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One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II

Posted By: No Fear

One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 02:58 PM

Talk about staying true to your beliefs!

''In his last few years, he was plagued by money problems but refused offers to appear in alcohol and cigarette commercials because he did not want to set a bad example.''
''He won every possible U.S. Army Award for combat in WWII.''


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy

It's info like that about people like this veteran,that make me want to learn more about such ethical people.One of a kind for sure.
Posted By: No105_Archie

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 03:00 PM

Amen
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 03:44 PM

An inspiring gentleman.

The only thing I have in common with him is that we were both born on the 20th of June but 31 years apart.
Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 04:00 PM


A truly great man. One of my inspirations to go into the Infantry.
Posted By: rwatson

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 04:07 PM

A true American Hero who well deserves our respect
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 04:40 PM

"Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off an entire company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945, then leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition"



How in the hell did he pull that off?? It's just mind blowing.
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
"Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off an entire company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945, then leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition"



How in the hell did he pull that off?? It's just mind blowing.

Where do you think they got the idea for Brad Pit to act out in Fury?

When you see it in Fury it seems so far fetched yet it was something that Audie Murphy did for real, totally incredible.
Posted By: 462cid

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 07:42 PM

"One of the most decorated" US combat soldiers of WWII?

Seems to me he was the most decorated US combat soldier of WWII.
Posted By: VMIalpha454

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/04/18 07:54 PM

You guys probably already know this, but you can see him reenact it all in the film “To Hell and back.” Murphy plays himself. It’s a pretty good flick.
Posted By: wheelsup_cavu

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/05/18 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
"Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off an entire company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945, then leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition"



How in the hell did he pull that off?? It's just mind blowing.

He called in artillery strikes and stood on a burning tank destroyer and used its 50 cal machine gun to hold off the attack.
Quote
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.


Source: https://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=421

In the movie "To Hell and Back" they substituted a Sherman tank for the tank destroyer.


Wheels
Posted By: No Fear

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/05/18 09:38 AM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy#Decorations

''When asked after the war why he had seized the machine gun and taken on an entire company of German infantry, he replied, "They were killing my friends.''

I have to admit;that guy was golden!
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/05/18 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by wheelsup_cavu


How in the hell did he pull that off?? It's just mind blowing.

He called in artillery strikes and stood on a burning tank destroyer and used its 50 cal machine gun to hold off the attack.
Quote
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.




Wheels




This is truly the stuff of legend. Simply amazing.
Posted By: WalterNowi

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/06/18 11:38 PM

salute
I had the honor of visiting his grave in Arlington National Cemetary when I traveled to DC a few years back.
Posted By: cichlidfan

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/07/18 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by WalterNowi
salute
I had the honor of visiting his grave in Arlington National Cemetary when I traveled to DC a few years back.


Cool. I will have to make an effort to find it the next time I am there. I go at least twice a years since my parents are buried there.
Posted By: JimK

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/07/18 02:28 AM

Having watched to "Hell and Back" a few times. Its sur-real that he even acted his own actions all out for film to prove he did what he did. Just one of those
that was meant for it.
Posted By: 462cid

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/07/18 07:50 AM

Murphy had nothing to prove. He was a complex man. His relationship with Bill Mauldin sort of illustrates it.

In the film "The Red Badge of Courage", Murphy was legitimately mad about what his character was required to do, and he didn't really like Mauldin much, to boot. When Murphy was asked what the problem was, Mauldin answered for him since Murphy was reluctant to do it. Murphy was pissed about that too, but he nodded his head in agreement. Murphy was a troubled man and his story is overall a tragic one. But he was a very courageous man and stood up for his fellows in the face of certain death, and had the conviction to do what he saw as right, which is admirable. He certainly didn't allow others to dictate his actions. Nobody should have to got though what he had to in life and I wonder what he could have accomplished if his life hadn't been defined by war and his experiences with suffering.
Posted By: Allaire

Re: One of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II - 04/07/18 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
"Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off an entire company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945, then leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition"



How in the hell did he pull that off?? It's just mind blowing.

It's amazing what can be accomplished in the confusion of combat. Look up Zvika Greengold managed to pull off during the '73 Yom Kippur War.
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