Slang from Operation Iraqi Freedom

 angel : a soldier killed in combat, used among some US medical personnel.

 battlefield Airmen : Air Force Special Operations Command [AFSOC] pararescue, combat control and weather troops. The
term battlefield Airmen may be new, though AFSOC troops have been filling those combat jobs for many years.
 battle rattle : Full battle rattle is close to 50 pounds worth of gear, including a flak vest, Kevlar helmet, gas mask, ammunition,
weapons, and other basic military equipment. One component is the soft vest that covers the torso the shoulders and the
back. It's made of soft material, a mixture of Kevlar and Twaron. These are sown together in sort of a sandwich fashion inside
a nylon camouflage-pattern shell. The nylon vest has attaching points for load-bearing equipment. The second component of
the system is ceramic plates that fit in pockets in the front and back of the vest. These plates protect the heart and lungs. Any
TV news report from Iraq or Afghanistan shows American service members wearing "full battle rattle." Wearing the battle rattle
has saved lives in both Iraq and Afghanistan. A soldier in full dress, including helmet, flak jacket, and automatic weapon said
to be wearing "battle rattle" "play clothes" or "Mommy's comforts" -- terms that antedated the war in Iraq, though used less
frequently because the gear was used by smaller numbers of troops. The term Battle Rattle was previously associated with a
call to arms on warships in the 1812 period.
 BIAP : Baghdad International Airport
 Bombaconda : nickname for LSA Anaconda, , a major base near Balad, reflecting the frequent mortar attacks.
 CC : Coalition Country -- the coalition of the willing allies
 CHU : Containerized Housing Unit (pronounced “choo”) - Aluminum boxes slightly larger [22’x8’] than a commercial shipping
container, with linoleum floors and cots or beds inside. This insulated CONEX shipping container has a door, window, top vent,
power cabling, and an air conditioner. One version houses four people, while another is split into two, two-person rooms. The
version with a shower and toilet shared between two rooms is called a "wet chu", which provides less crowded latrine and
shower conditions than tents. The CHU gives soldiers a lot more living space than tents.
 CHUville : a base consisting of a large number of CHUs.
 Death Blossom : The tendency of Iraqi security forces, in response to receiving a little fire from the enemy, to either run away
or do the "death blossom" spraying fire indisciminately in all directions. The term originated in the 1984 movie "The Last
Starfighter" as a maneuver in which a single starfighter can single handedly wipe out an entire armada.
 DFAC [Dining FACility] : A DFAC is where you eat. Soldiers eat in a dining facility, or DFAC (pronounced dee-Fak). Old
soldiers show their age they call it a "chow hall" and if you say “mess hall” it dates you. DFACs are modern looking cafeteria,
some decorated it with sports memorabilia, movie posters, and televisions with ESPN on.
 dirt sailor : A member of the Navy’s Construction Battalions (Seabees). In Iraq, a sailor playing a part that is not a normal Navy
role.
 FOB : forward operating base.
 FOB Taxi : any vehicle that never leaves the FOB.
 fobbit : service member who never goes outside the wire off the forward operating base.
 FRAGO : fragmentary order. Fragmentary order is an abbreviated form of an operation order, usually issued on a day-to-day
basis, which eliminates the need for restating information contained in a basic operation order. FRAGOs do not take the place
of an OPORD. A FRAGO determines timely changes to an already existing order. The important point here is that a frag order
is issued based on the basic operation order and is not a "stand alone" directive. It will normally state the changes from the
basic order such as enemy situation and new taskings. A more formal decisionmaking process may be required before issuing
a FRAGO, especially if a major adjustment to the operation order (OPORD) is needed.
 frankenstein : A Marine Corps monster truck, bulging and rippling with spot-welded seams of add on armor. "We scrounge
around for what we need and 'Frankenstein' it together." As of December 2004, of the 30,000 estimated wheeled vehicles in
Iraq and Afghanistan, about 8,000 of the older models did not have armor protection. Of those that were protected, about 6,
000 had full protection, while about 10,000 vehicles had received add-on kits, many improvised in theater. Green Zone :
Heavily guarded area with several former Presidential Palaces in central Baghdad where US, coalition and iraqi authorities live
and work. Much of the rest of Iraq is the "red zone". An attempt was made to rename it the International Zone (IZ), but this
seems not to have stuck.
 gun truck : an armored and heavily armed vehicle used for convoy security.
 GWOT : global war on terrorism.
 haji : 1: Arabic word for someone who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca; 2: used by the American military for an Iraqi, anyone
of arab decent, or even of a brownish skin tone, be they afghanis, or even bangladeshis; 3: the word many soldiers use
derogatorily for the enemy.
 haji armor : improvised armor, installed by troops hiring Iraqis to update the vehicles by welding any available metal to the
sides of Humvees
 haji mart : any small store operated by Iraqis to sell small items to Americans.
 haji patrol : 1: escort detail; 2: Local National unit is also referred to as the Haji patrol, with all the projects that are being
performed by the local nationals.
 haji shop : even the smallest base has some form of what soldiers call a "haji shop" or, in more politically correct terms, a shop
run by locals. Frequently near the PX, the "Haji" shop would sell everything from cigarettes to knockoff sunglasses to pirated
DVDs.
 hillbilly armor : Improvised vehicle armor, salvafed from digging through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal to bolster armor
