On June 28, 2005 a four-man Navy SEAL Team (LT Michael P. Murphy, STG2 Matthew G. Axelson, GM2 Danny P. Dietz and PO Marcus Luttrell) was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan to track a known militant, Ahmad Shah. The SEAL Team’s mission was compromised when Remembering the Heroes of a local goat herder stumbled upon them in the mountains. Confronted with having Operation RED WINGS to decide whether or not to release the villager, LT Michael Murphy made the de- cision to free him. Unbeknownst to the SEAL Team, the Taliban was quickly noti- June 28, 2005 fied of the SEALs’ location and surrounded them in the steep mountainous terrain.
A fierce gun battle ensued between the SEALs and the Taliban fighters, lasting for two hours. All of the SEALs were badly wounded, but continued to fight. Know- Honorary Chairman ing that the Team was outnumbered, and realizing that they were in need of sup- Joseph Maguire, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.) port, LT Michael Murphy decided that he needed to contact Bagram Air Base for assistance. In order to make this call, LT Murphy needed to climb to an open area Joe Maguire became the President and CEO of The Special Operations War- in order to gain a better radio signal. He knowingly and willingly exposed himself rior Foundation in September 2013, after having served on the Foundation’s to intense enemy gunfire, and despite being shot in the back, he was successful in Board of Directors for the previous three years. requesting support and relaying the Team’s position to the airbase. After complet- ing the call, LT Michael Murphy continued to fight but eventually succumbed to A career Naval Special Warfare Officer (SEAL), Joe retired from the United his wounds. States Navy in 2010 after 36 years in uniform, having commanded at every level to include the Naval Special Warfare Command and the Navy Compo- An MH-47 Chinook helicopter, carrying 8 Navy SEALs and 8 Army Night Stalk- nent of the United States Special Operations Command. Joe served as Com- ers, was sent to extract the embattled four-man SEAL Team. In an effort to expe- mander, Naval Special Warfare Command at the time of Operation RED dite the rescue mission, the MH-47 broke proper formation of cover, and raced WINGS. ahead to rescue the SEALs. The helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled gre- nade, causing it to crash. All 16 servicemen on board were killed.
His last assignment in government was Deputy Director for Strategic Opera- Danny Dietz and Matt Axelson continued to fight the Taliban militants, but eventu- tional Planning in the National Counterterrorism Center, Washington, DC, ally succumbed to their many wounds. where he was a member of the National Security Council’s Counterterrorism Security Group. Despite being wounded and blown off of a mountain, Marcus Luttrell was able to evade the Taliban and drag himself 7 miles before being found by a local tribes- Joe serves on the Advisory Board of Operation Helping Hand, whose mission man. Luttrell was protected by the local villagers for three days. During this time, is to help the families of wounded and injured warriors during their hospital a villager notified personnel at a Marine outpost of Luttrell’s location. This re- stay in Tampa Bay. sulted in his rescue by U.S. Forces on July 2, 2005.
LT Michael P. Murphy was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his Additionally, he is a military advisor to the Board of Directors of Athletes’ undaunted acts of courage and devotion to his teammates. He knowingly put him- Performance Institute, which honored him by establishing a scholarship in his self into harm’s way in an effort to save his men. LT Michael P. Murphy exempli- name for wounded Special Operations Forces at The Eagle Fund of the An- fied true character, heroism and love of country. drews Institute Foundation. The Eagle Fund’s mission is to provide our wounded warriors with the highest quality care possible. June 28, 2005 was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II. The Naval Special Warfare community will forever remember June 28, 2005 and the heroic efforts and sacrifices of its special operators.
We ask you to support our effort as we honor and remember all 20 servicemen of Operation RED WINGS. We will be dedicating a memorial in all of their names on the 10 th anniversary of this tragic day. Our mission is to Never Forget those that have sacrificed so much for all of us and to honor their character, courage and de- votion to our country while fighting on the front lines of the Global War on Terror.