2nd Lieutenant Audie Murphy

Audie Leon Murphy was born on 20 June 1924 to a farming family in Kingston, Texas. Murphy would go on to be one of America’s most famous soldiers and movie stars.

Murphy initially tried to enlist after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, but was turned away because he was underage.

Murphy attempted once more on his 18th birthday, but was declined by the Marines, paratroopers, and Navy as too small, being slight man of 5’5½” (166cm) and 110 pounds (50kg). Out of options he joined the infantry.

In early 1943 he was shipped to Morocco as a replacement in 3rd Platoon, Baker Company, I Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. His combat initiation came when he took part in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. When the 3rd Division landed at Salerno, Italy, in September 1943 Murphy was in the thick of the fighting earning promotions and decorations for valor.

Murphy’s division landed in Southern France in mid-August 1944. During the fighting Murphy’s best friend was killed by a German soldier feigning surrender. Murphy, in a fit of vengeful rage, single-handedly wiped out the German machine-gun crew that had just killed his friend. He then went on to destroy several more enemy positions. Murphy received the Distinguished Service Cross for these actions.

In the following seven weeks of fighting, Murphy received two Silver Stars for further heroic actions, and was promoted to staff sergeant. He was later awarded a battlefield commission to 2nd lieutenant, commanding a platoon. He was wounded soon after and spent ten days in hospital. After returning to his unit he became the company commander on 25 January 1945.

The next day, in freezing temperatures and snow, his unit participated in the battle at Holtzwihr on the border between France and Germany. Murphy’s battered command consisted just 19 of the company’s original 128 men. Murphy ordered his men to take up prepared positions deeper in the wood behind them, while he remained forward to direct artillery fire on the attacking enemy.

Murphy jump aboard a nearby burning M10 tank destroyer, manning its .50 cal. machine-gun. With it, he quickly cut down a full squad of German infantry who had crawled down a ditch to within 100 feet (30m) of his position. He received a leg wound, but remained on the tank destroyer firing the .50 cal. machine-gun, alternating between calling in artillery and firing bursts from the machine-gun.

Murphy only stopped fighting when his telephone line to the artillery was cut. His remaining men then moved forward and he organized a counter-attack which ultimately drove the enemy from Holtzwihr. For these actions, Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor, the United States of America’s highest military award. After the war he was asked why he had taken on an entire company of German infantry by himself, he replied, ‘They were killing my friends’.

Murphy spent the rest of the war as liaison officer. In 27 months in action in the European Theatre Murphy was awarded 33 US and six foreign decorations and medals.