SEAL's father: Survivor's book dishonors son's memory

[JHB]

It looks like a fat, politicized book contract can cause memory loss...

SEAL's father: Survivor's book dishonors son's memory
Father of Patchogue's Lt. Michael P. Murphy says new account of death is a 'disservice' to slain men
BY MICHAEL ROTHFELD

The father of Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL from Patchogue who was killed in fighting in Afghanistan in 2005 and who is under consideration for the Medal of Honor for heroism, Tuesday called the first public account of the mission by its only survivor a disservice to the men who died.

Former Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell, 31, spoke on NBC's "Today" show about the June 2005 battle in which three SEALs were killed.

His appearance was timed to the publication of his book, "Lone Survivor."

In an interview with "Today's" host Matt Lauer, Luttrell spoke of how the four SEALs were discovered hiding out on a mountainside in eastern Afghanistan by three local goat herders while they waited to kill or capture a high-ranking Taliban leader. He said the four men voted to spare the herders' lives, and that 45 minutes later they were surrounded by 80 Taliban fighters. Killed were Murphy, 29, Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 25, and Petty Officer Matt Axelson, 29.

In the NBC interview and in the book, Luttrell describes a discussion by the four SEALs and then a vote to let the herders go. That account, said Daniel Murphy, a former Suffolk County prosecutor and now a law clerk in State Supreme Court in Riverhead, is a far cry from what he said Marcus told the Murphy family not long after the death of their son.

"That directly contradicts what he told Maureen, myself and Michael's brother John in my kitchen," said Murphy, who watched Luttrell on television but said he hasn't read the book. "He said that Michael was adamant that the civilians were going to be released, that he wasn't going to kill innocent people ... Michael wouldn't put that up for committee. People who knew Michael know that he was decisive and that he makes decisions."
----more---
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liseal0613,0,7551760.story?page=1&coll=ny-main-bigpix

Related previous threads:
"Meet the latest wingnut hero who hates "Liberals" more than the Taliban or Al Quaeda"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1094662&mesg_id=1094662
"Marcus LUTTRELL, Navy SEAL. Hates libruls more than the Taliban"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1098376

[leftchick]

1. Luttrell is a fucking moron...

Lauer should have asked him how he was able to make decisions over his Lieutenant.....

<snip>

n the book, Luttrell, who was subordinate to Murphy on the team, casts himself as the decisive player in the drama, writing that he cast the deciding vote to release the herders. He says he was torn between his "warrior's soul" that favored an "ice-cold military decision to execute these cats," and his "Christian soul ... crowding in on me."

Luttrell could not be reached Tuesday, and his publicist declined to comment.

[shadowknows69]

2. Not fully related raptor, just trivia

I have heard things to the effect that in a SEAL team the highest rank is not always designated team commander. Maybe a DU SEAL can confirm or deny this for us.

[leftchick]

3. that would be good to find out

the fact that Luttrell and his rep have no comment is very telling to me. He can't write for shit either. Reading his excepts it sounds like his target audience is the uneducated freeper. Good luck with sales there Marcus since they don't buy books. :eyes: