Unbelievable': Bar Behind Viral St. Patrick's Day Guinness for Fallen Navy SEAL Talks to The Blaze

There's an extraordinary Facebook post that's gone viral that shows a pint of Guinness on a bar beside an American flag and a "reserved" sign for a fallen Navy SEAL.

Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2005 after leading a four-man SEAL team on a reconnaissance mission, according to a Navy report. After coming under fire from approximately 50 insurgents, Murphy knowingly exposed himself to enemy fire so he could transmit a signal requesting immediate assistance for his team. Murphy and two of the other SEALs died in the firefight, though the fourth member, Marcus Luttrell, survived. For his actions, Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Here's the photo, posted by Jeff Beaurline to the Facebook group "Seal of Honor" on St. Patrick's Day. Beaurline's description of the photo follows.

As promised... I just walked into a local pub (PUB 25, Newtown, CT) and asked to speak with the Owner/Manager. I asked if I could leave a cold one on the bar for Michael all day . I showed him the "Reserved" sign I made and explained I wanted to leave him sufficient funds to buy a random person a Guinness every hour today, and that when the surprised patron asks him "Who is this from?" he should reply: "It's from LT Michael P. Murphy." and point to the reserved sign. The Owner/Manager was so in tune with this small gesture, he refused my money, introduced me to two men working in the PUB who just returned home from Afghanistan and Iraq with the ASSURANCE that my request on Michael's behalf would be honored. God Bless America!

See Beaurline's original post here.

Phyllis Gavin, a manager at Pub25 American Grille, confirmed to The Blaze the photo and its description are indeed real. They still have the display up, and Gavin said she's fielded phone calls from all over the country inquiring about it. Pub25 continues to give away pints of Guinness in Murphy's honor.

"It's been unbelievable," she said.

Reaction from patrons who have received the pints of Guinness have varied, she said, from recipients being surprised and pleased to offering to pay for the drink themselves.

She said patrons have come into the pub specifically after hearing the story, and that one person even stopped in to give $20. Gavin said all donations collected will be given to the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation.

"It's a simple little thing but means a lot to so many people," she said. "Just a little bit so that we all remember."

As of Friday afternoon, the original Facebook post had been "liked" more than 19,000 times and had spread around the Internet, including on the website BuzzFeed and on Luttrell's Facebook page.