Navy Seal, Medal of Honor Recipient, to be inducted into the Hall of Heros

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No. 111-07
October 16, 2007

Navy Seal, Medal of Honor Recipient, to be Inducted Into the Hall of Heroes

The White House announced Thursday that Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat June 27 to 28, 2005, while leading a special reconnaissance mission deep behind enemy lines in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan.

President Bush is expected to present the Medal of Honor to Lt. Murphy's parents at a ceremony at the White House on Oct. 22, 2007. Media interested in covering this event should contact the White House Office of Media Affairs at (202) 456-6238.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England will induct Murphy into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon in a ceremony Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. EDT. The Pentagon ceremony will add his name to the roster in the Hall of Heroes, the Defense Department's permanent display of record for all recipients of the Medal of Honor. Media representatives who want to cover the Hall of Heroes induction ceremony on Oct. 23 may contact Navy public affairs at (703) 697-5342. 

At 6 p.m. on the same day, Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, will present the Medal of Honor flag to the parents of Lt. Murphy in a ceremony at the Navy Memorial. Congress ordered the creation of the Medal of Honor flag commemorating the sacrifice and blood shed for freedom. Media interested in attending this ceremony please call the Navy Memorial at (202) 380-0718.

Murphy is the first armed forces service member to receive the Medal of Honor for combat in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is also the first Navy service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the Global War on Terror and the third armed forces service member to receive the Medal of Honor since the beginning of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

More information about Murphy’s life and career can be found at Navy Mil - Murphy .

Technorati tags: navy seal, medal of honor, hero, kush afghanistan, special reconnaissance mission, enemy lines, islamists, global war on terror, operation enduring freedom, iraqi freedom

The War: According to the People Who Are Already There.

Email from Michael Yon:  Link to the online version.

Greetings:

Iraq is on the mend, al Qaeda is on the run, and the civil war has abated to a point where the term "civil war" no longer applies.

Accurate war coverage is increasingly important.  Even prominent seemingly well-informed persons can get it wrong, such as retired Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez who previously commanded the war in Iraq.  His recent public statements –selectively excerpted and then widely dispersed by the hot winds of media – made it clear that this former senior commander is far out of touch with the current situation. 
But there are commanders with a finger on the pulse. 

When earlier this year I wrote about the 1-4 CAV transforming an abandoned seminary in a Baghdad neighborhood that had been decimated by civil war, the "surge" had not even begun; but already pundits, politicians and editors had declared it a failure. Though I'd spent only a few days with LTC Crider and his 1-4 CAV soldiers at the new COP Amanche, I ended the dispatch on a note of hope based on observation. I recently received an email from LTC Crider with an update on that Baghdad neighborhood.  Please read "Achievements of the Human Heart" and see for yourself.

I was in al Basra province when I saw news reports claiming that Basra city had descended into chaos in the wake of an announcement about the draw down of British Soldiers.  I emailed the facts about Basra to several bloggers who hold the media accountable, and the resulting effort got the attention of Tom Foreman who anchors CNN's "This Week at War."  We were able to make a CNN interview, and the result is a segment that accurately reflects a complex and changing situation.  Bravo to CNN for setting the record straight, and to the tireless bloggers who are making a substantial difference in the way news about the war is delivered.

There are major developments to share with readers in upcoming dispatches. If things go at-least-mostly according to plan (which is all we can hope for in war), and if I can rely on the help of readers who share my frustration with the lack of accurate reporting, we can  significantly widen the stream of news flowing from Iraq so more people can obtain a truer picture.  This will require the will and generosity of readers.  But more on that, soon.

 
Michael Yon
Basra, Iraq

Technorati tags: michael yon, iraq, surge, us military, 10th mountain division, 1-4 CAV. Amanche, Baghdad, Media Accountability, CNN, War, War Reporting

Jim interviews Sgt. 1st. Class Troy Smith

This is a very good and detailed interview between Sgt. 1st Class Troy Smith, stationed in Iraq, and Jim of Thinking Right. It appears that the Soldiers over in Iraq are more optimistic about the future of that country than the politicians are back home. It is only natural.

Let's face it. Who would have the best information? A politician who hardly lifts a finger all day except to shake it at you to tell you how stupid you are, or someone who is out there risking it all so you and I may live in peace and freedom? Yes, my feelings precisely...

I've been interviewed by the St. Pete's Times!

Last week I received a phone call from a very nice man. He is from The St. Petersburg Times in Tampa, Florida. He wanted an interview, so we talked for a while. Not a long while, but a while just the same.

Today he has written his article, and he has quoted me in it. He did quote me accurately, but it was only one line. I understand he only has so much space to write his story, and his story was not about me. He was doing a story about CENTCOM.

Blogs are CentCom's new target.
By WILLIAM R. LEVESQUE, Times Staff Writer
Published February 12, 2007

Since 2005, CentCom officials have jumped into the blogging fray, facing the realities of a new electronic age in hopes of combating misinformation on the Web, or just getting its own news out.

A three-person team monitors blogs - Internet journals with commentary from ordinary citizens and, often, links to news articles - that concentrate on CentCom's area of responsibility, which includes Iraq and Afghanistan. [Read more.]

Either way, I am very excited! This is my first mention in a large newspaper. Hopefully I can write some articles that are worthy of some new readers. Anyone have any ideas of issues I have not yet covered? If so, leave me a comment or an e-mail. Thank you, and have a great day.

CENTCOM Unveils New WebSite

The new CENTCOM Website has press releases, video clips (this was done through a search), several links (this does not mean that they are endorsed by CENTCOM) and a variety of information from the CENTCOM area of responsibility. New features are available as well including the CENTCOM News Podcast. Please go check it out. Maybe you could help by sending some feedback about the new site? If you would like to, you may reach them here. BE POLITE. Thank you. :)

News from CENTCOM

CENTCOM is offering my interview with Cpt. Traversa for everyone to read over at DoD Daily News. Please check out all of the other news articles available through CENTCOM. Here is the link to their new site, and here are some of the articles that are included in this week's e-mail.

I hope you enjoy the interview. Cpt. Doug Traversa is a very kind man. Have a great day.

Interview with Captain Traversa

I have had an interview with Captain Doug Traversa with the help of CENTCOM. If you are interested, you may read it here.

Capt. Traversa is a logistician in the USAF. His blog is Afghanistan Without a Clue. He is a wonderful man with a wonderful wife and family. Please read about him and Afghanistan. Have a nice day.

Published at Free Republic

This post was published at Free Republic, and I cannot believe that I do not have the link to CENTCOM! I need your help. If anyone else received this article through the e-mail and kept the link, would you please forward it to me? I have never forgotten to give credit to our brave men and women, and I am so embarrassed. I should be. Thanks for your help.