Publish Date 
Written by U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 629-05
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died on June 17, 2005, in Al Qaim, Iraq, while conducting combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Killed were:
Master Sergeant Robert M. Horrigan, 40, of Austin, Texas.
Master Sergeant Michael L. McNulty, 36, of Knoxville, Tennessee
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, June 21, 2005) — Two Army Special Operations Soldiers based here died June 17, 2005 in western Iraq when their unit was attacked with enemy small arms fire during combat operations.
Master Sergeant Robert M. Horrigan, 40, and Master Sergeant Michael L. McNulty, 36, both special operations team members, sustained fatal injuries during the attack. They were both assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
Horrigan enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in May 1984. He served with various units to include the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. After a brief separation from active duty, he reenlisted and was assigned to the 5th Ranger Training Battalion serving as a team leader and Ranger instructor. In February 1991, he volunteered for Special Forces and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in September 1991. Horrigan was then assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) here where he served as a senior Special Forces Weapons Sergeant.
His awards and decorations included two Bronze Star Medals, one with Valor Device, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, six Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Scuba Diver's Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab.
Both Soldiers were posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, and the Purple Heart. Additionally, Horrigan was awarded the Legion of Merit and McNulty was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. McNulty was posthumously promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant.
Horrigan is survived by his wife, Denise, daughter, Courtney, his mother Mary, his sister Lisa Shine, twin brother John and brother Daniel.
Master Sergeant Robert M. Horrigan died June 17, 2005 in western Iraq while conducting combat operations against known enemies of the United States of America.
He was born January 13, 1965 in Limestone, Maine.
Horrigan enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in May 1984. He served with various units to include the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. After a brief separation from active duty, he reenlisted and was assigned to the 5th Ranger Training Battalion serving as a team leader and Ranger instructor. In February 1991, he volunteered for Special Forces and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in September 1991. Horrigan was then assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he served as a senior Special Forces Weapons Sergeant.
He completed several significant military courses while in the U. S. Army to include the Basic Airborne Course, the Ranger Course, the Jungle Warfare Training Course, the Instructor Training Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Spanish Language Course, the Jumpmaster Course, the Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, the Scuba Course, the Special Forces Dive Supervisor Course, the Military Freefall Course, the Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course.
Upon his graduation from Ranger School in 1985, Horrigan was awarded the Merrill’s Marauder Award.
He competed in the 1987 Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he placed second.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal (2), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (3), the Army Good Conduct Medal (6), the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, the Overseas Service Ribbon (2), the Presidential Unit Citation, the Army Superior Unit Award, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, the Scuba Diver Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star Medal for valor and the Purple Heart.
Horrigan is survived by his wife Denise, his daughter Courtney, his mother Mary, his sister Lisa Shine, his twin brother John and brother Daniel.
HORRIGAN, ROBERT MARK
MSG US ARMY
- DATE OF BIRTH: 01/13/1965
- DATE OF DEATH: 06/17/2005
- BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 9131
- ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard