BearK Loc: TN

I saw this on Facebook, and wanted to share. This is the kind of man that America has produced. I'm proud to be an American.


On this day in 1971, the most decorated combat hero of World War II is tragically killed. Audie Leon Murphy wasn’t supposed to be a hero! In fact, when he first tried to join the military, the Marines rejected him because of his small size. The paratroopers rejected him, too. Disappointed, he signed up to be a soldier.

The young Texan wasn’t one to be kept down! He soon proved himself to be a skilled marksman and a brave soldier.

Perhaps his most famous demonstration of bravery occurred on January 26, 1945. He was in the small town of Holtzwihr, France, with his unit of only 40 men. They’d been ordered to hold a particular road until reinforcements arrived. Unfortunately, the Nazis chose that moment to attack. Murphy’s men were badly outnumbered—there were up against 250 Nazis and 6 tanks!

Murphy ordered his men to fall back into the woods, even as he picked up his field phone and called for an Allied artillery attack. As Allied fire fell, he was able to take control of a burning tank. Perhaps more importantly, he took control of its machine gun! Germans were all around him, but he fired on the Nazi infantry for an hour until his ammunition ran out. He was talking on his field phone the whole time, helping to direct Allied artillery fire! When his ammunition was finally exhausted, he left the tank. Refusing medical treatment for his injuries, he organized his men into a counterattack. In the end, Murphy and his 40 men rebuffed the 250 Germans.

“I expected to see the whole damn tank destroyer blow up under him any minute,” Private Anthony Abramski later testified. “For an hour, he held off the enemy force single-handed, fighting against impossible odds. . . . The fight that Lieutenant MURPHY put up was the greatest display of guts and courage I have ever seen. There is only one in a million who would be willing to stand up on a burning vehicle, loaded up with explosives, and hold off around 250 raging KRAUTS for an hour and do all that when he was wounded.”

After the war, Murphy came home to a hero’s welcome! He’d earned 28 awards, including the Medal of Honor and some French and Belgian honors. He earned every American medal for valor. He’d done all of this, and he was only 20 years old! He was soon featured on the cover of Life magazine, which brought him to the attention of Hollywood. The soldier-turned-actor would go on to act in dozens of movies, and his memoirs would be made into a film, To Hell and Back. He also became a songwriter.

Despite these successes, everything was not rosy for Murphy in these years. He was candid about the fact that he suffered from “battle fatigue” (today known as post-traumatic stress disorder), and he struggled with insomnia. Nevertheless, he apparently didn’t know how to stay away from military service. He joined the Texas National Guard in 1950, hoping that he would be called to serve in the Korean War. It didn’t happen. He later transferred to the Army Reserve.

Murphy was killed in a private plane crash on May 28, 1971. After his death, he was buried with full military honors in Arlington Cemetery. Finally, just two years ago, his home state of Texas posthumously awarded him its greatest military honor: the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor.

The poor son of sharecroppers was not supposed to be a hero—and yet he was! Determination, perseverance, exceeding expectations . . . . How AMERICAN.
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History posts are copyright © 2013-2015 by Tara Ross.

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

I like that tough little guy.

:thumbup:

Spankem Loc: NJ

Me too, Growing up as a kid in the 50 s, Loved all his movies, He was the hero we kids all loved to emulate , and with our toy guns no less,(imagine that) boys with toy guns playing and emulating a real live American hero, what screwed up and dangerous kids we were, Huh? NOT

Theo Loc: Within 1000 miles of Tampa, Florida

Just goes to show you, even the ARMY recognizes Marines at heart. It demonstrates you don't have to be in the Marines to be a Marine. I respect Marines no matter WHAT uniform they are forced to wear. ~;););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););););)

CowboyMilt

If I'm not mistaken, I believe he is the only person to play & act the part of himself in the movie about his life. He was a pretty good actor too, compared to Alan Ladd for one. Alan Ladd was also a small man, but played a tough guy, the Movie "Shane" comes to mind. Yes, Audie Murphy was made from a mold which was not used again.

MrEd Loc: Georgia

I don't think I can agree with that last statement. There are a lot of hero's in this world. They may not all get the Medal of Honor, but they are hero's none the less. The mold hasn't been broken, it's just that a lot of them are not given the medals like that any more. I don't want to take anything away from Audi Murphy, but I would also like to give credit to the latest hero's of our land and there are a lot of them...................

BearK Loc: TN

Our Military Personnel, all heroes, all American. Those who join to become Americans I include, but not if they are Muslim Brotherhood.
I'm sorry to have to qualify, but I would wager you all agree, they are not for us, or from our mold.

no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun

Great post and a wonderfully enlightening story.

PoppaGringo Loc: Muslim City, Mexifornia, B.R.

Semper Fi. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


And to BearK, thank you for posting this. I have long been a fan of Audie Murphy primarily because of his military exploits. He was a true hero in every sense of the word.

boatbob2

AUDI,was an American Hero,BUT,not the only one,ALL the men/women who died in WW2,Korea,and Vietnam,and Iraq,and Afghanistan,and all the small wars also AMERICAN HEROES...

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Audie Murphy, a hero who was also a great man of principle. His best movies, IMO, were 'To Hell And Back', 'Destry Rides Again' and 'Red Badge of Courage'. He was known to refuse doing liquor or cigarette ads for fear of setting a bad example for youth. His hometown of Kingston, Texas is just north of Greenville, which is a suburb of Dallas and NE of the city. :thumbup:

BearK Loc: TN

:thumbup: :thumbup: As was Sgt. York, of the WWI era :thumbup: :thumbup:

Before our time, but I remember Gary Cooper playing his part. Living here, we've visited York's home.

BearK Loc: TN

Yes, and, sadly, many are not recognized :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: - especially now with this administration :hunf: :thumbdown:

BearK Loc: TN

Since he was a fellow Texan, no doubt, you are extra proud of him. :thumbup: :thumbup:
Though not my original home, I guess I could feel that way about York. :thumbup:

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Driving through Tennessee on my way to visit you, I noticed the Sgt. York historical site signs. Due to my desire and anxiety to meet you, I passed on those. You did not disappoint :!: :wink: