# Prospective Special Forces candidate died from snake bites



## Trip_Wire (Sep 17, 2008)

RELEASE NUMBER: 080917-01
DATE POSTED: SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

PRESS RELEASE: Prospective *Special Forces candidate died from snake bites
*

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Sept. 17, 2008) — An autopsy revealed that a Special Forces trainee died of multiple bites from a water moccasin June 9 during field training.

*Pfc. Norman M. Murburg* was conducting the individual land navigation exercise in Hoffman training area, near Camp Mackall, as a part of the *Special Forces* Assessment and Selection process conducted by the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

The autopsy, conducted by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C., rules out heat or dehydration in circumstances of Murburg’s death.

“Pfc. Murburg’s death reinforces the dangerous nature of the training that our Soldiers undertake to prepare themselves for the rigors of *Special Forces,*” said Maj. Gen. Thomas Csrnko, USAJFKSWCS commander.* “We go out of our way to stress safety in all that we do, but there are some circumstances that are out of our control.”

Army representatives met with the Marburg family recently to explain the results of the autopsy.

“No matter the cause of Pfc. Murburg’s death, he volunteered to live his life as a warrior and will always be regarded as such in the Special Forces community,” Csrnko said.

A search for Murburg began at the conclusion of the exercise after he was not accounted for.* He reached the first point along the course but failed to check in at the next point or the assembly point at the end of the exercise.

Murburg’s body was found June 10 along with all of his personal equipment, including water and emergency equipment, after an exhaustive search by cadre members and fellow students.

The water moccasin, also known as the cottonmouth, is one of six venomous snakes that inhabit North Carolina.

Link:

http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20Archive/2008/September/080917-01.html


RIP Soldier.


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## Scotth (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP Pfc Murburg


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## car (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP Warrior


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## x SF med (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP PFC.  The Hoffman triangle has a new sentinel.


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## HOLLiS (Sep 17, 2008)

Rest In Peace.


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## lancero (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP.


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## LibraryLady (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP PFC

Prayers out to your family and all those like you

LL


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## Gypsy (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP Soldier.


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## RackMaster (Sep 17, 2008)

RIP.


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## 8'Duece (Sep 18, 2008)

Rest easy PFC Murburg. 

I thank you for you sacrifice to serve this great nation.


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## tova (Sep 18, 2008)

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....


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## racing_kitty (Sep 18, 2008)

Requiescat in Pace, PFC Murburg.  Heaven has a new guard at the gates.  Rest well, brother.


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## Trip_Wire (Sep 18, 2008)

More information on this tragedy:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/article814294.ece


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## Muppet (Sep 18, 2008)

Rest in peace.

F.M.


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## whiterose (Sep 19, 2008)

So sad. A snake bite. RIP, soldier.


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## hoepoe (Sep 19, 2008)

RIP Warrior

H


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## Rabid Badger (Sep 19, 2008)

Memoirs from Mike Murburg, the father:



> Luck is real, he said. It is good but it also is bad and random and inches might separate us from death each day, though we don't realize it.
> 
> At first, he wanted to die along with his son. Then he was angry and bitter but he's not any longer. He has learned that he could be swallowed up in his grief or he could fight with everything in him to live and to help others. He hopes there is another side to this life and that when he dies, his son will be there.
> 
> ...



RIP PFC Norman M. Murburg, you are missed.


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## jordan (Sep 24, 2008)

RIP Bro. 

I just read about this in the Army Times. Its in this weeks paper for those of us that can pick it up.. Sounds like it happen down by Bones Creek..


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## 08steeda (Sep 25, 2008)

My thoughts and prayers go out to those he left behind! RIP Brother!


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