The story of Simon's heroic cat in the service of the British Royal Navy. The Royal Navy of Great Britain is engaged in the training of crews for the yachts of the rich, including Abramovich Stephen Murphy, a sailor of the British Royal Navy

In 2015, the American studio Netflix released the sensational television series NARCO (Narcos), the plot of which focuses on the rise and fall of the most famous drug lord in world history,.

The series caused a huge stir among viewers around the world. One of its main characters was an American agent of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA) - Steve Murphy.

Who is this blond man, played by American actor Robert Boyd Holbrook, really? Is he a fictional character or a real person? Let's figure it out.

Indeed, in real life one of the leading members of the elite UBN squad operating in order to eliminate the most powerful cocaine organization "" led by Pablo Escobar himself, was an agent Stephen Murphy(Eng. Stephen Murphy).

early years

Many facts from the biography of the former American intelligence officer are carefully hidden. It is known that Stephen was born in 1957 in Tennessee, USA. As a child, he moved with his family to Princeton, West Virginia, where his parents Marvin and Betty Murphy ran a small carpet shop.

After graduating from Princeton high school in 1974, in the fall of that year, the young man entered the University of West Virginia, and a year later he transferred to Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia. In 1981 he graduated from college with a degree in criminal law.

“I never wanted to be anyone else,” Murphy explains. "I've always dreamed of being a police officer or some other law enforcement officer."

Young Cop

He did not pull with his dream: already at the age of 19, Murphy became an intern at the Bluefield Police Department, and a few years later he began patrolling the streets of Norfolk, West Virginia.

After 10 years in the police force, Murphy developed a serious interest in investigating drug trafficking and eventually enrolled at the DEA Academy.

After graduating from the academy, in 1987 he was sent to Miami, Florida, where the cocaine trade was growing more and more.

“The largest amount of cocaine I ever saw before joining the DEA was 2 ounces,” Murphy admits. “And imagine, in the very first operation as a DEA agent, which took place in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we detained a shipment of 4 kilograms of coke from Cuba. Where 2 ounces, and where 4 kg! I felt like a "sacred cow" and this was just the beginning."

In Miami, the undercover agent successfully worked for 4 years, and then, having excellent professional characteristics, was transferred to the capital.

Steve Murphy

Medellin

While Colombia was the world leader in the production and distribution of cocaine, the country was engulfed in chaos and terror. Behind all this was none other than Pablo Escobar, the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel.

“After arriving in Bogota, I was given a 9mm pistol, blue jeans and tennis shoes. The commander looked at me and said like this: “Steve, you and I are the front door. Never let fear control your actions…” recalls the retired agent. “All this was said so calmly, as if he wished me good morning, just something!”

Joining DEA colleagues in Medellin, among whom was an agent (Spanish Javier Peña), whose character was also involved in the television series, they were engaged in the introduction of informants, collected and analyzed intelligence, and provided all kinds of assistance to the National Police of Colombia (CNP).

“It was a wonderful time,” says Steve Murphy with irony. “After all, Escobar set a price tag of $300,000 for any DEA agent who interfered so much with his life. My wife threatened to get rich on me several times (laughs) ... By the way, there was also a reward for the heads of ordinary policemen, however, it was only $ 100 for each. It's sad, but a human life was so cheap there.

After several years of terror and enemy assassination attempts, including on high political leaders and their families, Escobar surrendered to the government. But with a caveat: he will serve his term in a prison built by himself - in the prison "" (Spanish La Catedral).

In July 1992, Escobar fled...

“In the 18 months since Escobar's escape, the whole country has been in fear. Waiting and prolonged silence depressed me very much, moreover, I was very worried about my wife Connie and little daughter, who at that time lived in Bogotá (note Their first daughter was an adopted Colombian girl, whose parents were killed at the hands of sicarios). By the way, the fact that the film showed that Connie, fearing for her life, flew to the United States is not true, she would never have done that.

After Escobar's escape, the biggest manhunt in history was immediately announced in Colombia: more than 600 national police officers, together with the DEA and navy SEALs began to wool literally the whole country.

On December 2, 1993, in a shootout while trying to escape, Pablo Escobar was killed by a sniper's bullet. Agent Murphy personally took part in this operation (approx. Agent Peña, who made a significant contribution to the capture of the "cocaine king", by that time had been removed from the case and sent to Washington).

“When Escobar was killed… I have to say it was one of the happiest days of my life. You must have seen that photo where I am sitting over his dead body, holding his sleeve and smiling joyfully. Don’t think that I’m a crazy psycho, although it’s possible I am, it’s just that at that moment a huge amount of euphoria was seething in me from the fact that, thank God, it was all over. ”

Later years

In 1994, Steve Murphy was transferred back to the United States, where he continued to serve in the DEA for almost 20 years. In 2013 he retired. Today, the retired agent runs his own small consulting firm. He is the father of two adopted daughters (namely, there were 2 adopted daughters, not 1, as shown in the series) and lives in his own house with his wife Connie in Washington, DC, USA.

1. More freedom

Marinette, Wisconsin (July 24, 2013) US Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Jonathan Greenert visits the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard to inspect the construction of several Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) currently on board. various stages of readiness. During the site visit, Grinet also observed the shipyard's improved manufacturing capabilities resulting in increased efficiency in the production of future littoral combat ship models. (Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Peter D. Lawlor, U.S. Navy)

2. Conversation with the patrol

1st Lt. Brendan D. Murphy, Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th infantry regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Group, 101st airborne division The US Army talks to children while on patrol in a village in Khost province in Afghanistan on June 2, 2013. (Photo by Sergeant Justin A. Moeller, Justin A. Moeller)

3. Assault river operation

US Army sappers from the 671st Engineer Company (Multipurpose Bridges) prepare to deploy Mark II boats to secure sections of pontoons during a river assault operation at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas on July 24, 2013. (Photo by Private Justin Snyder, US Army)

4. Arrival of coastal patrol ships in Bahrain

coastal patrol ship USS Tempest (PC 2) is heading from the port of Khalifa bin Salman to Mina Salman. The arrival of USS Thunderbolt (PC 12) and USS Squall (PC 7) brought total number up to eight coastal patrol ships designed to support maritime security and cooperation operations in the area of responsibility of the US 5th Fleet. (Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Stephen Murphy, US Navy)

5. Mina goes to the sky

120 mm mine leaves the mortar barrel. The shot was fired by a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Headquarters Regiment at Fort Wayne, Indiana on July 13, 2013. (Photo by John Crosby, Atterbury-Muscatatuck PR Center)

6. Tidy

Pacific (July 22, 2013) Sailors clean the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) as they clean up in preparation for returning to their home port. Ronald Reagan conducts qualification tests. (Photo by Midshipman 3rd Class Jeffrey Martino, US Navy)

7. Tire change

Technicians from the 34th Aviation Technical Unit replace the sun-heated asphalt tire of a B-1B Lancer bomber of the 379th Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia on July 15, 2013. The quality control inspector verifies that the job of replacing the blown tire was carried out in a safe manner. (Photo by Senior Private Benjamin Stratton, USAF)

8. Shooting Sea Sparrow

Pacific Ocean (July 18, 2013) A Sea Sparrow (RIM-7P) missile is fired from a landing craft USS Boxer (LHD 4) during missile practice. Boxer is conducting a Composite Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) off the coast of Southern California. COMPTUEX is an exercise aimed at integrating Amphibious Combat Team ships through a series of real-time training. (Photo by Kenan O'Connor, Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class, US Navy)

9. Firepower reconnaissance groups

Sergeant Michael Dowell of Intelligence marines Alpha Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion aims with his 50-caliber sniper rifle during an exercise on July 10, 2013. Dowell, 29, from Elko, Nevada, serves as his squad's sniper and gunner. (Photo by Lance Corporal Corey Dabney, 1st Marine Division)

10. Launch of Navy Atlas V

Cape Canaveral, Florida (July 19, 2013) An Atlas V launch vehicle launches a Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite into orbit from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. MUOS is the next generation of narrowband tactical satellite communications systems designed to significantly improve the communications capabilities of US forces on the move outside of line-of-sight. (Photo by Patrick H. Corkery, US Navy)

ALL PHOTOS

The British Navy, which once sank Napoleon's ships and made the country "mistress of the seas", now trains crews for the yachts of rich and famous people. The Wall Street Journal writes about it. According to the publication, a few months ago, Royal Navy contractors organized courses for servants, skippers and stewards who accompany billionaire yachts on voyages to exclusive vacation spots. One of the first to use the new service was the owner of the 85-meter Ecstasea yacht, Russian oil tycoon Roman Abramovich.

The heiress of British Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, who won a landmark victory at Cape Trafalgar, is unhappy with this turn. "I don't think anyone could have imagined that in 1805," says Anna Tribe, the admiral's 78-year-old great-great-great granddaughter. If instructors reveal too many secrets to students, Tribe warns, the Royal Navy risks "Abramović and his compatriots suddenly going to war with us."

However, Stephen McKay, a retired navy commodore and author of the said training program, says Britain's security is threatened by a much more immediate threat: lack of money (full text at InoPressa.ru).

British ships continue to deliver cargo for military and peacekeeping missions, guarding the routes of oil and other supplies. However, after cold war ended and the danger of a large-scale maritime conflict decreased, the state ceased to support the fleet. Successive governments cut the Navy's budget more and more, and it had to look for alternative sources of income.

Yachts are too much of an opportunity to pass by, says McKay, head of private defense contractor Flagship Training Ltd. That is why a 63-year-old sailor in a pink tie and a well-cut suit drives his Mercedes past the huge hangars of the Navy to the training base. Thanks to the growing wealth of billionaires like Abramovich, there are more "superyachts" (more than 30 meters long) in the ocean than ships in the Royal Navy.

Demand creates supply

Over the past five years, the number of superyachts built annually has almost doubled. Last year, 253 boats were launched, according to the Yacht Report magazine, which maintains an international scientific list of yachts.

These ships are so large and complex that it takes more sailors to service them than it takes to serve in the British Navy, McKay says. That's why Flagship Training, which helps the fleet make money from its training facilities by training third parties such as Chilean sailors, recently appointed McKay to a new position. Now he is promoting "integrated learning" programs. Instructors work with yachtsmen, teaching them how to put out fires, how to navigate underwater and how to fold napkins properly.

The idea of putting the yachting industry in order came to McKay's mind a year and a half ago, when he was on vacation on the Cote d'Azur. There he first got on board a superyacht.

Rich, decorated with a cherry tree, a spacious yacht of 55 meters in length made an indelible impression on the sailor. "These big yachts are about the size of a frigate," he says.

What the yachts lacked was only a crew able to cope with bad weather and emergencies on the water. After spending several months studying other ships and visiting ports, McKay was left at a loss: most of the people who worked on the yachts were not sailors, but "people from the street."

The former commodore returned to Portsmouth and provided the company and naval command with a business plan. The response from the Navy was "very positive," McKay recalls. Commodore Mark Durkin, Press Secretary naval forces, declined to comment on the sailing school, but said the fleet is "working closely" with Flagship to "generate income that can be invested in our training facilities." Under the terms of the signed contract, Flagship receives 40% of the income from training courses, and the rest goes to the Navy budget. Classes are held at the historic base of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.

Chris Isom, a retired officer formerly in charge of firefighting training in the Navy, was invited to participate in the development of the week-long course. The program includes, in particular, lessons on how to survive on a ship in distress. Not all the knowledge of military sailors is suitable for civilians, Isom explains, assessing the formation of students dressed in helmets. "A superyacht is not going to be chemically attacked," he says.

Secrets of Abramovich's yacht

Recently, a week-long firefighting course began in Portsmouth by Richard Bridge, captain of Abramovich's Ecstasea. Once in a detachment of uniformed sailors, the 44-year-old skipper changed from jeans to yellow fireproof overalls and tried on a rubber mask with an 11-kilogram oxygen tank.

Together with naval cadets, he coped with a training fire: the flame allegedly broke out in the engine room of the ship and spread to the wardroom. A helicopter rushing to help the ship crashed into it and also caught fire. Bridge charged into the flames, making his way through the labyrinth of lights, the training simulator made to look like the corridors, engine room, and wardroom of a warship.

The captain of a luxury yacht has never encountered such situations. The steel walls of the training simulator, covered with soot, hardly look like the decoration of Abramovich's yacht, he noted. Bridge was also struck by the willingness of his fellow students to save the warship at any cost. The captain of the yacht, he said, can leave the ship to save the passengers.

In trying to adapt naval training to the needs of the rich, other questions arise: for example, training on a warship does not always prepare a person for the threats that lie in wait for recreational sailing.

For example, a sailor knows about the dangers of alcohol, but he has no experience in ensuring the safety of noisy sea parties where everything is mixed up at once: capricious rich people, expensive furniture, flammable alcohol and cigarettes. "Unrolling fire hoses on silk carpets is not good. It's also not good to water grand pianos with them," McKay explains.

Having completed his training for the Ecstasea, Bridge, McKay believes, will take command of Abramovich's recent purchase: the as-yet-unlaunched Eclipse yacht. The vessel is over 150 meters long and is set to become one of the largest yachts in the world. McKay hopes that the team will want to receive special training.

Captain Bridge declined to discuss the matter, and Abramovich's spokesman also declined to comment.

For the Eclipse and other mega-yachts, McKay estimates that Russian tycoon Abramovich needs to maintain a private fleet of about 400 sailors. "It's not for the greedy," he admits.

Childhood and early service

At age 11, in 1884, Francis Harvey moved with his family to Southsea. He studied at Portsmouth Grammar School, showing excellent academic results and achievements, especially in knowledge of languages.

After leaving school, Harvey chose a military career and was admitted to the Royal Naval College for officer training at Greenwich. Harvey graduated in 1892 with the rank of officer cadet in the Royal Marines. The next year, he was promoted to lieutenant, and received his first appointment to HMS Wildfire. After only a year campaigning at sea, Harvey returned to shore. In 1896 he was appointed to the courses of gunners at the school HMS Excellent as Instructor First Class in the Naval Artillery. Harvey was assigned to cruiser HMS Phaeton which was commissioned from the reserve at Devonport on June 8, 1897 and sent to serve at the Pacific Marine Station. In 1898 he receives a reprimand from the Admiralty. Returning home in 1898, Harvey received a position as assistant shooting instructor in the Plymouth Division.

From 1898 to 1904 Harvey spent most of his time on duty, attached to the Canal Fleet, aboard a cruiser. HMS Edgar and cruisers HMS Diadem, practicing and training gunners. On January 28, 1900, he was promoted to captain. In 1903 he was placed on board armadillo HMS Royal Sovereign assigned to teach gunnery practice on ships of the Channel Fleet. Channel Fleet).

He later served in armored cruiser HMS Duke of Edinburgh, cruiser HMS St George and on the latest battlecruiser HMS Inflexible. In 1910, Harvey became an instructor-gunner at the Chatham Dockyard. In 1910 he was promoted to the rank of major.

In a report on the gunnery school at Chatham Dockyard, it was written:

Battle cruiser HMS Lion.

This report subsequently allowed Harvey to receive a position as chief gunnery officer on board. battlecruiser HMS Lion, the flagship of the British cruiser fleet David Beatty.

World War I

Battle cruiser HMS Lion in the Battle of Jutland. On the left, the explosion of the cruiser HMS Queen Mary.

The outbreak of war was the first and last in the career of Francis Harvey. He took part in it from the first days and was able to excel already in one of the first fights. August 28, 1914 in Battle of Helgoland Bight Battlecruisers by David Beatty HMS Lion HMS Queen Mary and HMS Princess Royal came to the aid of the British light cruisers fighting with German ships. German light cruisers spotted in the fog SMS Coln and SMS Ariadne on which the guns of Beatty's battlecruisers rained down fire. In a duel against them, the Germans had no chance. Deutsch rear admiral Leberecht Maass(German Leberecht Maass) and about 1000 more sailors died in this battle. Francis Harvey achieved several hits from his guns on the enemy.

Next major battle what happened at Dogger banks David Beatty's battlecruisers met with the Admiral's German battlecruiser squadron Franz von Hipper. In this battle, the British managed to drown the German heavy cruiser SMS Blucher and damage other ships, but many British ships also received heavy damage, some of the heaviest received HMS Lion.

AT Battle of Jutland May 31, 1916 battlecruiser HMS Lion was the flagship of Beatty's squad. During the ensuing firefight between the British and German battlecruisers HMS Lion came under precise fire from a German battlecruiser SMS Lutzow. At 16:00 one German shell pierced the armor in the upper right corner of the artillery turret Q to the cruiser HMS Lion, this almost led to the death of the ship.

Armor plates of the turret after being hit.

gun turret Q. Damage received in the Battle of Jutland.

According to the combat schedule, Francis Harvey was in the artillery tower Q main caliber. When a German shell hit the turret, killing and injuring almost everyone in the gun crew, Harvey was badly wounded and had multiple burns to his body. Seeing that the fire started by a projectile threatens to spread to the cellar, where there are tons of cordite cartouches, and this in turn will lead to a detonating explosion and the death of the ship, Francis Harvey orders to lift the doors and flood the cellar. His order was executed on time and this saved the cruiser from destruction. He sends a wounded gunnery sergeant to report to the commander of the ship, Earnley Chatfield (eng. Ernle Chatfield), and he himself dies from his wounds.

Timely given order saved the battlecruiser HMS Lion, and here are three other British battlecruisers HMS Queen Mary, HMS Indefatigable and HMS Invincible died in the Battle of Jutland precisely from the detonation of cordite.

Harvey's charred corpse was recovered from the wreckage of the tower after the battle and buried at sea with military honors, along with the bodies of the other 98 dead sailors from the battlecruiser. HMS Lion. His bravery in the face of imminent death did not go unnoticed. He was mentioned in the admiral's post-battle report. Sir John Jellicoe He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

A family

Harvey came from a family of hereditary military men, his great-great-great-grandfather John Harvey (Eng. John Harvey; 1740–1794) was killed during a naval battle on June 1, 1794, between the English fleet and the fleet of the 1st French Republic.

His great-grandfather Sir Edward Harvey Edward Harvey; 1783-1865) rose to the rank of admiral.

Grandfather John Harvey John Harvey Captain of the 9th East Norfolk Regiment 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot ) was also an outstanding military figure, a participant in several wars.

His father is an officer in the British Navy, Commander John William Francis Harvey (b. John William Francis Harvey), mother of Elizabeth Edwards Lavington Harvey (b. Elizabeth Edwards Lavington Harvey ) née Penny (eng. Penny).

Francis Harvey married Ethel in 1898. Ethel Edye) they had one son in their family who was named John. On September 15, 1916, the widow Ethel Harvey was awarded an audience by King George V at Buckingham Palace, during which she was given the Victoria Cross, which was posthumously awarded to Francis Harvey.

His son Lieutenant Colonel John Malcolm Garvey served in the elite Royal Regiment. In February 1973, he loaned his father's awards, including the Victoria Cross, to the Royal Marines Museum. Royal Marines Museum).