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New film tells story of local man’s heroic son

NAVY COURTESY PHOTO | Daniel Murphy, father of Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, stands as President George W. Bush delivers his remarks during the Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in October 2007.

The trailer for “Lone Survivor,” a major motion picture release showing how one Wading River man’s son received the military’s highest honor was released this week.

The film recounts the battle with Taliban forces that claimed the life of Lieutenant Michael Murphy of Patchogue and three of his fellow Navy SEALs on June 28, 2005 in the mountains of Afghanistan.

The SEAL team became the most decorated in history with Lt. Murphy, the son of Wading River resident Daniel Murphy, posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor and three others being awarded the Navy Cross, the branch’s second highest honor.

Lt. Murphy is portrayed in the film by actor Taylor Kitsch, perhaps best known for playing Tim Riggins on the popular NBC series “Friday Night Lights.” Filmmaker Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights,” “Hancock”) directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg in the title role. Then-Navy Hospital Corpsman Second Class Marcus Luttrell was the only of Lt. Murphy’s SEAL Team 10 members to survive the ambush.

The film is based on the book, “Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL team 10,” co-written by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson.