I was introduced to Audie this week, thanks to Dale Smith, of Caldwell. Smith, a Navy man who served in the same late 50's, brought several copies of Internet.
Smith suggested a story in the newspaper about the veteran Texas.
What are local ties to the community of Murphy, I asked. Murphy made his appearance at the Caldwell Night Rodeo and stayed at the Hotel Saratoga.
Caldwell man said that the soldier is a true American hero and share more information.
I told Smith that he would see what he could do, without making promises. An hour later, the gentleman was back, apologizing for disturbing the second time in a day.
He had a videotape of the true story of Murphy, "To Hell and Back," a best-seller of the soldier wrote after he was medically discharged. The book was published in 1949.
"If there is a heaven, and I believe there, this is the man who wants to know when you get there," said Smith, holding his emotions.
Minutes later I began to see the movie. Murphy, who still looked 18 years at the age of 30 years, played himself. It begins with a young perfecting their marksmanship skills. His parents were sharecroppers in Texas.
Fast forward to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Murphy tried to join the Marines and Navy, only to be rejected by his tiny body. Shortly after her 18th birthday, the Army led to Murphy, but his supervising officers doubted his ability, especially because he had been so ill since his enlistment.
The private sector became a second lieutenant in late 1944.
In 1971, the Veterans Administration Hospital in San Antonio was named Audie L. Murphy Veterans' Memorial Hospital. These are excerpts read into the Congressional Record that has his bravery during the war.
... I think it would be more appropriate to be named in memory of the most decorated U.S. veteran of World War II, the late Captain Audie Murphy.
Just as the name of Sgt. Alvin York summarizes the heroes of World War I, Audie Murphy is remembered by most Americans as the hero of World War II. ... They are the symbol of the generations of men who have been willing to put their personal safety aside to preserve the freedom of their fellows. ... During World War II, Audie Murphy, the son of a Texas sharecropper, received 24 citations for the facts of his battlefield, including the Medal of Honor and a battlefield commission as second lieutenant.
In January 1945, the infantry company that Lt. Murphy commanded in eastern France, was besieged by six German tanks. Lt. Murphy ordered his men to retreat to prepare for positions in the woods while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, his right, one of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and burst into flames. Its crew withdrew to the woods.
Lieutenant Murphy continued to direct artillery fire, which killed a large number of advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, Lt. Murphy climbed to the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of exploding at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machinegun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused the attack to a resignation. Enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall.
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