24 October 2007

Private Honor

I didn't hear about this until today:

WASHINGTON - President Bush publicly honored a fallen Navy SEAL Monday by presenting his grieving parents with the Medal of Honor — and privately honored their sacrifice by wearing a dog tag they'd given him moments before.

The president posthumously awarded the nation's highest military honor for valor to Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue, N.Y. — the first given for combat in Afghanistan.

Before the emotional White House ceremony, Murphy's parents Dan and Maureen Murphy met with Bush and gave him a gold dog tag in tribute to their son.

"What we were most touched by was that the president immediately put that on underneath his shirt, and when he made the presentation of the Medal of Honor, he wore that against his chest," said the father.

After the ceremony, Dan Murphy said, Bush told the family: "I was inspired by having Michael next to my chest."

The father, who fought back tears during the ceremony, said they were "deeply moved" by Bush's gesture.

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