Date: 5/4/2013
Rank: Specialist
Branch: U.S. Army
Operation: Operation Enduring Freedom
Spc. Thomas Paige Murach, 22, of Meridian, Idaho died May 4, 2013 in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36thInfantry, 1stBrigade Combat Team, 1stArmored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Murach entered the US Army in Sept. 20121 as an infantryman. After completing the Infantry Training Course at Fort Benning, GA, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, TX. Shortly thereafter, he was selected to be a member of Reconnaissance Platoon as a sniper.
Tom was quick to tell a joke, share his things and pull together his unit for prayer, his family said. “We take a great comfort from knowing how Tom lived over there,” his brother Nick said. The family talked to him often via Facebook, Skype and phone calls. They’d send him a box of goodies every week, which he freely shared. “He really lived his life for his fellow soldiers,” Nick said. “He was always gathering the guys together for a prayer before they would head out for a mission, and he formed Bible studies with the guys.” Tom, a Cole Valley Christian graduate, joined the Army in August 2010. His parents and brother, Will, also served in the military. Tom kept his spirits high, Nick said, even when the violence intensified. “He encouraged our family just hearing the tone of his voice and how much belief he had in the mission they were doing over there,” he said. “He very much believed that they were helping the Afghanis.”Although he loved being a soldier, Tom looked forward to returning to civilian life, his family said in a statement. They called him “Spanky” and got a kick out of the way Tom cracked up at his own jokes. “His biggest identifying trait was his humor,” Nick said. A big “jokester,” he said, who will be greatly missed.
SPC Tom Murach’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star.
Thomas is survived by his mother Mary, his brothers Nick, Will, and Mike, His father Chet, and many uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends.