them in direct conflict with the worldcommunity. A more important consideration from theU.S. policy perspective, however, was the Taliban’srole in hosting Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaedaterrorist network. Bin Laden’s fanatics bombed U.S.embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7,1998, killing more than 225 people.

Despite an ultimatum from the United States, theTaliban refused to surrender bin Laden, who wasbankrolling their regime. Increased sanctions by theUnited Nations in 1999, as well as the revocation ofAfghanistan’s seat at the UN, were also ineffective.The country’s increasing international isolation onlyseemed to embolden the oppressive Taliban, whoretaliated against their own people, resulting in massstarvation and over a million refugees who fled intoneighboring Pakistan and Iran and other countries ill-equipped to handle the influx.

It was not until the Taliban bombed two monumentalsixth-century statues of the Bamyan Buddhas, onenearly two hundred feet high and the other more thanhalf that size, carved out of a mountain in Afghanistan,that there was international outrage. While theinternational hand-wringing regarding what to doabout the Taliban and bin Laden continued, anothersinister plot was in its final stages of planning.

Afghanistan in the Wake of the 9/11Attacks

Even before the fires had been extinguished and thefinal toll of the dead counted, President George W.Bush demanded that the Taliban surrender bin Ladenfor his role in the terrorist attacks on American soil.Again the Taliban thumbed its nose at the world.

On October 7, 2001, the United States, leading asmall coalition of international forces, unleashed anattack so devastating as to be unprecedented in thatpart of the world. American forces located andidentified many of bin Laden’s al-Qaeda camps anddestroyed them, along with much of the militaryinfrastructure of the Taliban, in one of the largestbombing campaigns in modern warfare. During thiscampaign, American air units utilized the BLU-82B/C-130, known as the Daisy Cutter. Twelve feet long andnearly four feet wide, this high-altitude 15,000-poundconventional bomb had to be delivered from the hugeMC-130 aircraft, as it was too heavy for the bombracks on other aircraft. The extensive bombingcampaign resulted in bin Laden and the remainingTaliban leadership fleeing into the mountains ofneighboring Pakistan. Although bin Laden was inexile, al-Qaeda , with Taliban support, continued itsterrorist killings of foreign aid workers and kidnappingof foreign construction workers.

SEALs operated with members of the U.S. Army’s1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta(SFO[D]), or Delta Force, as part of Task Force 11 inhunting down members of the Taliban governmentand al-Qaeda leadership. In January 2002 a simpletwelve-hour planned intelligence-gathering missionturned into a nine-day bonanza of exploration anddestruction. Nearly a million pounds of ammunitionand equipment was found in an extensive network ofseventy caves and tunnels in a narrow valley atZhawar Kili, in Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan,near the Pakistan border.

Naval Special WarfareReorganization

Prior to January 2004, twelve SEAL platoons weredeployed in various theaters of operation around theglobe at any given time. Due to the Global War onTerror, at the beginning of 2004 there was a dramaticneed for increased SEAL deployments, necessitatinga major realignment of the available resources of boththe East Coast and West Coast teams. As a result ofthe reorganization, a SEAL team now consisted offour platoons instead of the previous six, andcommanders were seeking maximum utilization of thetwo SDVTs with their highly skilled reconnaissancecapabilities to augment the efforts of the other SEALteams.

The day before Easter in 2005, Michael had metwith his cousin Kelly at his mother’s home beforeleaving to visit friends before his all-too-short leavewas gone. As Kelly and Maureen walked Michael tothe door, his cousin gave him a hug and kiss, saying,“See ya later.” Michael just smiled and said, “Yeah, I

like that. See ya later.”In the spring of 2005, SDVT-1, Michael’s unit, had a

2.0 global commitment, meaning that two of itsplatoons were committed at any one time: one inPacific Command (PACOM), and the other in CentralCommand (CENTCOM). The platoon in PacificCommand stayed at SDVT-1’s home base in Hawaiion an oncall basis for six months; then, if nothing elserequired its attention, it deployed to CentralCommand.

As a result of this policy, ninety-six hours after hehad left New York, Lieutenant Michael Murphy and hisSDVT-1 teammates had deployed to Naval SupportActivity (NSA) Bahrain, located in Manama, as part ofNaval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). Theywere assigned to NSW Group Two (NSWG-2).NAVCENT shared a commander and itsheadquarters with the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which wasresponsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, theRed Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the coastal waters offthe Horn of Africa as far south as Kenya.

From Bahrain Michael and his teammates werescheduled to go to Qatar, Dubai, Jordan, Uzbekistan,and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) forJoint /Combined Exchange Training (JCET) in eachcountry. While the JCETs were to assist foreignnationals in their own antiterrorism efforts, most of theexercises ended up being foreign internal defensemissions.

SDVT-1 was led by Lieutenant Seth Dunn, whoserved as the task unit commander, and LieutenantMark Hernandez, who acted as the platooncommander. Having been promoted to the rank oflieutenant in January, Michael Murphy now served asthe assistant officer in charge (AOIC).

There is no substitute for combat experience forspecial operations forces. Although his platoonalready had scheduled missions to Qatar, the UnitedArab Emirates, Dubai, and Jordan, Lieutenant Dunnattempted to get it pushed forward and deployed intoboth the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of operation.Dunn’s SEAL platoon had been conductingpredeployment work-ups designed for both Iraq andAfghanistan for the past eighteen grueling months andwere in prime operational condition. While not lookingfor war, all the men were anxious to put their monthsof intense training to the best possible use andwanted to get their guns in the fight.

After extended conversations with Captain PaulPfeifer, the NSW commander in Bahrain, LieutenantDunn became aware that a new operations officerwas needed for SEAL Team Seven in Iraq. Dunnimmediately volunteered, hoping that from thatposition it would be easier to get his men assigned toSEAL Team Seven. His request for reassignmentwas granted. With Dunn now reassigned, LieutenantMark Hernandez assumed command. LieutenantMichael Murphy remained the assistant officer incharge. Hernandez strongly lobbied Pfeifer intoaccepting the idea that by splitting his platoon intosquads, the unit could “cover down” all of itsassignments and still deploy into Iraq.

During the operational planning discussionsbetween Hernandez and Murphy, Commander KentParo and Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen’spriority request for additional SEALs was received byCaptain Pfeifer in Bahrain. At a quickly calledmeeting, Pfeifer informed Hernandez and Murphy thatone-half of their platoon was to prepare fordeployment to Afghanistan in seventy-two hours.

For a variety of operational reasons, Hernandezand Murphy decided that Senior Chief Petty OfficerDan Healy (referred to as Senior Chief), Petty OfficerSecond Class Shane Patton, Petty Officer SecondClass James Suh, Petty Officer Second ClassMatthew Axelson, and Petty Officer First ClassMarcus Luttrell would deploy to Afghanistan, withHernandez as the officer in charge (OIC). Murphywould deploy with the rest of the platoon and coverdown on the JCETs. Twenty-four hours beforedeparture, Pfeifer informed Hernandez that if heindeed wanted to show that his platoon could coverdown all of the missions for which he had so stronglylobbied, the “senior officer in charge will have to provethat”—meaning that Hernandez would have to remainin Bahrain and deploy on the JCETs and Murphywould deploy to Afghanistan. As Murphy’s squadprepared to leave for Afghanistan, Hernandez’ssquad prepared for deployment to Qatar, then theUnited Arab Emirates. It was agreed that afterHernandez returned from the UAE the two squadswould “switch out,” thereby giving the entire platoonlive combat experience.

With plans in place, the entire platoon pushedforward and deployed to Qatar. Here, they had a fewhours to say their last good-byes, although the moodwas upbeat. Knowing all were headed into combat,Senior Chief Healy insisted that each man “pack theirstuff ” in case the worst happened, so theresponsibility would not be left to their remainingteammates. With their “stuff packed,” Murphy’s squadleft for Afghanistan and Hernandez’s squad readiedfor its missions.

April 26, 2005, Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan

Lieutenant Murphy and his SEALs landed at BagramAirfield, located high in the mountains of Parwanprovince, seven miles southeast of the city of Charikarand twenty-seven miles north of Kabul. They settledinto their B-hut, a forty-foot-by-fifteen-footsemipermanent wooden eight-man structure at CampOuellette. After they dropped off their duffel bags, theyheaded over to the chow hall, then went back to theirB-hut for several hours of needed sleep. Prior to theirformal orientation briefing, there was an informalgathering of several of those getting ready to departand Murphy and his five teammates. During thisgathering, a very frank and open discussion ensuedregarding the terrain and the local goat herders.

Murphy and the other new arrivals were told, “Look,these goat herders are everywhere. This is their landand they know every inch of it. So when you’re outthere and you come across them, or more likely, theycome across you, don’t freak out or nothing, don’t becalling back for a QRF for an extraction. Just assessthe situation and go on with the mission.”

General Orientation Briefing

The formal briefing was conducted in the OperationsArea and included several members of SEAL TeamEight, including Commander Paro, LieutenantCommander Kristensen, and Petty Officer SecondClass Ben Sauers. Representing the new arrivalswere Lieutenant Murphy, Senior Chief Healy, andPetty Officer First Class Luttrell. Murphy’s unit wasassigned to SEAL Team Ten, under Kristensen’scommand. Kristensen, the son of Rear AdmiralEdward Kristensen (ret.), was well known within theSEAL community as a disciplined and highlycompetent leader. Due to the closeness of the SEALcommunity, the men were all familiar with each other,their reputations in the teams having preceded them.During the briefing, members of SEAL Team Eightdescribed the terrain, the locals, and the obstacles tobe managed. Because of the rugged terrain, many ofthe missions occurred in the mountains, which werepopulated with civilian goat herders. These goatherders were very quick covering the rugged terrainand were acutely aware of any changes in thelandscape. Any broken twig or branch, overturnedrock, bent grass, or new smell would attract theirattention.

Due to the frequency of missions into themountains, the large number of goat herders, andtheir keen knowledge of the terrain, it was not aquestion of whether a mission would becompromised; it was only a matter of when and howoften. The new arrivals were also informed that mostencounters with the local goat herders had beenuneventful; despite the language barrier, a PowerBaror other food item usually resulted in them continuingon their way without any trouble. To date, there hadbeen no violent incidents. Everyone looked at eachother. No one had to say a word; each knew what theothers were thinking.

They were also given the standard operatingprocedure (SOP) and rules of engagement (ROEs)for such compromises. If the compromise was byknown anticoalition militia (ACM), they were to beneutralized. If the compromise was by civilians, theywere to be turned loose and moved to a new location.

On the Move

Brought in to accomplish a list of specific tactical

missions, Murphy’s unit was mission ready and withinhours of their arrival and briefing were operational,conducting several snatch-and-grab missions anddirect-action assignments. Snatch-and-grab missionswere quick missions organized on short notice tosecure Taliban and other terrorist leaders. Sauersaccompanied Murphy on four such missions, and waspleased to have the opportunity to serve with Michaelagain. He later related, “I developed a tremendousamount of respect for Lieutenant Murphy when wewere in BUD/S, jump school, SQT, and SDV training.My respect for him continued to grow during thosefour missions. He was a great SEAL leader, alwaysconcerned about taking care of his men. Like I said, Iwould follow him anywhere.”

All of the missions were to mountainous easternAfghanistan near Khost and the Pakistan border, inthe areas of Bagram Airfield and two forwardoperating bases (FOBs), Camp Salerno and CampChapman. Camps Salerno and Chapman were aboutfour kilometers apart. On one mission, the menmissed their intended target, but obtained actionableintelligence through the target’s father-in-law. Planswere made for the target’s apprehension orelimination.

Of the four missions that Sauers and Murphy wereon together, Sauers related, “the officers took turnsbeing in charge of the mission. Lieutenant Murphyhad a lot of confidence in his men. On one mission,he knew that I had completed the basic EmergencyMedical Technician course, so when we had a guyinjured, he called me forward and told me to take careof the situation. Another time, we were on a missionand he knew that I had extensive training in landnavigation and tracking, he again called me forward,had me look at some tracks, and asked for myassessment.” As the word got around, the enlistedmen began to hold Lieutenant Murphy in very highesteem.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

When Character Met Circumstance:Operation Red Wings

Buthowdoesanyone—GreenBeret,NavySEAL,whatever—learntobethatbrave?Ican’texplainit.Noonecan.Wearetaughttounderstand,correctly,thatcourageisnottheabsenceoffear,butthecapacityforactiondespiteourfears.

—CAPTAIN JOHN MCCAIN, USN (ret.), Why Courage Matters

With the frequency of missions, Michael found itdifficult to communicate with his family. However, onMother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, he was able to send ane-mail to his mother, including with it a picture of histeam holding a cardboard sign that read, “HappyMother’s Day.”

Consuming an increasing amount of his team’stime was Mullah Ahmad Shah, one of Osama binLaden’s top lieutenants. He commanded the rebelgroup known as the Mountain Tigers, a militia forcewith an estimated strength of 40 to 150 men. Shah,who was fluent in five different languages, wasconstantly on the move, hiding among the civilianpopulations of the Pashtun villages in the Hindu Kushalong the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan inKunar province.

Kunar Province

Kunar, one of thirty-four provinces in Afghanistan, islocated in the northeastern-most part of the country onthe border with Pakistan’s Bajaur Agency, which ispart of the region known as the FederallyAdministered Tribal Areas. It had long been a favoredlocation of insurgent groups, because of itsimpenetrable terrain, extensive cave network, andborder with the semiautonomous Pakistani North-West Frontier Province. There native Taliban forcesmingled with foreign al-Qaeda fighters, whilemujahideen militias continued their warring mannerwith other tribes. As a result of Operation EnduringFreedom, U.S. and coalition forces drove bin Ladenand the remainder of his al-Qaeda forcesunderground in the Kunar cave network andneighboring Pakistan.

One of the primary missions for which LieutenantMurphy’s team was brought to Afghanistan was toutilize their reconnaissance skills to neutralize high-profile al-Qaeda and Taliban targets. On June 3,2005, Shah’s forces ambushed and killed threeMarines from Company C, 1st Battalion near ForwardOperating Base (FOB) Orgun-E, located outside thetown of Orgune in the Paktika province insouthwestern Afghanistan along the Pakistani border.Killed were Captain Charles D. Robinson and StaffSergeant Leroy E. Alexander. Seriously burned wasStaff Sergeant Christopher N. Piper, whosubsequently died of his wounds. The Marinesapproached CJSOTF-A’s commanders andrequested the capture or elimination of Shah. They inturn immediately contacted Commander Kent Paro,who began the initial planning for the mission.

The first planning session held included Paro,Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen, LieutenantMike McGreevy, and Senior Chief Dan Healy. As taskunit commander, the planning effort was the directresponsibility of Kristensen, assisted by McGreevyand Healy. Although not directly involved in the step-

by-step planning of the mission, Paro was intimatelyinvolved in the overall planning.

The name of this mission was left to the task unitcommander, Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen.A big hockey fan, Kristensen liked to name SEALmissions after professional hockey teams. The nextteam on his list was the Detroit Red Wings.

An initial plan and detailed drawings based on thelatest intelligence was drawn up. With Paro’s reviewand approval, Kristensen, McGreevy, and Healyapproached Major Stephen Reich and Captain MyronBradley of the Army’s 160th Special OperationsAviation Regiment (SOAR), known as the NightStalkers, and enlisted their help with air operations.During this initial meeting, Kristensen, McGreevy, andHealy huddled with Reich and Bradley in the 160th’sOperations Center near the flight line. A large detailedmap was laid out, covering the wooden table in thecenter of the room. At the top of the paper in large redletters were the words “Operation Red Wings.”Kristensen and Healy went over their plan in detailand sought the input of Reich and Bradley, whichresulted in a few modifications.

With a command change scheduled for the lastweek in June, CJSOTF-A commanders made itabundantly clear that Shah was the number one targetand absolutely must be neutralized before that time.While Shah was a high-profile target, there wereseveral other concurrent operations being bothplanned and executed. The highly experienced SeniorChief Dan Healy, a recognized expert in counter-intelligence, spent hours combing intelligence reports,continually pouring over lists, photographs, maps, andcharts, which resulted in the modification of severaloperational plans, including Operation Red Wings.Due to the terrain, the altitude, and the strength ofShah’s forces, attempts to pinpoint Shah’s locationhad proved difficult and at times totally unsuccessful.Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell described the terrain inhis book Lone Survivor: “The steep, stony mountaincrevasses and cliffs, dust-colored, sinister places,were now alive with the burgeoning armies of theTaliban.... Up there, complex paths emerge and thendisappear behind huge boulders and rocks. Everyfootstep that dislodges anything, a small rock, a pileof shale, seemed like it might cause an earthshakingavalanche. Stealth, we were told, must be ourwatchword on the high, quiet slopes of the HinduKush.”

Operation Red Wings: Planning

Under pressure to neutralize Shah, additional effortand resources were channeled into the planning forOperation Red Wings. On June 10, 2005,Commander Paro was unexpectedly and temporarilyreassigned and command of the unit was assumedby Lieutenant Commander Kristensen. However,Paro and Kristensen remained in daily contact aboutthe Red Wings mission planning. Paro later

described LCDR Kristensen: “I had every confidencein Erik. He was a highly competent SEALcommander. Highly cerebral, no detail escaped hiswatchful eye, and he left nothing to chance. Hereminded me of someone who in their later yearswould be in a bulky sweater, smoking a pipe andreading book after book and having highly intellectualdiscussions with others.”

Kristensen was assisted by Lieutenant McGreevy.Paro also described McGreevy: “They simply did notcome any better than Mike McGreevy. Honor Man inhis class, highly respected in the teams, detailoriented, a highly competent strategic and operationplanner as well as an excellent tactician. When youput both Erik and Mike together it simply did not getany better than that.”

As the plan continued to develop, others werebrought into the planning process. Included from the160th SOAR were Lieutenant Colonel John Dunson,the commanding officer; Major Steve Reich, theacting task force operations officer; Captain MyronBradley, the air mission commander; and ChiefWarrant Officer 4 Chad Easter, the senior flight lead.Representing the SEALs were LieutenantCommander Kristensen, Lieutenant McGreevy,Lieutenant Michael Murphy, Senior Chief Healy, andMarcus Luttrell, who served as leading petty officer(LPO).

Actionable intelligence showed that Shah’s troopstrength numbered between 80 and 200 men, and hisforce was growing. Although the plan was fullydeveloped, on the day of the scheduled mission itwas “taken down” due to the lack of adequate airsupport and indefinitely postponed as commandersplaced other missions higher on the priority list.

Throughout their deployments, Lieutenant MarkHernandez and Lieutenant Michael Murphy remainedin frequent communication and planned andcoordinated the remaining missions which they wererequired to cover down. Mission planning wasconducted utilizing the capabilities of the SEALMission Support Center (MSC), and the most recentversion of SOMPE-E (Special Operations MissionPlanning Environment-Maritime), the mission-planning software. A variation of the MicrosoftWindows NT Office 2000, it allowed specialoperations planners a secure platform from which toaccess information, conduct Web chats andwhiteboard sessions, and bring the vast military andspecial operations databases to operational- andtactical-level planners.

Operation Red Wings: The Mission

Most special operations missions were conducted ina relatively short period of time, several hours at themost. Red Wings would extend over a minimum ofthree to four days. The mission called for a four-manSEAL reconnaissance element to find Shah anddocument his troop strength. Once Shah was located,

the recon unit was to call in a SEAL team to act as acombined assault and blocking force. They were tosurround and neutralize Shah’s camp, then perform acombined direct-action assault to neutralizeanticoalition militia (ACM) throughout the KorangalValley.

The Korangal Valley is located on the southern partof the Pech River, a strategic passage the Talibanand al-Qaeda wanted to control. As such, it wasamong the deadliest pieces of terrain in the world forU.S. forces. Below the Korangal River and across thevalley is the dark face of the Abas Ghar ridge andSawtalo Sar. Sawtalo Sar is a 9,282-foot peak with aridge that runs north to south and defines the easternwall of the six-mile-long Korangal Valley. The Talibanessentially owned Abas Ghar and Sawtalo Sar. TheKorangal fighters were fierce, knew the terrain, andwatched the Americans’ every move.

Father’s Day

Despite his busy mission planning and executionschedule, on Sunday, June 17, at 4:58 PM, Michaelsent a combined e-mail to his father, his mother, hisfiancée, Heather, and his brother John.

Hey All,I know this is really

weak you guys eachdeserve your own e-mailbut I’m really busy. Ihaven’t been able to talkfor a while, I have beenaway. I hope you are allOK and in good health. Ipray once in a while thatall of you stay safe andare happy. I’m doing fine.My prize possession isthis beard I’ve grown. It’sitchy as all hell but ...whatever. Things aregoing well, I like it outhere and we are doing alot. I have some funnystories and some sadones, but all in all thingsare good. I’ll write each ofyou separate later, I justwanted to let you all knowI was OK.

Oh yeah John, it’ssummer vacation and Iknow you are working butmake sure you start aconsistent regimen ofphysical training. You’regoing to need it if youwant that job. Not to be

on your ass, I heard thatyou did very well incollege. Great job andkeep up the good work.

After a lengthy delay and with the end-of-Junecommand change just days away, CJSOTF-Acommanders placed Operation Red Wings back atthe top of their priority list. The four members ofMurphy’s Alfa Platoon originally selected to serve asthe reconnaissance element were Michael, as teamleader; Petty Officer Matthew Axelson; Petty OfficerShane Patton; and LPO Marcus Luttrell. Michael wasselected based on his previous Fitness Report andCounseling Records, combined with his provenperformance in previous missions since he arrived inAfghanistan. However, twenty-four hours before theoperation began, the task force’s commandersdetermined that Petty Officer Danny Dietz, currentlyassigned to SEAL Team Ten from SDVT-2, wouldreplace Patton. Dietz was a communications expert,a skill that was deemed critical on this mission.Luttrell lobbied hard for Patton, who had performedsuperbly as a communications specialist in hisprevious missions. Luttrell wanted this to be an allSDVT-1 operation. But the commanders wantedmore than one team to have the opportunity toparticipate in this mission, and so, despite Luttrell’sefforts, they went ahead with their decision to replacePatton with Dietz.

On June 25, Shah released a statement threateningU.S. forces. Commander Paro and LieutenantCommander Kristensen discussed the threats duringtheir daily conversation and determined that hisrhetoric was essentially unchanged.

The Reconnaissance Element

Petty Officer Second Class Matthew Gene Axelson,twenty-nine, was born on June 25, 1976, in Cupertino,California, to Cordell and Donna Axelson. Aftergraduating from Monta Vista High School in 1994, heattended California State University, Chico, where heearned a degree in political science. He enlisted inthe U.S. Navy in December 2000, entering basictraining, or boot camp, at Naval Station Great Lakes,near Waukegan, Illinois. After completing SonarTechnician Surface (STG) “A” school, he wasselected to attend BUD/S training and graduated withClass 237.

After BUD/S, he attended Army Airborne jumpschool, SEAL Qualification Training (SQT), andSEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) School. He reported toSEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 (SDVT-1) inDecember 2002 in Hawaii, joining Michael Murphy’sAlfa Platoon. Known as “Cool Hand Luke” to histeammates, at six feet four inches tall, he was quick,slim, and a superb athlete, and was considered anexpert mountain climber and a SEAL sniper, bothskills required on this mission. He and his wife, Cindy,

were married in December 2003.Petty Officer Second Class Danny Philip Dietz Jr.,

twenty-five, was born on January 26, 1980, in Aurora,Colorado, to Danny and Cindy Dietz. After graduatingfrom Heritage High School in nearby Littleton in 1999,he enlisted in the Navy on August 31, 1999. Followinghis graduation from Recruit Training Command, NavalStation Great Lakes, on November 27, 1999, hecompleted Gunner’s Mate “A” school at the Naval AirTechnical Training Center (NATTC), Pensacola,Florida. From there he transferred to BUD/S andgraduated with Class 232 in 2001. He went on toattend the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning,Georgia, then SQT and SDV Training.

Immediately upon checking in at SEAL DeliveryVehicle Team 2 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, onNovember 8, 2001, he was assigned to Task UnitBravo as the secondary SDV pilot and the Ordnanceand Engineering Department head. During a rigorouspredeployment work-up he honed his skills andbecame one of the best pilots in the command. Hemarried his wife, Maria, in March 2003. He leveragedhis skills during a six-month deployment to EuropeanCommand (EUCOM) as the lead pilot in multipleproof-of-concept rehearsals (detailed trainingexercises under full mission conditions). Upon hisreturn from EUCOM, he was assigned to Task UnitCharlie as a primary Special Reconnaissance Teammember and the Communications Department head.During predeployment he focused his attention onperfecting his SEAL sniper, reconnaissance, andfield skills. In the barren and forbidding mountains ofthe Hindu Kush, his communications expertise wouldbe critical.

Leading Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell, thirty, wasborn in 1975 in Huntsville, Texas. He began trainingfor the SEALs at the age of fourteen with formerGreen Beret Billy Shelton and joined the Navy in1999. He started with BUD/S Class 226; however,due to a fractured femur he suffered on the O-course,he graduated with Class 228 on April 21, 2000. Aftercompleting BUD/S, he attended Army jump schooland SQT. He was then sent to Fort Bragg, NorthCarolina, for an additional six months of advancedtraining in conventional and unconventional medicalskills, ranging from diagnosis and treatment of nearlyevery known condition to advanced emergencymedicine and battlefield life support.

After SDV Training, he completed a two-year tourin Iraq. A highly competent and battle-provencorpsman, his medical training was a critical elementin the preferred four-man SEAL units, althoughhopefully it would not be needed. If that were the case,he would serve as the backup sniper.

The Plan

The plan seemed simple enough. Murphy and histeam were to spend the first day monitoring Shah’slocation and movements from a concealed position in

the hills above Asadabad, the capital of Kunarprovince. On day two, once Shah’s location wasverified, SEAL Team Ten had orders to call in theprearranged SEAL assault force designated toneutralize Shah, his headquarters, and his MountainTigers. A combined task force of ground troops wouldthen be deployed on the third day to begin conductingmop-up operations throughout the valley. This would,it was believed, neutralize any remaining ACM in theKorangal Valley.

Bagram Airfield, Sunday, June 26,2005

The air mission briefing was conducted at the 160thSOAR Planning Center. Present from the 160th wereMajor Steve Reich, the operations officer; CaptainMyron Bradley, the air mission commander; ChiefWarrant Officer 4 Chad Easter, the senior flight lead;and the pilots and flight crews of the two assignedhelos. Attending from the SEALs were LieutenantCommander Erik Kristensen, Lieutenant MichaelMcGreevy, Lieutenant Michael Murphy, Senior ChiefDan Healy, and Leading Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell.

During the briefing every aspect of the mission wasthoroughly detailed, including the all-important abortcriteria. Abort criteria were a predetermined set ofcircumstances that could cause the immediatecancellation of the mission. The abort criteria for thismission were ACM at the helicopter landing zone(HLZ) and inadequate air support. Captain Bradleylater related, “Nothing was overlooked, no detail wastoo small for consideration, everything was gone overin ‘eye-bleeding’ detail.” Although not openlydiscussed, all were acutely aware of the insistencefrom CJSOTF-A commanders for successfulcompletion of the mission. At the conclusion of theone-hour meeting, it was announced that the missionwas a go for the next operational period—the nextperiod of darkness.

Operation Red Wings: Execution

Monday, June 27, 2005

Early in the morning of June 27, confirmedintelligence pinpointed Shah’s location. By thatafternoon, Kristensen and McGreevy had laid out theupdated detailed maps and other photographicintelligence of the terrain for Murphy and Luttrell toreview. Murphy, highly skilled in land navigation, drewa much smaller version of the map for his use. Thetarget village location contained thirty-two houses—or, more accurately, straw huts.

After two additional delays during the day,Operation Red Wings was on for that night. A coupleof hours before the operation commenced, during an

electronic conversation with Hernandez, Murphyrelated that Operation Red Wings was proceeding.He said that this was the operation they had hoped forsince their arrival and that it was fitting that this wouldbe their last mission before they left Afghanistan. Bothwere pleased that the SEALs were being utilized onthis mission because it was the type for which theywere specifically trained, and their afteraction reportand direct experience would provide excellent trainingmaterial for future teams and deployments.Hernandez related that he was “happy for them” andthat he was still working on a plan that would allowMurphy’s squad to bypass the other cover-downoperations and meet up with them in Iraq soon. Bothlooked forward to the reunion.

Zero Hour: Insertion

Just after dark, two helos were waiting on the flightline. Murphy, Dietz, Axelson, and Luttrell loaded intothe lead Chinook MH-47E, which had the call signTurbine 21, piloted by Easter and Chief WarrantOfficer 3 Steve Swartz. Also on board were CaptainBradley; Staff Sergeant Ron Oster, the flight engineer;and three crew chiefs. Kristensen and McGreevy, themission commanders, and a quick-reaction force(QRF) of twenty-five ground troops loaded into theother helo, which had the call sign Turbine 22. TheQRF was a contingency in case there were anyproblems with the insertion or during the first twenty-four hours while the team was on the move to itstarget.

The Boeing MH-47E is a derivative of the CH-47DChinook heavy-duty lift helicopter developedspecifically for the 160th SOAR. It is a long-rangespecial operations forces insertion/extraction platformwith integral command and control capabilities. Witha maximum speed of 154 knots, and a service ceilingof 11,000 feet, it features twin SATCOM (satellitecommunications) links, and is also equipped with anAN/APQ-174A multilode (terrain following, terrainmapping, air-to-ground ranging) radar, an AN/AAQ-16 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system, and theintegrated GPS-based scrolling map display system.The FLIR uses the detection of thermal energy tocreate a “picture” assembled for the video output thathelps pilots and drivers steer at night, in fog, or detectwarm objects against a cold background when it iscompletely dark.

Also equipped with two pintle mounts, one locatedat the right-side crew door and the other on the left-hand side at the first window, the MH-47E is capableof accepting a single machine gun, either an M60Dsingle-barrel 7.62-mm medium machine gun or asingle M134 7.62-mm six-barreled Minigun capableof firing two thousand to four thousand rounds perminute. With two guns up front at the cabin door andthe left-side gunner’s window (M134s) and two gunsin back at the machine-gun cutouts (M240 7.62-mmmachine guns), it is a wellarmed aerial platform.

After the flight-readiness check, Easter took thelead helo, Turbine 21, skyward. Turbine 22 followed.

Both helos headed northeast toward the treacherousand unforgiving Hindu Kush range, a sixty-two-minutetrip by air. To decrease the signature, or noise, ofapproaching forces, Turbine 22 broke formation at apredesignated point and proceeded to Asadabad towait, then relocated to the forward operating base(FOB) at Jalalabad (J-bad), about a fifteen-minuteflight from the designated insertion point. There,commanders monitored both the reconnaissanceelement insertion and the first twenty-four hours of themission. In a cold, driving rain, Turbine 21 continuedup Sawtalo Sar on its seven-minute trip to an altitudeof nine thousand feet in search of its landing zone(LZ). The engines struggled in the thinningatmosphere and driving rain, and the helo lurched tothe left and right, shuddered, and vibrated. As theygained altitude and headed away from the lights of J-bad, Easter, Bradley, and Swartz noticed the ominouscampfires and lights of local villagers and ACM.

“Ten minutes!” yelled Oster as he turned toward theSEALs. Murphy acknowledged and gave a thumbs-up. The SEALs reviewed their plan of operation,equipment, and communications. Murphy and histeam mentally prepared for their insertion. Bradleyheard a radio communication from an AC-130gunship circling overhead stating that it was “breakingstation”—leaving its assigned area due to low fuel.Although another AC-130 was on its way, it had notarrived, thereby depriving the helo of air support, oneof the all-important abort criteria. As the air missioncommander, Bradley had a decision to make: abortthe mission, or continue on and hope the relievingAC-130 arrived quickly. Aware of the criticalimportance of the mission to CJSOTF-Acommanders, Bradley requested a status report onthe primary helicopter landing zone, Nez Perce, andthe alternate, Neka. Bradley was informed that LZ NezPerce was clear but infrared sensors placed fourindividuals at LZ Neka. The two LZs were about 3.2miles (5 kilometers) apart. Bradley informed the flightcrew and the SEALs of the situation and his decisionto continue with the mission. Murphy noddedaffirmatively.

“Six minutes!” Murphy again acknowledged asOster opened the rear ramp and both he and the crewchiefs prepared the aircraft for landing. “Threeminutes!” Murphy again acknowledged, then he andthe SEALs got on their feet and checked theirequipment to ensure it was secure. Oster noticedMurphy communicate with each of his teammates,who all responded with an affirmative nod. As the heloapproached, LZ Nez Perce was covered with fifteen-to-twenty-foot-tall trees, large tree stumps, thick brush,and large boulders. Easter tried repeatedly to find asafe “sweet spot” to set the helo down but wasunsuccessful, which necessitated a fast-ropeinsertion. Oster immediately pulled the 1¾-inch-diameter nylon fast rope down from the fast ropeinsertion/extraction system (FRIES), secured it to thehelo’s frame, and kicked it out the door. He thenturned to Murphy and said, “One minute.”

Easter handed off the visual control to Oster, who

obtained a direct visual of the LZ. Osteracknowledged visual contact: “Roger, Budweiser!”Oster gave Murphy a thumbs-up, which he returned.

Easter performed a flare maneuver by pitching thenose up, which would normally cause the helicopter togain altitude, while at the same time reducing powerto prevent a climb from occurring. This allowed theaircraft to hover over a suitable site. With the rearramp down, Oster monitored the fast rope danglingfrom the back of the aircraft to the landing zone somethirty feet below and ensured that the rope reachedthe ground. Two crew chiefs manned the helo’sMiniguns and kept an eye on the LZ for enemy activityand fire. Oster gave Murphy another thumbs-up, whichhe again returned. The SEALs walked toward therope with their hands over their heads, hanging ontothe overhead FRIES support bar. Murphy and his menwere dressed in full combat gear—knee and elbowpads, weapons, helmet, goggles, a rucksackcontaining about eighty-five pounds of food,ammunition, communications, and other supplies—and were wearing their all-important Kevlar Cobratactical gloves, which prevented friction from burningtheir hands as they rapidly descended the rope. Asthe cold driving rain continued, the first one down wasDietz, followed by Luttrell, Murphy, and Axelson.

During the insertion Oster communicated with thecrew: “First man on the rope ... second man ... thirdman ... last man on the rope ... last man on theground.” The precision fast-rope insertion tookapproximately fifteen seconds. Without the weight ofthe SEALs on the rope, the prop wash of thehelicopter’s rotor blades caused the fast rope tosnake around a small tree and become entangled inthe heavy brush, which anchored and threatened theaircraft. With everyone on the same communicationfrequency, Oster informed both Easter and the SEALteam about the fast rope. Easter carefullymaneuvered the helo in an attempt to free the rope,but without success. Although it was not part of theoperational plan, Oster advised both the SEALs andEaster that cutting the rope was the only way to freethe helo. Dietz acknowledged and Oster cut the fastrope. Looking down from the ramp, Oster saw Dietzand Axelson run toward and secure the rope asMurphy and Luttrell monitored the perimeter. Dietzacknowledged possession of the rope. The ramp wasraised, and Easter pointed his helo back down themountain toward J-bad airfield. Dietz and Axelsoncovered the rope with brush, weeds, grass, sticks,rocks, and dirt, then each member of the team movedabout twenty yards apart and froze into the landscapefor fifteen minutes in total silence—no movement, nocommunication.

By this time, Easter had returned the helo to J-Bad.Upon entering the Operations Center, LieutenantColonel John Dunson and Captain Bradley wereapproached by Lieutenant Commander Kristensenand Senior Chief Healy, who had monitored missioncommunications regarding the cutting of the fast rope.All agreed that it was not part of the operationalbriefing. After the Army officers described the

situation at the LZ and the reason for cutting the rope,Kristensen and Healy accepted the explanation, butinquired as to the possibility of the 160th returningand retrieving the rope to prevent its detection byACM. Their thinking was that due to the size of therope, the SEALs would be unable to carry it withthem.

Bradley explained that the only way to retrieve therope in that terrain was to lower a man by hoist, findthe rope, which had been hidden, and then extract it.Bradley also explained in detail the difficulties theyhad just encountered with the insertion and that suchan attempt could bring unwanted attention to theSEAL team. Dunson concurred and voiced hisconcern about such a return mission. Kristensen andHealy recognized the danger in such a mission andwithdrew their request.

Flight crews and mission commanders in theOperations Center were able to monitor the team’sprogress because it was carrying a tracking beacon.As the SEALs moved slowly toward their targetobjective in the cold, driving rain, they counted twofires or lanterns in the village below, an estimatedmile away, and reported “eyes on” several local goatherders as they progressed toward their layup (LUP)position. The terrain to the right featured huge, thicktrees; to the left were the forbidding mountains, lowtree stumps, and thick foliage. The men were soakedand worked to keep their body temperatures up byremaining in constant motion. Although on the ground,the team was far from its planned area of operation.Dietz established quick communication with an AC-130 gunship arriving high overhead, and the teamprepared to move on its preplanned four-mile journeyalong Sawtalo Sar’s ridge, which stretched into a longright-handed dogleg. Conditions for the team were sobad that despite being expert mountain climbers,each member fell back down the mountain within thefirst half hour. Murphy periodically radioed back toKristensen with news of their progress as they slowlyreached each predesignated checkpoint.

Exhausted after the seven-hour trip, the men restedand Dietz radioed J-bad headquarters that they were“good to go.” Murphy informed Kristensen that eventhough they were not at their intended layup point, hebelieved they had reached an even better one thananticipated and were going to lay up for the day.Hearing that, Kristensen turned to Bradley and said,“We are at a stopping point here. They are going tolay up for the day. We are good here.” The QRFloaded back up in the two helos and returned toBagram to prepare for the assault of Shah’scompound during the next operational period. As aplanned contingency, Marine forces and helos wereplaced on ready alert as a QRF in case Murphy’sSEALs needed them.

After a short rest, Murphy and his SEALs relocatedagainst some trees and rocks; however, due to anincoming fog bank, their view of the village wasseverely limited—only two huts were visible—resultingin the team relocating yet again. After an hour-longreconnaissance by Murphy and Axelson, a perfect

location was found to observe the village; however, itprovided little cover. Although the new site was onlyabout a thousand yards away, it took the team over anhour to cover the treacherous and sheer terrain.

Location Compromised

The team’s new location was over the brow of thesummit, approximately eighty feet from the uppermostescarpment at an altitude of about nine thousand feet.As daylight approached, they determined that theircurrent location was too dangerous to stay there.Despite the fact that SEALs lie low in the daylight andmove at night, Murphy ordered the team to “move infive.” The men retraced their route about a hundredyards and found a prime location in the trees thatoverlooked the target village. The village was nearly amile and a half away, but their location provided aclear line of sight with good concealment. With theirspecialized equipment, the distance proved noobstacle to their reconnaissance efforts.

In perfect hiding locations, they waited in fullcombat gear, soaked from the night’s rain, baking inthe searing Afghan sun. In a tactical diamond-shapedformation about thirty yards apart, each was waitingwith heightened vigilance and in perfect silence whena man carrying an ax and accompanied by about ahundred goats was spotted by Axelson. In perfectsilence, he placed the goat herder in the crosshairs ofhis weapon as he approached Luttrell’s position. Asthe goat herder jumped down from the log underwhich Luttrell had positioned himself, the petty officerbroke cover and the man nearly stepped on him.Immediately upon seeing Luttrell, the man tossed hisax on the ground in front of him. While Luttrell tookcontrol of the man, Axelson signaled that two moregoat herders were closing in on his position. As theyneared, they appeared to the carefully observingSEALs to be a father and his young son. It was clearto the team that despite the fact the first goat herderhad been carrying an ax, these individuals werecivilians, not ACM members. The SEALS were nowin a situation known as a soft compromise. Notknowing if the entire team’s presence had beencompromised, the SEALs could not afford to allow theother two herders to proceed unchallenged. The otherthree SEALs also broke cover as the man and hisson reached their position.

The two goat herders were startled as the SEALSsurrounded them. They stood motionless alongsidethe first man, just staring at the four Americans. Inresponse to the team’s questions, the goat herdersreplied in heavily accented, broken English, “NoTaliban! No Taliban!” The goat herders were directedto sit together on a nearby log as the team engagedin several minutes of discussion, followed by attemptsat interrogation, which failed. Although theyacknowledged understanding the team’s questions,the goat herders gave the SEALs no information andcontinued to stare at them. Luttrell gave the young boya PowerBar. Without taking his eyes off Luttrell, theboy accepted it, but placed it on a rock beside him

instead of eating it.Despite the sometimes-blurred lines between

different-ranking members of a SEAL team, each ofthe men understood the chain of command and wouldfollow orders without question. Despite their opendiscussion that day,4 each man understood that theteam structure was not a democracy—there was tobe no consensus, and there would be no voting. Afterrequesting and receiving appropriate and valuableinput from the other members of his team, the finaldecision unquestionably would be made by the teamleader, Lieutenant Michael Murphy. He was acutelyaware of their situation and reminded his team ofseveral important pieces of information.

1. These three individuals wereclearly civilian goat herders.2. If they aborted every mission inwhich they were compromised, nomission would ever be completed.3. The SOP and ROEs for thissituation were clear.4. If they were to eliminate thesethree civilians, who would do theexecution, how would they disposeof the bodies, and what would theydo with more than a hundred goatswith bells around their necks?5. CJSOTF-A commanders wereinsistent on mission completionbefore command change.6. Shah’s forces were continuing toinflict U.S. causalities.7. This might be the best chance toneutralize Shah.8. This was their last scheduledmission before deploying to Iraq.9. This mission was why they hadcome to Afghanistan.

Utilizing his innate leadership and interpersonalskills, and after listening to the input of his team,Michael Murphy explained the situation and sharedeach of the items of concern and led his team to theonly acceptable option: to set the civilian goat herdersfree. Murphy then gave the order. While they watchedthe goat herders run up the mountain and disappearout of sight, Michael ordered the team to prepare tomove to a new location. Again, trained to move only atnight, the team found itself in a catch-22. Within twentyminutes the men were on the move. As the OIC,Murphy understood the essence of leadership: in anymoment of decision, doing the right thing was alwaysthe right thing to do ... regardless of theconsequences.

The team headed for the best defensive position itcould find—up the mountain. Approximately fortyyards from the summit was a location with tree coverand concealment that made them nearly impossibleto see. Their immediate strategy was to remain indefensive positions until the cover of darkness, thenrelocate. Murphy reminded his men to remain on highalert. They took up a defensive diamond position witheach member about thirty yards apart. Axelson was

charged with the responsibility of using binocularsand a scope to watch for Taliban fighters and monitorthe village. About twenty minutes later Luttrellassumed the watch; Murphy followed him. More thanan hour later, they were still in their new position, andall remained quiet.

The Battle for Murphy’s Ridge

Suddenly the silence was interrupted. “Sssssssst.Sssssssst.” It was Lieutenant Murphy’s warning sound—a familiar one to his men. He began calling outorders, among them instructions to Dietz to call forimmediate reinforcements from HQ. As Murphydirected the team’s attention up the mountain, theysaw about eighty to one hundred heavily armedTaliban fighters, each with an AK-47 pointed in theirdirection and several carrying launchers for the all-too-familiar shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenades(RPGs). Within minutes the Taliban worked their waydown the mountain on three sides, including theteam’s left and right flanks. The team was sure thatAxelson and Dietz’s position had in all likelihood notbeen compromised, but the same could not be saidabout Murphy and Luttrell’s. If spotted, they weretrapped, with the only avenue of escape down thenear-vertical nine thousand feet to the open valleybelow.

Up to this point, no shots had been fired. Dietzestablished radio contact with the J-badcommunications center just as gunfire finally eruptedand the sound of AK-47s filled the mountain air. Afierce firefight ensued between the four SEALs andthe much larger enemy force. J-bad relayed theinformation to Bagram. Despite being flanked on bothsides, the SEALs kept fighting. However, the sheernumber of Taliban closing in on them, as well as theintensity of the gunfire and the frequent explosions ofRPGs, made remaining in their current positionimpossible.

Nearly thirty minutes into the firefight, Dietz andAxelson had each received multiple wounds andMurphy had suffered a bullet wound to the abdomen.The wounded men began bounding down themountain’s steep sides, making blind leaps of thirty tofifty feet into the trees, rocks, boulders, and thickshrubbery below, all the while providing each otherwith alternating cover fire. During their leapsdownward, each man had lost his rucksack andLuttrell all of his medical supplies.

About forty-five minutes into the fight, the severelywounded Dietz sought open air space to placeanother distress call back to the base, but before hecompleted his call, he suffered another gunshotwound, this one to his right hand, shattering his thumb.Their ammunition was running low, and Dietz,Axelson, and Murphy had been severely wounded bygunfire or RPG rounds. Someone yelled, “I’m hit!”Murphy yelled back, “We’re all hit! Keep moving!”5

“Iron-Souled Warrior”

More than an hour into the fight, Dietz was dead andAxelson was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds,including one in his head. Despite being severelywounded with multiple gunshot wounds himself,Lieutenant Michael Murphy, in a last-ditch effort tosave his men, broke cover and deliberately walkedonto open ground in one final attempt to acquire acell-phone signal. Recognizing the desperatecondition of his team, he made the consciousdecision that the only way any of his men were goingto survive was to call in reinforcements. And the onlyway to do that in this rugged mountain terrain was toget to open ground, regardless of the cost.

Murphy used his encrypted Iridium satellite cellphone and called back to the Operations Center at J-bad. Luttrell yelled at Murphy to take cover, but hekept walking and finally made contact. Luttrelldescribed Murphy’s actions: “He walked until he wasmore or less in the center, gunfire all around him, andhe sat on a small rock and began punching in thenumbers to HQ. I could hear him talking, ‘My men aretaking heavy fire ... we’re getting picked apart. Myguys are dying out here ... we need help.’ Right thenhe took a bullet straight in the back. He slumpedforward, dropped his phone and his rifle, but then hebraced himself, grabbed them both, sat upright again,and once more put the phone to his ear. I heard himspeak again. ‘Roger that, sir. Thank you.’”

Having completed his call, he knew help was on theway. Luttrell saw Murphy pick up his weapon and flankto his left out of the line of sight. Luttrell then sawAxelson take another round and rushed over to him,but he could do nothing to help without his medicalsupplies. Axelson was unable to hold his weapon, butdespite his mortal wounds, he placed his weapon ona rock and continued to return fire. Luttrell moved toanother location and continued to fight on.

After about another thirty minutes the sound ofgunfire diminished. Luttrell heard only the familiarsound of the AK-47s, which continued to fade, thenceased altogether. All around him Luttrell heardenemy voices yelling, screaming, and chanting. Afterseveral minutes, he heard several more rounds froman AK-47, followed by dead silence. He was alone.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Rescue Mission

Despitetheurgetoavertyoureyesfromthesuffering,theonlywaytoreallyappreciatethenobilityofcourageistofamiliarizeyourselfwithitscostssothatyouwillcometounderstandhowrareathingitreallyis.

—CAPTAIN JOHN MCCAIN, USN (ret.), Why Courage Matters

In response to Michael Murphy’s call for assistance,the Marine QRF at J-bad loaded onto four aircraft,two UH-60 Blackhawks and two Apache assaulthelos. As they awaited orders to deploy, the fouraircraft sat on the tarmac with rotors turning. Having

monitored the radio call from Lieutenant Murphy to J-bad, Lieutenant Commander Kristensen ordered theassault force (AF) troops to extract his fellow SEALs.Senior Chief Healy located Petty Officer SecondClass Ben Sauers and told him, “Our guys are in aTIC, we gotta go ... now!” (TIC is an acronym fortroops in contact or combat.) Sauers ran for the line ofB-huts and alerted the SEALs, who immediatelybegan preparations while the call went out to the flightcrews of the 160th Night Stalkers.

Not scheduled in the rotation for another threehours, Captain Bradley was asleep in his B-hut whenhe was awakened by his maintenance officer. “Sir,you gotta get up, we have to go get those SEALs youdropped in, they’re in real trouble.” After springingfrom his bed, Bradley quickly dressed. He then ranout the door to the next B-hut to awaken PlatoonSergeant Michael Russell, who immediately got up,dressed, and began to muster the flight crews. Afterawakening Russell, Bradley ran to the OperationsCenter. First to arrive at the flight line was SergeantFirst Class Marcus Muralles, a senior combat medicpreparing for his last mission before going home. Heopened each helicopter and prepared for the rescueattempt by loading the medical supplies he hoped hewould not need.

In the Operations Center Kristensen met MajorReich and other mission commanders. After a briefdiscussion, Kristensen, Lieutenant Mike McGreevy,and Reich came to the conclusion that this was not aQRF mission, but rather an acceleration of theplanned mission. The plan in place was quicklyadapted. Quite simply, the revised plan was for therescue team to take the high ground at the point ofinsertion on Sawtalo Sar and fight its way down to theSEALs. The original plan had been to move in thatnight; however, waiting until the cover of darknesswas not an option.

While the rescue plan was being finalized, ChiefWarrant Officer 3 Cory Goodnature worked withSenior Flight Leader Chad Easter and made therequired adaptations and calculations. Theresponding assault force consisted of thirty-twotroops, sixteen in each helo. With the heat of the dayexceeding 100° and the thin atmosphere at tenthousand feet, the helos would not be able to carrysuch loads to the insertion point on Sawtalo Sar. Inaddition, anticipating that they would find woundedSEALs, medics were needed to treat the injured.

Reich and McGreevy decided to drop half of the AFat the forward operating base (FOB) at J-bad, thenproceed to the extrication site, locate and extractLieutenant Murphy’s SEALs, return to J-bad, pick upthe remaining troops, and finally come back to finishoff Shah and his militia. Additional plans would bemade in the air. Kristensen, Reich, and McGreevythen began the short trip to the flight line, where theflight crews had already loaded each helo with eightNight Stalkers. They were ready for take off and thechance to prove the Night Stalkers slogan: “If we putthem in, we take them out.”

