UNCLASSIFIED//
R 151541Z OCT 07
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 073/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/OCT// 
SUBJ/MEDAL OF HONOR CEREMONY IN HONOR OF LT MICHAEL P. MURPHY, USN// 
RMKS/1.  THE PRESIDENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT LT MICHAEL P. MURPHY WILL BE 
POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HIS ACTIONS IN COMBAT ON 28 
JUNE 2005 WHILE LEADING A FOUR-MAN, SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE MISSION DEEP 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES NEAR KUNAR PROVINCE IN AFGHANISTAN.  PRESIDENT BUSH 
WILL PRESENT THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO LT MURPHY'S PARENTS AT A WHITE HOUSE 
CEREMONY ON MONDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2007.  THE MEDAL OF HONOR IS THE HIGHEST 
HONOR A GRATEFUL NATION CAN BESTOW UPON ITS HEROES.  IT RECOGNIZES THE 
HIGHEST IDEALS OF SERVICE AND EPITOMIZES THE NAVY CORE VALUES OF HONOR, 
COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT.
2.  LT MURPHY IS THE FIRST ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEMBER TO RECEIVE THE 
MEDAL OF HONOR FOR COMBAT IN AFGHANISTAN IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION 
ENDURING FREEDOM AND THE FIRST NAVAL OFFICER TO RECEIVE THE AWARD SINCE 
THE VIETNAM WAR.  LT MURPHY EMBODIED THE SEAL ETHOS.  HE WAS A SPECIAL 
BREED OF WARRIOR TECHNICALLY SKILLED AND TACTICALLY PROFICIENT.  
UNCOMPROMISING IN CHARACTER AND HONOR, HE LED BY EXAMPLE IN ALL 
SITUATIONS.  IN THE WORST OF CONDITIONS, HIS RESOLVE WAS STEADY BECAUSE 
HE KNEW THAT THE LIVES OF HIS MEN AND THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION 
DEPENDED ON HIM.  DESPITE BEING MORTALLY WOUNDED, HE GOT BACK UP TO 
FIGHT AGAIN AND AGAIN.
3.  WE OWE OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO LT MURPHY, TO THE 
THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND TO THEIR 
FAMILIES.  THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ONE WEEK AFTER THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY 
OF THE BEGINNING OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.  AS THE WAR CONTINUES, 
WE ARE REMINDED THAT, LIKE LT MURPHY, WE MUST ALL REMAIN VIGILANT AND 
READY.
4.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE DONALD C. WINTER, SECRETARY OF THE 
NAVY.//

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