After Iraq Heartbreak, Local Physician Back At New Primary Care

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — A beloved local physician's heart beats to help others and to serve the nation.

NYU Winthrop’s new Mattituck Primary Care held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony recently, nearly six months late — the ceremony had to wait on Mattituck Primary Care physician, Kerry Murphy, MD, of East Moriches, to return from a deployment to Iraq with the 106th Rescue Wing.

The 106th was dealt a blow of grief when they lost four brethren of Murphy’s, airmen who died in a tragic helicopter crash in Iraq in March.

On March 15, 2018, Dr. Murphy showed up for the opening of the family medicine practice.

"She’d been looking forward to the opening for some time," a release announcing the opening said. "But that evening, her world came crashing down as her phone began ringing off the hook."

Not just a beloved local physician, Dr. Murphy has also served as a a flight surgeon for 17 years with the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing in Westhampton Beach.

"And on that day, when Dr. Murphy first helped open the new practice, she also received devastating news — four of her 106th brethren had been killed in a helicopter crash in western Iraq, killing all seven crew members when their HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed during a non-combat mission," the release said.

Devastated, Dr. Murphy said she wished fervently that she could have been there, thinking maybe there was something she could have done to help her friends and colleagues.

A bittersweet wish because, in fact, Dr. Murphy was scheduled to deploy to western Iraq just eight days later.

The caskets of Capt. Christopher Zanetis, Tech. Sgt. Dashan Briggs and Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso arrived at the 106th Rescue Wing on March 27. Capt. Andreas O'Keefe's casked arrived home on Aug. 4.

Three hours after the three colleagues arrived home, Dr. Murphy departed the base, leaving behind broken-hearted fellow Guardsmen — and her husband and three daughters — and she headed for western Iraq.

“It was hard to wrap my brain around what had happened, but I so wanted to go to Iraq,” said Dr. Murphy. “I wanted to see the faces of the team that was there, to be with them in their time of crisis, to lend whatever support I could.”

Dr. Murphy said she shares her fervent wish to serve with other members of the 106th Rescue Wing. “We love our mission,” said Dr. Murphy. “It is an amazing group, and every member of that group answers the call of duty every time they are needed.”

The wing was the first on the scene when TWA 800 crashed in Long Island waters. They conducted a helicopter rescue mission during the “Perfect Storm;” the crew had to ditch its own helicopter and be rescued themselves. And, it recovered the wreckage and transponder from the last flight of John F. Kennedy Jr., the release said.

The unit, including Dr. Murphy, also provides support for every Space Shuttle launched, and it was activated to help with Hurricanes Sandy and Harvey in Houston.

This week, members of the 106th left to help residents ravaged by Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas.

Dr. Murphy explains that she's a “human system expert,” identifying “stressors,” such as noise and vibration-related issues, vision impairment, and heat related issues for the crew in-flight.

Dr. Murphy’s squadron commander within the 106th Rescue Wing, Lt. Colonel Curt Green commended her dedication: “We’re proud to have within our wing a physician like Kerry Murphy, who has honorably served our nation for so many years and also selflessly cares for those in local communities. She is an example of duty and devotion at its best.”

Dr. Murphy is joined in the Mattituck Primary Care practice by Katie Hough, DO. Mattituck Primary Care is located at 11700 Main Road, Unit 5, Mattituck, NY 11952.

Patch courtesy photo.