SEAL of Honor

by Gary Williams

  Admiral Maguire also revealed that Michael’s “award was being reviewed and upgraded.” Given Maguire’s disclosure of both the mission details and the upgrading of Michael’s award, coupled with a previous news release that the secretary of the navy had already approved the awarding of the Navy Cross to Michael’s teammates, the Murphy family assumed that their son would also be receiving the Navy Cross.

  Naturally, this created a lot of speculation in various Internet blogs. The conjecture was widespread that while Michael’s actions on June 28, 2005, were certainly worthy of the Medal of Honor, his award was being delayed by red tape. The Medal of Honor approval process involved a two-year investigation into the circumstances surrounding the action in question and required supportive testimony from at least two eyewitnesses. The latter was potentially a problem in Michael’s case. Marcus Luttrell was certainly qualified to be one eyewitness, but with no other survivors available, could the video images of the firefight taken from the Predator drone be used in their stead?

  Additional honors for Michael continued. On May 31, 2006, the Patchogue-Medford High School Father’s Club honored Michael as its Person of the Year for 2005.

  No further information or activity regarding military honors occurred until the Oval Office Ceremony on July 18, 2006, in which the Navy Cross, the nation’s second-highest award for valor, was awarded to Petty Officer Second Class Marcus Luttrell.

  The efforts of Representative Bishop and his cosponsors in the House of Representatives, along with those of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer in the Senate, paid off on August 1, 2006, when both houses of Congress passed Public Law 109-256, which would rename the Patchogue Post Office as the Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy Post Office Building.

  Navy Memorial, September 16, 2006

  Dedicated on October 13, 1987, the 212th birthday of the U.S. Navy, the Navy Memorial honors the men and women of the United States Navy. Located on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (between Seventh and Ninth streets), it features an outdoor plaza, towering masts with signal flags, fountain pools and waterfalls, and the Naval Heritage Center. The plaza, known as the Granite Sea, is a round ceremonial amphitheater paved in granite to form a one-hundred-foot-diameter map 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 secretary of the navy, Dr. Donald C. Winter. At the ceremony, James Gordon Meek, the Washington correspondent for the New York Daily News, approached Dan. He said, “You know there’s a rumor going around here in Washington that Michael is up for the Medal of Honor.” This statement caught Dan completely off guard. His only response was “Huh?” Meek continued: “Don’t you think it odd that you’re here for a Navy Cross ceremony for Dietz and Axelson, Luttrell has already received it, and Michael’s not mentioned?” Dan dismissed Meek’s speculation and probing, saying, “We’ve really never thought much about it; we just think that Michael’s review process is just taking longer than the others, that’s all.”

  After the conversation with Meek, while Dan returned to Maureen, he began seriously thinking about the reporter’s comments, as well as the conversation he had had with the Navy officer who invited them to the event. Several questions came to Dan’s mind. If Michael was indeed being considered for the Navy Cross, why hadn’t that been mentioned before then, or at least that day? Certainly Rear Admiral Maguire was not mistaken in his remarks on May 7 last year? What if Meek was correct?

  After returning to Maureen, he said, “You know, Maureen, all three of Michael’s teammates have received the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is the second-highest award given for valor. Now, either Michael’s review is just taking longer or he is up for a higher award. The only award higher than the Navy Cross is the Medal of Honor. Michael may be considered for the Medal of Honor.” Maureen scoffed and 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 the military blogs much more closely and noticed there was increased speculation regarding Michael and the Medal of Honor. Dan was also doing research and due diligence on the medal’s requirements and review process. The blogs continued to speculate on the second of the two required eyewitnesses and the distinct possibility that the Navy at the highest levels was considering using the photographic and video images from the circling Predator drone, as well as radio communications.

  Dan, like everyone else, could only speculate and wait for the review process to play itself out.

  Patchogue Federal Post Office, October 24, 2006

  On October 24, Main Street in Patchogue was blocked off, and a huge white tent stood erect before the Post Office Building. A full representation from the U.S. Navy, including Rear Admiral Maguire, Senator Hillary Clinton, and Representative Timothy Bishop joined the Murphy family and hundreds of local officials, relatives, and friends to officially rename the Post Office Building, the oldest federal building on Long Island.

  After the ceremony, Representative Bishop took Dan off to the side and confided, “Dan, I was just approached by Admiral Maguire and the Navy asking if Michael was awarded the Medal of Honor, would I be the sponsor. I told him I would be honored.” It was then that Dan really began to believe that his oldest son, Michael P. Murphy, was being considered for the Medal of Honor.

  January 30, 2007

  During the preceding five months, Dan and the rest of the Murphy family had been cooperating with Newsday reporter Martin C. Evans on a multipart series entitled Born to Serve about Michael to be published sometime around May 7, Michael’s birthday. Dan received a telephone call from a reporter at the Washington Post asking if she could come to Patchogue and interview the family. Dan promised to get back to her on the arrangements.

  January 31, 2007

  Shortly after arriving at his office at 8:30 AM, Dan received a telephone call from Newsday deputy Long Island editor Steve Wick, a longtime friend dating back to when Steve was a crime reporter and Dan was in the Suffolk County district attorney’s office. Steve inquired whether there was any news regarding Michael’s medal upgrade. When Dan denied knowing anything new, Wick responded, “Oh well, I was just wondering because we are hearing rumors, and would you keep us posted?” Dan assured him that when the family knew, Steve would know.

  Wick continued by saying that Newsday wanted to do a follow-up story on Michael and have something ready in case it was announced that he would receive the Medal of Honor. During the conversation Dan informed Wick of the previous day’s telephone call from the Washington Post who wanted to interview the family. Wick, concerned, then asked, “Did they say why?” Dan replied negatively, stating that he thought she just wanted to do a follow-up on the Born to 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 some contacts and maybe they are hearing something, and that’s why they want to come up.” Wick ended the conversation by stating that he was going to do some checking 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. The one thing we don’t want is to get scooped on our own local story by the Washington newspapers. This phone 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 be careful because we all could have egg on our face if you sit here and say something about Michael being under consideration for the Medal of Honor and it doesn’t happen.” Wick acknowledged the risk and hung up.

  February 1, 2007

  Newsday ran a cover story about Michael on February 1, with a large picture of him under the headline banner “HERO. Fallen Navy SEAL from LI is up for nation’s highest combat honor.” Inside was a two-page story. As the source for its story, the paper was able to get Representative Timothy B
ishop to admit that Michael Murphy was under consideration for the Medal of Honor.

  Later that day Steve Wick called Dan and said, apologetically, “Dan, I hope you understand. We didn’t want to get scooped by the Washington papers.” Dan acknowledged his understanding and ended the call. Dan’s next call was from Representative Bishop, who was also very apologetic. “I hope I didn’t say anything that would cause the family a problem,” he said. Dan was sympathetic toward Bishop and assured him that there would be no problem.

  Several minutes after hanging up with Congressman Bishop, Dan received a call from New York Daily News reporter James Gordon Meek. Meek is a seasoned war correspondent and was in Afghanistan at the time of Operation Red Wings. He acknowledged reading the Newsday story, stating that “there is a lot of buzz going around. Let’s hope that this does not put the kibosh on the medal.” Dan inquired as to his meaning, to which Meek replied, “You know, the military people don’t like to get ahead of themselves. They are really funny about things like that.” Now irritated, Dan replied, “Well, if in fact he is under consideration, what difference does that make? Either Michael did what he did or didn’t.” Then he hung up.

  Additional Memorials and Honors

  On May 26, 2007, the Patchogue-Medford High School conducted a Memorial Day ceremony honoring Michael. Performing at the event was the U.S. Navy’s elite parachute team, the Leap Frogs.

  Kings Park High School established the Lieutenant Michael Patrick Murphy (U.S. Navy) Scholarship Award on June 6, 2007. On June 10, Team Murphy, named in honor of Michael, competed in the Race Across America, a cross-country bicycle event, to raise money for the Naval Special Warfare Foundation.

  On June 12 Marcus Luttrell’s book Lone Survivor was released without any prior knowledge of the Operation Red Wings families. Michael’s father received a call from Newsday’s Steve Wick asking if Dan knew about the book. Dan acknowledged having just learned of the book’s release and was on his way to purchase a copy.

  In late August Dan received a telephone call from the Navy extending an invitation to both of Michael’s parents to attend an upcoming ceremony at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., at which the Navy Cross would be awarded posthumously to both Matt Axelson and Danny Dietz. Concerned about Maureen’s emotions, Dan questioned the invitation and Michael’s status. The Navy officer replied, “Don’t worry, you’ll get a sense of what’s going on when you get down there.” Dan agreed, for the family, to attend.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Of Service and Sacrifice

  Guys like Murph don’t die as old men. They die as heroes.

  —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 Admiral Joseph Maguire. Maguire had been promoted and assumed the duties of deputy director for strategic operational planning at the National Counterterrorism Center on June 28, 2007. After an exchange of pleasantries, Maguire said, “I’m not trying to steal anybody’s thunder here, but I want to let you to know that Michael’s Medal of Honor recommendation is on the President’s desk and has been signed by him.” He added that the family would be receiving official notification from the White House at a later date. After several more minutes of catching up, Dan thanked Admiral Maguire for the information and promised to keep it confidential within the family until they were officially notified. Elated, Dan telephoned Maureen to inform her of the news.

  A week later, sitting in the sunroom at his home enjoying a leisurely afternoon cup of coffee, Dan casually sorted through the week’s correspondence. It was Saturday, August 25, a rare weekend break from the breakneck pace of his hectic law career. As a devoted husband and father, he balanced the ever-increasing number of personal appearance requests on Michael’s behalf, sitting on corporate boards, and serving our nation’s veterans as the national judge advocate 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 August sun through the enormous full-length windows. The welcome calm and silence was broken only by the occasional passing automobile in this upper-middle-class subdivision outside of Wading River. The ringing telephone startled Dan, who, with a sigh, reached for the cordless receiver and answered. The caller identified himself as Colonel John Martin, chief of military affairs at the White House. Martin said, “President Bush asked me to call and inform you that he has signed your son’s recommendation for the Medal of Honor.” Dan was asked to keep the information within the family until the White House made an official announcement. Dan thanked Colonel Martin, and agreed to keep the information confidential.

  After he finished speaking with Martin, Dan telephoned Maureen to tell her that the Medal of Honor was official and to keep the information within the family until the official White House announcement was made. His next call was to Steve Gilmore, a retired Navy captain, who served as the executive assistant of Naval Special Warfare. He told Gilmore about the news and inquired as to when the official announcement would be made. Gilmore advised him that it would “probably take about two weeks” to coordinate schedules and itineraries between the White House and the Navy.

  To begin the Medal of Honor process, Steve Gilmore arrived on Long Island from NSW in San Diego on Tuesday, September 5, and met with both Dan and Maureen at the Suffolk County courthouse in Riverhead. The purpose of the meeting was to get better acquainted with the Murphys and to provide them with a general overview of the entire Medal of Honor process. Gilmore informed the Murphys that the White House ceremony was scheduled for October 22 and inquired as to what else they would like to do while in Washington. After a few minutes of discussion, a general itinerary was worked out. Prior to his departure, Gilmore informed them that he, along with the new NSW commander, Rear Admiral Joseph D. Kernan, and his aide would be returning to meet with them on the twentieth.

  Catching a red-eye flight from San Diego, Admiral Kernan, Gilmore, and Kernan’s aide, Commander Bryan Williams, arrived at the Long Island MacArthur Airport midmorning on Tuesday, September 20. They were met by Dan and Maureen. The Murphys took the group to see the Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Park at Lake Ronkonkoma and described the plans for an upcoming addition of the Serenity Plaza.

  No one had eaten, so Dan and Maureen treated everyone to brunch at a local favorite restaurant near the park. After brunch, they went to the post office named after Michael, where postal officials gave them a tour of the facility and detailed their plans for the permanent memorial.

  Following the post office tour, everyone enjoyed several hours of talking and looking at mementos of Michael at Dan’s home. Then Steve Gilmore gave them a briefing of the detailed itinerary, which included the ceremony date of October 22. Dan and Maureen also provided a list of things they wanted to do while in Washington. On their way back to the airport, they stopped at the small memorial park at the Navy 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 his practice to never lie to the press. In keeping with that practice, Dan responded, “Martin, I do not lie. All I can tell you is I can’t tell you anything.” Evans responded, “Oh, I understand, and I certainly don’t want to put you on the spot, but let me ask you a hypothetical question. If I were to go on vacation, when should I not go?” Dan laughed and said, “I believe a poor time to go on vacation would be October 22.”

  The meetings continued on Sunday, October 9, with the arrival of Lieutenant Commander Tamsen Reese, deputy public affairs officer for the Department of the Navy. At her meeting with Dan and Maureen, also held at the Suffolk County courthouse in Riverhead, she told them she would assist in coordinating the upcoming round of media interviews and appearances in conjunction with
the White House announcement and the Medal of Honor ceremony. The first press conference would be on the date of the official announcement in two days’ time.

  The official White House announcement was made on Tuesday, October 11, 2007, followed immediately by another announcement by the Department of the Navy. The Navy’s Public Affairs Office having made all the arrangements, the Murphys were escorted into a conference room in the Marriott Courtyard East Side, in Manhattan. All of the major broadcast and print media were represented. After about an hour of taking and answering question, the news conference was closed by Lieutenant Commander Reese, and the Murphy family returned home.

  Quick Travel Preparations

  The East Room of the White House seated 250 guests. The Navy claimed 150 seats, while the remaining 100 were given to the Murphy family and split equally between Dan and Maureen. Needing to dole out tickets carefully among the members of their large extended family and friends, Maureen and Dan sat down and developed their list. Maureen’s 50 tickets were quickly allocated to her relatives and Heather. Dan had a smaller family and needed to allocate only about a dozen to relatives.