05/22/2022
Next weekend, WE MURPH πͺ Why? To challenge ourselves as we honor the life of a great hero. A quick backstory: On June 28, 2005, Lt. Murphy was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL team in support of Operation Red Wing tasked with finding key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who they initially detained, but then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALsβ presence to Taliban fighters. A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs & a much larger enemy force. Despite the intensity of the firefight & suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Lt Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on contacting headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly & with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men. While doing so, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call & continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men & continued the battle.he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy. By the end of a two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills & over cliffs, Murphy, 2nd Class Danny Dietz & Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Axelson had fallen. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead. The fourth SEAL, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket-propelled gr***de & knocked unconscious. Though severely wounded, the fourth SEAL & sole survivor, Luttrell, was able to evade the enemy for nearly a day; after which local nationals came to his aide, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three more days. Luttrell was rescued by U.S. Forces on July 2, 2005. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle. On Saturday, we will sweat for his sacrifice.