SEAL of Honor by Gary Williams Read Free Book Online Page B

Cherished grandson of Kathleen (née McElhone) and Frank Jones and the late James P. and Elinor Murphy. Reposing at Clayton Funeral Home, Inc. 25 Meadow Road (corner of Indian Head Rd.) Kings Park, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:00 AM Wednesday, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel R.C. Church, 495 N. Ocean Avenue, Patchogue, NY. Interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, NY. Visiting hours Monday and Tuesday, 2-5 and 7-9 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations to Michael P. Murphy Scholarship Fund, c/o Clayton Funeral Home.

Funeral Preparations
    T he Navy quickly arranged to bring in Michael’s SDVT-1 from Pearl City, Hawaii. Dan agreed to a request from V. Anthony Maggipinto, a lawyer colleague and a retired petty officer second class, to assist in the celebration of the Mass. Maggipinto served as the judge advocate for the Long Island Navy League and as a deacon at the St. Philip and James Catholic Church in St. James, New York.
    By now it had become clear that Michael’s funeral had captured the attention of the Navy at the highest levels. The family had been informed that several flag officers (admirals) would be attending Michael’s funeral, including Rear Admiral Joseph Maguire, the commander of Naval Special Warfare. Part of the funeral arrangements included the selection of the Navy officer who would present Maureen with Michael’s burial flag. Lieutenant Jeff Widenhofer explained the usual
protocol, but Maureen insisted that Captain Andrew Bisset present Michael’s flag, and she also requested that Michael’s fiancée, Heather, also receive a flag.
    To ensure that her wishes were honored, Maureen called Bisset and asked him to present the flag. This task was not new to Bisset, as he had performed this function at an increasing number of funerals for World War II and Korean War veterans throughout the New England region. He was humbled by Maureen’s call because he felt guilt-ridden, having trained and recommended Michael for the very service that ultimately cost him his life. He knew that this would be the most difficult assignment of his career.
    Back at the funeral home, floral arrangements surrounded the base of the ivory bier as the U.S. Navy honor guard remained motionless at each end of the casket. A full-length tripod with a large picture of Michael greeted visitors as they entered the chapel. Although the family had requested memorials be made to the scholarship fund newly established in Michael’s memory, dozens of floral displays were delivered during the day that extended the length of the room on both sides, while additional arrangements were set in the hallway as well as an adjacent room that had been set up for additional seating. 1

Visitation: Monday, July 11, 2005
    The first of four separate visitations was scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM, but the line of those who waited to pay their respects began forming outside the Clayton Funeral Home by midmorning. By the time the doors opened, the line had woven its way through the rows of parked cars in the parking lot, along the sidewalk, around the front of the parking lot, and nearly two blocks north. Local law enforcement officials assisted with traffic, while a group of forty to fifty veterans on motorcycles, known as the Patriot Guard, lined the parking lot with large U.S. flags.
    Two separate receiving lines were established, the first for members of the general public and the second for members of the immediate family and the military. The large military contingent that arrived was made up of active-duty, reserve, and retired SEALs and sailors, along with both active-duty and retired members of each of the other service branches and the Merchant Marine Academy. Because Dan had been the Suffolk County prosecutor, a large number of court officers, judges, and attorneys arrived, as well as local, state, and national political leaders, to honor the life and sacrifice of Lieutenant Murphy. For three hours, the Murphys