SFC Marcus Muralles ~ Night Stalker

Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles

Night Stalker

Sergeant First Class Marcus V. Muralles died June 28, 2005, in eastern Afghanistan when his MH-47D Helicopter was shot down by enemy fire during combat operations.

He was born October 5, 1971 in Louisiana, and was raised in Shelbyville, Indiana. Sergeant First Class Muralles joined the Army in August 1990 as a medic. After completion of Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. After completing his initial enlistment obligation, he was assigned to the inactive ready reserve.

In August 1998, he returned to active duty as an infantryman at Fort Benning and later reclassed back to a medic. He returned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as a medical administrator, platoon medic, and company senior medic. In August of 2003, Sergeant First Class Muralles was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) as an aerial flight medic.

His military schools include: the Special Operations Medic Course, Flight Medic Course, the Emergency Medical Technician's Course, the Airborne, Ranger Course, the Primary Leadership Development, the Jumpmaster Course, Special Operations Medic Course, the Basic Non-commissioned Officer Course, and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Development Course.

Sergeant Muralles' military awards and decorations include: the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with “V” device, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. His badges include the Ranger Tab, the Combat Medical Badge, the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Aviation Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, and Master Parachutist Badge with two combat jumps. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal with “V” device, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge.

He is survived by his wife Diana, and two children, Anna and Dominic.

Tribute from the Night Stalkers site.

SFC Marcus Muralles is buried at Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/mvmuralles.htm

To read all of the tributes, please click here.