Taylor Kitsch Honored by Medal of Honor Society at Westhampton Base

Actor Taylor Kitsch was honored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society during a visit with the Airmen of the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing at Westhampton Beach’s Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base on August 6.

Kitsch, who portrayed Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy in the film, Lone Survivor (based on the book by Marcus Luttrell), was accompanied by other actors on a USO-sponsored visit and tour.

The Friday Night Lights and The Terminal List actor received the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment from the Honor Society. The award honors members of the entertainment industry who positively portray or support the U.S. military. Kitsch is the 39th recipient of this award.

Michael Murphy, who grew up in Smithtown was killed in action on June 28, 2005, in Afghanistan and posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions. He is buried in Calverton National Cemetery.

The story of that battle became the book and movie, Lone Survivor, about the only member from Murphy’s four-man SEAL team who survived, Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell.

Kitsch accepted the award from Daniel Murphy, Michael Murphy’s father, who lives in Wading River.

“I’m honored to be here to present this, not only to a very special person, but also a good friend,” Murphy said. “I can tell you this, when Lone Survivor came out, the first email I got was actually from Taylor, saying, ‘What do you think?’ And I said, ‘A1, number one,’” he recalled. “He picked up all of Michael’s mannerisms, the manner in which he would operate. It’s just, I was absolutely floored by his display of Michael as the person Michael was,” Murphy added.

Kitsch received the award from Murphy with a smile and a hug, and said that Michael Murphy had changed his life for the better.

“I’m so grateful to have played Mike,” Kitsch said. “You know, Marcus Luttrell, the ‘Lone Survivor’ — at my first meeting with him, there was a moment where he said, ‘You’re going to carry this torch, whether you like it or not, for the rest of my days,’ and man…have I enjoyed this journey,” Kitsch continued, adding, “And I will proudly carry this torch as long as I possibly can.”

According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website, the only way someone can receive the award is through a nomination from a Medal of Honor recipient.

Kitsch, star and executive producer of the new Prime Video series The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, a prequel to Prime’s hit series The Terminal List starring Kitsch and Chris Pratt, was nominated by Thomas Kelley of Massachusetts, who is a Vietnam Navy war veteran and one of 61 living Medal of Honor recipients.

Kitsch and his series costars, Tom Hopper, Luke Hemsworth and Shiraz Tzarfati, toured the base as part of the USO visit.

Co-executive producer Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL and The Terminal List author, was also a part of the USO-sponsored group.

The group met with Airmen over lunch and received orientation flights on board an HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter and an HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft. The USO group also tested their skills operating a firehose with the 106th Rescue Wing’s Fire Department.

“This was more than a celebrity visit — it was a moment that connected our mission with those who share it through storytelling,” said Col. Jeffrey Cannet, commander of the 106th Rescue Wing.

Master Sgt. Joseph Graziano, a member of the wing communications group, said the visit was a boost for morale.

“At lunch, breaking bread with the actors was surreal,” Graziano said. “Our conversation ranged from our families’ experiences to some of our trials,” he recalled. “Taylor even gave advice to members interested in acting on how to get started in the industry. Their humility and dedication to ‘getting it right,’ while providing us with entertainment and an escape, was immediately appreciated by all,” Graziano added.

The 106th Rescue Wing operates and maintains the HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft and the HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter. It is home to a special warfare squadron with pararescuemen and combat rescue officers, specializing in rescue and recovery, and deploys for domestic and overseas operations.