The lead helo, an MH-47E Chinook, call sign

Turbine 33, was piloted by Chief Warrant Officer 4Chris Scherkenbach and copiloted by Chief WarrantOfficer 3 Cory Goodnature, both Night Stalkers.Standing directly behind Scherkenbach was CaptainBradley, the air mission commander. The other NightStalker crew members were Sergeant First ClassMarcus V. Muralles, Master Sergeant James W. “Tre”Ponder, Platoon Sergeant Michael Russell, StaffSergeant Shamus Goare, and Sergeant Kip Jacoby.

Coordinating the SEAL boarding of Turbine 33 wasChief Petty Officer Jacques Fontan. As the SEALsran for the helos, Fontan directed Jeffrey Lucas,Jeffrey Taylor, Michael McGreevy, and Ben Sauers onboard, then climbed on himself. After boarding Fontanrecognized Sauers and yelled, “You’re SDV. You’re inthe other helo.” Sauer exited and ran toward Turbine34, another Chinook.

Senior Chief Healy directed SEALs James Suhand Shane Patton to board Turbine 34.6 Just asHealy was about to climb on board, he heard Sauersyelling. Healy stopped and motioned for Sauers to geton board, then climbed on himself and secured theside door behind him.

As the two helos sat fully loaded and running on thetarmac, Kristensen and Reich boarded the lead helo,Turbine 33. Reich approached Captain Bradleybehind the cockpit and said, “What’s your plan,Captain?”

Bradley responded, “Insert the QRF on the highground near the insertion point and work our waydown to our guys.”

“Excellent, but this isn’t a QRF. We’ve acceleratedthe planned mission. I’ve got this one. You stay here!”Bradley insisted on going as the air missioncommander, to which Reich responded, “Captain, Isaid I’ve got this one. You’re staying here.”

Although frustrated, Bradley acknowledged Reich’sorder: “Yes, sir. Good luck.”

“Thanks.”Bradley gathered his weapon and jumped off the

helo. At a safe distance from the aircraft, he turnedand saw the helos reach skyward, then ran to theOperations Center and assumed command. As theoperations officer, he would monitor the rescue effort.

After the sixty-minute flight to J-bad, as planned,both helos flew over the still waiting QRF and toucheddown on a different flight line. As Sauers and some ofthe SEALs and Night Stalkers jumped off, they weretold, “Don’t go anywhere, we’ll be back for you in tenminutes.” While both aircraft rested on the tarmac,Healy, Suh, and Patton exited Turbine 34 and ran andboarded Turbine 33. Once the two helos had taken offagain and gained altitude, the QRF commanderordered his units into the air, but by that time the twoMH-47Es were well out in front as they raced towardthe LZ.

While Scherkenbach and Goodnature flared andmaneuvered their Chinook over the landing zone,Turbine 34 did a quick flyby to check out the area.Because the area was heavily forested, very little, ifanything, could be seen on the ground. AsScherkenbach and Goodnature held their position at

an altitude of about fifty feet and with the ramp openfor deployment of the fast rope, the call came: “Thirtyseconds!” At that, the others on board lined up for theinsertion.

The Loss of Turbine 33

On the ground almost directly below and slightlybehind Turbine 33, an RPG was fired. It penetratedthe middle of the aircraft on the underside, creating aninstant fireball and causing the aircraft to turn on itsright side. Within seconds it crashed into the side ofthe nine-thousand-foot mountain. The entire incidentwas captured on both video and still photography byan MQ-1 Predator.

Back at the 160th’s Operations Center, CaptainBradley was stunned. He knew that Major Reich andthe other fifteen men on board Turbine 33 were gone.He also realized that Major Reich’s assumingcommand of the mission had saved him.

On the ground, Luttrell heard cheers and yellingfrom the Taliban. He knew that something hadhappened, but he had no idea what had caused thefighters’ excitement. In his critically wounded state,however, he was in no condition to investigate.

On board Turbine 34, the crew was also stunned.The pilot radioed back to both J-bad and Bagram:“Turbine 33 is down. Repeat, Turbine 33 is down!”Turbine 34 and the four QRF aircraft requestedpermission to insert, check for survivors of the crash,and locate the SEALs. The commanders back atBagram denied the request. Despite calls from thetroops in the rear of the remaining aircraft, the pilotsfollowed orders and aborted the mission. The helosstarted on their way back to J-bad.

Back in the Operations Center, Bradley had sentfor Chad Easter, who was in disbelief when hearrived. They heard the commanders order Turbine34 to abort the mission and return to J-bad just asLieutenant Colonel Dunson arrived. Dunson, Bradley,Easter, and several other SOF operators loaded intoa helo and departed for J-bad to link up with thereturning helos and their crewmen.

On the tarmac at J-bad, Sauers and the otherslearned of the shootdown. Sauers immediately asked,“Before or after the QRF insertion?” “Before,” theywere told. Incensed, the entire group demanded to beflown to the crash site and inserted so they could lookfor and treat survivors and to find the SEALs. Theywere ordered to stand down and directed into theOperations Center, where they monitored the actionson the ground through the video and photographs sentby the MQ-1 Predator. As they watched the video ofthe shootdown, they knew that little hope existed forthose on board Turbine 33. However, they remainedoptimistic about the four SEALs in Murphy’s team,although no communication had been received fromthem for several hours.

Rescue to Recovery

Upon arriving at J-bad just before dark, Dunson,Bradley, Easter, and other operational plannersassembled in the Operations Area and developed aplan to go back up the mountain. Easter then wentoutside and advised the waiting troops from the QRFand Turbine 34. Everyone headed to the flight line andloaded into the five awaiting MH-47Es, designatedTurbines 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45. The helos then tookoff.

Turbine 41, the lead helo, piloted by Easter,headed up the mountain with the other aircraft closebehind. Soon they found themselves in an ever-thickening fog bank and heavy rain. As the aircraftneared the crash site, the fog was so thick and thevisibility so poor that the pilots were flying blind,unable to see the other aircraft, the mountains, or theground below. Back at Bagram, the commandersmonitoring the radio traffic aborted the mission. Allpilots acknowledged the abort order. Easter and theother pilots now faced making a 360-degree turn information with no visibility, an extremely dangerousmaneuver that increased the already high level oftension in the aircraft. All five aircraft performed thedifficult maneuver without incident and returned safelyto J-bad.

At the start of the next operational period twelvehours later, the same five aircraft headed up themountain toward a new LZ just south of where theymade their last attempt. In addition, Marine groundforces were dispatched on foot up the mountaintoward the crash site from the southeast.

The aircraft split formation and headed for theirdesignated LZs. The mood of the men on the flightwas somber and intense. All contact with Murphy’sSEALs had been lost, and sixteen of their fellowspecial operators had died the previous day.

The two LZs for this mission were called Napierand Stork. Turbine 41, Turbine 42, and Turbine 45approached LZ Napier, while Turbine 43 and Turbine44 headed to LZ Stork. The LZs were along theSawtalo Sar ridgeline above the crash site. Thecrewmen of Turbine 41 utilized the FRIES anddropped its ninety-foot rope to the ground below, thendispatch the assault force. Turbine 42 and Turbine 45followed suit. At LZ Stork, the troops on board Turbine43 and Turbine 44, piloted by Captain Bradley, weresimilarly inserted.

July 3, 2005

The assault force began the treacherous declinetoward the crash site, which took them just over threehours. After they reached the crash site, they securedboth the inner and outer perimeters. The remains ofall eight SEALs and all eight Night Stalkers wererecovered. The Marine ground forces coming from the

southeast, who were still several hours from the sitedue to the terrain, were instructed to abort and returnto J-bad.

Due to the terrain, no suitable LZ was available inwhich to land the helos. To accommodate the aircraft,the AF detonated several large charges and cleareda functional evacuation LZ, which was given the codename Thresher.

The remains of all sixteen American troops wereevacuated back to Bagram Airfield on Turbine 41 andTurbine 42. Escorting the fallen was the air missioncommander, Captain Myron Bradley.

At Bagram, Commander Kent Paro and all of theremaining special operations forces were waiting onthe flight line to meet Captain Bradley and the sixteenlost SEALs and soldiers. While the remains werebeing transferred into waiting ambulances, PettyOfficer Second Class Eugene Bryant ran toward Paroholding a piece of paper. As Bryant got within hearingdistance, Paro heard him yell, “They’ve got him sir,they’ve got him. Marcus has been found. He’s in prettyrough shape, but he’s alive. We have him.” Paro’sspirits were lifted by the news. Perhaps the otherthree missing SEALs were also alive. He thenredirected his attention to the remains of the sixteenmen being transferred from the helos.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Answering the Call

Enduringaninescapablefatestoicallyisadmirable,butitisnotthesamethingascourage.Sufferingstoicallyaterriblefatethatyoucouldhaveescaped,butthatyourconvictions,yoursenseofhonor,compelledyoutoaccept,is.

—CAPTAIN JOHN MCCAIN, USN (ret.), Why Courage Matters

The core concept of the SEALs is TEAM. To a SEAL,nothing is more important than his teammate. It is thatmind-set that keeps all SEALs as safe as possible. Itis that mind-set, and the level of training that goes withit, that makes the Navy SEALs the most formidablefighting force on Earth.

While this work would embarrass Michael Murphy,

it would be a grave disservice to his legacy not toremember here those members of the SEALcommunity and the 160th Special Operations AviationRegiment (SOAR), the Night Stalkers, who answeredhis call for assistance on June 28, 2005. Thosesixteen men willingly ran to their helicopters toundertake their dangerous rescue mission.

Michael was all about TEAM. The following pagesare dedicated to the memory of those who paid theultimate price answering his call. Truly, to paraphrasePresident Abraham Lincoln’s famous words, thesemen gave their last full measure of devotion.

Erik S. Kristensen, LieutenantCommander, U.S. Navy

The only child of retired Navy rear admiral EdwardKristensen, Erik was born on March 15, 1972, inPortsmouth, Virginia. He was accustomed to life onthe road, having lived in Japan, Guam, andWashington, D.C. Known as “Spider” to histeammates, he considered Washington, D.C., hishome, and graduated from Gonzaga High School in1990 with academic honors. While at Gonzaga heexcelled at football and lacrosse and was musicallygifted as a trumpet player, having earned the ranks offirst chair, section leader, and co-concert master. AnEagle Scout, he earned numerous academic awardsthat he never picked up.

Following high school, he attended theacademically challenging Phillips Andover Academyin Andover, Massachusetts, for a year beforeattending and subsequently graduating from the U.S.Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1995 withacademic honors. During his time at the Academy,Erik majored in English and minored in French, andearned his varsity letter in heavyweight crew.

Following his graduation from the Naval Academy,he was commissioned as an ensign and served in theengineering department of the USS Chandler, a now-decommissioned guided missile destroyer, inEverett, Washington, as fire control officer. While inthe Chandler, he earned his surface warfare officerdesignation. He subsequently served as an officer inthe Fleet, with tours as the officer in charge of theRigid Hull Inflatable Boat Detachment at NavalSpecial Warfare Boat Unit Twelve (SBT-12) in 1999.After his tour of duty with the SEALs, he returned tothe Naval Academy and taught English and begangraduate studies at St. John’s College in Annapolis.

In 2000, after five years of service, Erik knew hewanted to be a Navy SEAL but was told that he wastoo old and would not be able to make it. Instead oflistening to those who said he could not make it as aSEAL, he chose instead to redouble his efforts toachieve his goal. After failing once to make theSEALs, he tried again. As the oldest member ofClass 233 at age twenty-seven, he graduated BUD/Sin March 2001.

Overcoming numerous injuries and obstacles, hefinally realized his dream and became a SEAL. Hisfirst assignment was as the officer in charge of asixteen-man SEAL platoon at SEAL Team Eight. Hethen deployed to Afghanistan as a task unitcommander for SEAL Team Ten in support of theU.S. Global War on Terror. In that position, he was notobligated to board the rescue helicopter that fatefulday in June 2005; however, consistent with the SEALCreed, there was absolutely no way that he wouldpermit the rescue team to leave without him and hisweapon downrange. Erik would never send his meninto harm’s way without leading them.

Single and fluent in French, Erik had been selectedby the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation as anOlmsted Scholar to attend graduate school at theInstitute of Political Studies in Paris, France, and wasscheduled to begin his schooling there in 2006.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Combat Action Ribbon• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Navy and Marine CorpsCommendation Medal (3 stars)• Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal (1 star)• National Defense Service Medal(1gold star)• Global War on Terror ServiceExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon(1 star)• Expert Rifle• Expert Pistol

Burial and Memorials

With full military honors, the funeral of thirty-three-year-old Lieutenant Commander Erik S. Kristensen wasconducted at 10:00 AM on July 19, 2005, in thechapel at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis,Maryland. He was buried in the Academy’s cemetery,located on the peninsula overlooking the Severn Riverand College Creek. There, he remains on permanentstation in Section 01-008.

Michael M. McGreevy Jr., Lieutenant,U.S. Navy

The Honor Man of BUD/S Class 230, LieutenantMichael M. McGreevy Jr. was born in Milwaukee,Wisconsin, on April 24, 1975. His family moved to

Portville, New York, a small town just north of thePennsylvania border, soon after he was born. Whileattending Portville High School, he was involved ineverything, including the student council, the NationalHonor Society, wrestling, soccer, ice hockey, andtrack, setting a school record for the eight-hundred-meter run. While in high school he wanted to take thestate Regents exam in German, but his school did notoffer that language. Undaunted, he bought German-language books and taught himself so well that hepassed the exam. Tall and very thin, he ran more thanthree miles to school each morning to be there by6:00 AM so that he could get in a session of strengthbuilding before classes started. Accepted for earlyadmission to the U.S. Military Academy in WestPoint, New York, he declined, seeking instead a spotat the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, which hereceived. He served as secretary of his class,graduating in 1997 with a B.S. in mechanicalengineering.

Upon receiving his commission, he served aboardU S S Oak Hill (LSD-51), a Harper’s Ferry-classlanding ship, as the surface warfare officer. Hispassion was to become a SEAL, however, and so heentered BUD/S training in late 1999, graduating withClass 230 in August 2000 after his second attempt.Known as “Groove” by his friends, he served withSEAL Team Four, volunteered to attend the ArmyRanger School, and graduated as Top Ranger, theRangers’ equivalent of Honor Man.7

He then deployed to Southern Command andconducted foreign internal defense missions andmultiple joint-combined exercises with several foreignspecial operations forces. Upon returning from thisdeployment, he volunteered for an emergentdeployment with SEAL Team Eight to the CrisisResponse Element, Joint Special Operations TaskForce-Horn of Africa as the assistant officer incharge. Following that tour he transferred to SEALTeam Ten as officer in charge (OIC) of Echo Platoon.As OIC, he deployed in April 2005 to Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan, in support of Operation EnduringFreedom.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Combat Action Ribbon• Navy and Marine CorpsCommendation Medal• Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal (2 stars)• Navy Meritorious UnitCommendation Medal• National Defense Service Medal(1 star)• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal

• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon(1 star)• Navy Expert Rifle• Navy Expert Pistol

Burial and Memorials

Lieutenant McGreevy is survived by his wife, Laura,and his daughter, Molly. A private funeral service wasconducted at the St. John the Apostle Church inVirginia Beach, Virginia. Lieutenant MichaelMcGreevy Jr. was laid to rest with full military honorsin Arlington National Cemetery, “Where Valor ProudlySleeps,” on October 20, 2005, in Section 60, alongwith several other of his comrades who perished onJune 28, 2005.

Daniel R. Healy, Senior Chief PettyOfficer, U.S. Navy

Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel R. Healy was bornon January 17, 1968, in Exeter, New Hampshire. Hewas the first of five children of his parents, Henry andNatalie Healy. He graduated from Exeter High Schoolin June 1986. After exploring his entrepreneurial spiritby owning his own landscaping business and workingas a journeyman electrician for four years, he enlistedin the Navy in 1990, graduating from BUD/S in 1992with Class 196.

He was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle TeamOne (SDVT-1) at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from 1992 to1996. A year of intensive language training at theDefense Language Institute in Monterey, California,followed. He then served at SEAL Delivery VehicleTeam Two at Little Creek, Virginia, before returning toSDVT-1 at Pearl, where he led a training platoon.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart (1 star)• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Navy and Marine CorpsCommendation AchievementMedal• Joint Meritorious Unit Award• Meritorious Unit Commendation• Good Conduct Medal (3 stars)• National Defense Service Medal

Burial and Memorials

On July 9, 2005, Senior Chief Daniel R. Healy wasburied with full military honors at Fort RosecransNational Cemetery in Point Loma, California. His

funeral was attended by Admiral Joseph Maguire,along with many of his SEAL brothers stationed atNaval Special Warfare Command in Coronado andhis teammates from SDVT-1 in Pearl Harbor.

Dan’s family organized an East Coast memorialservice at Rye Harbor State Park, five miles fromExeter, overlooking the turquoise blue waters of theAtlantic Ocean. More than a thousand people,including Judd Gregg, U.S. senator from NewHampshire, and his wife, Kathy, attended the event,which was held on Sunday, July 17, 2005, beneath abeautiful cloudless sky.

In his memory, Dan’s mother established the DanielR. Healy Memorial Foundation to assist a graduatefrom Exeter High School who was entering the militaryor the building trades.

In 2008 the bridge on New Hampshire Route 101between Manchester and Hampton Beach wasrenamed the Senior Chief Daniel R. Healy, U.S. NavySEAL Bridge. That same year the pool in the localpark in Exeter was renamed the Senior Chief DanielR. Healy Memorial Pool.

Eric Shane Patton, Petty OfficerSecond Class, U.S. Navy

Eric Shane Patton, born on November 15, 1982, atthe Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California,was the second of six children of Valerie and “JJ”Patton. When his parents divorced in 1994, Shaneand his brothers moved to Boulder City, Nevada, withtheir father, a Las Vegas Municipal Court marshaland a former Navy SEAL. At Boulder City HighSchool, he was a member of the baseball team andplayed guitar in a band called True Story. He alsoenjoyed skateboarding and surfing. Immediately upongraduation, he enlisted in the Navy with the goal ofbecoming a SEAL like his father. He graduated withBUD/S Class 239.

He was assigned to SEAL Team One in Pearl City,Hawaii, before his deployment to Afghanistan in April2005. Originally scheduled to be part of LieutenantMurphy’s four man reconnaissance unit, he was onthe rescue helicopter struck by the RPG in theKorangal Valley on June 28, 2005. His remainsarrived under military escort at McCarran InternationalAirport on Thursday, July 6, 2005. Visitation was heldon Friday, July 7, 2005, at the Palm Mortuary inBoulder City.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal (3 stars)• Combat Action Ribbon• Afghanistan Campaign Medal

• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Rifle Expert• Expert Pistol• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces Service Medal

Burial and Memorials

With full military honors, Shane Patton was buried atthe Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery inBoulder City, Nevada, on Saturday, July 9, 2005.

Jeffrey Allen Lucas, Petty OfficerFirst Class, U.S. Navy

Electronics Technician First Class Lucas was born onSeptember 17, 1971. While growing up in Corbett,Oregon, he chose his career path early—in the fourthgrade, when he wrote a paper about the SpecialForces (Green Berets), the Rangers, the MarineCorps’ Force Recon, and the SEALs. He had hiseyes set on the SEALs because “they were the best.”After graduating from high school in 1989, heimmediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Uponcompleting recruit training and Electronics Technicianschool, he transferred to Naval Submarine TrainingCenter Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. From there hetransferred to the Branch Medical Clinic, San Diego,California, from May 1991 to June 1993.

He entered BUD/S in June 1993 and graduatedwith Class 191 in January 1994. Upon completing hisSEAL training, he reported to SEAL Team One inCoronado, California, where he was stationed from1994 to 1999, before transferring to the East Coast in1999 to Naval Special Warfare Development Group(DEVGRU) in Dam Neck, Virginia. He thentransferred to SEAL Team Eight for a year beforeagain transferring to SEAL Team Ten in March 2002.A leading petty officer (LPO), he had ten years ofexperience as a SEAL, allowing him to create anextensive list of qualifications, including sniper, sniperinstructor, and military free-fall parachutist.

He was married to his wife, Rhonda, for twelveyears. They had one son, Seth, who was four yearsold when his father was killed in action.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal (3 stars)• Combat Action Ribbon• National Defense Service Medal(1 star)• Armed Forces Service Medal

• Kosovo Campaign Medal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Humanitarian Service Medal• Sea Service Deployment Medal(3 stars)• NATO Medal• Rifle Expert• Expert Pistol

Burial and Memorials

With full military honors, Petty Officer Jeffrey AllenLucas was laid to rest in Section 60, site 8229, inArlington National Cemetery, “Where Valor ProudlySleeps.”

The Jeff Lucas Memorial Fund was established byhis family as a 501 (c) (3) corporation to construct alasting memorial to Jeff. A stadium grandstand andfootball sports complex will be built at Corbett HighSchool. It will be dedicated as the Jeff LucasMemorial Veterans Stadium. In addition, family andfriends have established the Seth A. Lucas Fund.

Jacques Jules Fontan, Chief PettyOfficer, U.S. Navy

Chief Fontan was born on November 11, 1968, inNew Orleans, to Earl and Hazel Fontan. Aftergraduating from Brother Martin High School in 1986,he attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayetteprior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy on March 7, 1989.Following graduation from the Recruit TrainingCommand at Naval Station Great Lakes, hecompleted Fire Controlman “A” school at FleetCombat Training Center, Dam Neck, Virginia. Hethen transferred to the USS Nicholas (FFG-47),Charleston, South Carolina, and then to HelicopterAnti-Submarine Squadron One in Jacksonville,Florida. After graduating from BUD/S on October 23,1998, he was assigned to SEAL Team Eight, LittleCreek, Virginia, then to Naval Special Warfare GroupTwo, and subsequently to SEAL Team Ten, LittleCreek, Virginia.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Joint Service CommendationMedal• Navy and Marine CorpsCommendation Medal with “V”device• Combat Action Ribbon• Joint Meritorious Unit Award

• Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon• Navy “E” Ribbon• Good Conduct Medal (4 stars)• National Defense Service Medal(1 star)• Southwest Asia Service Medal (2stars)• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal (2 stars)• Military Outstanding VolunteerService Medal• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon(2 stars)• NATO Medal• Kuwait Liberation Medal• Expert Pistol• Sharpshooter M4 Rifle

Burial and Memorials

Chief Fontan was buried with full military honors. He issurvived by his parents, his wife, Charissa, and hisdaughter, Jourdan.

Jeffrey Scott Taylor, Petty OfficerFirst Class, U.S. Navy

Jeffrey S. Taylor was born on May 18, 1975, inBeckley, West Virginia. He attended IndependenceHigh School in Coal City, West Virginia, beforeenlisting in the Navy on June 20, 1994. His dutyassignments included the Recruit Training Command,Naval Station Great Lakes, in Illinois; Naval School ofHealth Sciences, San Diego, California; NavalMedical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia; Field MedicalService School, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;SEAL Team Eight, Little Creek, Virginia; USSTheodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), Norfolk, Virginia;John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School,Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and SEAL Team Ten,Little Creek, Virginia.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart Medal• Navy and Marine CorpsCommendation Medal withCombat “V” (1 star)• Citation• Navy Unit Commendation (1 star)• Meritorious Unit Commendation• Navy Battle “E” Ribbon• Good Conduct Medal (3 stars)• Navy Fleet Marine Force Medal• Armed Forces Expeditionary

Medal• National Defense Service Medal(1 star)• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal• Combat Action Ribbon• Presidential Unit• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon(2 stars)• Expert Rifle• Expert Pistol

Burial and Memorials

Jeffrey Taylor’s wife Erin scattered his ashes overSection 60 at Arlington National Cemetery.

James E. Suh, Petty Officer SecondClass, U.S. Navy

James Erik Suh was born in Coronado, California,but later moved with his family to Deerfield Beach,Florida. James and his sister Claudia were raised bytheir singleparent father, Solomon Suh, a Koreanimmigrant. James excelled in all of his academicsubjects in school and was placed in a program forgifted students. He was especially strong in math, butalso proved to be a talented artist and athlete. Jamesgraduated from high school in June 1995, but as heprepared to enter the University of Florida, he alsobegan thinking seriously about joining the NavySEALs.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree instatistics in 1999, James enlisted in the Navy inJanuary 2001. He began his BUD/S training withClass 237 in July and received his SEAL Trident inFebruary 2001. Following successful completion ofSEAL Delivery Vehicle training, he was assigned toSDVT-1 in Hawaii in December 2003. In April 2005he and his teammates of Alfa Platoon went toAfghanistan on what was his first deployment. PettyOfficer Second Class James E. Suh was killed whileserving as a member of the QRF in Operation RedWings on June 28, 2005.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Afghanistan Campaign Medal

Burial and Memorials

James E. Suh was buried with full military honors inForest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California, onJuly 30, 2005. His funeral was attended by fifty of hisSDVT-1 teammates. James’ father, Solomon, waspresented the burial flag by Rear Admiral JosephMaguire, Commander, Naval Special Warfare.

Stephen C. Reich, Major, U.S. Army

Stephen C. Reich was born on May 22, 1971, inCleveland, Ohio, His family moved to Washington,Connecticut, when he was four years old. His fatherwas a teacher and coach and his mother a nurse atthe local community hospital. At Shepaug ValleyRegional High School, he was a triple-sport standoutin wrestling, basketball, and baseball. After highschool, he received an appointment to the UnitedStates Military Academy in West Point, New York,receiving his commission in 1993. While at WestPoint, he set numerous pitching records for thebaseball team, several of which stand today. Reichgraduated with dual degrees in Arabic and Spanish.

Following his commissioning, he receivedpermission to play baseball for Team USA during thesummer of 1993, receiving the honor of carrying theAmerican flag in the opening ceremonies of the WorldUniversity Games at Buffalo New York’s RichStadium. After initial flight qualification school, he wasassigned to the University of Kentucky’s ReserveOfficers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and playedprofessional baseball in the Baltimore Oriolesorganization, having received a waiver from the Army.Reich entered the Army’s World Class AthleteProgram in 1995 to train for the 1996 U.S. Olympicteam trials.

In 1996, after receiving UH-60 Blackhawk transitiontraining, he was ordered to Germany, where heserved as platoon leader in Company A, 5thBattalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. While in Germanyhe became fluent in German, his third foreignlanguage. During his subsequent tour with the 12thAviation Brigade, he served in Operation AlliedForce, deploying to Hungary, Bosnia, Albania, andKosovo.

Returning from Germany in 2000, Reich attendedthe Infantry Captains Career Course at Fort Benning,Georgia, followed by the Combined Arms andServices Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.Upon arrival at the 160th Special Operations AviationRegiment (SOAR) in 2001, he deployed with the 2ndBattalion to Operation Enduring Freedom as a battlecaptain in support of Task Force Dagger, a specialoperations unit seeking the capture or death ofOsama bin Laden in the Tora Bora mountain cavenetwork of Afghanistan.

In December 2001 he served as operations officerfor the 2nd Battalion’s detachment of MH-47E aircraftin Afghanistan. He commanded HeadquartersCompany, 2nd Battalion from February 2002 throughMay 2003. Having been promoted to major, Reich

then completed a one-year deployment to Daegu,Republic of Korea, as the operations officer for ECompany, 160th SOAR. Other specialized militarytraining consisted of the Survival, Evasion,Resistance and Escape (SERE) Level-C course, theArmy Airborne School, and the Air Assault School.

Two weeks after his marriage to his wife, Jill, onMarch 19, 2005, he deployed to Bagram Airfield forhis fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device, two oak leaf clusters• Meritorious Service Medal, oakleaf cluster• Purple Heart• Air Medal with “V” device• Army Commendation Medal• Army Achievement Medal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Overseas Service Medal• Korean Defense Service Medal• Meritorious Service Medal• Joint Meritorious Unit Award• Humanitarian Service Medal• Senior Aviator Badge• Airborne Badge• Air Assault Badge• Combat Action Badge

Burial and Memorials

A private military ceremony was conducted at HunterArmy Airfield in Georgia on July 7, and a memorialservice was also held in Washington, Connecticut, atthe Bryan Memorial Town Hall on July 10, which wasattended by more than a thousand family members,friends, and town residents.

Although he was extremely confident, he was soft-spoken and never arrogant. In fact, his parents andbride did not know the actions for which he hadreceived his first two Bronze Stars until after hisdeath. Unfortunately, all are acutely aware of theactions that resulted in his third.

Each year on July 4, the Steve Reich MemorialFreedom Run is conducted in Washington,Connecticut, with proceeds going to the Steve ReichMemorial Scholarship Program benefiting students athis high school alma mater.

Chris J. Scherkenbach, ChiefWarrant Officer 4, U.S. Army

The youngest of eight children of Elmer and MarjorieScherkenbach, Chris was born on November 3, 1964,in Des Plaines, Illinois. He graduated from ProspectHigh School in 1982, then moved with his parents toPalm Harbor, Florida, following his father’s retirementfrom Ford Motor Company. The elder Scherkenbachhad previously served as a decorated B-17 bomberpilot in World War II.

Chris graduated from the St. Petersburg JuniorCollege and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army asa communications specialist. He completed basictraining at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in April 1987and his training as an automatic datatelecommunications center operator at Fort Gordon,Georgia, in July 1987. He then transferred to his firstduty station in Germany.

Upon his return he was accepted into the WarrantOfficer Program at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in 1990.After graduating that same year, he was immediatelysent to the Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course andInitial Entry Rotary Wing (helicopter) training. Aftercompleting his CH-47D aircraft qualifications at FortRucker, he was assigned to Company B, 2ndBattalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, Hunter ArmyAirfield, Georgia. He was then assigned to CampHumphreys in South Korea as an MH-47D Chinookpilot. After completing his tour there, he returned tothe 159th Aviation Regiment.

While on a fitness run in a local Savannah, Georgia,park, he met his future wife, Michelle, a physician’sassistant at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.They were married on September 20, 1997.

Chris was selected for the Army’s DegreeCompletion Program, graduating magna cum laudewith a B.S. in aeronautics from the prestigious Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach,Florida, the world’s largest aerospace university inMarch 2005.

His final assignment was Company B, 3rdBattalion, 160th Special Operations AviationRegiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. OnFriday, May 27, 2005, he deployed to Afghanistan.He was the pilot of the MH-47D shot down whileattempting the midday rescue in Operation RedWings.

Chris and Michelle were in the final stages ofadopting an infant from China. On the day he waskilled, Michelle had sent him an e-mail messageconfirming travel arrangements to China. That e-mailwas found in the pocket of his flight suit after his bodywas recovered.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oakleaf cluster• Army Commendation Medal• Army Achievement Medal• Army Good Conduct Medal

• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Iraq Campaign Medal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Humanitarian Service Medal• Army Service Ribbon• Senior Army Aviator Badge• Meritorious Service Medal• Combat Action Badge• Master Army Aviator Badge

Burial and Memorials

Chief Warrant Officer Chris Scherkenbach wasburied with full military honors in Section 60, site8200, in Arlington National Cemetery, next to ateammate, Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles.Approximately thirty days after Chris’s death, Michelletraveled to China and brought home their daughter,Sarah Grace Xiaomei Scherkenbach.

Sadly, Chris Scherkenbach never had theopportunity to meet his daughter. Nevertheless, if hehad known in advance what the outcome of hismission that fateful day would be, he still would havegone, epitomizing the inscription on the Night StalkerMemorial Wall at Fort Campbell, Kentucky: “I servewith the memory and pride of those who have gonebefore me, for they love to fight, fought to win andwould rather die than quit.” Sarah may not understandnow why her father died, but the example of hiscourage will light her path for a lifetime.

Cory J. Goodnature, Chief WarrantOfficer 3, U.S. Army

Born February 13, 1970, in Clarks Grove, Minnesota,to Donald and Deborah Goodnature, Cory was drivento become a military pilot and changed his plansmore than once as a young man to realize his goal.After graduating from Albert Lea High School, wherehe participated in wrestling and track, he enrolled inthe University of Minnesota and its Air Force ROTCprogram. Due to funding problems, the program wascut. He then transferred to the Marine Corps and hada pilot’s slot in the ROTC, but that program was alsocut. He graduated from the University of Minnesotawith an associate’s degree in aerospace engineeringin 1991 and enlisted in the Army in October 1991.

Though his earlier efforts to become a pilot hadbeen derailed, he was undeterred and worked hisway up in the Army to achieve his goal. He served asa parachute rigger at the U.S. Army John F. KennedySpecial Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg,North Carolina, and the Warrant Officer Basic Course

at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Upon graduation from flightschool in 1995, his first assignment was flying UH-1s(Hueys) in Korea, and in 1996 was assigned toWheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. He tested for the160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in 1998and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th SOARat Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, as an MH-47DChinook pilot. Having served one tour in Iraq, he wason his fourth deployment in Afghanistan when he died.He leaves a wife, Lori, and two teenage boys, Sheaand Brennan.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oakleaf cluster• Army Commendation Medal• Army Achievement Medal• Good Conduct Medal• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Meritorious Service Medal• Iraq Campaign Medal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Korean Defense Service Medal• Overseas Service Ribbon• Senior Army Aviator Badge• Airborne Badge• Air Assault Badge• Rigger Badge• Combat Action Badge

Burial and Memorials

A memorial service for Cory Goodnature was held onFriday, July 8, 2005, at the Isle of Hope MethodistChurch in Savannah, Georgia. His funeral service wasconducted at the Albert Lea United Methodist Churchin Albert Lea, Minnesota, on July 16, 2005. With fullmilitary honors, he was buried at Graceland Cemeteryin Albert Lea, where he remains on permanentstation.

Each year the Isle of Hope Methodist Church hostsmore than two hundred runners in the CoryGoodnature Run for Missions. The Cory GoodnatureMemorial Scholarship Program is funded by anannual Golf Classic in Albert Lea.

James W. “Tre” Ponder III, MasterSergeant, U.S. Army

James “Tre” Ponder was born June 24, 1969, inAlabama, and was a resident of Clarksville,Tennessee. He joined the Army in March 1990 as aChinook helicopter repairer. After graduating frombasic training at Camp Eustis, Virginia, he wasassigned to Camp Humphreys, Korea. He arrived atthe 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment inDecember 1992 and served in a variety of positionsin the 2nd Battalion, including flight engineerinstructor, standardization instructor, and regimentstandardization instructor. He was on his fourthdeployment to Afghanistan in June 2005.

His military education consisted of the PrimaryLeadership Development, Combat Lifesaver,Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE),Basic Noncommissioned Officer, Equal OpportunityRepresentatives, Air Assault, Airborne, and ArmyAdvanced Noncommissioned Officers courses andschools.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Air Medal with “V” device, 2 oakleaf clusters• Army Commendation Medal• Joint Service Achievement Medal• Valorous Unit Award• Army Superior Unit Award• Good Conduct Medal• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Korean Defense Service Medal• Humanitarian Service Medal• Overseas Service Ribbon

Burial and Memorials

Following a funeral service on July 7, 2005, at theFirst Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, MasterSergeant Ponder was laid to rest with full militaryhonors at the nearby Greenwood Cemetery. Tre issurvived by his wife, Leslie, and his daughters,Samantha and Elizabeth.

Michael L. Russell, Sergeant FirstClass, U.S. Army

A resident of Rincon, Georgia, he was born onSeptember 28, 1973, in Virginia. Russell joined theArmy in October 1991 as a Chinook helicopter

repairer. After completing basic training at FortJackson, South Carolina, his first duty station wasBarbers Point, Hawaii, where he remained until April1995.

In May 1996 he departed to the 158th AviationRegiment located at Fort Carson, Colorado. In August1996 he was assigned to the 160th SpecialOperations Aviation Regiment, in which he served asa flight engineer with the 3rd Battalion at Hunter ArmyAirfield, Georgia.

His military education included the PrimaryLeadership Development, Survival, Evasion,Resistance and Escape (SERE), and BasicNoncommissioned Officers courses.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device, 1 oak leaf cluster• Purple Heart• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oakleaf cluster• Air Medal, oak leaf cluster• Army Commendation Medal• Army Achievement Medal• Good Conduct Medal• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Iraq Campaign Medal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Overseas Service Ribbon• Army Superior Unit Award• Senior Army Crew MemberBadge• Meritorious Service Medal• Master Army Crew MemberBadge• Combat Action Badge

Burial and Memorials

Sergeant First Class Michael Russell is survived byhis wife, Annette, of Savannah, Georgia, and twodaughters, Lauren and Megan. He was buried with fullmilitary honors in Stafford, Virginia.

Marcus V. Muralles, Sergeant FirstClass, U.S. Army

Marcus V. Muralles was born October 5, 1971, inLouisiana, and was raised in Shelbyville, Indiana. Hejoined the Army in December 1988 as an infantryman.After completing Basic Combat Training and

Advanced Individual Training, he was assigned to 3rdBattalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning,Georgia. After completing his initial enlistmentobligation, he was assigned to the inactive readyreserve in 1993.

In August 1998 he returned to active duty andgraduated One Station Unit Training at Fort Benningin the summer of 1998. His first duty station wasCompany B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment asa medical administrator, platoon medic, and companysenior medic. In August 2003, Muralles was assignedto 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations AviationRegiment as an aerial flight medic.

His military education and training included theEmergency Medical Technician, Basic Airborne, andRanger schools, as well as the Primary LeadershipDevelopment, Jumpmaster, Special OperationsMedic, Basic Noncommissioned Officer, andAdvanced Noncommissioned Officer Developmentcourses.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart• Air Medal with “V” device• Meritorious Service Medal, 1 oakleaf cluster• Air Medal with “V” device• Army Commendation Medal• Army Achievement Medal• Good Conduct Medal• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Humanitarian Service Medal• Iraq Campaign Medal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Expert Infantry Badge• Combat Medical Badge• Expert Field Medical Badge• Aviation Badge• Master Parachutist Badge (2combat jumps)• Ranger Tab• Combat Action Badge

Burial and Memorials

Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles was laid to restin Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by hiswife, Diana, and their two children, Anna andDominic.

Shamus O. Goare, Staff Sergeant,U.S. Army

Shamus O. Goare was born May 28, 1976, inDanville, located in the upper northeastern corner ofKnox County in northwestern Ohio. After graduatingfrom Danville High School, he joined the Army in 1994as a Huey helicopter repairer at the age of seventeen.He got his mother to sign his enlistment papers byconvincing her that the forms were for somethingdifferent. Attracted to the military life in general, hechose the Army because he liked its uniforms. Heattended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson,South Carolina, and Advanced Individual Training atFort Rucker, Alabama.

From December 1994 to October 1996, Goarewas assigned to Company I, 158th Aviation Battalionas a utility helicopter repairer at Fort Hood, Texas. InOctober 1996 he was reassigned as a UH-1 crewchief to 1st USA Support Battalion, Sinai, Egypt.Upon completion of a one-year tour in Egypt, he wasassigned as a crew chief to 12th Aviation Brigade atFort Belvoir, Virginia. From January to May 1999, heattended the Heavy Helicopter Repairer Course atFort Eustis, Virginia, and upon completion became aChinook helicopter repairer. In June 1999 he wasassigned to Company C, 52nd Aviation Regiment,Camp Humphreys, Korea, where he performed dutiesas a MH-47 mechanic until May 2000.

In June 2000 Goare was recruited and volunteeredfor the Night Stalkers and assigned to the 160thSpecial Operations Aviation Training Company. Uponcompletion of the Basic Mission Qualification Course(Green Platoon), he was assigned as a flight engineerfor Company B, 3rd Battalion, 160th SpecialOperations Aviation Regiment at Hunter ArmyAirfield, Georgia. His mother, Judy, says that Shamusagreed to join the Night Stalkers because he likedtheir maroon berets.

His military education and training included thePrimary Leadership Development, SERE, UtilityHelicopter Repairer, and Medium Helicopter Repairercourses.

Single, Shamus frequently volunteered foradditional overseas deployments to allow men whowere married or expecting the birth of a child soon toremain with their families, claiming that they would dothe same for him. He had successfully completed twodeployments to Iraq and was on his fourth deploymentto Afghanistan.

Shamus was the frequent target of bullies whilegrowing up. It wasn’t until after his death that those inDanville learned that Shamus personified character,courage, honor, humility, and valor.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal with “V”device• Purple Heart

• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oakleaf cluster• Air Medal• Army Commendation Medal• Joint Service Achievement Medal• Army Achievement Medal• Good Conduct Medal• National Defense Service Medal• Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal• Iraq Campaign Medal• Humanitarian Service Medal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Multinational Forces andObservers Medal• Kuwaiti Defense Service Medal• Meritorious Service Medal• Army Service Ribbon• Combat Action Badge• Senior Army Aviator Badge

Burial and Memorials

Shamus Goare is survived by his parents, Charlesand Judith Goare, of Danville, Ohio. His funeralservice was held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, July 12, atthe Fischer Funeral Home.

He was laid to his earthly rest with full militaryhonors in St. Luke’s Cemetery in Danville. At thefuneral, Lieutenant General Philip Kensinger, thecommander of the U.S. Army Special OperationsCommand at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, presentedShamus’s parents with the Bronze Star with “V”device, the Purple Heart, and the AfghanistanCampaign Medal.

Kip Allen Jacoby, Sergeant, U.S.Army

Kip was born September 2, 1983, to Stephen andSusan Jacoby of Pompano Beach, Florida. Aftergraduating from Northeast High School in June 2002,he enlisted in the U.S. Army in October that sameyear. He successfully completed basic training at FortJackson, South Carolina, after which he attended andsubsequently graduated from Advanced IndividualTraining at Fort Eustis, Virginia, in May 2003.

In June 2003 he was assigned to the 160th SpecialOperations Aviation Training Company andcompleted the Basic Mission Qualification Course.He was subsequently assigned as a helicopterrepairman for the 3rd Battalion, 160th SOAR.

In February 2004 he was reassigned within thebattalion to Company B as a CH-47D flight engineer.Sergeant Jacoby’s military schools included theSERE school, the Basic Mission QualificationCourse, and the Heavy Helicopter Repairer Course.

Military Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star with “V” device(posthumously)• Purple Heart (posthumously)• Air Medal with “V” device(posthumously)• Meritorious Service Medal(posthumously)• Good Conduct Medal(posthumously)• Combat Action Badge(posthumously)• National Defense Service Ribbon• Army Service Ribbon• Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal• Global War on Terrorism ServiceMedal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Iraq Campaign Medal• Army Aviation CrewmemberBadge

Burial and Memorials

A memorial service was held for Sergeant KipJacoby on July 8, 2005, in his hometown of PompanoBeach, Florida.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

No One Left Behind

IpraythatourHeavenlyFathermayassuagetheanguishofyourbereavement,andleaveyouonlythecherishedmemoryofthelovedandlost,andthesolemnpridethatmustbeyourstohavelaidsocostlyasacrificeuponthealtaroffreedom.

—ABRAHAM LINCOLN, letter to Mrs. Lydia Bixby, November 21,1864, Abraham Lincoln Online,

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/bixby.htm

Having previously completed their JCET missions,Lieutenant Mark Hernandez and his squad haddeployed to Baghdad. On June 28 they wereinformed of the events surrounding Operation RedWings, and watched the Predator drone feeds of thehelo crash site on a wall-mounted screen at the SEALTeam Seven headquarters in downtown Baghdad. Allrealized that with the RPG hit, the subsequent crashand resulting explosion, and the nature of the terrain,there could be no survivors. By this time all on boardhad been identified. Hernandez was staggered by therealization that he had just lost four of his SEALs andthat another four men from his platoon were stillmissing.

With the fate of those on the helo known, fullattention was directed to the four SEALs still on themountain. While there had been no contact sinceLieutenant Murphy’s call for help, all remainedoptimistic—after all, they were Navy SEALs, andSEALs are never out of the fight.

Lieutenant Seth Dunn, the task unit commander,was a former Army captain. He made use of his Armycontacts and received up-to-the-minute information onthe continuing and ever expanding search for hisSEALs. In addition to the SEALs in the second helo,nearly three hundred Marines and Army Rangerswere involved in the search, but they had foundnothing.

After a few days of watching the Predator feeds,and being in frequent communication with the unit’sremaining SEALs in Afghanistan, Dunn andHernandez advocated that they and their squad be“pushed forward” (moved to Afghanistan) to assist inthe recovery of their SEALs. They enlisted the help ofCommander Michael Clark of SEAL Team Seven.Clark sent detailed e-mails to Naval Support ActivityBahrain and NSW in Coronado recommending thatDunn be permitted to push forward to Afghanistanand assist in the search, stating that doing so wouldbe in the best interests of all involved.

July 3, 2005

Although most of their missions had been completed,Dunn and Hernandez and their squads weredispatched to Fallujah for a snatch-and-grab missionthat was completed without a shot being fired. Theyquickly returned to Baghdad to monitor the search-and-recovery effort. Upon their arrival they wereinformed that Marcus Luttrell had been recoveredalive. At his debriefing, Marcus was able to describethe battle and the wounds he had witnessed theothers receive, and also gave a more detailedlocation of the battlefield. Search efforts for the otherthree SEALs were narrowed down to that area.

July 4, 2005

Early in the morning of July 4, Commander Clarkapproached Dunn and Hernandez and asked, “Howsoon can your guys be packed and ready to head toAfghanistan?” Lieutenant Hernandez immediately ranto notify the remainder of the squad while LieutenantDunn coordinated travel arrangements. Within an hourthe squad was packed and had arrived at the airfieldfor immediate deployment to Bagram.

When they arrived at Camp Ouellette, they wereinformed that the bodies of Michael Murphy andDanny Dietz had been recovered and were on theirway back to Bagram. Also found during the searchwas the body of Lance Corporal Kevin B. Joyce. Atabout 11:00 PM on June 25, Joyce’s Marine unit wasreturning to its base on a dirt road alongside thedangerous and fast-moving Pech River. The weight ofthe vehicle caused the edge of the road to collapseand the vehicle to slide into the river. The threeMarines inside the vehicle abandoned it, but Joycewas swept away. The other two were rescued ormanaged to get out of the water.

As the helos that carried the bodies approached,all SOF personnel lined the runway to welcome theirbrothers home. After the remains were removed,transferred to ambulance truck, and taken to the basemortuary, Dunn and Hernandez were given the grimtask of officially identifying the bodies of their fallencomrades.

As Dunn and Hernandez entered the mortuaryroom, they struggled to keep their emotions in check.It was decided that Hernandez, the platooncommander, would officially identify Murphy and thatDunn, as task unit commander, would identify Dietz.

As the men approached the bodies of their fallencomrades, Hernandez was drawn to the table on theleft, where he saw the bright orange FDNY patch onthe right shoulder sleeve of the uniform shirt layingover the body of the man he now believed to beMichael Murphy. Although Murphy and Dietz lookedcompletely different from what he remembered, withboth having grown heavy beards since their arrival inAfghanistan, Hernandez immediately recognized theCeltic Cross tattoo on the man’s right shoulder. Heremembered Michael telling him the story of the CelticCross on several occasions.

Hernandez became mesmerized while he stared atthe cross. Snapping himself back to the present, hescanned down the body and saw the woundsdescribed by Marcus. There was no question.Hernandez identified the remains of his AOIC,Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy. Lieutenant Dunn alsopositively identified Petty Officer Second ClassDanny Dietz to the mortuary staff. After completing therequired paperwork, they returned to the B-huts topack up the dead men’s personal belongings andprepare them for return to the families.

Upon finishing their grim task, both Dunn andHernandez met with other SOF commanders anddevised an operational plan to continue their searchfor Petty Officer Matthew Axelson. Based on theinformation Marcus had given at his debriefing, they

knew that Axe had received a severe head wound;nevertheless, they approached the upcoming missionas a rescue, not a recovery, and developed theirplans quickly.

July 5, 2005—Ramp Ceremony

At 6:30 AM on July 5, a large silver C-17 sat onrunway D-3 at Bagram Airfield, with the shadow of theAfghan mountains in the distance. With the rear rampdown, the aircraft appeared dark and cavernous.Designed to carry more than a hundred troops, thatday its manifest would show, in addition to its twopilots, single loadmaster, and escort, only threepassengers. Even at this early hour the sun rose highin the sky and the temperature was already over 80º.Farther down the tarmac sat the two A-10 Thunderboltjet aircraft that would escort the C-17 out of Afghanairspace.

With the camp’s flags at half-staff, three emptygreen camouflaged open-bed trucks lined up justoutside the Bagram mortuary. Over the next severalminutes, hundreds of Army Rangers, Night Stalkers,Green Berets, and Delta Force troops joined with AirForce pararescue PJs, Marines from Force Recon,and Navy SEALs to form a single line that ran fromthe base mortuary down the tarmac nearly onehundred yards to where four lines of additional troopsextended back nearly fifty yards from the C-17’s openramp. A single troop with bagpipes took a positionabout twenty yards behind the double-lined troops. Anhonor guard consisting of two armed troops flankedtwo flag bearers, one with a ceremonial gold-fringedAmerican flag and the other the ceremonial gold-fringed dark blue flag of CJTF-76, stood at attentionat the end of the double line of troops. Both flags werefully extended in the stiff breeze, the silver specialoperations forces spear atop of each flag staffglistening in the bright morning sun.

A jeep brought a heavily bearded Marcus, dressedin loose fitting jeans, a blue shirt, and a khaki baseballhat, out to the C-17. Despite his injuries, Marcus hadinsisted on attending the ceremony. Deliberately, heexited the vehicle and walked slowly to the base of theramp, where he stood at attention to the degree hisinjuries and pain would allow.

As the loadmaster stood at the top of the C-17’sopen ramp, he looked off to his left and saw the firstflag-draped Zeigler case,8 which contained theremains of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, beingloaded onto the first truck by six body bearers. Aftercarefully placing the case onto the bed of the truck,they lined both the left and right of the truck. Thevehicle moved forward about twenty yards andstopped. The second flag-draped Zeigler case,containing the remains of Petty Officer Second ClassDanny Dietz, was loaded onto the next truck. It pulledforward about ten yards and was flanked on bothsides by a second group of six body bearers. Finally,the third flag-draped case, which contained the

remains of Lance Corporal Kevin B. Joyce, wasloaded onto the third truck by a third group of six bodybearers, who also took their positions on either side.

After all three of their comrades had been placedon the trucks, the crisp and haunting notes of“Amazing Grace” was heard in the distance. Thetroops in the single line from the mortuary snapped toattention and saluted as the three fallen soldiersslowly traveled the hundred yards and stopped just infront of the honor guard. As the honor guard marchedforward between the double lines of troops, they allsnapped to attention. Just behind the honor guardwas Commander Kent Paro and LieutenantCommander Patrick Moden, a Navy chaplain wearinghis white stole.

Father Moden walked up the ramp and then downthe length of the plane. He turned as the first group ofbody bearers brought on board the remains ofLieutenant Michael Murphy. They lowered him to thefloor of the plane at the feet of Father Moden and thenstood at attention. The remains of Petty Officer DannyDietz and Lance Corporal Kevin Joyce followed inorder and were also brought to Father Moden, thenplaced on the floor. The nine bearers all took one stepback. Additional troops then lined both sides of thecargo bay and the ramp, extending back more thanfifty yards. On the wall of the plane off to FatherModen’s left was a large American flag.

After a brief but moving service and closing prayer,Father Moden sprinkled each flag-draped case withholy water and invited those who desired to file pastand offer their final respects. Hundreds lined up, andfor the next ninety minutes or more SOF personnelpassed by each of the three cases in a U-shapedpattern. Some reached down and ran their handsalong the flag as they walked, others stopped andpaused for a moment of personal reflection, whilemany knelt with their heads buried in their hands andwept quietly. Those grieving individuals who had themost difficulty were supported by their fellowteammates with a hand on the shoulder, or in somecases arm in arm.

While none of the SOF personnel knew LanceCorporal Joyce, the grieving process for him was thesame. Many knelt and mourned alongside his body.They all knew the type of individual he was—a Marine,a fellow warrior. He was just nineteen, the same ageas many of their siblings, and in some cases thesame age as their oldest children. His service, hissacrifice, and his loss were felt no less and were noless important. At that very moment, his fellowMarines were combing the mountains to find theirmissing SEAL brother, Matt Axelson.

Besides the emotional release it provided, theramp ceremony was important to those who remainedfor three very distinct reasons. First, it allowed theremaining warriors to honor the service of those whohad fallen. Second, because the warriors who werepresent at the ramp ceremony would be unable toattend the fallen men’s funeral services, it provided asense of closure for those who remained behind.Third, for those who remained, the ceremony served

as a source of strength. Warriors are inherently part ofa cause greater than themselves, and, as such, theyfind a special strength in each other, the one thatmakes them so extraordinarily formidable.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

In the Presence of Warriors

Iamalwayshumbledinthepresenceofwarriors.

—COMMODORE PETE VAN HOOSER, Commander, Naval SpecialWarfare Group Two, quoted at Militaryphotos.net,

www.militaryphotos.net/forums.showthread.php?t=71680

July 8, 2005: Naval AmphibiousBase, Little Creek, Virginia

On July 8, 2005, a memorial service was held for thedead of SEAL Team Ten. During that ceremony,Admiral Joseph Maguire, the commander of NavalSpecial Warfare Command, provided the openingremarks. Following Admiral Maguire’s comments andthe presentation of medals to the members of thedeceased warriors’ families, Commodore Pete VanHooser approached the microphone and, after adeliberate pause, began to speak.

I am always humbled inthe presence of warriors.We have been insustained combat forover three years—thingshave changed.

I find myself speakingin public a lot more than Iwould like, but I alwaysstart by thanking fourgroups of people. Thefirst are our warriors whohave fallen; the second,those who haveguaranteed that thosewho have fallen will not beleft behind. Some withtheir bravery, others withtheir lives.

I thank those who haveselflessly pulledthemselves off the line totrain the next warriors togo forward—so that theymay surpass the prowessof those currently

engaged.And I am thankful for

the families that nurturesuch men.

My remarks will befocused on these familiesand the men who wearthe Trident. We would notbe able to do our jobswithout the brave menand women of the Army,Air Force, and MarineCorps. Task UnitAfghanistan of NavalSpecial WarfareSquadron Ten, wascomprised of SEALTeam and SEAL DeliveryVehicle Team Two andOne, had many U.S. Navyrates other than SEALsthat trained and deployedby our side, and werecognize and aregrateful for theprofessional efforts of all.But this time and thisplace is about theSEALs.

Leonidas, the SpartanKing, hand-picked andled a force to go on whatall knew to be a one-waymission. He selected 300men to stand against aninvading Persian force ofover 2 million. They wereordered to delay theadvance of the PersianArmy. Selecting thebattlefield was easy—thenarrow mountain pass atThermopylae restrictedthe combat power that theenemy could apply—allowing the superiorfighting skills of the 300Spartans to destroy thewill of this Persian Armyto fight. These Spartanwarriors died fighting tothe last man.

The Persian invaderswere defeated by theGreek Army in laterbattles. Democracy andfreedom were saved.

Most know this story.But most of us don’t knowhow Leonidas selectedthe 300 men. Should hetake the older seasoned

Warriors who have lived afull life? Should he takethe young lions that feltthey were invincible?Should he take thebattlehardened,backbone-proven warriorelites in their prime? Orshould he sacrifice hisOlympic champions?

The force he chosereflected everydemographic of theSpartan Warrior class.He selected those whowould go based on thestrength of the women intheir lives. After suchgreat loss, if the womenfaltered in theircommitment, Spartawould falter and the restof Greece would think ituseless to stand againstthe Persian invaders. Thedemocratic flame thatstarted in Greece wouldbe extinguished.

The Spartan womenwere strong. They did notfalter. I would even arguethat we live in ademocracy that hasfreedom because of thestrength, skill, andcourage of these 300men and theextraordinary will anddedication of the womenin their lives.

The women in our livesare the same, I see thepride in their wearing ofthe Trident—I hear it intheir voices when they areasked what is thatsymbol, and they say myhusband, my son, mybrother, or my dad is aNavy SEAL—usually theysay nothing more.

If I were to say to thefamilies, I feel your pain,that could not be so. I cannever know the depth ofyour relationship or theanguish of your personalloss. What I can say is thetruth of what I know.Those who wear theTrident provide only briefglimpses into our world to

those on the outside.Even our families seeonly a limited view of thepath we have chosen. Weare all different, but on theinside we share manycommon beliefs andactions. We spend mostof our adult lives withother SEALs preparingfor battle.

On this occasion I feelcompelled to share ourinnermost thoughts. I wantto show you a little moreof our world so you canunderstand the way wesee, the way we feelabout what happened.There is a bond betweenthose who wear a Trident—that is our greateststrength.

It is unique to this verysmall community. It isunique in its intensity. It isnurtured by the way wetrain—the way we bringwarriors into thebrotherhood. This bond isborn in BUD/S. It starts togrow the first time youlook into the eyes of yourclassmate when thingshave gone beyond whatyou or he thinks ispossible. It grows in theplatoon as you work upfor deployment, and itgrows around the PTcircle. It’s the movingforce behind every actionin a firefight. This bond issacred. This bond isunspoken, unconditional,and unending.

When it comes tofighting we are all thesame inside. During thefirst stages of planning, atthe point you know thatyou are going into thebattle, we think about ourfamilies. The master chiefpassing the word to theboys sums it up, “I amgoing home to my kidsand you are going hometo yours. Here is our nextmission.”

We never stop planning—we never stop thinking

through every contingency—we want to cover everyanticipated enemy action.This is the way we facethe risk.

There is a significantdifference betweeninserting on a missionwhere there may or maynot be enemy contact orserious resistance andinserting into a fightwhere forces are alreadyengaged. On April 11, themen of this task unit—during their initial week inAfghanistan, immediatelyshifted from a helicoptertraining scenario directlyinto the fight as a quickresponse force to helpsoldiers and marines in adesperate battle. Theymade the difference—saving the lives of ourfellow servicemen anddestroying the enemy.

Last week when thesefallen warriors launchedon this mission, theirSEAL teammates werefighting the enemy—fellow SEALs were inperil—as always in theteams—in this situationthere is no hesitation. It isnot about tactics—it’sabout what makes menfight.

As you are going in hot—you can’t help it—youmust allow one smallblock of personal time.You think of those athome—the people youleft behind. For this briefmoment, there is no war.

Our souls have toucheda thousand times beforethis moment. Boundlessundefined shadowsquietly surging throughand waking each other ona moonless star rich nightwe patiently wait for thedawn. There is nodistance. You smile acool wind that takes awaythirst. I will never knowhunger. I have neverknown fear. Unspoken—Unconditional—

Unending.It’s the same bond—

now your focus returns toyour SEAL teammates.Total focus on theapproaching fight is allthat exists.

In April, when I heard ofthe Task unit’s firstcontact that very firstweek in country—when Isaw the reports of theenemy causalities theyhad inflicted—I washappy but not too happy.It’s more of a quietinternal recognition thatthey had executedflawlessly.

Last week when I wastold of their deaths andsaw what they were tryingto accomplish, I was sad—but not too sad. It wasmore of a quiet andinternal recognition thatthey had gone to the wall,and there was nohesitation. They werewarriors—they areSEALs.

We are not callous. Wedon’t have the luxury ofexpressing our emotionsat will. In these times ourduty is to press on andfinish the fight, for alldepends on each man’sindividual actions.

We answer to a highermoral calling on the paththat requires us to takeand give life. It is thisdedication to idealsgreater than self thatgives us strength. It is thenurturing of our familiesthat gives us courage.Love is the opposite offear—it is the bond that isreinforced when we lookin the eyes of anotherSEAL that drives thesuper human endurance.My teammate is moreimportant than I.

The enemy we face inAfghanistan is as hardand tough as the landthey inhabit. They comefrom a long line ofwarriors who have

prevailed in the face ofmany armies forcenturies. It is theirintimate knowledge ofevery inch of the mostrugged terrain on earththat is matched againstour skill, cunning, andtechnology.

They are worthyadversaries and ourintelligence confirms thatthey fear and respect us.They have learned tocarefully choose theirfights because SEALSwill answer the bell everytime.

When you see theendless mountains—thesevere cliffs—the riversthat generate power thatcan be felt while standingon the bank—the nightsky filled with more starsthan you have ever seen—when you feel thesilence of the night whereno city exists—when thealtitude takes your breathaway and the cold andheat hits the extremeends of the spectrum—you cannot help beingcaptured by the rawstrength of this place.

This is a great loss.These men were some ofthe future—high impactleaders of Naval SpecialWarfare, but I take refugein the thought that there isno better place awarrior’s spirit can bereleased than in theHindu Kush of theHimalayas.

In their last moments,their only thoughts werecoming to the aid ofSEAL brothers in deepperil. I can say thatanyone wearing a Tridentwould gladly have takenthe place of these meneven with the fullknowledge of what was tocome.

Some of those on theoutside may understandthat one man who wasrecovered would possibly

make the lossacceptable. Only thosewho wear the Tridentknow, if no one had comeback, it would have allbeen worth the cost.These are my men. Theyare good men. The SEALteams—this path is myreligion. This loss will notgo unanswered. I amalways humbled in thepresence of Warriors.

With those words spoken, he returned to his seat.The silence was deafening. In a few moments of deepintrospection and verbal eloquence, he had given thecomplete story of the Navy SEALs and the events onJune 28, 2005. He had told the story. He had told itwell. The only thing left to do was to be seated. Hedid.

Three days later, Admiral Maguire found himself atanother memorial ceremony, this time at the NationalMemorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii—thePunchbowl.

July 11, 2005: National MemorialCemetery of the Pacific

Few national cemeteries can compete with thedramatic natural setting of the National MemorialCemetery of the Pacific, located in the center ofHonolulu. Also known as Punchbowl, the cemeterylies in the middle of Puowaina Crater, an extinctvolcano. It was officially dedicated on September 2,1949, on the fourth anniversary of V-J Day. Of all thenational cemeteries, this one has been described asthe most beautiful and the most moving.

Members of the SDVT-1 SEAL communitygathered at Punchbowl to honor the sacrifices of theirteammates on June 28, 2005. The welcomingremarks were offered by Lieutenant Commander AlecMackenzie, the executive officer of SEAL DeliveryVehicle Team One. He was followed by Rear AdmiralJoseph Maguire. Afterward, the families of thehonored dead or their representatives werepresented shadow boxes.

Ideally, a shadow box serves not only as a reminderof achievements and accomplishments, but also as asummation, a culmination, of a career. An Americanflag was placed inside each shadow box to symbolizethe country that has benefited from a lifetime of faithfulservice. An American flag was flown over the USSArizona memorial on Independence Day to honorthose who gave their lives on June 28, 2005, as didso many before them, so that we could be free. Theshadow boxes were presented to the families ofOperation Red Wings with these words: “On behalf ofyour fellow teammates, we present you with thisshadow box. Within the shadow box lie a sailor’s

most honored and cherished possessions, includingthe flag of the United States of America, representinga lifetime of valiant and faithful service.”

Eulogies were given for each of the dead, followedby remarks by Commander Todd DeGhetto, thecommanding officer of SEAL Delivery Vehicle TeamOne, and Governor Linda Lingle of Hawaii. Standingwith his fellow SEALs from SDVT-1, listening to theirwords, Lieutenant Andy Haffele was overcome withemotion. The shooting incident several years beforehad effectively ended his SEAL career just as itbegan and resulted in an initial intense anger andlingering frustration. Now Haffele realized that theshooting incident had saved his life. He knew that hadthe shooting not occurred he would have been onSawtalo Sar instead of Michael—and if not on themountain, without question he would have been on thedowned helicopter.

Governor Lingle’s remarks were followed by thehaunting two-bell ceremony, then by a moment ofsilence. The performance of “Amazing Grace,” thefiring of a twenty-one-gun salute, and the playing of“Echo Taps” preceded the Benediction, given byChaplain David Stroud, which concluded the solemnceremony.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Memorials to a Hero

Butwithinthewillingnesstodieforfamilyandhome,somethinginsideuslongsforsomeonetodiebeside.Someonetolockstepwith,anothermanwithaheartlikeourown.

—MATTHEW AXELSON, U.S. Navy SEAL, handwritten inscription onback of photograph in private collection of Daniel J. Murphy

In the summer of 2005, Brookhaven town supervisorBrian X. Foley and Councilman Timothy Mazzeibegan efforts to create and name a park at theBrookhaven town beach at Lake Ronkonkoma inhonor of Michael Murphy. Dan Murphy and Tim arelongtime friends from when both served in the SuffolkCounty district attorney’s office in the 1980s.

Soon after Michael’s funeral, Tim approached Danabout doing something to commemorate Michael’slife and achievements, and suggested a small pieceof ground at the intersection of two streets near LakeRonkonkoma for the placing of a monument. Afterfurther consideration, it was decided that the locationwas not suitable, because of its inaccessibility.

Councilman Mazzei subsequently approached Danabout plans to create a memorial park at the lake.With Dan’s support the project grew, and as theconcept became more widely known, localbusinesses and organizations pledged support withlabor, supplies, and donations. The plans settled uponwere ambitious and would require time, expense, andeffort. As word of the project spread, other effortswere launched.

On October 7, 2005, the first annual Patrick HenryOpen Golf Outing, sponsored by the Suffolk CountyProsecutor’s Association, was conducted with theproceeds going to fund the newly created LT. MichaelP. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation.

On October 20, 2005, Representative TimothyBishop (NY-1), along with twenty-eight cosponsors,introduced United States House of RepresentativesResolution (HR) 4401, “To designate the facility of theU.S. Postal Service located at 170 East Main Streetin Patchogue, New York, as the ‘Lieutenant MichaelP. Murphy Post Office Building.’” Identical legislationwas introduced in the Senate by Senator HillaryRodham Clinton.

Little League Baseball Fields, April29, 2006

With the Murphy family’s blessing, Lance Marquis andhis wife, Brenda, neighbors of Maureen Murphy,began efforts to rename the Little League baseballfields where Michael played and his father coached inhonor of Michael. Their efforts were successful. OnApril 29, 2006, hundreds of players, former players,coaches, parents, family members, and friendsgathered at the ball fields, which were renamed anddedicated in Michael’s honor. The Murphy family wasthere, with Dan dressed in a blue jersey, Maureen in awhite one, and John in a red jersey, each with “LTMurphy 1” on the back.

Lake Ronkonkoma, May 7, 2006

The bipartisan efforts to honor Michael Murphy in thetown where he once was a lifeguard were successful.On what would have been Michael’s thirtieth birthday,local leaders, the media, family members, friends,and Navy officials gathered at Lake Ronkonkoma todedicate the Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. MurphyMemorial Park. One of the speakers was RearAdmiral Joseph Maguire.

In his remarks, he provided the most publicaccounting of the details of Operation Red Wings todate. He stated that satellite reconnaissance hadshown that a group of about eighty Taliban fightershad been coming across the border from Pakistan.Having never seen such a large concentration offighters in one location, CJTF commanders believed

they must be guarding a high-level Taliban or al-Qaeda operative. As a result, Michael’s team hadbeen inserted behind the fighters to performreconnaissance on the large group. This revelationwas news to everyone in attendance as well as theMurphy family.

Admiral Maguire also revealed that Michael’s“award was being reviewed and upgraded.” GivenMaguire’s disclosure of both the mission details andthe upgrading of Michael’s award, coupled with aprevious news release that the secretary of the navyhad already approved the awarding of the Navy Crossto Michael’s teammates, the Murphy family assumedthat their son would also be receiving the Navy Cross.

Naturally, this created a lot of speculation in variousInternet blogs. The conjecture was widespread thatwhile Michael’s actions on June 28, 2005, werecertainly worthy of the Medal of Honor, his award wasbeing delayed by red tape. The Medal of Honorapproval process involved a two-year investigationinto the circumstances surrounding the action inquestion and required supportive testimony from atleast two eyewitnesses. The latter was potentially aproblem in Michael’s case. Marcus Luttrell wascertainly qualified to be one eyewitness, but with noother survivors available, could the video images ofthe firefight taken from the Predator drone be used intheir stead?

Additional honors for Michael continued. On May31, 2006, the Patchogue-Medford High SchoolFather’s Club honored Michael as its Person of theYear for 2005.

No further information or activity regarding militaryhonors occurred until the Oval Office Ceremony onJuly 18, 2006, in which the Navy Cross, the nation’ssecond-highest award for valor, was awarded to PettyOfficer Second Class Marcus Luttrell.

The efforts of Representative Bishop and hiscosponsors in the House of Representatives, alongwith those of Hillary Rodham Clinton and CharlesSchumer in the Senate, paid off on August 1, 2006,when both houses of Congress passed Public Law109-256, which would rename the Patchogue PostOffice as the Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy PostOffice Building.

Navy Memorial, September 16, 2006

Dedicated on October 13, 1987, the 212th birthday ofthe U.S. Navy, the Navy Memorial honors the men andwomen of the United States Navy. Located onPennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (between Seventh andNinth streets), it features an outdoor plaza, toweringmasts with signal flags, fountain pools and waterfalls,and the Naval Heritage Center. The plaza, known asthe Granite Sea, is a round ceremonial amphitheaterpaved in granite to form a one-hundred-foot-diametermap of the world. A symbolic statue, The Lone Sailor,stands watch near the edge of the plaza.

Presenting the Navy Cross to the families of

Matthew Axelson and Danny Dietz was the secretaryof the navy, Dr. Donald C. Winter. At the ceremony,James Gordon Meek, the Washington correspondentfor the New York Daily News, approached Dan. Hesaid, “You know there’s a rumor going around here inWashington that Michael is up for the Medal ofHonor.” This statement caught Dan completely offguard. His only response was “Huh?” Meekcontinued: “Don’t you think it odd that you’re here for aNavy Cross ceremony for Dietz and Axelson, Luttrellhas already received it, and Michael’s notmentioned?” Dan dismissed Meek’s speculation andprobing, saying, “We’ve really never thought muchabout it; we just think that Michael’s review process isjust taking longer than the others, that’s all.”

After the conversation with Meek, while Danreturned to Maureen, he began seriously thinkingabout the reporter’s comments, as well as theconversation he had had with the Navy officer whoinvited them to the event. Several questions came toDan’s mind. If Michael was indeed being consideredfor the Navy Cross, why hadn’t that been mentionedbefore then, or at least that day? Certainly RearAdmiral Maguire was not mistaken in his remarks onMay 7 last year? What if Meek was correct?

After returning to Maureen, he said, “You know,Maureen, all three of Michael’s teammates havereceived the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is thesecond-highest award given for valor. Now, eitherMichael’s review is just taking longer or he is up for ahigher award. The only award higher than the NavyCross is the Medal of Honor. Michael may beconsidered for the Medal of Honor.” Maureen scoffedand responded, “Yeah, right.” Dan was not so sure.The matter was dropped, but his questions remained.

Continuing to Wait

After returning home, Dan began monitoring themilitary blogs much more closely and noticed therewas increased speculation regarding Michael and theMedal of Honor. Dan was also doing research anddue diligence on the medal’s requirements andreview process. The blogs continued to speculate onthe second of the two required eyewitnesses and thedistinct possibility that the Navy at the highest levelswas considering using the photographic and videoimages from the circling Predator drone, as well asradio communications.

Dan, like everyone else, could only speculate andwait for the review process to play itself out.

Patchogue Federal Post Office,October 24, 2006

On October 24, Main Street in Patchogue wasblocked off, and a huge white tent stood erect before

the Post Office Building. A full representation from theU.S. Navy, including Rear Admiral Maguire, SenatorHillary Clinton, and Representative Timothy Bishopjoined the Murphy family and hundreds of localofficials, relatives, and friends to officially rename thePost Office Building, the oldest federal building onLong Island.

After the ceremony, Representative Bishop tookDan off to the side and confided, “Dan, I was justapproached by Admiral Maguire and the Navy askingif Michael was awarded the Medal of Honor, would Ibe the sponsor. I told him I would be honored.” It wasthen that Dan really began to believe that his oldestson, Michael P. Murphy, was being considered for theMedal of Honor.

January 30, 2007

During the preceding five months, Dan and the rest ofthe Murphy family had been cooperating withNewsday reporter Martin C. Evans on a multipartseries entitled Born to Serve about Michael to bepublished sometime around May 7, Michael’sbirthday. Dan received a telephone call from areporter at the Washington Post asking if she couldcome to Patchogue and interview the family. Danpromised to get back to her on the arrangements.

January 31, 2007

Shortly after arriving at his office at 8:30 AM, Danreceived a telephone call from Newsday deputy LongIsland editor Steve Wick, a longtime friend datingback to when Steve was a crime reporter and Danwas in the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.Steve inquired whether there was any news regardingMichael’s medal upgrade. When Dan denied knowinganything new, Wick responded, “Oh well, I was justwondering because we are hearing rumors, andwould you keep us posted?” Dan assured him thatwhen the family knew, Steve would know.

Wick continued by saying that Newsday wanted todo a follow-up story on Michael and have somethingready in case it was announced that he would receivethe Medal of Honor. During the conversation Daninformed Wick of the previous day’s telephone callfrom the Washington Post who wanted to interviewthe family. Wick, concerned, then asked, “Did theysay why?” Dan replied negatively, stating that hethought she just wanted to do a follow-up on the Bornto Serve series. Wick replied, “That’s very strange.”Dan agreed, then added, “We don’t know anything.They are there in Washington, maybe they have somecontacts and maybe they are hearing something, andthat’s why they want to come up.” Wick ended theconversation by stating that he was going to do somechecking and would get back to Dan.

At 4:30 PM Steve Wick again called Dan. He said,“Dan, you know, I’ve talked with my other editors. Theone thing we don’t want is to get scooped on our ownlocal story by the Washington newspapers. Thisphone call from the Post has got us all abuzz here.We think we are going to go with our story tomorrow.”

Dan cautioned Wick, stating, “You’d better becareful because we all could have egg on our face ifyou sit here and say something about Michael beingunder consideration for the Medal of Honor and itdoesn’t happen.” Wick acknowledged the risk andhung up.

February 1, 2007

Newsday ran a cover story about Michael on February1, with a large picture of him under the headlinebanner “HERO. Fallen Navy SEAL from LI is up fornation’s highest combat honor.” Inside was a two-page story. As the source for its story, the paper wasable to get Representative Timothy Bishop to admitthat Michael Murphy was under consideration for theMedal of Honor.

Later that day Steve Wick called Dan and said,apologetically, “Dan, I hope you understand. We didn’twant to get scooped by the Washington papers.” Danacknowledged his understanding and ended the call.Dan’s next call was from Representative Bishop, whowas also very apologetic. “I hope I didn’t say anythingthat would cause the family a problem,” he said. Danwas sympathetic toward Bishop and assured him thatthere would be no problem.

