Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>>> AND NOW "HEROES," OUR
TRIBUTE EACH WEEK TO THE MEN AND
WOMEN THAT SERVE THIS COUNTRY IN
UNIFORM.
TONIGHT WE HONOR ARMY SPECIALIST
LUKE MURPHY, A YOUNG SOLDIER WHO
SHOWED EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE
SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN.
>> Reporter: LUKE MURPHY MARRIED
HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART AT
19.
TWO DAYS LATER, HE LEFT FOR
BASIC TRAINING.
>> I GOT MARRIED YOUNG AND I WAS
GOING TO HAVE A CHILD, SO I
NEEDED A STEADY JOB.
>> Reporter: HE FOUND THAT IN
THE ARMY INFANTRY.
AFTER BASIC TRAINING, MURPHY WAS
STATIONED AT FT. HOOD, TEXAS.
A SHORT TWO MONTHS LATER, HE
DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN.
>> I DID WANT TO DEPLOY, BUT I
ACTUALLY WANTED A LITTLE MORE
TIME TO TRAIN WITH THE GUYS I
DEPLOYED WITH.
IT WAS JUST, HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING.
>> Reporter: HAVING GROWN UP IN
COLORADO, MURPHY FELT
COMFORTABLE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF
AFGHANISTAN.
>> I WAS ON MY OWN OUTPOST WITH
MY SMALL PLATOON AND WE RAN IT
DAILY WITH SANDBAGS AND FORTIFY
OUR OUTPOST, PULL OUT THE GUARD.
YOU ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE EYES ON,
BECAUSE WE WERE JUST IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE MOUNTAINS.
>> Reporter: EARLY MORNING ON
MAY 1st, 2009, AFTER A TWO-DAY
RECONNAISSANCE MISSION AND ON
LITTLE SLEEP, MURPHY WAS SENT AS
PART OF A QUICK REACTION FORCE
TO SUPPORT A NEARBY OUTPOST THAT
WAS UNDER A MAJOR ATTACK.
EXPOSED TO SMALL ARMS AND SNIPER
FIRE, MURPHY SPENT HOURS PUTTING
OUT FIRES, TRYING TO PROTECT
AMMUNITION STOCKPILES.
>> IT WAS JUST SMALL ARMS, WITH
THE BULLETS EXPLODING AND
SHOOTING EVERYWHERE, THAT WAS
OUR MAIN PRIORITY, TO GET THOSE
PUT OUT BEFORE THEY HIT
SOMETHING BIGGER, LIKE A BORDER
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> Reporter: STILL UNDER ENEMY
FIRE, MURPHY ALSO ASSISTED OTHER
SOLDIERS, RESCUING A LATVAIN
MEDIC.
MURPHY WAS AWARDED AN ARMY
COMMENDATION MEDAL WITH VALOR.
FOR NOW, HE'S HOME WITH HIS WIFE
AND 16-MONTH-OLD SON.
AS FOR THE FUTURE?
>> I'M STAYING IN THE INFANTRY
MEN'S WORLD.
I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER JOBS
APPEAL TO ME AS MUCH.
IT'S ACTION PACKED, ADVENTUROUS,
LIVING WITH YOUR HEAD IN THE MUD
AND WORKING SO MUCH YOU JUST
DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT.
IT'S MORE OF A STRUGGLE.
IT'S MORE PRESSURE.
I KIND OF LIKE THE CHALLENGE.
>> SPECIALIST MURPHY, HE'S NOW
HEADING TO FT. DIX WITH HIS
UNIT, BUT HOPES TO EVENTUALLY BE
STATIONED BACK HOME IN COLORADO.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF
OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN UNIFORM
WHO SERVE THIS NATION SO WELL.
>>> WE THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH