John Drake: “on October 22, the President will posthumously award our Nation's top military honor to the first Navy SEAL since the…”

“on October 22, the President will posthumously award our Nation's top military honor to the first Navy SEAL since the Vietnam War. In June of 2005, Lieutenant Michael Murphy of Patchogue, New York, led a team of four SEALs on an intelligence-gathering mission in the mountains of Afghanistan when Taliban supporters revealed the team's position. A heavy firefight ensued, and the team, cut off from all reinforcements and outnumbered 50 to 1, fought valiantly to preserve each other's lives. Faced with certain death, Lieutenant Murphy deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire in order to gain a clear signal which would communicate with rescue forces. He risked his own life to save the lives of his men. Madam Speaker, as the proud representative of both Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Center, my heart goes out to the family of the first Navy SEAL to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor in the global war on terror. Lieutenant Murphy was a true American hero and will live on as an inspiration for all who serve within the ranks of the most elite special operations forces in the world.”