MARCUS LUTTRELL, LONE SURVIVOR, JOINS SAN DIEGO PARTICIPANTS TAKING ON ‘MEMORIAL DAY MURPH’,

CROSSFIT EAST VILLAGE

SAN DIEGO, CA

MONDAY, MAY 27, 2013 AT 12:00-1:00 PM  

WHAT:                 ‘Memorial Day Murph’, a Crossfit workout and fundraising event honoring Medal of Honor recipient Michael P. Murphy  

WHO:                   MARCUS LUTTRELL, author, retired United States Navy          SEAL, Navy Cross recipient  

WHERE:             CrossFit East Village, 1220 J Street, San Diego, CA 92101

WHEN:                Monday, May 27, 2013 12:00-1:00 PM.  

Across the nation and world, men and women are signing up for an annual Memorial Day event to raise funds, awareness and fitness in honor of all fallen military members.

In 2007, Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL who was a regular Crossfit participant, was posthumously awarded the U.S. Military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for courageous and selfless acts of bravery. Murphy was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.

In an effort to remember Lt. Murphy and others who died serving their country ‘Memorial Day Murph’ (MDM for short) was created. In 2012, over 7,000 participants worldwide registered for MDM and challenged their fitness with one of Murphy’s favorite workouts, now commonly known as ‘Murph.’ The workout consists of: a 1 mile run, followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats and another 1 mile run, some wearing a 20lb. weighted vest.

The event donated $140,000 to four charities last year: the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation, the Lone Survivor Foundation and That Others May Live Foundation. Additionally, $5,000 was donated to help family members of OPERATION Red Wing attend the commissioning of the USS Michael Murphy.

This year, participation is expected to increase significantly across the country and world -- and not just with current and former military members. MDM is embraced by men and women throughout the country who honor the efforts of those in the military and especially those who have paid the ultimate price.

Ryan Brundage, Vice President of Forged Clothing, stated, “The men and women who support ‘Memorial Day Murph’ and participate in this fundraising event are to be commended for taking some time out of their lives, if even for a couple hours, to prepare for and tackle this workout in honor of Michael Murphy and others who serve."

This year’s event takes place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. To register and sign up for this event please visit: http://www.ForgedClothing.com/MDM More about Marcus Luttrell: Marcus Luttrell is a retired United States Navy SEAL. He received the Navy Cross for his actions in 2005 facing Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wing.

On June 28, 2005, Luttrell and SEAL Team 10 were assigned to a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah (nom de guerre Mohammad Ismail), a high-ranking Taliban leader responsible for killings in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains. The SEAL team was made up of Luttrell, Michael P. Murphy, Danny Dietz and Matthew Axelson. Luttrell and Axelson were the team’s snipers; Dietz was in charge of communications and Murphy the team leader.

A group of goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs, the four SEALs immediately took control of the situation and discussed what to do with the herders. After taking a vote and basing their decision on ROE, Michael Murphy made the final decision to let them go. The herders were subsequently released and disappeared over the mountain ridge.

Luttrell believed they immediately betrayed the team’s location to local Taliban forces and within an hour, the SEALs were engaged in an intense gun battle. In the ensuing battle, the rest of the SEAL team were killed. Team leader Michael P. Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the battle. Danny Dietz, Matthew Axelson, and Marcus were awarded the Navy Cross. A MH-47 Chinook helicopter was dispatched with a force consisting of SEALs and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment “Nightstalkers” to rescue the team, but the helicopter was shot down by an RPG. All 16 men on the Chinook were killed.

Luttrell was the only survivor. Badly wounded, he managed to walk and crawl seven miles to evade capture. He was given shelter by an Afghan tribe, who alerted the Americans of his presence, and he was finally rescued by American forces six days after the gun battle. Military Career Luttrell joined the United States Navy in March 1999. He began Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training with Class 226 in Coronado, California.

 He graduated with Class 228 after suffering a fractured femur early in his training. Marcus graduated 18 Delta in 2001, making him a team Medic.

Today In 2010 Marcus met the woman of his dreams and married shortly after. Marcus and his wife Melanie have a son Axe, who is named after Matthew Axelson, and a daughter, Addie.

In 2010 Marcus also started the Lone Survivor Foundation and is fully involved with The Boot Campaign. In 2012 Luttrell released a book, Service, that follows up with unanswered questions from Lone Survivor and gives honor and praise to other members of the military. Later in 2013, a major motion picture will be released depicting the story of Lone Survivor.

More about Lt. Michael Murphy: More information about Murphy can be found in the book “Lone Survivor,” by Marcus Luttrell, with Patrick Robinson, which is currently being turned into a major motion picture set to be released on January 10, 2014:. A documentary of Lt. Michael Murphy’s life has been filmed and already released on a limited basis: http://www.murphmovie.com/.

More About Forged Clothing: FORGED was founded by two former Navy SEALs. With a combined 21 years in the Teams, they are distinguished veterans of several war time campaigns, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Kosovo and Bosnia. Additionally, they served tours as instructors at the BUD/S SEAL Training Facility. Forged donates a percentage of every sale to several military affiliated non-profit organizations to help wounded veterans and their families. Forged also creates specific tribute shirts to honor their fallen brothers, and to preserve their legacy.