Sailors attached to Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) begin Memorial day by gathering at Purdy Field to honor the "Hero Workout," also known as the "Murph Challenge," May 30.

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for the sacrifices many service members have made and continue to make for the nation.

Capt. Curt A. Renshaw, commanding officer aboard Chancellorsville, said there is no better way for these service members to kick off Memorial Day.

"For some this will be challenging, but we want to remember our fallen brothers and sisters in any way that we can," said Renshaw. "On this day we acknowledge a sacrifice of those generations who have provided the freedom that we now experience today."
The challenge was created to honor Lt. Michael "Murph" Murphy, the fallen Navy SEAL from Patchogue, New York, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions leading a four-man SEAL reconnaissance unit against Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Out of the four-man team, three were killed in action June 28, 2005.

Murphy's story has become well known due to the book Lone Survivor, and the subsequent movie of the same name, as told by the single surviving member from Operation Red Wings, Marcus Luttrell.

The Murph challenge consists of a one mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, followed by an additional mile. The prescribed method of the workout included a 20-pound weight vest, which is not mandatory for those who have never participated in the challenge. The workout was considered one of his favorites and he named it "Body Armor".

"Heroes come and go, but legends are forever. In memory of Michael Murphy and his Navy SEAL Team," said Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Brandon Lee Fortune." "I feel accomplished; it's events like these that bring us together as a team to accomplish the same goal."

The Sailors participated in the event to honor those, like Murphy, who have given their lives in service to freedom and country.

For more news from Commander Task Force 70, visit www.navy.mil/.

For more news from Commander Task Force 70, visit www.navy.mil/.