This coming Memorial Day, we will be holding an annual event that honors a fallen hero…
LT. Michael P. Murphy (SEAL) was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation Red Wings, tasked with finding a key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who were initially detained and then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALs’ presence to Taliban fighters.
A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs and a much larger enemy force. Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.
Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit’s location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, LT. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.
LT. Murphy fought on, allowing one member of his team (Marcus Luttrell) to escape, before he was killed. For his selfless actions, LT. Michael Murphy was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on October 27, 2007. We at EDCF will honor his sacrifice and memory though The Murph Challenge this coming Memorial Day.
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Event Details: Come out and show your gratitude as you take on this historically tough workout. We will have three heats. Heat 1 will be for full Murph athletes only. Heat 2 will be a mix of full and half Murph athletes. Heat 3 will be for half Murph athletes only. Half Murph is exactly half the reps. The pull-ups, push-ups and air squats can be partitioned however you choose (most people do rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats). Heats will begin approx 10 minutes after their listed start times. Warm-ups will not be conducted as a group but a warm-up routine will be on the board for you so get there a few minutes early. Sign up for your preferred heat below:
Heat 1 (9am) SIGN UP – full Murph only
Heat 2 (9:45am) SIGN UP – full & half Murph
Heat 3 (10:30am) SIGN UP – half Murph only
*This event is for both EDCF members or friends members who have sufficient CrossFit experience (4+ months).