Michael P. Murphy Biography

Michael P. Murphy was born on the 7 May 1976, in Smith Town, New York. His father, Daniel Maureen, served during the war on Vietnam, whereas his mother is a former assistant district attorney.

While attending Saxton Middle School, he was a regular feature in youth soccer and football teams.

When he in the eighth grade, he stepped in to save a schoolmate with special needs from bullies. It was the only time in his high school that he was pulled up for a ‘disciplinary issue’. As a result of that incident, he got the nickname ‘The Protector’.

He graduated from Penn State University in 1998, with a double degree in psychology and political science.

Post his graduation, various law schools accepted his application for enrolment. Instead Michael P. Murphy decided to the attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and opted to choose SEAL (United States Navy, Air and Land) mentoring sessions.

He began his basic military training in Pensacola, Florida in September 2000, at the Officer Candidate School of the U.S. Navy. Two months later, he got commissioned as an ensign.

His basic SEAL training (also known as BUD/S) commenced in January 2001 in California, and eleven months later, he graduated with Class 236. He then went on to complete a series of specialist training programs required to become a U.S. navy SEAL.

Upon earning his SEAL Trident, he moved to Pearl Harbor to join up with SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicle) Team One in July 2002. For his first assignment, he was deployed in Jordan alongside Foxtrot platoon that same year in October.

He was then transferred to SECCONT which is headquartered in Florida. With them, he was deployed in Qatar to provide support during the 2003 Iraq war which was waged to overthrow the rule of Saddam Hussain.

In early 2005, Michael P. Murphy was reassigned to SDVT-1 to support the efforts of ��Operation Enduring Freedom. This was the American government’s official name for their war in Afghanistan, which in turn was a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York city. During his time in Afghanistan, he was the officer in charge of Alpha Platoon

Murphy and his team were stationed at Kunar province, Afghanistan, as part of Operation Red Wings. He was commanding a four-man reconnaissance team, whose mission was to capture or kill Ahmad, “Ben Sharmak”, Shah a top Taliban leader.

During this operation, heavy fighting ensued between the SEAL team being commanded by Michael P. Murphy and the Talibans. Unfortunately, Murphy and two other SEAL team members lost their lives in that battle, along with 16 other special operations soldiers. Up until the 2011 incident where a helicopter was shot down, this was the largest loss of Navy SEAL lives since the war on Vietnam.

The White House, on 11 October 2007, announced that he would be presented the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously, during an official ceremony.

Michael P. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration in the U.S. that recognizes acts of valor and distinguished military service. The award was presented by then U.S President, George W Bush to his parents.

In total, Murphy was a recipient of 11 major awards or military decorations. These included the Purple Heart, Joint Service Commendation and Navy Commendation medals.

He has a memorial in Penn State university named after him.

Lake Ronkonkoma Park in Murphy’s hometown was renamed in his honor on 7th May 2006, the date that would have been his 30th birthday.

Several amenities and assets (both military and civilian) were renamed in honor of Michael Murphy. Some of them include a Combat Training Pools, US Navy destroyer, veterans plaza and high school campus.

At the time of his deployment, he was believed to be engaged to his college sweetheart, Heather Duggan.

His wedding was scheduled on the November 2005, it could not materialize owing to the unfortunate circumstance of his death.

Michael P. Murphy was survived by his parents; mother, Muareen Murphy, and father, Dan Murphy. His parents divorced in 1999.

His brother, Jon, works in Law Enforcement.