Born to serve

The actions taken by Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a former lifeguard from Patchogue, on a June afternoon in 2005 earned him, posthumously, the Congressional Medal of Honor -- the United States' highest military award.

Here, in this Newsday special report, Martin C. Evans spoke with U.S. Navy officials, family members and military colleagues of the four men who were sent to Afghanistan to track a reputed terror leader.

In Afghanistan and Pakistan, reporter James Rupert spoke with experts on the fighting in Afghanistan, U.S. military officials, and the goat herder who rescued the lone survivor of a gun battle that took the lives of three of the SEALs.

Born to serve: The Michael Murphy story