New Museum Honoring Navy SEALs Planned For Long Island

WEST SAYVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) - A new museum is being planned on Long Island to honor Navy SEALs.

Officials say the museum could open in 2018 in West Sayville, within the county park adjacent to the Long Island Maritime Museum.

It will be named for Lt. Michael P. Murphy. The Medal of Honor recipient died along with 18 others in a gun battle in eastern Afghanistan in June 2005.

Their story was chronicled in the book and film, "Lone Survivor.''

"Michael was a local boy who grew up on the South Shore of Long Island and went on to do extraordinary things as part of a class of warriors unique in history," said state Sen. Tom Croci, R-Sayville.

The museum will showcase what our nation's Special Operations units are all about, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported. Navy Sea Cadets also will study and train there to be furture leaders like Murphy.

"The individuals who stand between us and those who would seek to destroy the world as we know it today are men like Michael Murphy," Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said.

Murphy's father, Dan Murphy, told WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs his son would be proud of the museum.

"Education is important, he said, because it removes from people prejudices, predispositions, superstitions," Murphy said.

Dan Murphy added his son would not like all the attention, but he loved what the museum would accomplish.

"One of his favorite sayings was 'education will set you free,'" Dan Murphy said.

The museum will be the third honoring SEALs. The others are in Fort Pierce, Florida, and Coronado, California.

Croci said a $400,000 state grant will help fund the project. The total cost is estimated at up to $4 million. A foundation named for Murphy will lead the fundraising project.

A Navy destroyer, the USS Michael Murphy; a park in Lake Ronkonkoma; and the US Post Office in Patchogue also bear his name.

The museum will also honor other men and women who have sacrificed so much to preserve the freedom of Americans.

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