A pile of black body armor shimmering with white lettering emblazed with the words "U.S. Navy," laid at the corner of an olive-green shipping container.

The sweat-soaked armor drew a proverbial line in the non-skid pavement of hangar bay three aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

Over three days, more than 108 Sailors and Marines strapped on 20-pound vests to push themselves through a harsh list of events called the "Murph." The expectation was clear for all who volunteered for the fitness challenge: run one mile, perform one hundred pull-ups, drop to the deck and complete two hundred pushups, hop to your feet and give three hundred squats, run another mile. The daunting task started off as a suggestion that TR's Fit Boss jumped at taking on.

"The EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) guys came by and said 'We want to do the Murph Challenge,' and it took off from there. We went and made t-shirts and had Media make the poster. We had no idea it would take off like it did," said TR's Fit Boss Nate Owen.

Each Sailor and Marine had their own motivations for putting themselves through the Murph.

"I saw it as something to challenge me, fitness-wise, [and] to see what I have to get better in," said Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Bruce Manley.

The Murph isn't just a hard workout. The challenge honors the life of Lt. Michael Murphy and his heroics, which resonate as loud and clear as the fateful phone call he made almost ten years ago.

On June 28, 2005, behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan, Lt. Michael "Murph" Murphy, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz, Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell were scouting Ahmad Shah when the team was spotted by locals who reported the team's location to the Taliban.

A fierce firefight ensued between the two forces and despite suffering a grave gunshot wound, Murphy risked his life to save the lives of his teammates. While moving away from the protection of the rocky mountain terrain, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire in order to request assistance from the quick reaction force (QRF) at Bagram Air Base. He ended the call with a grateful, "thank you,"- the last words heard on the line.

Nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, continued to fight, but by the end of a two-hour firefight Murphy, Dietz, Axelson had fallen. A rocket-propelled grenade launched Luttrell over a ridge, knocking him unconscious. Though severely wounded, Luttrell evaded the enemy for nearly a day. Local nationals came to his aide, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three more days until he was rescued by U.S. forces, July 2, 2005.

For his unwavering courage and devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

"I actually remember seeing the incident on the news right before I came into the Navy. It's very motivating to see how he lived his life, so getting a chance to honor him was another aspect of the challenge that I liked," said Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class James Duffy.

Each Sailor had two hours to complete the challenge, taking breaks for rest and water when needed while braving the radiant heat of the Middle East.

"It was very challenging. It was brutal. My hat goes off to everyone that did it and I hope to do it again," said Duffy.

Owen said he was glad to see the participants take time out to honor a hero.

"I think it's just a great tribute to the military in general," said Owen. "Doing this challenge and seeing how hard these guys work - a lot of guys went through a lot of pain to complete it but they did complete it."

Explosive Ordnance Disposal 2nd Class Dennis Blair was especially grateful to honor Murphy in the challenge.

"Just look at how he lived his life," said Blair. "Look at how he carried himself. Look at all he was going through and for him to say 'thank you,' we needed to do what we could to honor him."

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