Murphy, Audie

(1924–71)

World War II Hero

One of 12 children born to poor Texas cotton sharecroppers, Audie Murphy was forced to grow up fast. When he was seven, his father abandoned the family. The boy took on a man's responsibilities, helping to harvest cotton crops and hunting for small game to supplement the family diet. Murphy's hunt-ing prepared him to later become a superb “spot shooter.” His mother died of exhaustion in 1940, further burdening the 15-year-old with family duties. Because Murphy spent so much time supporting his family, he attended school for only five years. But he exhibited a thirst for life, learning, and fame not quenched by his desperate circumstances.

Murphy tried to enlist when the United States entered World War II, but the Marines, Navy, and Army Airborne all rejected the 5'5", 115-pound teenager as too small. On his 18th birthday, June 20, 1942 (Murphy lied; it was actually his 17th), the Army accepted Murphy for infantry duty. He excelled in both basic training and infantry school, was pro-moted to corporal, and took assignment in March 1943 to Company B, First Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, late in the North African campaign. Murphy served his entire combat stint with this unit.

The 3rd Infantry Division, thanks to its able first combat commander, Maj. Gen. Lucian Truscott, transformed its vol-unteers and ordinary draftees into an elite force. Thirty-seven of its soldiers earned Medals of Honor during World War II, a record unequaled by any other Army division. The division fought in every Mediterranean and European the-ater of operations campaign from North Africa to Germany. Audie Murphy became the outfit's most famous alumnus.

Even as a new replacement, Murphy impressed Company B peers with his character and tactical skills. He was a born leader whose quiet strength, cool demeanor, and knack for anticipating enemy intentions inspired and reassured his buddies. Seeing little combat in Tunisia, Murphy soon went To Hell and Back, as he titled his frank memoirs during the bloody campaigns of Sicily, Anzio, Rome, southern France, and Germany. Murphy stood out as a scout, patroller, sniper, user of combined arms, and leader of men. He rose from corporal to battle-commis-sioned lieutenant, commanding his own Company B in less than two years.

Murphy performed his most famous feat on January 11, 1945. Counterattacking German troops supported by six tanks began to flank Company B's position in the Colmar Pocket of southeast France. Murphy moved well forward of his company's troops, whom he ordered to take cover, and called in dangerously close support artillery fire. When the German tanks and troops kept advancing, Murphy, already seriously wounded, mounted a burning and abandoned American tank destroyer. He fired the tank destroyer's. 50 caliber heavy machine gun at assaulting German infantry for over an hour; killing 50 and wounding many others. Because Murphy broke their counterattack by destroying [Page 539]their supporting infantry, the German tanks withdrew. Murphy received the Medal of Honor for this action. This decoration capped the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver and Bronze Stars, and other medals he had been awarded. Murphy was credited with personally killing 240 Axis sol-diers. When VE Day arrived, he was only 19 years old.

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