It may have already been almost 6 years since Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in the mountains of Afghanistan, but his memory definitely lives on. On May 7, Saturday, he would have turned 35; instead, of having a birthday party, his mother helped the Navy christen a ship that would become her son’s namesake – the USS Michael Murphy.
A feature on CNN shared details regarding the ceremony, held on Saturday at Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine. Murphy’s mother, Maureen, cracked a bottle of champagne against the hull of the new ship, in accordance with tradition. She also greeted Murphy: “Happy Birthday, son!”
Murphy’s father, Daniel, shared the following sentiment with CNN: “I feel not only Michael’s presence, but that ship embodies the spirits of Michael and his teammates.”
The ceremony was attended by more than 2,000 people. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) said: “We can never repay, but must never forget.”
The USS Michael Murphy is not yet 100 percent ready, however, and will need to be moved to a dry dock for several months, where it will receive final touches. One thing that it already has, however, is lettering on its stern that announces its name: “Michael Murphy.” The ship already has a nickname, though: “the Murph.”
Saturday’s christening certainly marked several occasions. Aside from honoring Lt. Murphy’s memory and heroism and remembering his birth anniversary, it was also a week where a mission staged by Murphy’s fellow Navy SEALs that ended in the death of the world’s most wanted terrorist, which placed the SEALs and there extraordinary skills in the limelight yet again.
( USNavySEALS )
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Source: USNavySEALS, May 9, 2011; Image: DailyMail