[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 10, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S4301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN RAYMOND GERALD MURPHY

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, it is with a sad heart that I 
come to the floor today and honor my good friend Raymond Gerald Murphy. 
Jerry Murphy died last Friday at the age of 77. A burial with full 
military honors is planned for Santa Fe National Cemetery this week.
  CPT Jerry Murphy was the 39th U.S. marine to be awarded the Medal of 
Honor for heroism in the Korean war. He was decorated by President 
Dwight Eisenhower in a White House ceremony in 1953. In addition to the 
Medal of Honor, Captain Murphy was also awarded the Silver Star, the 
Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, the 
United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. 
Jerry Murphy was a hero in every sense of the word.
  What really made Jerry special though was his service to others. When 
he returned from Korea, he dedicated his entire life to taking care of 
other veterans. He spent 23 years working in the Albuquerque VA 
Regional Office. Upon his retirement, he continued to serve veterans as 
a volunteer until he became too sick to do so. Earlier this year, 
Senator Bingaman and I introduced a bill to rename the Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center in Albuquerque, as the ``Raymond G. Murphy Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center.'' I am very sad this was not completed 
before Jerry died, but I hope it will be completed soon.
  In addition to all of Jerry's military honors, he was also a family 
man. Jerry is survived by his wife Maryann, his sons John, Michael, and 
Tim, his daughter Eleanor, as well as eight grandchildren. My thoughts 
and prayers are with the Murphy family this week; I know they are proud 
of what Jerry accomplished in his lifetime.
  Jerry Murphy was a close friend, and I will miss him greatly. I 
always valued his friendship and advice. Godspeed, amigo. You touched 
many lives and helped many people. Your legacy will not soon be 
forgotten.
 Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I wish today to commemorate the 
life of retired Marine Captain Raymond Gerald Murphy. Captain Murphy 
passed away on April 6, 2007, but left behind a legacy that will not 
soon be forgotten. His legacy of courage, valor, and commitment to his 
country will forever remain a part of the history and heart of the 
United States.
  Captain Murphy was born and raised in Pueblo, CO. After graduating 
from Adams State College, he selflessly volunteered for the U.S. Marine 
Corps and was sent to officer training school. At only 23 years old, 
2nd Lieutenant Murphy led a Marine platoon to perform an evacuation 
mission in the hills of South Korea after U.S. troops had sustained 
months of heavy mortar attack from enemy forces. Lieutenant Murphy 
bravely commanded a small group of men up the hill to survey the 
situation. Met by intense enemy fire, Lieutenant Murphy pressed on to 
rescue wounded and killed marines, while continuing to support combat 
platoons. Realizing that all platoon commanders had been either killed 
or severely wounded, Murphy found himself in charge of the attack and 
began reorganizing his men. Murphy ordered his men to carry the wounded 
back down the hill for medical attention, and carried many men on his 
own back.
  Having sustained a wound to his left side, and shot through his right 
hand, Murphy refused medical help until all of his men were brought to 
safety. Wounded, he continued to go back up the hill, facing continued 
enemy fire, until every injured and fallen marine was carried back 
down. As the last man down the hill, Lieutenant Murphy left not a 
single man on that shattered hillside in South Korea.
  On October 27, 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower bestowed upon 
Lieutenant Murphy the Medal of Honor, the highest award for his courage 
and heroic action during the Korean War. Lieutenant Murphy's Medal of 
Honor citation reads, ``His resolute and inspiring leadership, 
exceptional fortitude and great personal valor reflect the highest 
credit upon Second Lieutenant Murphy and enhance the finest traditions 
of the United States Naval Service.'' I believe this encapsulates the 
essence of his service and patriotism as a U.S. marine.
  I am honored to stand before the Senate today to pay tribute to the 
life and service of CPT Raymond Murphy. I would like to offer my 
condolences to his wife Marry Ann and his four children. His family has 
lost a husband and a father, and this Nation has lost a truly noble 
man, but may his gallantry and heroism be memorialized forever in the 
freedoms of this great country.

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