Golfers unite for Vietnam war hero

More than 140 golfers gathered at the Lido Beach Golf Course on Aug. 27 for the annual John DeGrace Golf Outing, but this year, those in attendance came to honor Ken Murphy, a long-time Valley Stream employee and Vietnam War hero.

“I swelled up a little,” Murphy said of being honored. “It was definitely emotional. I was honored, but I didn’t think that many people would show up.”

Murphy, 61, was a staple of Valley Stream during his bartending tenure at the Gateway Tavern on Merrick Road. He worked at the village bar for 15 years before he moved to his current bartending gig at the Hempstead Country Club. Long-time friend and fellow Vietnam War veteran, Don Steinert, said Murphy is a world-class bartender. “Kenny always gave a warm greeting to his patron friends, and was always readily available to serve you, even when the bar was three deep,” Steinert said. “He was always a gentleman and a diplomat, even when he had to eject someone from the bar.”

In 2001, Murphy was inducted into the Bartenders Hall of Fame. Murphy said he was nominated by his brother Mike, and they only induct two bartenders a year. However, being inducted into the Bartenders Hall of Fame, he said, pales in comparison to being recognized by his friends and family. “It was nothing like Thursday,” he said.

Before Murphy was a bartender though, he served his country with valor and distinction. He joined the Marines in 1965 and deployed to Vietnam in 1966. He served two tours in Vietnam and during his second one in 1968, Murphy was shot in a fire fight with the North Vietnamese Army during the Tet offensive. His platoon of 12 soldiers was ambushed by 60 Vietnamese soldiers. Murphy managed to make it out alive, and for his heroic actions, he was awarded the Silver Star –– the third highest military award for heroism –– and a Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster, which denotes that he was injured on two occasions. He also received the Vietnamese military’s version of the Silver Star –– the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

Jimmy Cuccias, a friend of Murphy’s for the past 35 years, said that Murphy coached him when he was youngster in little league and he couldn’t think of a better man to honor. “He is one of the finest men I ever met,” Cuccias said.

Village Justice Robert Bogle has known Murphy for 15 years and said that Murphy deserved the honor. “A lot of the time, we honor elected officials or dignitaries,” Bogle said. “But today we honor a true regular member of our community who unquestionably offered something that we could not...service to our country.”