Several minutes after hanging up withCongressman Bishop, Dan received a call from NewYork Daily News reporter James Gordon Meek.Meek is a seasoned war correspondent and was inAfghanistan at the time of Operation Red Wings. Heacknowledged reading the Newsday story, statingthat “there is a lot of buzz going around. Let’s hopethat this does not put the kibosh on the medal.” Daninquired as to his meaning, to which Meek replied,“You know, the military people don’t like to get aheadof themselves. They are really funny about things likethat.” Now irritated, Dan replied, “Well, if in fact he isunder consideration, what difference does that make?Either Michael did what he did or didn’t.” Then hehung up.

Additional Memorials and Honors

On May 26, 2007, the Patchogue-Medford HighSchool conducted a Memorial Day ceremonyhonoring Michael. Performing at the event was theU.S. Navy’s elite parachute team, the Leap Frogs.

Kings Park High School established the LieutenantMichael Patrick Murphy (U.S. Navy) ScholarshipAward on June 6, 2007. On June 10, Team Murphy,

named in honor of Michael, competed in the RaceAcross America, a cross-country bicycle event, toraise money for the Naval Special WarfareFoundation.

On June 12 Marcus Luttrell’s book Lone Survivorwas released without any prior knowledge of theOperation Red Wings families. Michael’s fatherreceived a call from Newsday’s Steve Wick asking ifDan knew about the book. Dan acknowledged havingjust learned of the book’s release and was on his wayto purchase a copy.

In late August Dan received a telephone call fromthe Navy extending an invitation to both of Michael’sparents to attend an upcoming ceremony at the NavyMemorial in Washington, D.C., at which the NavyCross would be awarded posthumously to both MattAxelson and Danny Dietz. Concerned aboutMaureen’s emotions, Dan questioned the invitationand Michael’s status. The Navy officer replied, “Don’tworry, you’ll get a sense of what’s going on when youget down there.” Dan agreed, for the family, to attend.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Of Service and Sacrifice

GuyslikeMurphdon’tdieasoldmen.Theydieasheroes.

—LIEUTENANT JAMES QUATTROMANI, U.S. Navy (ret.), quoted in“Born to Serve: The Michael Murphy Story,” Newsday,

www.newday.com/.../ny/murphy/seal-sg.0.6675676.storygallery

While at his law office on Friday, August 19, 2007,Dan received a telephone call from Vice AdmiralJoseph Maguire. Maguire had been promoted andassumed the duties of deputy director for strategicoperational planning at the National CounterterrorismCenter on June 28, 2007. After an exchange ofpleasantries, Maguire said, “I’m not trying to stealanybody’s thunder here, but I want to let you to knowthat Michael’s Medal of Honor recommendation is onthe President’s desk and has been signed by him.”He added that the family would be receiving officialnotification from the White House at a later date. Afterseveral more minutes of catching up, Dan thankedAdmiral Maguire for the information and promised tokeep it confidential within the family until they wereofficially notified. Elated, Dan telephoned Maureen toinform her of the news.

A week later, sitting in the sunroom at his homeenjoying a leisurely afternoon cup of coffee, Dancasually sorted through the week’s correspondence. Itwas Saturday, August 25, a rare weekend break fromthe breakneck pace of his hectic law career. As adevoted husband and father, he balanced the ever-increasing number of personal appearance requestson Michael’s behalf, sitting on corporate boards, andserving our nation’s veterans as the national judgeadvocate of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

While his wife, Karen, and her daughter, Kristen,were out shopping, Dan took in the bright late Augustsun through the enormous full-length windows. Thewelcome calm and silence was broken only by theoccasional passing automobile in this upper-middle-class subdivision outside of Wading River. Theringing telephone startled Dan, who, with a sigh,

reached for the cordless receiver and answered. Thecaller identified himself as Colonel John Martin, chiefof military affairs at the White House. Martin said,“President Bush asked me to call and inform you thathe has signed your son’s recommendation for theMedal of Honor.” Dan was asked to keep theinformation within the family until the White Housemade an official announcement. Dan thanked ColonelMartin, and agreed to keep the informationconfidential.

After he finished speaking with Martin, Dantelephoned Maureen to tell her that the Medal ofHonor was official and to keep the information withinthe family until the official White House announcementwas made. His next call was to Steve Gilmore, aretired Navy captain, who served as the executiveassistant of Naval Special Warfare. He told Gilmoreabout the news and inquired as to when the officialannouncement would be made. Gilmore advised himthat it would “probably take about two weeks” tocoordinate schedules and itineraries between theWhite House and the Navy.

To begin the Medal of Honor process, SteveGilmore arrived on Long Island from NSW in SanDiego on Tuesday, September 5, and met with bothDan and Maureen at the Suffolk County courthouse inRiverhead. The purpose of the meeting was to getbetter acquainted with the Murphys and to providethem with a general overview of the entire Medal ofHonor process. Gilmore informed the Murphys thatthe White House ceremony was scheduled forOctober 22 and inquired as to what else they wouldlike to do while in Washington. After a few minutes ofdiscussion, a general itinerary was worked out. Priorto his departure, Gilmore informed them that he, alongwith the new NSW commander, Rear Admiral JosephD. Kernan, and his aide would be returning to meetwith them on the twentieth.

Catching a red-eye flight from San Diego, AdmiralKernan, Gilmore, and Kernan’s aide, CommanderBryan Williams, arrived at the Long Island MacArthurAirport midmorning on Tuesday, September 20. Theywere met by Dan and Maureen. The Murphys took thegroup to see the Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. MurphyMemorial Park at Lake Ronkonkoma and describedthe plans for an upcoming addition of the SerenityPlaza.

No one had eaten, so Dan and Maureen treatedeveryone to brunch at a local favorite restaurant nearthe park. After brunch, they went to the post officenamed after Michael, where postal officials gave thema tour of the facility and detailed their plans for thepermanent memorial.

Following the post office tour, everyone enjoyedseveral hours of talking and looking at mementos ofMichael at Dan’s home. Then Steve Gilmore gavethem a briefing of the detailed itinerary, whichincluded the ceremony date of October 22. Dan andMaureen also provided a list of things they wanted todo while in Washington. On their way back to theairport, they stopped at the small memorial park at theNavy Industrial Aircraft Facility not far from Dan’s

home.In mid-September, Dan received a telephone call

from Martin Evans at Newsday, who asked, “Dan,have you heard anything yet?” Dan always made it hispractice to never lie to the press. In keeping with thatpractice, Dan responded, “Martin, I do not lie. All I cantell you is I can’t tell you anything.” Evans responded,“Oh, I understand, and I certainly don’t want to put youon the spot, but let me ask you a hypotheticalquestion. If I were to go on vacation, when should I notgo?” Dan laughed and said, “I believe a poor time togo on vacation would be October 22.”

The meetings continued on Sunday, October 9, withthe arrival of Lieutenant Commander Tamsen Reese,deputy public affairs officer for the Department of theNavy. At her meeting with Dan and Maureen, alsoheld at the Suffolk County courthouse in Riverhead,she told them she would assist in coordinating theupcoming round of media interviews andappearances in conjunction with the White Houseannouncement and the Medal of Honor ceremony.The first press conference would be on the date of theofficial announcement in two days’ time.

The official White House announcement was madeon Tuesday, October 11, 2007, followed immediatelyby another announcement by the Department of theNavy. The Navy’s Public Affairs Office having madeall the arrangements, the Murphys were escorted intoa conference room in the Marriott Courtyard EastSide, in Manhattan. All of the major broadcast andprint media were represented. After about an hour oftaking and answering question, the news conferencewas closed by Lieutenant Commander Reese, andthe Murphy family returned home.

Quick Travel Preparations

The East Room of the White House seated 250guests. The Navy claimed 150 seats, while theremaining 100 were given to the Murphy family andsplit equally between Dan and Maureen. Needing todole out tickets carefully among the members of theirlarge extended family and friends, Maureen and Dansat down and developed their list. Maureen’s 50tickets were quickly allocated to her relatives andHeather. Dan had a smaller family and needed toallocate only about a dozen to relatives.

Dan contacted Owen O’Callaghan and invited thesix members of the O’Callaghan family to attend theceremonies. He also informed Owen that he wouldlike to invite three representatives of the New YorkCity Fire Department, specifically from the fire stationwhose patch Michael wore. Firefighter Nate Evans,Captain Eugene Kananowicz, and Lieutenant GeorgeBrennan were selected. Dan also provided tickets toPatchogue mayor Paul Ponteri, Brookhaven townsupervisor Brian X.Foley, Councilman Tim Mazzei,and eight members of the Military Order of the PurpleHeart, as well as members of the local bar, courtservices, law enforcement, postal officials, and retired

military. To obtain access to the White House,complete names, addresses, and Social Securitynumbers were provided to the Navy for the necessarysecurity background checks.

FDNY to Washington, D.C.

More than fifty members of the FDNY voiced stronginterest in attending the White House ceremonies.Unfortunately, with the limited tickets, this simplywould not be possible. Undeterred, the firefighterswere determined to make the trip and attend thepublic ceremonies honoring Michael’s Medal ofHonor that were scheduled to be held at thePentagon’s Hall of Heroes and the Navy Memorial, aswell as visit Arlington National Cemetery with thefamily. A charter bus was obtained throughsomeone’s personal contact. Arrangements werealso made for the firefighters to visit the wounded atWalter Reed Medical Center and distribute FDNYhats and T-shirts, which became an annual event.

Another Round of Media Interviews

With the aid of Lieutenant Commander Reese, theMurphys, joined by Marcus Luttrell, conducted anotherround of news conferences on October 15 and 16,this time at the Marriott Marquis on New York’s EighthAvenue in Times Square. In addition, the Murphysappeared on FOX & Friends, where they wereinterviewed by Brian Kilmeade, and NBC’s TheToday Show with Matt Lauer. Numerous other printand broadcast media interviews were conducted.

Washington, D.C.—October 21, 2007

The Murphy and Jones families left Long Island on anearly morning flight from the Long Island MacArthurAirport to the Baltimore/Washington InternationalThurgood Marshall Airport. They arrived just after10:00 AM and were met by Steve Gilmore. They weretaken to the Marriott Hotel in a bus arranged for by theNavy.

After taking a few minutes to freshen up after theflight, Dan, Maureen, and John met with SteveGilmore and Tamsen Reese in a conference roomand were provided detailed briefing books thatincluded a complete itinerary as well as biographieson all the individuals they would meet. After lunch, theyall loaded into the bus for the trip to Arlington NationalCemetery with a law enforcement escort.

Arlington National Cemetery—

October 21, 2007

Escorted by two members of a Navy honor guard andSteve Gilmore, Dan, Maureen, and John Murphy weregiven a tour of America’s premier national cemetery.Arlington National Cemetery, located in Arlington,Virginia, was established during the Civil War on thegrounds of Arlington House, which was the formerestate of the family of Robert E. Lee’s wife, MaryAnna Custis Lee, a descendant of MarthaWashington. Located near the Pentagon, it is directlyacross the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.More than 290,000 of this nation’s heroes from theAmerican Revolution to the wars in Iraq andAfghanistan are buried in its 624 acres. With morethan twenty funerals per day and fifty-four hundred peryear, it is the nation’s second-largest nationalcemetery, behind Calverton National Cemetery, whichhas more than thirty funerals per day and more thanseven thousand per year. The Murphy family tour ofArlington was conducted at their request so that theycould pay their respects to the men who had servedwith Michael.

Wreath-laying Ceremony forMichael’s Teammates

With the assistance of a Navy escort, the Murphyfamily, along with the family of Lieutenant MichaelMcGreevy, laid a wreath at the graves of LieutenantMichael McGreevy, Petty Officer Second ClassJeffrey Lucas, and Petty Officer Second Class JeffreyTaylor, then visited the graves of Chief WarrantOfficer 4 Chris Scherkenbach and Sergeant FirstClass Marcus Muralles, all buried in Section 60. Thecloseness of the Navy SEAL community made thisevent quite emotional.

Tomb of the Unknowns

At some point during the visit to Arlington, soldiers ofthe Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry, traditionally known as“The Old Guard,” on duty there became aware of theMurphy family’s tour of the cemetery. The Old Guardis most widely known as the ever-vigilant sentinels ofthe Tomb of the Unknowns. Army officialsapproached Dan and Maureen and requested thatthey participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at theTomb of the Unknowns. Honored and humbled by therequest, the family agreed and were escorted to theMemorial Amphitheater, just above the Tomb of theUnknowns, by the Navy and Army honor guard units.They could see a large wreath resting on a tripodstand located on the far-left side of the Tomb of theUnknowns, where a lone sentinel maintained his post.

Descending the marble stairs with military

precision, the Sergeant of the Guard made anannouncement: “The ceremony you are about towitness is an Army wreath-laying ceremony to beconducted by Dan and Maureen Murphy in honor oftheir son, Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, whowas killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005,and will be awarded this nation’s highest award forvalor, the Medal of Honor, by President George W.Bush tomorrow afternoon in a White Houseceremony. It is requested that everyone remain silentand standing during the ceremony. All militarypersonnel in uniform will render the hand salute, and itis appropriate for all others to place your right handover your heart upon the command of ‘Present arms.’Thank you.”

Turning toward the Tomb, the sergeant saluted andmade a military left turn and walked to the end of theplaza to retrieve the large wreath on a white tripodstand, while Dan and Maureen were escorted downthe marble steps by both an Army and Navy honorguard. With perfect timing, the sergeant made the turnand faced the Murphys at the exact moment theyarrived. Dan and Maureen placed their hands on thewreath as the sergeant backed up just in front of theTomb of the Unknowns.

As the wreath was set into position, the order topresent arms was given. The Murphys placed theirright hands over their hearts as a single Army buglerechoed the somber notes of “Taps,” which releasedthe raw emotions they had experienced two yearsearlier at Calverton National Cemetery when theyburied their son, the newest recipient of the Medal ofHonor. At the conclusion, they were escorted back tothe Memorial Amphitheater and given a tour of theOld Guard’s quarters.

Later that evening they attended a social gatheringat Sines, a local Irish pub. Also there were membersof the Navy leadership, their families, Michael’steammates, who had arrived from Hawaii to attendthe ceremony, and Marcus Luttrell.

The Capitol Building—October 22,2007

With nearly fifty friends and family involved in the visitto the Capitol Building, getting there from their hotelrequired a lot of coordination. The task was left toSteve Gilmore, who was working closely with Navyofficials. Three buses were utilized, and the visitorswere divided into three groups, designated red, white,and blue. The blue group was made up of theimmediate family, including Dan, Karen, Kristen,Maureen, John, Cathy, Colleen, Kelly, and Maureen’sparents, along with Steve and Kathy Gilmore andMarcus Luttrell. They received a private guided tour ofthe Capitol and met with Senator Charles Schumerand Representative Timothy Bishop of New York. Theother two groups also received a guided tour of theCapitol, but as a single group. At around noon, the

three buses loaded for the return trip to the hotel. Aftera quick lunch and an opportunity to freshen up, theyloaded back aboard the buses for the trip to the WhiteHouse.

The White House—October 22, 2007

Having provided both the Navy and the SecretService with names, addresses, Social Securitynumbers, and other security-related information,access to the White House was much easier andquicker than both Dan and Maureen had expected.After entering the White House, the Navy aide toPresident Bush greeted everyone and escorted themto the Blue Room, where refreshments had beenprovided. The Blue Room served as a gatheringplace before and after the Medal of Honor ceremony.

Dan, Maureen, Maureen’s parents, Steve andKathy Gilmore, and Marcus Luttrell were thenescorted to the Oval Office. After arriving at the outeroffice, Dan and Maureen were escorted into the OvalOffice for a brief private meeting with President Bush.

As they entered the president greeted them at thedoor, extended his hand, and said, “Dan andMaureen, welcome to the White House. It is an honorto meet the parents of an American hero.” Afterexchanging pleasantries, the president made a fewcomments about Michael’s service to the country.Dan and Maureen presented President Bush with agold-engraved dog tag with Michael’s birthday, thedate of his Medal of Honor ceremony, and a portraitholograph on the reverse side. The presidentloosened his necktie and unbuttoned his light blueshirt and placed the dog tags around his neck, thenrebuttoned his shirt and straightened his tie. Helooked at the Murphys and said, “Dan, Maureen,despite how the press may play this, the loss of eachand every one of my men affects me deeply. SendingAmerica’s best and brightest into harm’s way andthen having to sign letters to the parents of thosebrave men who have given their all for their country isthe hardest thing I have ever had to do.” After a fewmore intimate moments, the members of the Murphyparty who had waited in the outer office wereescorted into the Oval Office. Upon seeing Luttrell,President Bush extended his hand and said, “Marcus,I want to show you something.” Going around hisdesk, he opened the middle drawer. “See, I still havethe patch you gave me last year, and it is going in myPresidential Library, as will this dog tag.”

The president greeted everyone, shook their hands,and welcomed them to the White House. As he shookMaureen’s father’s hand, Frank said, with a tear in hiseye, “I came to this country on a ship from Irelandmany years ago. Who would have thought that an Irishimmigrant would ever have the honor of meeting thePresident of the United States?” President Bushresponded, “This country is made up of great peoplejust like you. Immigrants have added so much to thiscountry and have given us heroes like your grandson.

Sir, this country owes you and your family a debt ofgratitude that can never be paid. No sir, it is my honorto meet you.”

After about thirty minutes, the visitors wereescorted to the East Room and prepared for theformal ceremony. Along with the three representativesof the New York fire department, members of SEALDelivery Vehicle Team One, and Captain AndrewBisset, Michael’s Navy mentor, the Murphy partyjoined the other guests in the East Room of the WhiteHouse. The Murphy family was escorted to seats inthe front row just to the left of the platform. At exactly2:24 PM President George Bush was introduced andwalked down the center aisle to the platform, turned,thanked everyone for coming, and invited all to beseated. After his opening remarks, the presidentinvited Dan and Maureen to join him. As Dan andMaureen stepped onto the stage, the Presidentmoved beside Maureen, now in the center. When themilitary aide began reading the Medal of Honorcitation, President Bush reached over and tookMaureen’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. WhenMaureen looked up at him with her tear-filled eyes, hesmiled.

After the presentation and following the extendedapplause, President Bush broke with protocol andinvited both Dan and Maureen to walk with him as heexited the East Room. Once out into the red-carpetedCross Hall, White House photographers snappeddozens of both posed and impromptu pictures. Afterseveral minutes, President Bush gave both Dan andMaureen a hug and told them that he would be unableto attend the reception in the Blue Room, butinstructed them to have a good time and said that theWhite House staff would see to their needs. With that,the president walked back down the hallway,shadowed by Secret Service agents. As he reachedthe end of the hall, he turned and looked back, waved,and then disappeared down the hallway.

Reception

Dan and Maureen joined the other guests in the BlueRoom for an elegant reception that went for the nexttwo hours. Dozens of photographs were taken withthe Navy admirals in attendance, including MikeMullen, Gary Roughead, Joseph Maguire and JosephKernan, as well as Navy Secretary Winter and DeputySecretary of Defense Gordon England. At theconclusion of the reception, the guests were escortedout of the White House to reboard their buses for thereturn trip to the hotel.

Dinner with Admiral Roughead

For Dan, Maureen, and her parents, the arrival backat the hotel provided but a brief opportunity to relax

and freshen up, as they were the expected dinnerguests of Admiral and Mrs. Gary Roughead at theirhome in the Washington Navy Yard. AdmiralRoughead had just been confirmed as the Navy’sthirty-first chief of naval operations on September 29,2007. Both Admiral and Mrs. Roughead greeted thefamily on the front porch as they arrived. The Murphyssigned the register as the first guests of the new CNOand his family. After a relaxing evening, Dan,Maureen, and her parents returned to their hotel for awelcome night’s rest.

The Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes—October 23, 2007

Arriving at the Pentagon just after 8:30 AM, the threebuses carrying the Murphy family and their friendswere again divided up into their red, white, and bluegroups. The blue group remained the same—Danand Maureen, John, Maureen’s parents, Karen,Kristen, Cathy, Colleen, Kelly, the Gilmores, andMarcus Luttrell. Navy personnel provided them with adetailed briefing of the morning’s agenda and anescorted tour of the Pentagon, the largest singleoffice building in the world. Located in the Pentagonis an entire section dedicated to the elite warriorswhose service and sacrifice placed them in a leagueof their own. Known as the Hall of Heroes, it enshrinesthe extraordinary feats of ordinary men that haveinspired many generations. Following their tour, theblue group met privately with Deputy Secretary ofDefense Gordon England, Secretary of the NavyWinter, and Admiral Roughead. This was the first oftwo emotional events planned for the day. The secondwould be the evening Medal of Honor Flag ceremonyat the Navy Memorial.

Induction to the Hall of Heroes

On October 23, 2007, at 11:00 AM, LieutenantMichael P. Murphy took his place among the honoredelite. Following the presentation of the American flagby a Navy color guard, Rear Admiral Gary Burt, theNavy’s chief chaplain, opened the ceremony with theinvocation, followed by Petty Officer First ClassMichael Bolinki’s powerful rendition of the nationalanthem.

The first speaker, Admiral Gary Roughead, whohas more than thirty years of active duty experience,serves as the principal naval adviser to the president,the secretary of defense, and the secretary of thenavy. A man of imposing presence, he is the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. Navy and a member of theJoint Chiefs of Staff. Although an accomplishedspeaker, he admittedly was somewhat uncomfortablespeaking at such solemn and highly emotionalcommemorations such as that marking the tragic loss

of Lieutenant Michael Murphy, one of the Navy’s bestand brightest, and this nation’s most selfless andcourageous.

Following his introduction by Secretary Winter,Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England walkedto the podium. Prior to being tapped for his position,he served two terms as the secretary of the navy,becoming the first service branch secretary to bereappointed to the position. A white-haired gentlemanwith a soft voice, he spoke at length from notes butmade no prepared remarks about Michael’scharacter, service, and sacrifice, which resulted in hisreceiving the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor Flag Ceremony,Navy Memorial

As the family requested, the Medal of Honor Flag waspresented to them at the Navy Memorial. At 6:00 PM,following the invocation by Commander Robert Coyle,James McEachin, Dan’s longtime friend and fellowMOPH member, was introduced. McEachin, adecorated Korean War veteran, became a Hollywoodactor, an author, and a noted public speaker, as wellas a staunch advocate for the plight of our veterans.He presented his award-winning tribute to America’sveterans. Concluding the ceremonies, Dan spoke forthe Murphy family, and after presenting gifts from thefamily to Marcus Luttrell, Admiral Roughead, andSteve Gilmore, he invited everyone in attendance tothe reception that followed

Medal of Honor Flag

The Medal of Honor Flag, a light-colored flag withwhite stars adapted from the Medal of Honor ribbon,commemorates the sacrifices and blood shed todefend our freedoms and gives emphasis to theMedal of Honor being the highest award for valor byan individual serving in the Armed Forces of theUnited States. On October 17, 2006, a public lawgave the secretary of defense the authority to awardthe Medal of Honor Flag to deceased Medal of Honorrecipients.

United States Naval Academy,Annapolis, Maryland—October 24,

2007

Included on the Murphy family’s list of things theywanted to do was a trip to the Naval Academy to paytheir respects at the grave of Lieutenant CommanderErik Kristensen. The morning following the Medal ofHonor Flag ceremony, the family traveled to

Annapolis, where they were met by Edward andSuzanne Kristensen, the parents of LieutenantCommander Kristensen. Admiral Kristensen, aformer superintendent at the Academy, gave them anextended tour of the campus, including the famouschapel, site of their own son’s funeral service. Thetour ended in the Academy’s cemetery at the grave ofErik Kristensen. Following the emotional tour, theMurphy family caught a late afternoon flight back toLong Island.

On Thursday, October 31, 2008, the Kristensenstraveled by train to New York City and joined theMurphy family and the author for a daylong tour of thevarious places named in honor of Michael Murphy. Aparticularly emotional moment occurred when theKristensens visited and prayed at Michael’s grave inCalverton National Cemetery.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Growing Legacy

Thegreatestuseoflifeistospenditforsomethingthatwilloutlastit.

—WILLIAM JAMES, quoted at iwise.com, www.iwise.com/hYdUg(accessed May 21, 2008)

A Time of Tribute and Ceremony

The legacy of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy began todevelop almost immediately after his death. Firstcame the creation of a memorial scholarship fund byhis family, followed by the memorials described in thepreceding chapters.

On October 4, 2007, the 233rd anniversary of thefounding of the U.S. Navy, the New York City PoliceDepartment, in conjunction with the New York NavyLeague, sponsored a dinner at which Michaelposthumously received the USO’s 2007 George VanCleave Military Leadership Award. At his collegealma mater, Penn State University honored Michaelduring halftime of the Ohio State-Penn State footballgame on October 27, 2007. As his family was ledonto the field, they were met with a standing ovationfrom the capacity crowd of 107,000.

On November 4, 2007, during halftime of the NewYork Jets’ Military Appreciation Day game against theWashington Redskins, Michael was honored for hisservice and sacrifice. The Town of Brookhavenissued a proclamation on November 8, 2007, thatrecognized Michael’s Medal of Honor service. OnNovember 24, the New York Islanders hockey teamconferred its Hometown Hero Award on Michael. AtLong Island’s Calverton National Cemetery, theoriginal military headstone at Michael’s gravesite wasformally replaced with the Medal of Honor headstoneand its distinctive gold lettering on November 27. OnDecember 6 the United Service Organizations (USO)named Michael Murphy Sailor of the Year.

Motivate America, a company providing solutionsin the disciplines of business and personal

development, presented Michael Murphy with its 2007Person of the Year award at its annual awardsbanquet in Manhattan on January 2, 2008.

On March 17, 2009, the 247th St. Patrick’s DayParade honored Michael Murphy and all of America’sarmed forces. On July 7 Admiral Gary Roughead,chief of naval operations, dedicated the new Lt.Michael P. Murphy Combat Training Pool at NavalStation Newport, Rhode Island.

On April 10, 2008, former White House presssecretary Tony Snow and Lieutenant Michael P.Murphy were honored at the Media ResearchCenter’s 2008 Gala, held in Washington, D.C. There,T. Boone Pickens donated $1 million in Michael’sname to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.Two days later the Patchogue-Medford High Schooldedicated its Wall of Honor, depicting the career ofMichael Murphy.

The Penn State Alumni Association conducted atribute to Michael Murphy on May 2, 2008, duringwhich he was posthumously awarded theDistinguished Alumni Award. The Serenity Plaza atthe Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Parkin Lake Ronkonkoma was dedicated on May 7, 2008,by the Town of Brookhaven, and a memorial wasdedicated by the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Atthe May 7 dedication ceremony, Secretary of theNavy Donald C. Winter announced that the Navy’sne w e s t Arleigh Burke—class guided missiledestroyer would be named the USS Michael Murphy.During his remarks, Secretary Winter declared,“Every Sailor who crosses the bow, every Sailor whohears the officer of the deck announce the arrival ofthe commanding officer, and every Sailor who entersa foreign land representing our great nation will do soas an honored member of the USS Michael Murphy.”

The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Sailor’sCross Memorial, dedicated at the American LegionPost 269 in Patchogue on May 26, 2008, is a solidbronze “cross” constructed from a rifle, fins, a mask,and helmet draped with the Medal of Honor. The SanDiego-based organization First American Militaryhonored Michael during Operation Red Wing Tribute,held on board the USS Midway in San Diego Harboron June 28-29.

On September 21, 2008, the board of directors ofthe New Island Hospital in Bethpage, New York,dedicated the Navy LT Michael P. Murphy EmergencyDepartment, and also hosted the very first annual LTMichael P. Murphy Memorial Benefit 5K Run/Walk foremergency medical equipment.

Roger Froehlich, a staunch military advocate,organized the biannual LT (SEAL) Michael P. MurphyMedal of Honor Memorial Golf Tribute on October 2,2008, at the Mt. Kisco Country Club in WestchesterCounty, New York, with all proceeds going to the LT.Michael P. Murphy, USN, Memorial ScholarshipFoundation, the Navy SEAL Warrior Fund, and theNaval Special Warfare Foundation.

At the Special Operations Command at MacDill AirForce Base in Tampa, Florida, Lieutenant Murphy’sname was entered into the Special Operations

Command Wall of Heroes and his photograph raisedon the Medal of Honor Corridor on November 17,2008. On November 20, 2008, conservative Christiansinger Patti Clark Barnett released “There,” a tributesong to Michael.

The Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy MemorialConference Room was dedicated at the Penn StateUniversity Department of Political Science on April23, 2009.

The Power of a Legacy

Despite all the fanfare and notoriety thataccompanied all of the preceding events, the one thatclearly demonstrated the true power of Michael’slegacy occurred on November 1, 2008, at CalvertonNational Cemetery. Nannette Furio, the cemetery’ssupervisory program manager, described the chanceencounter.

While in front of theadministration buildingwaiting for an incomingfuneral, I noticed awoman walking into thecemetery and it wasobvious she had usedpublic transportation,getting off the bus at thefront gate. Dressed inkhaki pants, dark sweaterand sneakers, her blondhair was pulled back in apony tail which swayedout from above theadjustment strap in theback of her baseball cap.She carried a purse andflowers wrapped in whitefloral paper in one handand a shopping bag inthe other with a faux furleopard coat draped overthe bag.

With no burial sectionswithin a reasonabledistance from the frontgate, especially forsomeone bogged downwith bags, I radioed forone of our employees todrive her to the gravesiteshe wished to visit. I thenwent over and introducedmyself as a cemeteryemployee, telling her that Ihad someone coming topick her up. She wasextremely grateful, anattractive woman in her

early 50’s, she spoke witha thick Polish accent.

I asked her whatsection she was visitingand she said that shewas going to Section 67to visit Michael Murphy. Iasked her if she knew theMurphy’s and she saidno, but had learned aboutMichael’s death in thenewspaper. She wasgifted a copy of LoneSurvivor, was captivatedby the story and sincereading the book hasvisited Michael’s graveseveral times. She toldme that she lives in EastHampton and must taketwo busses in order to getto the cemetery. Thefuneral procession I waswaiting for had arrivedand I instructed her to juststay there and someonewould be along shortly topick her up.

Several hours later, Iwas going to head homebut decided to visitMichael’s grave to seewhat type of flowers shehad left. As I approachedSection 67, I noticed herspeaking to a gentlemanvisiting a nearby grave. Iparked the car so wecould talk. We bothwalked over to Michael’sgrave and saw she hadleft him three magnificentred roses with fern andbaby’s breath. Sheexplained to me thattoday is All Saints Dayand the Polish tradition isto visit the grave of aloved one. Both of herparents are deceasedand interred in Polandand was compelled toagain visit Michael. As ayoung girl, her fatherwould tell her storiesabout the Warsawinvasion and how theywould always move fromone neighborhood toanother in order to keepahead of the Germans.When she read, Lone

Survivor, the experienceMichael and his men hadthat fateful day took herback to the stories oncetold by her father.

Aware that Michael hadbeen awarded the Medalof Honor, she stronglybelieves our brave menand women who fight forour freedom should neverbe forgotten. I thenescorted her to the graveof each of the meninterred in Section 67 andgave her a brief story ofeach who had died inOperation EnduringFreedom.

Ewa [pronounced Eva]Banas is anaccomplished butundiscovered artist. Sheshowed me somephotographs of her workand her paintings areabsolutely beautiful. Shethen told me about apicture she painted ofroses in a vase and thevase had a heart whichappeared to be brokendown the center becauseof the shadows she hadpainted on the canvas.Ewa wanted to give thispainting to Marcus Luttrellbecause sheremembered reading inhis book that his heartwould break when he hadto talk to the Murphys.She completed thispainting on June 28,2006, one year afterMichael’s death.

Dan, having been notified of the meeting byNannette, contacted Ewa, and he and Maureen hadthe pleasure of meeting her for dinner. She hadbrought along her well-worn, heavily highlighted andmarked copy of Lone Survivor. Dan offered to sendthe book to Marcus for his autograph. Althoughsomewhat apprehensive about parting with her onlycopy, she consented. A couple of weeks later, Danreturned to her the now-autographed copy of thebook, which she considers one of her most treasuredpossessions.

Michael Murphy Memorial Trophy

As a lasting memory of Lieutenant Michael Murphyfrom the SEAL Recruiting District Assistance Council(RDAC), the Michael Murphy Memorial Trophy isawarded each year at the annual SEAL RDACChristmas party to the SEAL officer candidate withthe top scores achieved in the SEAL PhysicalScreening Test (PST) competition. Ironically, the firstrecipient was Midshipman Matt Shipman from thePenn State Naval ROTC program. Dan and MaureenMurphy personally award the trophy each year.

The Nature of a Legacy

A legacy can be defined as something that is handeddown from an ancestor or a predecessor from thepast. What attracts people from around the globe tothe story of Michael P. Murphy? Some would claimthat it was his selfless sacrifice on the field of battle;others might say it was his love of freedom and hiswillingness to die for it. I would argue that it is far morefundamental. While his selfless sacrifice on the field ofbattle is a matter of record and his love of freedomself-evident, these are but manifestations of thenobility of his character. It is his nobility of characterthat draws people from all walks of life, from all agesand creeds and nationalities, to his story.

In the short four-plus years of Michael P. Murphy’smilitary career, he traveled the world in defense ofAmerica and that for which our nation stands.Although physically taken from our midst, Michael P.Murphy, in a much larger sense, continues to traversethe world instilling, and in some cases igniting, theflame of freedom.

He had spoken of his plans after he concluded hismilitary service. Building on what he had learned, andcognizant of the ever-growing threat of terrorism, hehad voiced a strong desire to join the FBI as acounterterrorism specialist. However, that was not tobe. Michael P. Murphy believed that while a singleman cannot do everything, he could do something. Itis this belief that one man can make a difference thatserves as an inspiration for us all.

Postscript

June 28, 2005, was the deadliest day for Americanspecial operations forces since World War II. On July8, 2005, at a memorial service for the eighteen knowndead from Operation Red Wings, Captain Pete VanHooser declared that their deaths would not gounanswered. What he knew, but could not say, wasthat Operation Red Wings was only part of the overallplan to rid the Korangal Valley of Taliban and al-Qaeda forces.

Captain Von Hooser’s words proved prophetic.Like the American bald eagle circling and stalking itsprey, on August 11, 2005, U.S. and Afghan forceslaunched a devastatingly successful strike against theTaliban and al-Qaeda forces in response to the killingof nineteen of America’s best, in what was calledOperation Whalers. Coalition forces moved intoposition at one end of the valley and constructed aforward operating base (FOB) in a nearby cornfield.During the next forty-eight hours, Marines from 2ndBattalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Marine Corps BaseHawaii trekked into the rugged terrain while numerousA-10 warplanes circled overhead. Over the nexteleven days, the Marines endured twenty-nineseparate Taliban and al-Qaeda counterattacks intheir effort to wrest the valley from Shah’s control.During the operation, the Mountain Tigers weretamed and Shah himself was severely wounded. Hemanaged to crawl his way back across the mountainsinto the safety of Pakistan’s North-West Frontier,known as Sarhad, the smallest of Pakistan’s fourprovinces.

Requiring only an occasional flap of its wings, theAmerican eagle circled, knowing it was not a questionof if its prey would appear, but only a question ofwhen. The eagle circled and waited. On Tuesday,April 15, 2008, the prey reappeared. Afghan securityforces opened fire on Mullah Ahmad Shah and thosetraveling with him after he failed to stop at a policecheckpoint near the Afghan border. Shah and his menwere killed as they were attempting to smuggle akidnapped Afghan day laborer back to an al-Qaedahideout on the Afghan side of the border.

While Mullah Ahmad Shah and his Mountain Tigersno longer prey on the Afghan people and U.S. forces,the memory of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, U.S.Navy SEAL, remains permanently immortalized in thePentagon’s Hall of Heroes.

Michael P. Murphy was not perfect. He certainlymade his share of mistakes—in one case, a mistakethat cost a SEAL teammate his career. Anextraordinary man, Michael P. Murphy was instilledwith the seeds of greatness derived from his ethnicbackground, family legacy, community, and a faithlearned in the arms of a loving mother and at the kneeof a wise father. Consistent with his faith, hepossessed an inner belief of always putting othersahead of self. He also possessed the innate sense ofleadership and determination that allowed him to

overcome obstacles that would stop those lessmotivated or determined.

Marcus Luttrell, Michael’s SEAL teammate and thelone survivor of Operation Red Wings, gave thefollowing tribute to his friend: “If they built a statue ofhim as big as the Empire State Building, it would notbe big enough for me.”

Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy’s character,compassion, determination, and leadership resultedin his receiving this nation’s Medal of Honor on earthand a place of honor serving in the Army of the Lord inthe world eternal. His earthly legacy continues togrow. Newsday’ s Legacy.com Web page for himcontinues to average two to three new posts per weekfrom around the globe nearly four years after hisdeath.

While political and military leaders change, our trustand commitment toward those who volunteer to wearthis nation’s uniform must never change. All who putthemselves into harm’s way in defense of freedom, aswell as the families who endure their absence,deserve our unwavering gratitude and support. Whilewe all cannot be Michael P. Murphy, we all can bepatriots.

May God continue to comfort those of us whogrieve, bless and watch over those who defendfreedom, and continue to bless the United States ofAmerica.

Epilogue

Gasps broke the silence as the small group touringthe legendary Bath Iron Works shipbuilding facilityentered the cavernous Ultra Hall. Above them,towering nearly four stories high, was the name oftheir son, brother, grandson, and friend. “MichaelMurphy” was emblazoned on the massive, 800-tonhull of what would soon become a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer.

The family knew, of course, that the name would bethere. Aware of the project from its inception, theywere present at the shipbuilding facility on June 18,2010, for the keel-authentication ceremony for theship named to forever memorialize the sacrifice oftheir son. The sheer astonishment and emotionalimpact of seeing his name across the hull of the ship,however, was something none of his family membershad anticipated.

Michael’s parents, Dan and Maureen Murphy, andhis brother John embraced. Maureen’s sister Eileen,Michael’s godmother, joined the embrace; their sobsbroke the silence. Scott Kay, the guided-missiledestroyer project manager for Bath Iron Works andthe tour guide for the day, took that moment tocompose himself as the family embraced. Althoughhe had conducted many tours for the families of ships’namesakes, the task never became any easier orless emotional for him.

Construction on the $170 million guided-missiledestroyer Michael Murphy (DDG-112) began onSeptember 7, 2007. During the dedication ceremonyon May 7, 2008, Secretary of the Navy Donald C.Winter declared, “Michael Murphy’s name, which willbe forever synonymous with astonishing courageunder fire, will now be associated with one of the U.S.Navy’s most technologically advanced, most powerful,and most capable warships.”

The keel-authentication ceremony on June 18 wasthe first of what will be several emotional ceremoniesin bringing the ship to life. During the ceremony theworkers at Bath helped Dan and Maureen weld theirinitials in a steel plate that will become part of theship. The initials of all nineteen of those killed inOperation Red Wings also will be welded into thekeel plate as a lasting tribute to their service andsacrifice.

The anticipated christening is currently set for May7, 2011, on what would have been Murphy’s thirty-fifthbirthday. The commissioning is tentatively scheduledfor June 28, 2012, in New York Harbor. The USSMichael Murphy will be the seventh destroyer and thefortieth Navy ship named to commemorate a Medal ofHonor recipient. Although its fleet assignment has yetto be determined, the destroyer and its 23 officersand 250 enlisted personnel likely will be home portedin Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, home of Murphy’s unit, SEALDelivery Vehicle Team-1.

APPENDIX

Naval Special Warfare CommunitySupport Groups

There are several organizations and agencies thatprovide valuable, thoughtful, and helpful assistance tothe families of U.S. Navy SEALS and other Americanmilitary personnel who have been seriously woundedor killed in action or training.

LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN,Memorial Scholarship Foundation

The foundation was formed by Michael Murphy’sparents, Daniel and Maureen, and his brother, John,in August 2005. It was given New York Department ofEducation approval on August 3, 2005, andincorporated in New York on August 11, 2005, as a501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the expressedwritten purpose of providing academic scholarships.The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) granted thefoundation tax-exempt status on May 4, 2006 (EID #16-1730124).

The original board of directors consisted of DanielJ. Murphy, Maureen T. Murphy, and John D. Murphy.Since that time, three additional directors have beenadded: Mike’s best friend, Owen O’Callaghan, a NewYork City firefighter, and his cousins Catherine Jonesand Kristen Bishop.

The foundation provides four scholarships. Two aregiven through the Patchogue-Medford High School,one through the Suffolk Federal Credit Union and theLong Island Credit Union League to a Suffolk Countyresident, and one through the Military Order of thePurple Heart in Washington, D.C., to acombatwounded veteran or the child of a Purple Heartrecipient. Other organizations that support thefoundation include the Suffolk County Prosecutor’sAssociation, through its annual golf outing; the LongIsland Council of Credit Unions; and the Chicago TitleInsurance Company. Many other individuals andorganizations honor Michael with their donations aswell. The foundation in turn also actively supports theNavy SEAL Warrior Fund and the Naval SpecialWarfare Foundation. To assist in its work and toperpetuate the growing legacy of Lieutenant MichaelP. Murphy and his selfless dedication to publicservice, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of thiswork and any derivatives will be donated to thefoundation to further expand its charitable work.

In addition, the foundation lends Michael’s name tonumerous fund-raising events in support of the NavySEAL Warrior Fund, the Naval Special WarfareFoundation, and the Special Operations WarriorFoundation.

All donations receive a written acknowledgmentand may be sent to:

LT. Michael P. Murphy,USN, MemorialScholarship Foundation c/o William F. Andes Jr.,Esq. 224 Griffing Avenue Riverhead, NY 11901

Navy SEAL Warrior FundGoverned by a board of directors, the Navy SEALWarrior Fund is also a 501(c) (3) nonprofitorganization (tax ID # 20-2827819; CombinedFederal Campaign/ CFC # 11454) established toraise funds in support of families of U.S. Navy SEALswho have died while serving our country, or who arepresently serving in harm’s way in trouble spotsaround the world. The organization, comprised ofvolunteers from around the country, has no paidemployees. All funds raised, after expenses, are usedto improve the education, health, and wellness ofspouses and children of deceased and active-dutySEALs. The Navy SEAL Warrior Fund is also thelargest fund-raising organization for the Naval SpecialWarfare Foundation.

Contributions may be made to:

Navy SEAL Warrior Fund162 West 56th, Suite 405New York, NY 19919

Naval Special Warfare Foundation(NSWF)

To provide educational and motivational support,promote health and welfare programs for the NavalSpecial Warfare community, and perpetuate thehistory and heritage of the U.S. naval commandos,the NSWF was incorporated in 2000 as a NationalNon-Profit Charitable Corporation (tax ID # 31-1728910; CFC # 11454). The NSWF providesmultiple scholarship opportunities to dependentchildren and spouses of active-duty SEALs or SWCC(Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen) andother active-duty military personnel currently serving inNSW commands.

The NSWF also provides computers to thesurviving children of Naval Special Warfare personnelkilled in training or combat. The program helps ensurethat the children are provided one of the basicresources they will need to help them excel in theireducation. The NSWF also provides numerous healthand welfare programs for the Naval Special Warfarecommunity. The NSWF provides airfare so that familymembers may be present at their loved one’smemorial service and pays for hotel rooms for thefamily. It organizes a food delivery service for

bereaved families that provides them with baskets ofnecessities often overlooked during stressful times.Additionally, NSWF also provides free financialcounseling to widows.

If you would like to make a contribution, the NavalSpecial Warfare Foundation Web site(www.nswfoundation.org/donate.htm) has adownloadable donation form. Donations may also bemade over the phone by calling 1-757-363-7490 or bymail to:

Naval Special WarfareFoundation P.O. Box 5965 Virginia Beach, VA23471

SOURCES

It is clearly evident that the level of detail contained inthis book came from eyewitnesses directly involved inOperation Red Wings, the rescue effort, and therecovery of the fallen. In some cases pseudonymswere used to protect both them and their families.While their true identities may have been disguised,they know who they are.

Representatives of Naval Special Warfare and theArmy’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment(SOAR) reviewed the manuscript to ensure accuracy.Many individual members of these organizationssacrificed precious moments of their free time fromhazardous duty around the globe to assist with thiseffort.

Tape recordings of interviews by the author and hisdiscussions with various individuals, written andelectronic communications, and other miscellaneousunpublished documents used as source material inthe preparation of this book are in the possession ofthe author. Alvarez, Heath. Personal Web site.www.heathalvarez.com (accessed January 3-19,2009).Axelson, Cordell. Discussion with author, July 28-29,2008.Axelson, Donna. Discussion with author, July 28-29,2008.Bisset, Andrew. Interview by author, June 6, 2008.———. Electronic communications with author, May9, 2008-October 30, 2009.Bogenshutz, Maureen. E-mail communication toauthor, March 5, 2009.Bonelli, Garry J. Discussion with author, July 28-29,2008.Bradley, Myron [pseud.]. Interview by author, October22, 2008.———. E-mail communications with author, July 5-6,September 3-12, 2008.Commander, Navy Region, Mid-Atlantic. CasualtyAssistance Calls Officer Guide. N.p: Bureau of NavalPersonnel, n.d. Commander, Navy Region, Mid-Atlantic. www.cnrma.navy.mil.Couch, Dick. The Finishing School: Earning theNavy SEAL Trident. New York: Crown, 2004.———. The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEALClass 228. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.Coyle, Robert. Electronic communications withauthor, June 6-8, 2008.DeGhetto, Todd. Interview by author, March 16, 2009.Dietz, Maria. Discussion with author, July 28-29,2008.Easter, Chad [pseud.]. Interview by author, October16, 2008.Emmerich, James. Discussion with author, October30, 2008.Evans, Nathan. Discussion with author, November 1,2008.

———. E-mail communications with author,November 6, 2008, January 5, 2009.Furio, Nannette. Discussion with author, October 31,2008.———. E-mail communications with author.November 3, 25, 2008.Geisen, Gregory. E-mail communications with author,June 4, 2008-September 30, 2009.Goare, Judy. E-mail communications with author,December 5-7, 2008.Goodnature, Lori. Discussions with author, July 28-29, 2008.Haffele, Andrew. E-mail communication to author,January 31, 2009.———. Interview by author, January 30, 2009.Healy, Natalie. Discussion with author, July 28-29,2008.———. E-mail communication to author, July 28,2008.Hernandez, Mark [pseud.]. Discussion with author,July 28-29, 2008.———. E-mail communications with author, October5-7, 2008.———. Interview by author, October 5, 2008.Kernan, Joseph D. Discussions with author, May 6-7,July 28-29, 2008.Kristensen, Edward. Discussion with author, October30, 2008.Kristensen, Suzanne. Discussion with author, October30, 2008.Lasky, Larry. Discussion with author, July 28-29,2008.———. E-mail communications with author, July 7-15,2008.Luttrell, Marcus. Lone Survivor: The Eye witnessAccount of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroesof SEAL Team Ten. New York: Little, Brown, 2007.Martin, Michael. Discussion with author, May 7, 2008.———. E-mail communication to author, September4, 2008.———. Interview by author, May 20, 2008.McCain, John. Why Courage Matters: The Way to aBraver Life. New York: Random House, 2004.McCombie, Ryan. Discussion with author, October28, 2008.———. E-mail communications with author,November 3-6, 2008.McElhone, Eddie. Discussion with author, October30, 2008.McKenna, Sharon. E-mail communication to author,September 27, 2008.Murphy, Daniel. Discussions with author, May 2008-December 2009.———. E-mail communications with author, May 5,2008-October 30, 2009.———. Interviews by author, May 20, 2008, January4, February 19, April 13, 2009.Murphy, John. E-mail communication to author,October 3, 2008.———. Interview by author, April 10, 2009.Murphy, Karen. Discussions with author, October 26-November 2, 2008.

Murphy, Maureen. E-mail communications withauthor, May 5, 2008-October 15, 2009.———. Interviews by author, May 28, 2008, January14, February 11, 2009.Naval Education and Training Command.www.netc.navy.mil (accessed January 3-19, 2009).Naval Special Warfare Command.www.navsoc.navy.mil (accessed December 5-18,2008).Navy Recruiting Command. www.navyocs.com.(accessed January 3-19, 2009).Navy SEALs. www.seal.navy.mil/seal (accessedDecember 5-18, 2008).O’Callaghan, Jimmie. Discussion with author,November 1, 2008.O’Callaghan, Kerri. Discussion with author,November 1, 2008.O’Callaghan, Owen. Discussion with author,November 1, 2008O’Callaghan, Sean. Discussion with author,November 1, 2008.Paro, Kent. Discussion with author, October 26,2008.———. E-mail communications with author,November 2008-April 2009.———. Interview by author, November 10, 2008.Pexton, Patrick. “Trying to Tame a New Breed ofCats.” Navy Times (May 30, 1994).Ponder, Leslie. E-mail communication to author,August 27, 2009.Pressfield, Steven. Gates of Fire. New York:Doubleday, 1998.Public Law 109-256. To designate the facility of theUnited States Postal Service located at 170 EastMain Street in Patchogue, New York, as the“Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy Post Office Building.”109th Cong. August 1, 2006. Congressional Record152 (2006).Queen, G. Navy Military Funerals. N.p.: Bureau ofNaval Personnel, 1999. Commander, Navy Region,Mid-Atlantic. www.cnrma.navy.mil.Reich, Jill. E-mail communications with author, August26-September 8, 2008.———. Interview by author, September 4, 2009.Reserve Officer’s Association. “The Meaning of aFlag-Draped Coffin.” Reserve Officer’s Association.www.roa.org (accessed January 13, 2009).Risotto, Elizabeth. Discussion with author, July 29,2008.———. E-mail communications with author, July 3-5,2008.Sauers, Ben [pseud.]. E-mail communication toauthor, October 9, 2008.———. Interview by author, October 9, 2008, January23, 2009.Scherkenbach, Michelle. E-mail communications withauthor, September 19-October 1, 2008.Schoenberg, Richard. The Only Easy Day WasYesterday: An Inside Look at the Training of NavySEALs. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 2006.Sheeler, Jim. Final Salute: The Story of UnfinishedLives. New York: Penguin, 2008.

Stegman, Robert. Text of eulogy for LieutenantMichael P. Murphy. Private collection.Widenhofer, Jeffrey. Interview by author, August 27,2008.

INDEX

A

Active Endeavor, OperationAdvanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS)Afghanistan: bombing campaign in; goat herders in;Hindu Kush mountains; Korangal Valley; KunarProvince; map of; overview of; priority of war in; rulesof engagement in; snatch-and-grab missions; Talibanattacks on government of; Taliban control of; ToraBora cave complex. See also TalibanAfrica, Horn ofagogeArlington National CemeteryArmy Airborne SchoolArmy Night Stalkers. See Night Stalkers (160thSOAR)Axelson, Matthew: ambush of and attack on;deployment of; early life, training, and expertise of;live-fire IAD; mission assignment; mission execution;Navy Cross award; remains of; rescue operation

B

Banas, EvaBasic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL (BUD/S)training: academic requirements; acceptance to;appraisal of Michael for; community developmentduring; completion rate; conditioning phase (FirstPhase); decision to pursue; demolitions training; divetraining (Second Phase); graduation from; Hell Week;Indoctrination Course; land-warfare phase (ThirdPhase); location of; mental challenges; MonsterMash; Physical Readiness Test (PRT); punishment;quitting; recruit mentoring and preparation; trainingevolutions; warrior culturebin Laden, OsamaBishop, TimothyBisset, Andrew: appraisal of Michael; funeral forMichael; McCombie call to; Medal of Honorceremony; military career of; missing status ofMichael; OCS preparations; RDAC program;retirement ofBogenshutz, JohnBogenshutz, MaureenBogenshutz Bishop, KristenBradley, Myron: mission briefing; mission execution;mission planning; QRF loss; rescue and recoveryoperations; rope entanglement and cuttingBrown, Bryan D.Bryant, EugeneBush, George W.

C

Caldwell, JerryCalverton National CemeteryCamp Al Huey

Camp Billy MachenCamp ChapmanCamp LemonierCamp OuelletteCamp SalernoCapitol Buildingcenter peelClose Quarters Defense (CQD) trainingcold-weather trainingcombat leaders, duties of, xivCombat Training Tank (CTT)Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A)courage mottoCoyle, Robert: casualty call to Murphy family; funeralfor Michael; Medal of Honor Flag ceremony

D

Dane, JohnDeGhetto, ToddDietz, Danny: ambush of and attack on; death of; earlylife, training, and expertise of; identification ofremains of; mission assignment; mission execution;Navy Cross award; ramp ceremony; remains of;SDVT-2 deploymentdive supervisor courseDover Air Force Basedrown proofingDuck dropsDuggan, BrianneDuggan, DanDuggan, Heather: casualty call to Duggan family;death of Michael, notification about; Father’s Daymessage; flag presentation; funeral for Michael;information about Michael, access to; Michael’sremains, return of; missing status of Michael; newsstory about attack on SEAL team; support networkfor; wedding plansDuggan, LyndaDunn, SethDunson, John

E

Easter, ChadEmmerich, JamesEurope

F

Father’s Dayfearflag, folded, meaning ofFontan, Jacques Julesforeign policy and national securityfuneral: Calverton National Cemetery; Clayton FuneralHome; family prayer service; flag presentation; funeralprocession; graveside ceremony and final restingplace; Mass; military honors; preparations for;visitation

Furio, Nannette

G

Gilmore, SteveGlobal War on Terror (GWOT)Goare, Shamus O.Goodnature, Cory J.gouge

H

Haffele, AndyHall, ChrisHall of Heroes, xixHardy, NathanHealy, Daniel R.: awards and decoration; burial andmemorials; deployment of; early life, training, andexpertise of; live-fire IAD; missing status of; missionbriefing; mission planning; orientation briefing;packing stuff before deployment; rescue operation;rope entanglement and cuttinghelicopters: Chinook MH-47E helicopter; flaremaneuver; QRF and rescue operationHell WeekHernandez, MarkheroesH-gearHillicke, Eileen

I

immediate action drills (IADs)inflatable boat, small (IBS)IntrepidIraq

J

Jacoby, Kip AllenJoint/Combined Exchange Training (JCET)Jones, CathyJones, ColleenJones, FrankJones, KathleenJones, KellyJoyce, Kevin B.jump schoolJunior Officer Training Course (JOTC)justice and truth

K

Keenan, JayKernan, Joseph D.Kerry, Bobknot tyingKristensen, EdwardKristensen, Erik S.: awards and decoration; burial;

early life, training, and expertise of; mission briefing;mission execution; mission planning; orientationbriefing; request for SEALs; rescue operation;respect for; rope entanglement and cutting; SEALTeam Ten assignment; Shah, threats from; visit tograve ofKristensen, Suzanne

L

land-warfare trainingleadership advice and trainingLee, Garylive-fire immediate-action drillslog PTLone Survivor (Luttrell)Loo, MikeLucas, Jeffrey AllenLuttrell, Marcus: ambush of and attack on; CapitolBuilding visit; deployment of; early life, training, andexpertise of; Hall of Heroes induction; Hindu Kushterrain; live-fire IAD; Lone Survivor; Medal of Honorceremony; Medal of Honor eyewitness; Medal ofHonor Flag ceremony; media inquiries; on Michael;mission assignment; mission briefing; missionexecution; mission planning; Navy Cross award;orientation briefing; Oval Office meeting; QRF loss;ramp ceremony; rescue operation

M

M4A1 rifleMaggipinto, V. AnthonyMaguire, Joseph: funeral for Michael; live-fire IAD;Medal of Honor award; Medal of Honor ceremony;memorial services; memorials to Michael; missiondetails; rescue operationMcCabe, BarryMcCombie, Ryan J.McEachin, JamesMcElhone, EddieMcElhone, JohnMcElhone, LindaMcGreevy, Michael M., Jr.: Arlington NationalCemetery ceremony; awards and decoration; burial;early life, training, and expertise of; mission briefing;mission execution; mission planning; rescueoperation; respect for; SEAL Team Ten assignmentMedal of Honor: ceremony and reception; delay ofawarding; preparations for; recommendation signing;selfless devotion of recipients of; speculation aboutawarding of; tickets for ceremonyMedal of Honor Flagmedia inquiries: information about Michael; Medal ofHonorMichael MurphyMichael Murphy Trophymilitary honorsmilitary training tests (MTTs)MK-8 SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV)MK-9 SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV)

MK-16 dive rigModen, PatrickMogadishu, SomaliaMonsoor, MikeMonster MashMother’s DayMountain TigersMountain Warfare Training FacilityMuralles, Marcus V.Murphy, Dan: Arlington National Cemetery visit;Capitol Building visit; casualty call to Murphy family;death of Michael, notification about; dinner withRougheads; early life of Michael; Ewa Banasmeeting; Father’s Day message; funeral for Michael;good and bad in people; graduation of Michael; Hallof Heroes induction; injury during Hell Week; locationof Michael, knowledge of; Medal of Honor ceremonyand reception; Medal of Honor, preparations forawarding; Medal of Honor, speculation aboutawarding of; memorials to Michael; Michael’sremains, return of; missing status of Michael; NavyCross ceremony; news story about attack on SEALteam; opposition to military service for Michael;scholarship foundation; support network for; textmessage from Michael; Vietnam service ofMurphy, John: Arlington National Cemetery visit;Capitol Building visit; casualty call to Murphy family;death of Michael, notification about; evening planswith father; Father’s Day message; funeral forMichael; graduation of Michael; Hall of Heroesinduction; memorials to Michael; Michael’s remains,return of; military career decision of Michael; newsstory about attack on SEAL team; scholarshipfoundation; support network for; uneasy feeling aboutMichaelMurphy, KarenMurphy, Maureen: Arlington National Cemetery visit;Capitol Building visit; casualty call to Murphy family;death of Michael, notification about; dinner withRougheads; early life of Michael; Ewa Banasmeeting; Father’s Day message; funeral for Michael;funeral preparations; graduation of Michael; Hall ofHeroes induction; information about Michael, accessto; injury during Hell Week; location of Michael,knowledge of; Medal of Honor ceremony andreception; Medal of Honor, preparations for awarding;Medal of Honor, speculation about awarding of;memorials to Michael; mental and physical strain on;Michael’s remains, return of; Navy Cross ceremony;news story about attack on SEAL team; scholarshipfoundation; support network for; text message fromMichaelMurphy, Michael Patrick: academic achievements;athletic abilities; birth of; cellulitis and Hell Week;character of, xix-xx; death notice; death of; death of,notification of family; early life of; education of; finalvisit home; Fitness Report and Counseling Records;identification of remains of; legacy of; live-fire IAD;memorials and tributes to; memories and storiesabout; military career decision; missing status of;optimisim of; promotion of; protector role of; remainsof, return of; respect for by fellow SEALs; SEAL

career of; text message from; vision surgery; water,love of; wedding plans; work ethic ofMuse, Chad: casualty call to Murphy family; funeral forMichael; Michael’s remains, return of

N

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacificnational security and foreign policyNaval Amphibious Base, Coronado, CaliforniaNaval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VirginiaNaval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC)Naval Special Warfare: agoge; community supportgroups; JOTC; mission of; reorganization of; rules tolive by; SQT program, importance of; structure ofNaval Special Warfare CenterNaval Special Warfare CommandNaval Special Warfare FoundationNavy CrossNavy enlistment oathNavy MemorialNavy officer commissioningNavy SEAL Warrior FundNew York City Fire DepartmentNight Stalkers (160th SOAR)Norris, TomNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

O

obstacle course (O-course)O’Callaghan, Jimmie: friendship with Michael; funeralfor Michael; graduation of Michael; memories andstories about Michael; physical fitness training;September 11, 2001 attacks and; support network forMurphy familyO’Callaghan, Owen: friendship with Michael; funeralfor Michael; graduation of Michael; Medal of Honorceremony; memories and stories about Michael;physical fitness training; scholarship foundation;September 11, 2001 attacks and; support network forMurphy familyOfficer Candidate School (OCS): acceptance to;challenges at; decision to pursue; experiences at;goals of; graduation from; Indoctrination; preparationsforOlson, Eric T.Oster, RonOuellette, Brian

P

Pahl, DavidParo, KentPatchogue Post OfficePatton, Eric ShanePennsylvania State UniversityPentagon Hall of HeroesPfeiffer, PaulPhilippine IslandsPhysical Screening Test (PST)

Ponder, James W. “Tre,” IIIprofessional development (PRODEV)Purple Heart

Q

Qaeda, al-: attacks against U.S. by; Korangal Valleycontrol; Kunar Province; Taliban protection of; trainingcamps in Afghanistan; Whalers Operation againstQuattromani, Jimquick-reaction force (QRF)

R

ramp ceremonyrange safety officer (RSO) courseRebuilding Together initiativeRed Cell TeamRed Wings, Operation: ambush of and attack on; callfor assistance; deaths of SOF personnel; executionof; goat herders meeting; men assigned to; missionand plan for; mission briefing; naming of; planning;priority of; quick-reaction force for; recoveryoperation; rescue operation; rope entanglement andcutting; Taliban casualtiesReese, TamsenReich, Stephen C.Reidy, TaraRisotto, Bethrock portageRonkonkoma, LakeRoughead, GaryRussell, Michael L.

S

Sauers, Ben: Michael’s reaction to 9/11; orientationbriefing; QRF loss; rescue operation; respect forMichael; SDVT-2 deploymentSawtalo SarScherkenbach, Chris J.scholarship foundationSEAL CreedSEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) TeamsSEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One (SDVT-1): baseand area of responsibility for; deployment of; FitnessReport and Counseling Records; funeral for Michael;Medal of Honor ceremony; men assigned to; missionassignment; orientation briefing; training ofSEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two (SDVT-2)SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV)SEAL platoonSEAL Qualifications Training (SQT): graduation from;preparations for; training at; training of enlisted menand officersSEAL Recruiting District Assistance Council (RDAC)SEAL squadronsSEAL Team Ten: assignment to Afghanistan; battlewith Taliban; beacon tracking; death of members of;memorial services; missing status of; orientation

briefing See also Red Wings, OperationSEAL teams; Team One; Team Two; Team Three;Team Four; Team Five; Team Six; Team Seven;Team Eight. See also SEAL Team TenSEALs: community of; cost of training; deploymentand training cycle; dive training; equipment and gear;operations and missions; predeployment work-up;primary (core) missions; rules to live by; selflessdevotion of, xiii; standards to become; team concept;training dangers; warrior cultureSenior Petty Officer Training Course (SPOTC)September 11, 2001 attacksshadow boxesShah, Mullah AhmadSilver StarSkop, John AnthonySomaliaSparta and the SpartansSpecial Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR),160th. See Night Stalkers (160th SOAR)Special Operations Warrior Foundationsquadron integration training (SIT)Stahl, GeorgeSuh, James E.Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE)courseSwartz, Steve

T

Taliban: attack on Red Wings Operation; attacks onAfghan government; attacks on U.S. and coalitionforces by; bombing campaign against; bombing ofstatues by; control of Afghanistan by; embassybombings by; harboring of terrorists by; human rightsviolations by; Korangal Valley control; Kunar Province;QRF loss; Whalers Operation againstTaylor, Jeffrey Scottteamworkterror, war onThornton, MikeTomb of the UnknownsTridentstruth and justice

U

unit level training (ULT)United Service Organizations (USO) George VanCleave Military Leadership AwardUnited States Naval AcademyUnited States Special Operations Command(USSOCOM)

V

valor, xiii-xivVan Hooser, Pete

W

warrior cultureWestin, JamesWhalers, OperationWidenhofer, Jeff: career and experience of; casualtycall to Murphy family; funeral for Michael; funeralpreparations; Michael’s remains, return ofWinter, Donald C.Winters, Edward G., III

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gary Williams is the training officer at the WarrenCorrectional Institution for the Ohio Department ofRehabilitation and Correction in Lebanon, Ohio, anda member of the faculty at Sinclair CommunityCollege in Dayton. He began his corrections career in1985 at the Marion Correctional Institution andtransferred to the Corrections Training Academy inOrient, Ohio, in 1995, where he served as a trainingofficer until 2002. While at the Corrections TrainingAcademy, he developed the midlevel leadershipprogram that received recognition in the AmericanCorrectional Association publication Best Practices.He transferred to the Warren Correctional Institution in2002 and published his first book, Siege inLucasville: The 11-Day Saga of Hostage LarryDotson, in 2003 and Siege in Lucasville: An Insider’sAccount and Critical Review of Ohio’s Worst PrisonRiot in 2006; the latter was rereleased in 2009.

The oldest of five children, Williams was rearedwith a near-reverent respect for those who wear ournation’s uniform. His father is a decorated KoreanWar combat veteran. Williams holds a Bachelor’sdegree in human resource management andleadership from Franklin University in Columbus anda Master’s degree in public administration from theUniversity of Dayton. He has six children and lives inWest Chester, Ohio, with his wife, Tracy.

The Naval Institute Press is the book-publishingarm of the U.S. Naval Institute, a private, nonprofit,membership society for sea service professionalsand others who share an interest in naval andmaritime affairs. Established in 1873 at the U.S.Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where itsoffices remain today, the Naval Institute has membersworldwide.

Members of the Naval Institute support theeducation programs of the society and receive theinfluential monthly magazine Proceedings or thecolorful bimonthly magazine Naval History anddiscounts on fine nautical prints and on ship andaircraft photos. They also have access to thetranscripts of the Institute’s Oral History Program andget discounted admission to any of the Institute-sponsored seminars offered around the country.

The Naval Institute’s book-publishing program,begun in 1898 with basic guides to naval practices,has broadened its scope to include books of moregeneral interest. Now the Naval Institute Presspublishes about seventy titles each year, ranging fromhow-to books on boating and navigation to battlehistories, biographies, ship and aircraft guides, andnovels. Institute members receive significantdiscounts on the Press’s more than eight hundredbooks in print.

Full-time students are eligible for special half-pricemembership rates. Life memberships are alsoavailable.

For a free catalog describing Naval Institute Pressbooks currently available, and for further informationabout joining the U.S. Naval Institute, please write to:

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1The LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN, MemorialScholarship Foundation was established by Michael’sfamily to provide college scholarships to seniorstudents at Patchogue-Medford High School.Administered by a seven-member board of directors,the foundation’s principal funds are held at the SuffolkFederal Credit Union in certificate of deposits, withthe scholarships funded from the interest earned. Thefoundation was designated as a public charity 501 (c)(3) corporation by the Internal Revenue Service onMay 4, 2006.

2For a detailed description of SEAL training, there isno better source than Dick Couch’s book, TheWarrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228 (NewYork: Three Rivers Press, 2003).

3For a complete and detailed description of of SEALQualification Training, read Dick Couch’s TheFinishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident(New York: Crown, 2004).

4Their discussion is detailed in Marcus Luttrell’s bookLone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account ofOperation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEALTeam Ten (New York: Little, Brown, 2007).

5Luttrell, the only remaining eyewitness, described theepic battle in graphic detail as only a battle-testedeyewitness can in his best-selling book LoneSurvivor.

6The flight crew and other 160th SOAR specialoperators on board Turbine 34 will remainanonymous.

7The author is unaware of any other member of theU.S. military to have achieved “Honor Man” status inboth BUD/S and Ranger School.

8A Ziegler case is a galvanized metal case designedto contain a deceased person in an airtightenvironment, and is used to transport the remainsfrom one country to another.

This book was brought to publication with the generous assistanceof Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest.

Naval Institute Press

291 Wood Road Annapolis, MD 21402

© 2010 by Gary Williams

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced orutilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying and recording, or by any information storageand retrieval system, without permission in writing from the

publisher.

First Naval Institute Press paperback edition published in 2011.

eISBN : 978-1-612-51006-4

SEAL of honor : Operation Red Wings and the life of Lt. Michael P.

Murphy, USN / Gary Williams.p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.1. Murphy, Michael Patrick, 1976-2005. 2. Murphy, Michael Patrick,1976-2005—Military leadership. 3. Operation Red Wings, 2005. 4.

United States. Navy. SEALs—Officers—Biography. 5. Medal ofHonor—Biography. 6. Heroes—United States—Biography. 7.

Courage—Afghanistan—Case studies. 8. Afghan War, 2001—Biography. 9. Afghan War, 2001—Casualties—United States. I. Title.

DS371.4123.O66W55 2010958.104’7—dc22

[B]2010009801

First printing

Table of ContentsTitle PageDedicationACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONSForewordAcknowledgementsIntroductionCHAPTER ONE - The Knock on the Door

Tuesday, June 28, 2005, Kunar Province,AfghanistanTuesday, June 28, 2005, Patchogue, NewYorkWednesday, June 29, 2005, Long Island,New YorkWednesday, June 29, 2005, Naval SpecialWarfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM),...Long Island, New YorkAssembling the Support Network

CHAPTER TWO - Vigil for the ValiantThursday-Friday, June 30-July 1, 2005Saturday, July 2, 2005Sunday, July 3, 2005Monday, July 4, 2005The InevitableTuesday, July 5, 2005, Dover Air ForceBase, DelawarePeace Be with You ... and Also with YouMichael’s RevengeWednesday, July 6, 2005Sunday, July 10, 2005Honoring a HeroClayton Funeral Home

CHAPTER THREE - Funeral for the FallenFuneral PreparationsVisitation: Monday, July 11, 2005Arrival of the SEALsVisitation: Tuesday, July 12, 2005Family Prayer Service, Wednesday, July 13,2005Mass of Christian BurialPlacing of the Funeral PallReplacing the FlagFuneral ProcessionMilitary HonorsThe Meaning of a Folded FlagOn Behalf of the President of the UnitedStates . . .Home . . . FinallyA Final Message from MichaelOn Permanent Station

CHAPTER FOUR - Seeds of GreatnessCanaan Elementary SchoolSaxton Middle School

CHAPTER FIVE - “The Protector”Patchogue-Medford High SchoolPenn State University

CHAPTER SIX - Prep Schools for SEALsPrep School for SEALsHistory of the SEAL Recruiting District

Assistance Council (RDAC)RDAC StandardsSaturday, January 16, 1998Saturday, February 20, 1998Saturday, April 24, 1998Spring of 1998Saturday, May 16, 1998Saturday, June 19, 1998Waiting for Good NewsSuccess Breeds Success

CHAPTER SEVEN - Officer Candidate SchoolThe Power of PersistenceNaval Air Station, Pensacola, FloridaIndoctrination WeekWeek TwoWeek ThreeWeek 4Weeks 5-6Graduation

CHAPTER EIGHT - BUD/S: The Price of AdmissionIndoctrination Course (Indoc)First PhaseSecond PhaseThird PhaseGraduation

CHAPTER NINE - Agoge: Earning the TridentArmy Jump School: The “Air” in Sea, Air,Land (SEAL)Junior Officer Training Course (JOTC)Range Safety Officer CourseDive Supervisor CourseSurvival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape(SERE)SEAL Qualification Training (SQT)SQT GraduationCold-Weather Training—Kodiak Island,AlaskaSEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Training

CHAPTER TEN - Warrior Community and StructureOverviewMissionStructurePrimary or Core MissionsSEAL MissionsSEAL “Community”

CHAPTER ELEVEN - Deployment Work-upProfessional Development (PRODEV)Unit Level Training (ULT)Squadron Integration Training (SIT)The Dangers of SEAL Training

CHAPTER TWELVE - Operation Enduring FreedomAt WarThe Global War on Terror (GWOT)The Final Visit Home

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Afghanistan—Home of al-Qaeda

Afghanistan: An OverviewAfghanistan in the Wake of the 9/11 AttacksNaval Special Warfare ReorganizationApril 26, 2005, Bagram Airfield, AfghanistanGeneral Orientation BriefingOn the Move

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - When Character MetCircumstance: Operation Red Wings

Kunar ProvinceOperation Red Wings: PlanningOperation Red Wings: The MissionFather’s DayThe Reconnaissance ElementThe PlanBagram Airfield, Sunday, June 26, 2005Operation Red Wings: ExecutionThe Battle for Murphy’s Ridge“Iron-Souled Warrior”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Rescue MissionThe Loss of Turbine 33Rescue to RecoveryJuly 3, 2005

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Answering the CallErik S. Kristensen, Lieutenant Commander,U.S. NavyMichael M. McGreevy Jr., Lieutenant, U.S.NavyDaniel R. Healy, Senior Chief Petty Officer,U.S. NavyEric Shane Patton, Petty Officer SecondClass, U.S. NavyJeffrey Allen Lucas, Petty Officer First Class,U.S. NavyJacques Jules Fontan, Chief Petty Officer,U.S. NavyJeffrey Scott Taylor, Petty Officer FirstClass, U.S. NavyJames E. Suh, Petty Officer Second Class,U.S. NavyStephen C. Reich, Major, U.S. ArmyChris J. Scherkenbach, Chief WarrantOfficer 4, U.S. ArmyCory J. Goodnature, Chief Warrant Officer 3,U.S. ArmyJames W. “Tre” Ponder III, Master Sergeant,U.S. ArmyMichael L. Russell, Sergeant First Class,U.S. ArmyMarcus V. Muralles, Sergeant First Class,U.S. ArmyShamus O. Goare, Staff Sergeant, U.S.ArmyKip Allen Jacoby, Sergeant, U.S. Army

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - No One Left BehindJuly 3, 2005July 4, 2005July 5, 2005—Ramp Ceremony

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - In the Presence of WarriorsJuly 8, 2005: Naval Amphibious Base, LittleCreek, VirginiaJuly 11, 2005: National Memorial Cemeteryof the Pacific

CHAPTER NINETEEN - Memorials to a HeroLittle League Baseball Fields, April 29,2006Lake Ronkonkoma, May 7, 2006Navy Memorial, September 16, 2006Continuing to Wait

Patchogue Federal Post Office, October 24,2006January 30, 2007January 31, 2007February 1, 2007Additional Memorials and Honors

CHAPTER TWENTY - Of Service and SacrificeQuick Travel PreparationsFDNY to Washington, D.C.Another Round of Media InterviewsWashington, D.C.—October 21, 2007Arlington National Cemetery—October 21,2007Wreath-laying Ceremony for Michael’sTeammatesTomb of the UnknownsThe Capitol Building—October 22, 2007The White House—October 22, 2007ReceptionDinner with Admiral RougheadThe Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes—October23, 2007Induction to the Hall of HeroesMedal of Honor Flag Ceremony, NavyMemorialMedal of Honor FlagUnited States Naval Academy, Annapolis,Maryland—October 24, 2007

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Growing LegacyA Time of Tribute and CeremonyThe Power of a LegacyMichael Murphy Memorial TrophyThe Nature of a Legacy

PostscriptEpilogueAPPENDIX - Naval Special Warfare Community

Support GroupsSOURCESINDEXABOUT THE AUTHORCopyright Page