Medal of Honor Monday: Army Maj. Audie Murphy
By Army Cpl. Matthew J. Wartenburg
2025-01-27 12:35
ARLINGTON, Va. – Audie Leon Murphy was born in Farmersville, Texas, on June 20, 1925. He was the seventh of twelve children born to sharecroppers Emmett Berry Murphy and Josie Bell Murphy.
Murphy dropped out of school in the fifth grade to help support his family during the Great Depression. He worked a variety of odd jobs before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942, at the age of 17.
Murphy was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division and deployed to North Africa in 1943. He fought in the Battle of Anzio and the liberation of Rome, earning a Purple Heart for wounds he received in combat.
In January 1945, Murphy’s unit was attacked by six German tanks near Holtzwihr, France. Murphy, then a sergeant, single-handedly destroyed five of the tanks, earning him the Medal of Honor.
Murphy’s Medal of Honor citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 26 January 1945, near Holtzwihr, France. Company B was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. Sgt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw while he remained behind to cover their withdrawal. He then mounted a burning tank destroyer which had been knocked out earlier and, although painfully wounded in the leg, placed the vehicle in gear and began firing at the enemy. His fire destroyed one tank and set afire another. He then dismounted from the burning vehicle and, moving from tank to tank, directed the fire of his men, all the time exposing himself to enemy machine pistol and artillery fire. When his carbine was destroyed, he picked up a burning bazooka and continued to fire at the enemy. His fearless one-man attack, in which he knocked out a total of five enemy tanks, killed or wounded more than 50 of the enemy infantry, disrupted the coordinated attack of the enemy and made possible the withdrawal of his company.
Murphy was also awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre.
Murphy left the Army in 1947 and went on to become an actor and a successful businessman. He died in a plane crash in 1971.
Murphy’s legacy as a hero and a leader continues to inspire generations of Americans. He is remembered as one of the most decorated soldiers in American history, and his story is a reminder of the courage and sacrifice that our nation’s veterans have made in defense of our freedom.
Medal of Honor Monday: Army Maj. Audie Murphy
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