on their vehicles. Typically a half-inch of scrap steel hastily cut in the shape of the door and welded or riveted on. Name
derives from Tennessee National Guard 278th Regimental Combat Team, whose Spc. Thomas Wilson grilled SecDef
 Rumsfeld in December 2004 about the need for such scrounging. "Why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for
pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles?" Spc. Wilson asked.
 IED : improvised explosive device
 ICDC : Iraqi Civil Defense Corps [obsolete]
 inside the wire - inside an enemy combatant detention facility. Working "inside the wire" of the enemy combatant detention
facility can lead to stress for the US troops working here. But experts and leaders are working hard to help servicemembers
deal with the unique conditions of working in an isolated island base such as Guantanamo. Troops working inside the wire
must pass through several sets of intimidating double gates. They always cover their nametapes and never call each other by
their real names while they're near detainees. Vietnam-era phrase for the perimeter of any US base in Vietnam.
 ITGA : Interim Transitional Government of Afghanistan.
 Jingle trucks : [Afghanistan] (transport trucks with a narrow wheel base that are usually adorned with colorful stickers and
chimes), the military contracted for host nation delivery trucks, known as “jingle trucks” because of the decorative metal tassels
hanging from the bottom of the truck frames that jingled when the trucks moved. These trucks are contracted through Afghan
Government officials. The NCO responsible for these contracts was known as the “jingle man.” The contract price was based
on the destination and the type of truck used. Fuel tankers and trucks that could carry 20- and 40-foot containers were
available. Although serviceable, these trucks would not pass standard US specifications.
 KAF: That stands for Kandahar Air Field. That is the main base of operations for the Southern part of Afghanistan. The main
post is big and has lots of people, it is a main transportation hub--both Helo and Fixed Wing--also Convoys of Humvees going
in and out
 KBR : Kellogg, Brown & Root -- The biggest contractor serving the Coalition Forces.
 LN : Local National. A citizen of Iraq, if you're in Iraq, Afghanistan if you're in Afghanistan, etc. Usually encountered as labor
brought on post to do construction or other labor.
 Mortaritaville : nickname for LSA Anaconda, a major base near Balad, reflecting the frequent mortar attacks.
 Muj (pronnounced: Mooj), short for Mujahadeen. Formally a person who wages jihad, informally used for the Irai Insurgents
starting in 2005.
 outside the wire -- outside the security perimenter surrounding the FOB.
 OEF : Operation Enduring Freedom.
 OGA : Other Government Agency - CIA
 OIF : Operation Iraqi Freedom.
 POG : People Other than Grunts [pronounced "pogue"] rear-echelon support troops. Arose in 2005 as a synonym for Fobbit, it
seems.
 PRT : This stands for Provincial Reconstruction Team. These are military, goverment departments and civilian aid
organizations from our country and many others who come to a town and help to rebuild. The PRT coordinates construction
projects and provide humanitarian assistance.
 PSD : Personal Security Detail - private security contractors
 Red on red : enemy-on-enemy fire. In June 2005 it was reported that Marines patrolling the desert near the Syrian border had,
over the previous several months, seen a new trend in the Iraq insurgency. Insurgents were fighting each other in towns along
the Euphrates from Husayba to Qaim. This suggested that there had been a split between Islamic militants and local rebels.
 REMF : rear-echelon motherf**r - vietnam era phrase revived for the sandbox. The term REMF seems to have fallen into
disuse, replaced by “fobbit”.
 Remfland: the rear-echelon areas where support personnel live and work in relative safety -- the paradox being that in the
Sandbox, unlike Vietnam, REMFland is more a state of mind than a physical location.
 sandbox : Iraq
 sandpit : Iraq
 shake and bake : first used during the Vietnam War, and revived in Iraq, to refer to attacks using a combination of conventional
bombs, cluster bombs (CBU), and napalm. In the battle of Fallujah in 2004 it was used in reference to a combination barrage
of White Phosphorus and explosive artillery shells.
 sustainer theater : AAFES' motion picture team has assembled an opening lineup of movies for the Balad Camp Anaconda
theater dubbed "Sustainer." Before Soldiers can view first run shows at the Sustainer Theater the process of getting movies
here takes weeks of time and effort, initially beginning at the Army Air Force Exchange Service headquarters in Dallas.
 TCN : Third Country National: A citizen of a neutral country who is in the theater of operations as a contractor. The Nepalese
truck drivers who were killed by Ansar Al Sunnah in the summer of 2004 were TCNs.
 TCP : Traffic control point.
 VBIED : Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devise. i.e.. Car Bomb.
 2001-present - Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom
SIGINT specialists and agent runners from the Activity, now code named 'Gray Fox', joined the hunt for
Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Gray Fox operatives joined Task Force Sword, a joint unit of Delta, Devgru, British SAS and Task Force Orange
(as Gray Fox was referred to in Afghanistan). TF Sword's role was to hunt down Al Qaeda and Taliban
leadership targets. TF Orange SIGINT teams tracked their quarry through cell and radio transmissions while
HUMINT agent runners used their networks of informers.
 Gray Fox also supplied men to Task Force Bowie and Advance Force Operations (AFO) teams made up of
Delta, SEALs, USAF CCTs and Gray Fox SIGINT operatives. In February 2002, AFO recon teams infiltrated into
the Shah-i-Khot region in preparation for Operation Anaconda, a large scale assault on the region, where
many al-Qaeda and Taliban diehards were holding out.

 2002 - Yemen
The Activity deployed SIGINT specialists as part of a Special Operations task force sent into Yemen to train
Yemeni forces to fight al-Qaeda forces believed to be active in the country. When the training mission ended,
Activity operatives stayed on and helped disrupt several al-Qaeda operations.

In November 2002, Activity SIGINT identified and tracked Abu Ali al-Harithi, al-Qaeda's top man in Yemen,
and the man thought to be the mastermind for the 2000 attack on the USS Cole.. When al-Harithi's cell phone
was tracked to his Toyota Land Cruiser moving along a remote desert road, a MQ-1 Predator UAV, operated
by the CIA, was vectored in from nearby Djibouti, where a significant US counter-terrorist presence had been
established. This Predator was a little different from the unarmed variant operated by the Air Force. This one
carried 2 AGM-114 laser-guided anti-tank missiles under its wings. Activity SIGINT operatives had hacked into
al-Harithi's phone and were able to surreptitiously turn it on, creating a signal for the Predator to home in on.
Once the target was found, the CIA operator, working remotely from a control room in Langley, Virginia, sent
the commands to launch a missile, which duly streaked down and destroyed the Land Cruiser and its six
occupants.

 2003-present - Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom

In the opening stages of Gulf War II, the ISA assisted a Delta Force mission to attack Saddam Hussein in
Baghdad. ISA SIGINT experts accompanied US and British Special Forces in various operations in the Western
Iraqi desert.
It is believed that the Gray Fox is part of a multi-national task force (known as TF-88, previously called TF-
145). The Activity element of TF-88 is known as 'Task Force Orange'. TF Orange provide SIGINT and other
intel for TF-88 operations. Other members of TF-88 include Delta Force, the British SAS, SBS and elements of
the Special Reconnaissance Regiment and 18(UKSF) Signals, the British equivalents of the Activity.

Intelligence Support Activity - Role

The Activity's primary role is to gather actionable intelligence in order to pave the way for special operations
undertook by units such as Delta Force (known as 'operational preparation of the battlespace'). The forms of
intelligence gathered by the Activity include:

 HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence)

Intel gathered through eyes and ears on the ground, both directly and through agents run by the Activity.. An
example would be having ISA operatives, working undercover, do a recce of a suspected terrorist's safe
house, finding routes in and out, looking for blind spots, assessing the numbers and dispositions of hostile
forces etc. The ISA also cultivates and runs agents in order to infiltrate organisations and gather intelligence.
 SIGINT (SIGnals INTelligence)
monitoring and tracking radio communications e.g. finding a hostage by homing in on the kidnapper's cell
phones or tracking a terrorist organisation through its communications network.

Intelligence Support Activity - Organization

The Activity is thought to made up of around 300 operators and is under the command of JSOC (Joint Special
Operations Command).

The unit is organized into several elements

 Administration
 Training
 SIGINT
the 'knob turners', who monitor and track radio, cell phone and other electronic communications
 HUMINT
the HUMINT element runs agents, carries out reconnaisance, prepares safe houses, transport, plans and
proves infil/exfil routes etc
 Direct Action
Delta Force-trained soldiers who act as the unit's 'shooters'.
Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States
operations.

more info : activity operations

Unit Profile
Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and
deep penetration agents. The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created
to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. It is known that the unit has changed its codename
over the years. It was completely hidden from view, covering its existence with a series of regularly changing
code names like Centra Spike, Royal Cape, and Grey Fox. During the 1990's the unit was known as Capacity
Gear.
The unit has been under command of the US Army but some time after September 11th 2001 command was
placed under direct control of the Joint Special Operations Command or JSOC at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
United States. Since that time the unit reports to Special Operations Command or SOCOM in Tampa Florida,
United States.
The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators. The unit is provided with the best equipment money can buy
and it is known it maintained a fleet of aircraft at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
The unit's missions range from Latin America, fighting communist guerrillas and drugs barons, to Africa, the
Middle East and central Asia, tracking down terrorists. Each chapter of the book brings a new chapter of the
Activity's operations like Lebanon, where its efforts to rescue US hostages was stymied by its own government
or Bosnia where it hunted down war criminals. During the war on terror it was responsible for hunting hunting
high value persons.
Mission
• Direct action;
• Strategic reconnaissance;
• Unconventional warfare;
• Counterterrorism;
• Activities specified by Government.
Raised and Disbanded
• Raised: 1981
Units
• Signals intelligence (SIGINT)
• Human intelligence (HUMINT)
• Assault unit
• Administration unit
• Training unit
Headquarters
• Fort Belvoir, North Virginia, United States
Intelligence Support Activity
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Intelligence Support Activity

Intelligence Support Activity patch

Active 1981
Country United States
Branch United States Army
United States Special Operations
Type
Forces
Operational preparation of the
Role battlefield, provides HUMINT and
SIGINT
Nickname "The Activity"
"Send Me" or Veritas Omnia
Motto Vincula Vincit ("Truth Overcomes
All Bonds")
Operation Winter Harvest
Operation Desert Storm
Engagements Operation Gothic Serpent
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom

The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA, frequently shortened to Intelligence Support
Activity or ISA, and nicknamed The Activity) is a United States Army Special Operations unit originally
subordinated to the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM). It is tasked to collect actionable
intelligence in advance of missions by other US special operations forces, especially Delta Force and DEVGRU in
counter-terrorist operations.

USAISA was the official name of the unit from 1981 to 1989 ; previously it was known as the Field Operations Group
(FOG), created in September 1980. In 1989, the then USAISA commander sent a telex "terminating" the USAISA term
and his Special Access Program GRANTOR SHADOW, but the unit continued under a series of different codenames
which are changed every two years ; known codenames include CENTRA SPIKE, TORN VICTOR, CEMETERY WIND and
GRAY FOX.
Contents
[hide]

• 1 History
o 1.1 The Field Operations Group
o 1.2 Badge/Insignia
o 1.3 The US Army Intelligence Support
Activity
 1.3.1 Build-up
 1.3.2 First missions
 1.3.2.1 The Dozier kidnapping
 1.3.2.2 Operation Queens
Hunter
 1.3.2.3 The POW/MIA affair
• 2 Recruitment & Training
• 3 Gray Fox
• 4 Popular culture
• 5 See also
• 6 References
o 6.1 Bibliography

• 7 External links

[edit] History
[edit] The Field Operations Group

Colonel Jerry King, founder and first commander of the FOG and eventually the ISA

