‘Lone Survivor' mission turns 20 as slain Long Island Navy SEAL Michael Murphy still changes lives

New York Post

3 days ago

Dan Murphy's life changed forever 20 years ago.
His son — 29-year-old Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy — made the ultimate sacrifice on a compromised mission in Afghanistan in hopes of giving his four-man team a chance to survive against what the military branch said was 'a much larger enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia.'
'The biggest takeaway is that even 20 years since his death, people still remember him and know who he is,' said Dan Murphy, who lives in Wading River so he can visit his son's grave at Calverton National Cemetery twice a week.
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3 The life of Dan Murphy changed forever when his son, Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.
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The Patchogue-raised military hero's story and final mission alongside fellow SEALs Marcus Luttrell, Matthew Axelso, and Danny Dietz, was immortalized in the 2013 film 'Lone Survivor.'
Director Peter Berg detailed the harrowing escape Luttrell made as his comrades — including 16 SEAL and Army Nightstalker rescuers — were gruesomely killed by the Taliban during the ill-fated 'Operation Red Wings' of June 28, 2005.
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The initial job of scouting the known terrorist Ahmad Shah in the Hindu Kush quickly went to pieces after the four were spotted in mountainous terrain.
Heavily outnumbered and suffering communications problems, Murphy deliberately ran into enemy fire to call for reinforcements.
'He had the mindset of always looking out for everyone else before himself,' Luttrell told The Post, recalling Michael's known reputation as 'The Protector.'
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'Marcus told me, 'Mr. Murphy, I want you to know that Michael stepped out into, the only still way I can describe it, is an avalanche of bullets to make that phone call,' Dan Murphy recalled, adding that the two close friends were 'insomniacs' known to stay up the night before missions together.
Back on Long Island, SEALs were stationed with Dan Murphy and his then-wife, Maureen, to give the family real-time updates in the days that followed.
They had been told that one soldier's transmitter had pinged, but it wasn't immediately clear whose.
'I remember turning to Maureen at that point, saying, 'you know, this isn't going to turn out well,' said the elder Murphy, a Vietnam Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient.
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'I said, 'If there's one survivor, you know it's not going to be Michael. He would make it a point to ensure his men would survive before he would,' the proud dad added of his son, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
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Never forgotten
Now, two decades later, Dan Murphy looks to the lasting impact made by his son that keeps his spirit immortal.
The Navy commissioned a destroyer in his name, and there is an annual June 28 run around Lake Ronkonkoma — where the younger Murphy was a lifeguard and lived up to his nickname 'The Protector.'
As fate would have it, one of the first boats to rescue passengers from the 'Miracle on the Hudson' was owned by a family friend and named in honor of the younger Murphy as well.
3 His story, along with that of fellow SEALs Marcus Luttrell, Matthew Axelson, and Danny Dietz, was immortalized in the 2013 film 'Lone Survivor.'
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'His whole persona was to help people…you can't get a better legacy than that,' Dan Murphy added of his son, who eyed a future with the FBI after service.
'I rue the fact that the world lost this man who would have done so much for so many people had he survived.'
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Closer to home, the grieving military dad played an integral part in establishing the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, where he visits almost every day to educate visitors about the sacrifices of Michael and others throughout the elite fighting force's history since World War II.
'We still hurt for the Murphy family and thank them for their work in keeping Michael's memory alive,' said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine.
However, perhaps the most widespread recognition of Lt. Murphy's true grit is the viral workout challenge he invented while during basic underwater SEAL demolition (BUD/S) training class 236.
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'The Murph,' as it's called, is a one-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats, then another one-mile run in a 20-pound weighted vest. Michael Murphy designed it with fellow SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was one class behind him during training in Southern California.
'He wasn't a braggadocious Navy SEAL. He didn't wear his trident on his chest. He was quiet. He was unassuming,' Larsen told The Post about his friend.
Larsen also remembers the kind side of Lt. Murphy that those close to him were well aware of. He'll never forget the younger Murphy sneaking around the corner of their dorms during the nadir of 'hell week' to pass a Snickers bar to the fatigued trainee.
3 From right, Chris Wyllie, museum executive director and Dan Murphy, father of Seal Lt. Michael Murphy who was killed in action in Afghanistan pictured in the Navy Seal Museum with Lt. Murphy's namesake in West Sayville, NY.
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'He went by example. He was an incredibly strong leader who didn't have to tell you that he was in charge,' added Larsen, who was close to almost all who perished in the 2005 mission.
The devastation of the Red Wings was, in part, a reason why he re-enlisted as a reserve in 2007.
'I would hope that the public would know that all of those successes, like killing Bin Laden, are made possible by the sweat, tears, and ultimately blood of our brothers who are not there with us.'
'Lone Survivor'
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Luttrell's dramatic escape from the Taliban was aided by a local villager, Mohammed Gulab, who shielded the heavily wounded warrior despite fatal threats from the militants out of an ancient honor code called Pashtunwali.
Since the rescue, Luttrell and Gulab, who moved to America about a decade later, have stayed in touch.
Luttrell, of Texas, whose twin brother Morgan was Larsen's swim buddy, said he and Gulab last saw each other a few weeks ago.
Now, as the anniversary approaches, the former SEAL has opened up about what the past two decades have been like as the lone survivor of Red Wings.
'I went through a pretty dark time for several years. Imagine living your worst day every day because people want to talk about it, they want to pick it apart,' he said.
'Between my family and faith, I've been able to turn that pain into purpose, and I shut out anything that isn't going to make me and everyone around me a better person. There's no reason to relish in the darkness when we can live in a world of light and help others live in that light, too. I have no interest in negativity.'
Instead, like Dan Murphy, he looks to celebrate the legacy of those lost through new missions, such as the museum and other public honors given to the fallen fighters of Red Wings.
'The mission is accomplished,' Luttrell added. 'NEVER FORGET 6.28.05.'