tonydawe
A Fixture
Ken,
I thought it might be appropriate to post a copy of Audie Murphy's citation for the Congressional Medal of Honour here on your post. It will give everyone a sense of what an extraordinarily courageous and lucky soldier Murphy was.
"2d Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, 1 of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from 3 sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective."
Murphy was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour, and every other award for bravery available to a US serviceman, in a military career that only lasted 4 years.
In addition to the Congressional Medalof Honour,Murphy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star (with First Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (with "V" device and first oak leaf cluster), Purple Heart (with second oakleaf cluster), US Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Emblem (with first oak leaf cluster), Amercian Campaign Medal, European-African Midlle East Campaign Medal (With One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France), WW11 Victory Medal, Army of Occupation (with German clasp), Armed Forces Reserves Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksman Badge with rifle bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere, French Legion of Honour and the French Croix de guerre with silver star.
To see pics of his medals click on the attached link http://www.audiemurphy.com/award24.htm
For many years after WW2 Murphy used his fame and celebrity, as a war hero and Hollywood actor,to highlight the issues of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and was instrumental in getting the US Congress to investgate the long-term phsycological effects of combat on veterans. Murphy himself suffered from PTSD and became addicted to prescription medicines to combat his insomnia and other related illnesses.
Sadly he died in a plane crash in the 1970's.
I hope this information is of interest.
I thought it might be appropriate to post a copy of Audie Murphy's citation for the Congressional Medal of Honour here on your post. It will give everyone a sense of what an extraordinarily courageous and lucky soldier Murphy was.
"2d Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, 1 of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from 3 sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective."
Murphy was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour, and every other award for bravery available to a US serviceman, in a military career that only lasted 4 years.
In addition to the Congressional Medalof Honour,Murphy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star (with First Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (with "V" device and first oak leaf cluster), Purple Heart (with second oakleaf cluster), US Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Emblem (with first oak leaf cluster), Amercian Campaign Medal, European-African Midlle East Campaign Medal (With One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France), WW11 Victory Medal, Army of Occupation (with German clasp), Armed Forces Reserves Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksman Badge with rifle bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere, French Legion of Honour and the French Croix de guerre with silver star.
To see pics of his medals click on the attached link http://www.audiemurphy.com/award24.htm
For many years after WW2 Murphy used his fame and celebrity, as a war hero and Hollywood actor,to highlight the issues of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and was instrumental in getting the US Congress to investgate the long-term phsycological effects of combat on veterans. Murphy himself suffered from PTSD and became addicted to prescription medicines to combat his insomnia and other related illnesses.
Sadly he died in a plane crash in the 1970's.
I hope this information is of interest.
will look again.