The Field Operations Group (FOG) was created in summer 1979 in order to take part in a second attempt to rescue
the U.S. hostages held in the Tehran embassy after the failure of the Operation Eagle Claw. That operation had
highlighted the U.S. shortfall in intelligence gathering,[1] in spite of the attempts by Major Richard J. Meadows, who
operated undercover in Tehran during the operation.[2][3]

The Field Operations Group was under command of Colonel Jerry King, and operated in Iran, accomplishing various
covert intelligence-gathering missions. The work accomplished by the FOG was successful, however the second
attempt (called Operation Credible Sport), never took place because the air assets needed were not available.[4][5]

After the cancellation of Operation Credible Sport, the FOG was not disbanded, but enlarged. The administration saw
that ground intelligence contingencies needed to be improved upon if future special operations were to be successful.
So, on March 3, 1981, the FOG was established as a permanent unit and renamed US Army Intelligence Support
Activity.[4]. This activity should not be confused with a later activity known as the Ground Intelligence Support Activity
(GISA), as subordinated to the Army G2.

[edit] Badge/Insignia
The current badge depicts an American Bald Eagle grasping a claymore, surrounded by a kilt belt, inscribed with
Latin translation of 'Truth Overcomes All Bonds'. In the original crest, the claymore was wrapped in a chain with one
of the links broken as a reminder of those killed during the failed DESERT CLAW mission. This symbol of failure was
later deemed no longer appropriate.

The badge was deliberately designed by Jerry King and other founding members of the unit because of their shared
Scottish heritage. The claymore is a broadsword originating from the Scottish Highlands, and the belt surrounding
the badge is in the same style as many Scottish clan's badges.

[edit] The US Army Intelligence Support Activity

[edit] Build-up
In 1981 the Intelligence Support Activity began to immediately select new operators, growing from FOG's 50 people to
about 100. The ISA remained extremely secret; all of its records were classified under a Special Access Program (at
first named OPTIMIZE TALENT). The ISA was given its classified budget of $7 million, a secret headquarters in
Arlington, Virginia, and cover name, the Tactical Concept Activity.[4] ISA included three main operations branches
(Command, SIGINT and Operations), and an analysis branch, whose name changed over the years (i.e. Directorate of
Intelligence, Directorate of Intelligence and Security)[6]. Colonel Jerry King became ISA's first commander.[4]

ISA mission was to support top-tier Special Operations Forces (primarily Delta Force and SEAL Team Six) in
counter-terrorist operations and other special missions. The ISA would provide actionable intelligence collection,
pathfinding, and operational support. The ISA performed several operations mainly in Latin America and Middle East,
but also in East Africa, South-East Asia, and Europe.[4]

[edit] First missions

The ISA conducted various missions, including giving protection to the Lebanese leader Bachir Gemayel and
attempting to buy a Soviet T-72 tank from Iraq (a deal that was finally stopped by the Iraqis).[4]

[edit] The Dozier kidnapping

On 17 December 1981, the senior U.S. Army officer in NATO southern European Command, Brigadier General
James L. Dozier, was kidnapped by Italian Red Brigades terrorists. The search for the place where General Dozier
was held saw the deployment of a massive effort by Italian and U.S. forces, including "remote viewers" which were
part of Stargate Project. An ISA SIGINT team was sent to Italy, and used electronic detection devices from special
helicopters and on the ground to monitor radio communications. ISA provided useful intelligence, enabling Italian
police to arrest several Red Brigades terrorists in mid-January 1982. Although the way the Italian police were able to
locate General Dozier in late January was never disclosed, it is suspected that it is the result of ISA's SIGINT
specialists. General Dozier was freed by NOCS operators January 28, 1982[4]

[edit] Operation Queens Hunter

In early-1982, the ISA was needed to support a SIGINT mission in El Salvador, a mission that the CIA, the NSA and
INSCOM were not able to accomplish. The task was submitted to the U.S. Army Special Operations Division (SOD),
which started Operation Queens Hunter. Operating from a Beechcraft model 100 King Air flown by SEASPRAY
(a clandestine military aviation unit) based in Honduras, ISA SIGINT specialists monitored communications from
Salvadoran leftist guerrillas and fascist death squads, providing intelligence which helped the Salvadoran Army defend
against guerrillas attacks. The success was such that the operation, planned to last a month, ran for more than three
years. More aircraft were deployed, and eventually included eavesdropping on Honduran guerrillas too, as well as
Nicaraguan Army units fighting against the Contras.[4]

[edit] The POW/MIA affair

The ISA has also conducted an operation to search for U.S. MIAs (soldiers reported as Missing In Action) allegedly
held in South-East Asia in secret POWs camps in the 1980s. In 1979, U.S. intelligence thought it had located a POW
camp in Laos using aerial and satellite photographs. A ground reconnaissance was needed to determine if people seen
on photographs were really American POWs. At the same time, former Special Forces Major James G. “Bo” Gritz
planned a private rescue mission with other S.F. veterans. Having informed U.S. government officials about the
mission, Bo Gritz was first told to abort his "mission", but was eventually approached by the ISA. Nonetheless, Gritz
was not believed to be doing serious work, and Pentagon officials ordered the ISA to terminate their relationship with
him when they discovered that ISA had provided him with money and equipment.[4]

[edit] Recruitment & Training

According to Sean Naylor in Not A Good Day to Die, most (but certainly not all) Activity operatives come from U.S.
Army Special Forces, due to their self-reliance and specialized skill-set.[7]. Candidates go through a rigorous
selection process, then once admitted, receive further training in deep reconnaissance, signals intelligence, etc.

[edit] Gray Fox

Gray Fox is the last known name of the former ISA. Its members often work closely with Navy SEALs and Army
Special Forces.

In 1993, its members intercepted a phone conversation that enabled them to track down the Colombian drug lord
Pablo Escobar.

