Audie L. Murphy: People You Should Know

Audie Leon Murphy was born in 1924 in a town near Kingston, Texas. Mostly remembered for his roles in over 40 movies especially TO HELL AND BACK, which then came out as a book by Audi - TO HELL AND BACK The Classic Memoir of World War II by America's most decorated soldier. Audie Murphy was one of the nation's greatest heroes of WW II however he became a household name for his movies rather than his bravery. The fact that he was one of the most decorated combat soldiers in United States history, is a part of our history, this forgotten secret needs to be retold to honor this valiant man and to remind younger generation how to care about others and to do the right thing.

Audie was born on June 20th, 1924, son of a poor Texas sharecropper, into a family of twelve children of parents Emmett Berry and Josie Bell (Killian) Murphy near Kingston, Texas. Audi enlisted in the United States Army in Greenville in June 1942, approximately eighteen years of age. He went through basis military training at Camp Wolters, Texas, and continued on to advanced training in Fort Meade, Maryland, where he was assigned to North Africa as a private in Company B, Fifteenth Infantry Regiment, Third Infantry Division.

Audie Murphy continued to rise up through the ranks and rose to international fame with 33 awards and a Medal of Honor, the highest military award for bravery that can be given to any individual in the United States. He received every medal the United States gives for valor, two of them twice. On January 26th, 1945, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for exceptional valor near Holtzwhir, France, where he was personally accredited with killing or wounding about 50 Germans and stopping an attack by army tanks. Even when the war ended, Murphy received several Belgian and French decorations for valor. He fought in eight campaigns in France, Sicily, Italy and Germany, he was wounded three times and discharged from the United States Army at Fort Sam Houston on August 17th, 1945.

After his release Actor James Cagney invited Audie to Hollywood in September, 1945. In 1950 Audie eventually was contracted to Universal-International (Universal) where he starred in 26 films, 23 of them Westerns, and worked as an Actor for the next fifteen years. The movie TO HELL AND BACK, his 1949 autobiography, held the record as Universal's highest grossing picture until 1975 only to be surpassed by the movie JAWS. In the mid-sixties his contract expired and was not renewed and this gave him the opportunity to work with other studios. Overall, Audie Murphy's acting career spanned 25 years and he made a total of 44 feature films during this time. He also pursued other careers which included a lyric writer for country and western songs, an author and a poet.

Audie married actress Wanda Hendrix in 1949, and their marriage ended in divorce two years later. In 1951 he married Pamela Archer, a stewardess for Braniff Airlines and they had two sons. Murphy died in a plane crash on May 28th, 1971, near Christianburg, Virginia. His body was not located for three days after the plane crash and two funeral services were held for him on June 4th, one at Hollywood Hills, California, and the other in the First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas. Audie Murphy was buried with full military honors near the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetary on June 7th.

Despite his fame in Hollywood, Audie never forgot his rural Texas roots. He returned there regularly and owned a little ranch. He was a successful Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse owner and breeder and had farms in California near Tuscan, Perris and Arizona. He was also known to be a great poker player who won and lost millions. His life was hard during the war and he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, nsomnia and depression and when he realized he was addicted to prescription drugs he went to a Motel room and went through withdrawal for a week.

In 1996 the Texas Legislature officially designated his birthday, June 20th, as Audie Murphy day. On June 9th, 1999, Governor George W. Bush, Texas made a proclamation declaring June 20th to officially be Audie Murphy day in the state of Texas. The respect that he received during World War II has been outshone by his successful acting career. His charisma on and off the screen was renouned as was his humble personality. In remembrance of Audie Murphy - may God bless you for our freedom and to all his comerades who served in World War II we thank you for your bravery and salute you as heroes.