An American Legend
Audie Murphy
Born 20 June 1924. Died 28 May 1971.
Interred in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
Texas born and of Irish ancestry,
he is remembered as one of the best fighting combat soldiers America ever had to offer!
With 33 awards, the Medal of Honor and the highest military award for bravery beyond any call of duty, Audie Murphy, was the most decorated United States combat soldier of World War II.
He received every decoration for valor that the United States had to offer,
including 5 decorations by Belgium and France.
Serving three years of active service as a combat soldier in World War II, Audie was a legend with the 3rd Infantry Division!
His military service began as Army Private, and he rose quickly to enlisted rank of Staff Sergeant.
Given a "battle field" commission as 2nd Lieutenant, he fought valiantly in 9 major campaigns throughout the European Theater during WWII and was wounded three times!
Alas, September 21, 1945, Audie was released from active duty in the Army.
As history would have it...
moving onward to Hollywood, the appealing, darling, boyish faced Audie
began acting with his first starring role in a 1949 released film called
Bad Boy.
All total, in the 25 years making films,
he starred in 44 feature films.
His 1949 autobiography, To Hell and Back was a best seller. And, the biography was released as a film in 1955 with Murphy starring as himself. The movie, To Hell and Back, held the record as Universal Films' highest grossing picture until the mid 1970s.
Audie Murphy was a writer of poetry and song. His songs were recorded and released by such great performers as Dean Martin, Eddy Arnold, Charley Pride and many, many others. Two of his biggest hits were Shutters and Boards and When the Wind Blows in Chicago.
Somewhere, history resonates with this declaration,
"There will never be another Audie Murphy."
.
May 28, 1971, (Memorial Day Weekend), found Audie on a business trip as a passenger in a private plane. Flying through fog and rain, the plane crashed into the side of a mountain near Roanoke, Virginia.
Audie Murphy was killed at the age of 46.
How About That?
Well,
this about that from Bungalow Gal Jolene?
"To Hell and Back
and to Heaven and Beyond"
Thank you, Audie!