In 2002, Gray Fox fought alongside Delta Force and Navy SEAL units in the mountains of Afghanistan.[7] Gray Fox
operatives intercepted enemy communications and trekked to observation posts with special operations units. Their
efforts may have saved more than a hundred 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division soldiers
fighting near Takur Ghar in Afghanistan's Shahikot Valley during Operation Anaconda.

The unit helped spearhead the search for Saddam Hussein and his family after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in
2003. Gray Fox operatives sometimes work under the broader umbrella of "Joint Special Operations Task Force 20,"
which also includes Navy SEALs, the Army's Delta Force, and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Task Force
20 has changed its name several times (see 'See Also' below).

[edit] Popular culture

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into
appropriate sections or articles. (September 2009)

ISA remained a very poorly known force to the public. Some rare mentions of the ISA exist, including :

• the Robert Littell's novel An Agent in Place.[8]

• the video game Black (video game), which mentioned briefly ISA.
• the NBC television soap opera Days of our Lives has featured a top-secret intelligence agency called the
ISA since the early 1980s, with several of the main characters having served as operatives at one time or
another, but this is in fact a different, fictional organization tasked with more of a crime-fighting mission
(although at times it has been represented as something of a paramilitary force).
• In his book Killing Pablo, Mark Bowden mentions the role that ISA played in signal interception and
triangulation. The unit operated under the code name, CENTRA SPIKE.
• The book Killer Elite is a look at the history of the ISA.
• The Presidential Agent Series, especially its first book By Order of the President, features Gray Fox in a
large role. In the book, however; they are portrayed as a top secret unit within Delta Force.
• In F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, operators wearing the ISA patch are seen.

[edit] See also

• Operation Red Dawn, the military operation in which Saddam Hussein was captured.
 • SourceWatch's article about the ISA.
• A National Security Archive's report about DoD-made HUMINT, including ISA.
• Joint Special Operations Command.
o Delta Force, DEVGRU, SEASPRAY.
o Task Force Ranger, Task Force 11, Task Force 20, Task Force 121, Task Force 6-26 and
Task Force 145 : various Task Forces under command of the JSOC, which were said to include
ISA's operators.
• 14 Intelligence Company a similar unit in the United Kingdom Special Forces.
• Special Reconnaissance Regiment a similar unit in the United Kingdom Special Forces.

[edit] References

1. ^ Memorandum for Director, Defense Intelligence Agency

2. ^ Clancy, Tom. (2001) Special Forces
3. ^ Meadows biography of Maj Dick Meadows
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Richelson, Jeffrey T. Truth Conquers All Chains
5. ^ Brief History of Unit
6. ^ USAISA 1986 Historical Report and 1987 Historical Report
7. ^ a b Naylor, Sean (2006). Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda. Berkeley:
Berkley Books. ISBN 0425196097
8. ^ An Agent in Place, Robert Littell, ISBN 0-14-303564-9

[edit] Bibliography

• Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era, by Steven Emerson, G.P.
Putnam's Sons, New York, 1988 ISBN 0-399-13360-7
• Truth Conquers All Chains: The U.S. Army Intelligence Support Activity, 1981-1989, by Jeffrey T.
Richelson, article of the International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, Vol. 12, No. 2,
1999, pp. 168–200, ISSN 0885-0607, available on the InformaWorld
• The Pentagon's Spies: Documents Detail Histories of Once Secret Spy Units, electronic book by
Jeffrey T. Richelson, May 23, 2001, on the National Security Archive website. The article collects
duplicates of declassified documents about covert US military intlligence units, including the ISA :
o Memorandum for Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, by Lt. Gen. Philip C. Gast, USAF,
December 10, 1980
o Memorandum to the Deputy Under Secretary for Policy, by Frank Carlucci, May 26, 1982
o Charter of U.S. Army Intelligence Support Activity, circa mid-1983
o After Action Report for Operation CANVAS SHIELD, by 902nd Military Intelligence
Group, July 30, 1985
o Brief History of Unit (ISA), circa mid-1986 (presumed)
o United States Army Intelligence Support Activity 1986 Historical Report
o United States Army Intelligence Support Activity 1987 Historical Report
o Termination of USAISA and "GRANTOR SHADOW", by Commander, USAISA, March 31,
1989
• Killing Pablo: the hunt for the world's greatest outlaw, by Mark Bowden, Atlantic Monthly Press, New
York, 2001 ISBN 0-87113-783-6
• Killer Elite: The Inside Story of America's Most Secret Special Force Unit, by Michael Smith, Orion
Publishing Co, 2006 ISBN 0-304-36727-3 online presentation (several editions from 2005 to 2008
with additional material)
[edit] External links

• StateCraft.org
• SpecWarNet.net : this site obviously confused the Field Operations Group with a covert Special Forces
Unit called the Foreign Operating Group, which operated in Nicaragua in 1979.
• SourceWatch.org

[hide]
v•d•e

United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)

Portal:Military of the United States

United States Army Special Forces · 75th Ranger Regiment · 160th

USASOC Special Operations Aviation Regiment

Part of SOCOM: Marine Special Operations

United States Marine Corps Regiment
MARSOC Not part of SOCOM: Force Recon · Division
Recon · other USMC Special Ops Capable

United States Navy Navy SEALs · Special Warfare Combatant-craft

NAVSPECWARCOM Crewmen

Units: 1st Special Operations Wing · 27th Special

Operations Wing · 352d Special Operations
United States Air Force Group · 353d Special Operations Group
AFSOC Types: Air Force Pararescue · Combat Control
Team · Special Operations Weather · SERE ·
Tactical Air Control Party

Army: 1st Special Forces Operational

Detachment-Delta (Delta Force) · Intelligence
Special Missions Units Support Activity
JSOC Navy: Naval Special Warfare Development Group
(DEVGRU or SEAL Team Six)
Air Force: 24th Special Tactics Squadron

Source: 2009 SOCOM Factbook

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_Support_Activity"
Categories: Special forces of the United States | United States Joint Special Operations Command
Hidden categories: Articles with trivia sections from September 2009 | All articles with trivia sections

Personal tools

• New features
• Log in / create account

Namespaces

• Article
 • Discussion

Variants

Views

• Read
• Edit
• View history

Actions

Search

Navigation

• Main page
• Contents
• Featured content
• Current events
• Random article
• Donate

Interaction

• About Wikipedia
• Community portal
• Recent changes
• Contact Wikipedia
• Help

Toolbox

• What links here

• Related changes
• Upload file
• Special pages
• Permanent link
• Cite this page

Print/export

• Create a book
• Download as PDF
• Printable version

Languages

• Deutsch
• Polski

• This page was last modified on 18 August 2010 at 14:19.

• Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may
apply. See Terms of Use for details.
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
• Contact us
Erik S. Kristensen
Specialty: Navy SEAL
BUD/S Class: 233
SEAL Service: 5 years
Rank: Lieutenant
Commander
Age: 33
Home: San Diego, CA
Assigned: SEAL Team TEN, Virginia Beach, VA
Died: June 28, 2005
Operation: Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)
Details: Died while conducting combat operations, when the MH-47 helicopter he was aboard
on a rescue mission crashed in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
Awards: Bronze Star with Combat “V” for Valor, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, and
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, awarded posthumously.
Other Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3)
Awards: Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2)
Combat Action Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal (2)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbons (2)
Contributions: LCDR Kristensen was part of a dedicated team fighting the Taliban, a fundamentalist
regime that a U.S.-led coalition knocked from power in Afghanistan in 2001, but has
continued to conduct guerilla operations, particularly along the Pakistan border.
Kristensen worked to help ensure al Qaeda terrorists could not train in, nor launch
strikes from Afghanistan since their lethal attack on the World Trade Center in New
York on September 11, 2001.

Erik Kristensen graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval in 1995. He served first as
an officer in the Fleet, whose tours included assignment as Officer in Charge of a Rigid
Hull Inflatable Boat Detachment at Naval Special Warfare Boat Unit TWELVE (SBT-12).

Kristensen subsequently taught at the Naval Academy and attended graduate school
prior to transferring to BUD/S. His first assignment was as Officer In Charge of a SEAL
Platoon at SEAL Team EIGHT. In March 2005, Kristensen deployed to Afghanistan as a
Task Unit CDR for SEAL Team TEN to support the U.S. Global War on Terror.

On June 28, 2005, LCDR Kristensen led a daring mission to rescue a four-man SEAL
reconnaissance squad engaged in a fierce firefight with overwhelming Taliban forces in
rugged 10,000 foot mountains. Kristensen, seven other SEALs, and and eight Army
“Nightstallker” commandos died in the heroic attempt when their MH-47D Chinook
helicopter crashed after it was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade.

LT Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, and Danny Dietz fought on courageously,

enabling a fourth SEAL in their squad to escape, before they were killed in the firefight
by overwhelming Taliban forces with superior firepower.

A total of 11 SEALs died that day in the Global War against Terror. It was the biggest
single loss of life for Naval Special Warfare forces since World War II. To a man, these
SEALs embodied the Navy’s core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment, and
took care of their teammates to the last. Erik Kristensen is remembered with the
greatest respect and gratitude by his fellow SEALs, the Navy, and our nation.
Memorials: Fellow service members remember Erik Kristensen as an intelligent and selfless leader
with whom it was an honor to serve. He was easy-going and smiling, yet also
extremely respectful, dutiful, and professional. He was a good man, and a good friend,
who succeeded everywhere he served.
 kevin heany 2008

patch change oct. 1 2006

Lt. Michael P. Murphy USN

(1976-2005)
Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy
United States Navy (SEAL)
May 7, 1976 - June 28, 2005

Medal of Honor Citation

Lt. Michael P. Murphy, fondly referred to by friends and family as "Murph," was born May 7, 1976 in
Smithtown, N.Y. and grew up in the New York City commuter town of Patchogue, N.Y. on Long Island.

Murphy grew up active in sports and attended Patchogue's Saxton Middle School. In high school, Murphy took
a summer lifeguard job at the Brookhaven town beach in Lake Ronkonkoma -- a job he returned to each
summer through his college years. Murphy graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1994.

Murphy attended Penn State University, where he was an exceptional all-around athlete and student, excelling
at ice hockey and graduating with honors. He was an avid reader; his reading tastes ranged from the Greek
historian Herodotus to Tolstoy's "War and Peace." Murphy's favorite book was Steven Pressfield's "Gates of
Fire," about the Spartan stand at Thermopylae. In 1998, he graduated with a pair of Bachelor of Arts degrees
from Penn State -- in political science and psychology.

Following graduation, he was accepted to several law schools, but instead he changed course. Slightly built at
5 feet 10 inches, Murphy decided to attend SEAL mentoring sessions at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at
Kings Point with his sights on becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL. Murphy accepted an appointment to the Navy's
Officer Candidate School at Pensacola, Fla., in September, 2000.

Murphy was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy on Dec. 13, 2000, and began Basic Underwater
Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., in January 2001, graduating with Class 236. BUD/S is a
six-month training course and the first step to becoming a Navy SEAL.

Upon graduation from BUD/S, he attended the Army Jump School, SEAL Qualification Training and SEAL
Delivery Vehicle (SDV) school. Lt. Murphy earned his SEAL Trident and checked on board SDV Team (SDVT) 1
in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in July of 2002. In October of 2002, he deployed with Foxtrot Platoon to Jordan as the
liaison officer for Exercise Early Victor.

Following his tour with SDVT-1, Lt. Murphy was assigned to Special Operations Central Command in Florida
and deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After returning from Qatar, Lt. Murphy was
deployed to the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, to assist in the operational planning of future SDV missions.

In early 2005, Murphy was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 as assistant officer in charge of ALFA
Platoon and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

On June 28, 2005, Lt. Murphy was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation
Red Wing tasked with finding key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after
inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who were initially detained
and then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALs' presence to Taliban
fighters.

A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs and a much larger enemy
force. Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited
with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with
headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting,
unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better
position to transmit a call to get help for his men.

Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire.
This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing
to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested
assistance. He calmly provided his unit's location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate
support for his team. At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked
it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt.
Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.

As a result of Murphy's call, an MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night
Stalkers aboard, was sent in as part of the QRF to extract the four embattled SEALs. As the Chinook drew
nearer to the fight, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter, causing it to crash and killing all 16 men
aboard.

On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, continued to fight. By the end of a two-hour
gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz
and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson had fallen. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead.
The fourth SEAL, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket-
propelled grenade and knocked unconscious. Though severely wounded, the fourth SEAL and sole survivor,
Luttrell, was able to evade the enemy for nearly a day; after which local nationals came to his aide, carrying
him to a nearby village where they kept him for three more days. Luttrell was rescued by U.S. Forces on July
2, 2005.

By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain
death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell
and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.

Lt. Murphy was buried at Calverton National Cemetery less than 20 miles from his childhood home. Lt.
Murphy's other personal awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, the Joint Service
Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon and
National Defense Service Medal.

Lt. Murphy is survived by his mother Maureen Murphy; his father Dan Murphy; and his brother John Murphy.
Dan and Maureen Murphy, who were divorced in 1999, remain close friends and continue to live in N.Y. Their
son John, 22, attends the New York Institute of Technology, and upon graduation will pursue a career in
criminal justice, having been accepted to the New York City Police Deparment.
October 19, 2001: Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) graduating class 236. Navy SEAL Lieutenant
Michael P. Murphy, 29, is pictured on the far left side of the back row.
SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy seen during deployment in Afghanistan.

SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy and Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson seen on depoyment
in Afghanistan.
Navy SEALs operating in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From left to right, Sonar
Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, Senior Chief Information Systems Technician Daniel R.
Healy, of Exeter, Quartermaster 2nd Class James Suh, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell,
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Patton and Lt. Michael P. Murphy.

Operation Redwing
June 28, 2005

On June 28, 2005, deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan, a very
committed four-man Navy SEAL team was conducting a reconnaissance mission at the unforgiving altitude of
approximately 10,000 feet. The SEALs, Lt. Michael Murphy, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz,
Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell
had a vital task. The four SEALs were scouting Ahmad Shah - a terrorist in his mid-30s who grew up in the
adjacent mountains just to the south.

Under the assumed name Muhammad Ismail, Shah led a guerrilla group known to locals as the "Mountain
Tigers" that had aligned with the Taliban and other militant groups close to the Pakistani border. The SEAL
mission was compromised when the team was spotted by local nationals, who presumably reported its
presence and location to the Taliban.

A fierce firefight erupted between the four SEALs and a much larger enemy force of more than 50 anti-
coalition militia. The enemy had the SEALs outnumbered. They also had terrain advantage. They launched a
well-organized, three-sided attack on the SEALs. The firefight continued relentlessly as the overwhelming
militia forced the team deeper into a ravine.
Trying to reach safety, the four men, now each wounded, began bounding down the mountain's steep sides,
making leaps of 20 to 30 feet. Approximately 45 minutes into the fight, pinned down by overwhelming forces,
Dietz, the communications petty officer, sought open air to place a distress call back to the base. But before he
could, he was shot in the hand, the blast shattering his thumb.

Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with
risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters,
but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and
with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to
transmit a call to get help for his men.

Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire.
This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing
to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested
assistance. He calmly provided his unit's location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate
support for his team. At one point he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked
it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt.
Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.

An MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was sent is
as part of an extraction mission to pull out the four embattled SEALs. The MH-47 was escorted by heavily-
armored, Army attack helicopters. Entering a hot combat zone, attack helicopters are used initially to
neutralize the enemy and make it safer for the lightly-armored, personnel-transport helicopter to insert.

The heavy weight of the attack helicopters slowed the formation's advance prompting the MH-47 to outrun
their armored escort. They knew the tremendous risk going into an active enemy area in daylight, without
their attack support, and without the cover of night. Risk would, of course, be minimized if they put the
helicopter down in a safe zone. But knowing that their warrior brothers were shot, surrounded and severely
wounded, the rescue team opted to directly enter the oncoming battle in hopes of landing on brutally
hazardous terrain.

As the Chinook raced to the battle, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the helicopter, killing all 16 men
aboard.

On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, Murphy, Luttrell, Dietz and Axelson, continued
the fight. By the end of the two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Axelson
and Dietz had been killed. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead.

The fourth SEAL, Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket propelled grenade and was knocked
unconscious. Regaining consciousness some time later, Luttrell managed to escape - badly injured - and
slowly crawl away down the side of a cliff. Dehydrated, with a bullet wound to one leg, shrapnel embedded in
both legs, three vertebrae cracked; the situation for Luttrell was grim. Rescue helicopters were sent in, but he
was too weak and injured to make contact. Traveling seven miles on foot he evaded the enemy for nearly a
day. Gratefully, local nationals came to his aid, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three
days. The Taliban came to the village several times demanding that Luttrell be turned over to them. The
villagers refused. One of the villagers made his way to a Marine outpost with a note from Luttrell, and U.S.
forces launched a massive operation that rescued him from enemy territory on July 2.

By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain
death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell
and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.

This was the worst single-day U.S. Forces death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began nearly six years
ago. It was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II.

The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community will forever remember June 28, 2005 and the heroic efforts and
sacrifices of our special operators. We hold with reverence the ultimate sacrifice that they made while
engaged in that fierce fire fight on the front lines of the global war on terrorism (GWOT).

-NSW-

OPERATION REDWING KIAs- On June 28, 2005, three of four SEALS on the ground (Murphy, Dietz, Axelson)
were killed during combat operations in support of Operation Red Wing. ON the same say, a QRF of eight
Navy SEALs and 8 Army Night Stalkers were also killed when the MH-47 helicopter that they were aboard was
shot down by enemy fire in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan in Kumar Province.

Navy SEALs
SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

1. Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y.

2. Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, Calif.
3. Machinist Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Eric S. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nev.
4. Senior Chief Information Systems Technician (SEAL) Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, N.H.
5. Quartermaster 2nd Class (SEAL) James Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.

SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2, Virginia Beach, Va.

1. Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny P. Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colo.

SEAL Team 10, Virginia Beach, Va.

1. Chief Fire Controlman (SEAL) Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, La.
2. Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Erik S. Kristensen, 33, of San Diego, Calif.
3. Electronics Technician 1st Class (SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, of Corbett, Ore.
4. Lt. (SEAL) Michael M. McGreevy Jr., 30, of Portville, N.Y.
5. Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SEAL) Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, of Midway, W.Va.

Army Night Stalkers

3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.

1. Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Danville, Ohio.

2. Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minn.
3. Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Fla.
4. Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, of Shelbyville, Ind.
5. Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Conn.
6. Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Va.
7. Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla.

HQ Company, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.

1. Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn.

U.S. Navy SEALs are the maritime component of U.S. Special Operations Command and the Navy's
special operations force. The SEALs take their name from the elements in which they operate - sea, air and
land. Experts in special reconnaissance and direct action missions - SEALs continue to successfully execute
DoD's most important warfighting missions in the GWOT.

President Bush Presents Medal of Honor to Parents of Navy SEAL

10/22/2007 By John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- President Bush today posthumously presented the Medal of Honor earned by Lt.
Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life in an attempt to save fellow SEALs during a fierce battle
with Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

The Medal of Honor, accepted by Murphy's parents, Maureen and Dan Murphy, during a White House
ceremony, is the highest military decoration. Murphy's is the first Medal of Honor awarded for service in
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

"Today we add Lieutenant Michael Murphy's name to the list of recipients who have made the ultimate
sacrifice," Bush said. "By presenting Michael Murphy's family with the Medal of Honor that he earned, a
grateful nation remembers the courage of this proud Navy SEAL."
On June 28, 2005, as Murphy led a four-man SEAL team in search of key terrorist commander, the unit came
under attack by some 50 Taliban fighters. The lieutenant is credited with risking his own life to save the lives
of his teammates, according to a summary of action published by the Navy.

Despite intense combat around him, Murphy -- already wounded in the firefight -- moved into the open where
he could gain a better transmission signal and request backup from headquarters. At one point, Murphy was
shot in the back, causing him to drop the transmitter. The lieutenant picked it back up, completed the call and
continued firing at the enemy as they closed in.

By the time the two-hour gunfight had concluded, Murphy and two others SEALs had been killed. An estimated
35 Taliban died in the fighting.

As a somber postscript to Murphy's bravery, the helicopter that he requested crashed after being struck by a
rocket- propelled grenade, killing everyone on board. In total, 19 Americans died in what Bush referred to as
"the deadliest for Navy Special Warfare forces since World War II."

The president characterized Murphy as a born Navy SEAL.

"SEALs get their name from operating by sea, air and land, and even as a toddler, Michael could find his way
through any obstacle," Bush said. "When he was just 18 months old, he darted across a neighbor's yard and
dove into the swimming pool. By the time his frantic parents reached him, Michael had swum to the other side
with a big smile on his face."

In addition to his physical strength, Bush said Murphy's strong moral character also was apparent at an early
age.

"One day in school, he got into a scuffle sticking up for a student with a disability. It's the only time his
parents ever got a phone call from the principal, and they couldn't have been prouder," Bush said. "Michael's
passion for helping others led him to become a caring brother, a tutor, a life guard and eventually a member of
the United States armed forces."

The president welcomed Murphy's parents and brother, John, who hail from Patchogue, N.Y., to the White
House's East Room, noting that Murphy's decision to join the U.S. military was not easily accepted by his
family. "As a Purple Heart recipient during Vietnam, Michael's father understood the sacrifices that accompany
a life of service. He also understood that his son was prepared to make these sacrifices," Bush added.

Murphy is remembered by fellow SEALs as a wisecracking friend who went by "Mikey" or "Murph," a patriot
who wore a New York City firehouse patch on his uniform in honor of the heroes of 9/11, Bush said.

"And they remember an officer who respected their opinions and led them with an understated yet
unmistakable sense of command. Together Michael and his fellow SEALs deployed multiple times around the
world in the war against the extremists and radicals," Bush said. "And while their missions were often carried
out in secrecy, their love of country and devotion to each other was always clear."

Murphy is one of three servicemembers to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry in action
during the war on terror. The president has presented medals to the families of Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R.
Smith and Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who died in Iraq.
Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell stands beside Daniel and Maureen Murphy, the parents of Navy SEAL Lt. Michael
Murphy, as they are interviewed during a tour of the Pentagon. The family of Lt. Murphy toured the Pentagon
before a ceremony to unveil Lt. Murphy's name in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.
October 23, 2007: President George W. Bush presents the Medal of Honor to Daniel and Maureen Murphy, the
parents of Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, during a ceremony at the White House.
(All photos and text courtesy of the US Navy)

USS Michael Murphy DDG-112