IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray
“More than a film…”
# 194
January 10, 2014
For two weeks I have sought to give you another column, yet thoughts failed to merge in a cogent way.
In lieu of my own words, I defer to my county seat’s newspaper and offer the article in today’s edition. So often, we forget that the bulk of our servicemen and women come from small towns. Such is the case of Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles of Shelbyville, Indiana.
The following story, written by Editor Paul Gable of The Shelbyville News, Shelbyville, Indiana, is not only timely, but also sobering. We are all — each of us — shall remain indebted to Mr. Gable for this excellent piece.
Movie, citizen keep Shelbyville soldier’s spirit alive
Published: Friday, January 10, 2014 8:05 AM US/Eastern Time
Paul Gable, Editor
Odds are very good at some point this weekend, Morristown resident Scott Spahr will get away for a bit, head to a movie theater and watch the new blockbuster “Lone Survivor.”
And, as he does so, he will feel a personal connection with a fallen Shelbyville soldier that, while he never met, he feels like is a part of his family.
The movie, which features Mark Walhberg playing the role of Marcus Luttrell, is based on the June 28, 2005, mission “Operation Red Wings,” in which four members of SEAL Team 10 were tasked with the mission to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shahd.
The mission failed when three Navy SEALs were ambushed and killed and a reaction force helicopter was shot down killing all on board. Luttrell was the only surviving member of the initial surveillance and reconnaissance team.
One the soldiers on the helicopter was Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles, of Shelbyville.
Muralles enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1994 and became an elite Ranger. He served a tour of duty before going inactive ready reserve. According to the Army, he returned to active duty in 1998. He also returned to the 75th Ranger Regiment in the medical field, where he remained until 2003, when he became an aerial flight medic assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers.
Murralles was 33 when the Army MH-47D Chinook helicopter he was aboard with 15 other soldiers and sailors was shot down in Afghanistan. It was reported the loss of the 16 was the deadliest single blow to American forces that ousted the Taliban in 2001.
The Army posthumously awarded Muralles a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Medal and a Combat Action Badge.
Spahr said he heard about Muralles when he was killed and decided the community had to do something to help honor him.
He immediately became close to Muralles’ mother and stepfather and came up with the idea of planting a tree in his honor.
“It was very important for me to do this. I made a promise to a Vietnam vet some 20 years ago to pay it forward when I was done with my military days, and I have tried to live up to that promise,” Spahr said.
The tree is located in Martin Estates, along with another endeavor Spahr took upon himself to see through.
Spahr approached former Shelbyville Mayor Scott Ferguson about renaming a street in honor of Muralles.
“We were able to get that done. It was my goal to ensure that we didn’t forget, and I wanted the residents who live on that street to think about him every time they write their address down. It’s not a street name, but a hero’s name,” Spahr said.
As a result, SFC Muralles Drive is located in the Martin Estates apartment complex, 2301 Raleigh Blvd.
“I encourage you to go and see the movie to see what these men did to save the life of one,” Spahr said.