2D Lt. Audie Murphy

The most decorated soldier in WWII and he had over 250 dead Germans. With a Winchester M1 Carbine.

Enlisted as a private, got a field commission as a 2nd LT and killed a shit ton of Germans. And he was shorter than me lol. I enlisted in the USMC but he has always been my hero.

I was at the 3rd ID Museum (Rock Of The Marne) last month in Ft. Stewart, GA. Lots of pics but Lt. Murphy always stuck out to me. A childhood hero. Awesome to see him recognized .

Semper Fi Lt. Murphey

Indeed!

A great American, among many others.

Been watching a couple of his western movies recently. Enjoyable!

A Real Hero and Thank You.

If you read his book, you'll find he used a lot more than just a carbine to kill his enemies.

quote:

Originally posted by mesabi:
If you read his book, you'll find he used a lot more than just a carbine to kill his enemies.

AIR, he spent some time standing on a burning tank retriever using the pintle mounted MG in stopping that German force. And is that not when he got the wound that prevented him from going to West Point?

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
The most decorated soldier in WWII and he had over 250 dead Germans. With a Winchester M1 Carbine.

And hand grenades. And artillery. And a M2 .50 cal HMG.

General Orders No. 65

WAR DEPARTMENT

Washington 25, D.C., 9 August 1945

MEDAL OF HONOR - Award

I. MEDAL OF HONOR. - By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (WD Bul. 43, 1918), a Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty was awarded by the War Department in the name of Congress to the following-named officer:

Second Lieutenant Audie L. Murphy, 01692509, 15th Infantry, Army of the United States, on 26 January 1945, near Holtzwihr, France, commanded Company B, which was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. Lieutenant Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to a prepared position in a woods while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him to his right one of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. It's crew withdrew to the woods. Lieutenant Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, Lieutenant Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer which was in danger of blowing up any instant and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to the German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. the enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminated Lieutenant Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he personally killed or wounded about 50. Lieutenant Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.

* * * * *

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
OFFICIAL:

EDWARD F. WITSELL
Major General
Acting the Adjutant General

G.C. MARSHALL
Chief of Staff

______________________

The war took its toll on Murphy. He suffered from what we now refer to as post-traumatic stress disorder. Audie Murphy routinely scared the shit out of people around him during his movie career. People genuinely feared him.

quote:

Originally posted by mesabi:
If you read his book, you'll find he used a lot more than just a carbine to kill his enemies.

I have read both books, and have a first edition of the first. "To Hell And Back", and "No Name On The Bullet". The second one was very sad. It was about his post war struggles with what he did, his fame, and how he tried to fit back into society. At a movie theater after the war he broke out crying when the news reels showed German children in bombed out Berlin. He turned to his future wife and said "I killed their fathers".

A hero, and a human being.

... always liked his characters in the westerns.

Until I saw To Hell and Back, I didn't know of his WWII actions.

Had to know more.

Thanks for sharing, a timely reminder of days past and what lies before us.

A true American hero

When I was in the 3rd Infantry Division (Rock of the Marne), once a year we all marched to the theater on Harvey Barracks in Kitzingen West Germany and we all watched "To Hell and Back". We were co-located with the 1st Battalion 15th Infantry. I was in the 1st Battalion 64th Armor.

I can say that my late wife and I stood at his headstone in October 2001 and we both felt humbled.

And did all that at the ripe old age of 19.

The simple mention of that Hero's name always brings a lump in my throat and a deep swell of pride.

quote:

Originally posted by Bisleyblackhawk:
I can say that my late wife and I stood at his headstone in October 2001 and we both felt humbled.

I did the same at Arlington last year. May he RIP. What a hero.