The carbine is in Fort Stewart's Wall of Honor. It's number is 1108783.
It was Audie's "Wounded Carbine" that he fixed himself. The carbine was sent back for repair but recovered by Audie as he remembered the serial number. FYI
Printable View
The carbine is in Fort Stewart's Wall of Honor. It's number is 1108783.
It was Audie's "Wounded Carbine" that he fixed himself. The carbine was sent back for repair but recovered by Audie as he remembered the serial number. FYI
If its WRA, I have 1108193..Andy
If you go to the March Collectors show in Birmingham Alabama You may very well see it Murphy's carbine displayed in a nuclear blast proof case along with General Omar Bradley's carbine that he had during WWII. There are a lot of carbines displayed and presentation carbines displayed as well. Larry Ruth who wrote the 2 collector books usually attends this show. I even got him to autograph one of my books.
I do not know the maker. I would be interesting to find out!Quote:
Originally Posted by Garandrew
Audie Murphy's carbine was a Winchester
the bham march show 2 years ago indeed had these famous rifles. Murphy's was found in Anniston. Bradley's was a folding stock. in addition there was a carbine competition where entrants submitted rifles for authenticity. checked and inspected by several judges.
last march great display from Larry Ruth and plenty of face time with the carbine guru. this march...well there were plenty of carbines for sale!
always a well run show.
Great photos of his original Kabar. :lol:
Ah heck, I got his original helmet laying out in the garage someplace. :madsmile:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...y800x600-1.jpg
I guess Audie joined the Marines in his spare time to get a KaBar
This is Murphy's carbine.
Enjoy....
Just out of curiosity where were these taken?
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by shamrocks
Ole Barnum would be pleased.
cafdfw, That can't be. I have Audie's helmet in my comp. room.:dunno:https://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/deleted.gif
Thanks for the pics rlc hntr,
I just finished stripping a Winchester stock.......
And I think it was the first I'd seen with the CC to the left of the W.R.A./G.H.D.
I thought the fumes were getting me!
Regards
Charlie-painter777
How many times have you heard it, buy the item, not the story.
Audie countersnipered several German snipers with a carbine including the deceased owner of a High Turret he brought home. The HT was pictured with Audie on the cover of Life magazine and he gave it to his sister. Those that say the carbine is inaccurate and lacks stopping power should have told those dead Germans before it was too late.
Hi
Two separate comments:
1. I went to the B'ham gun show a couple of times in the 1990's and loved it. I talked to a book seller who did a lot of safari's, bought the book "The Old Man and the Boy" by Robert Ruark. I also met a guy who bought and USED double rifles on safari. He had a scoped double .338 Win Mag for sale. Didn't buy it damn it.
2. I've read a lot on Omar Bradley, and it never mentions his weapons. Patton used his either to show off (if you don't like him) or to inspire the troops (if you DO like him). Is there more info on Omar's guns?
Thanks
There are a lot of folks pushing up dasies all over the world who have been killed by soldiers using M1 Carbines. I know two men who used the M1 carbine in combat and found its power and accuracy to leave something to be desired. I met another who swore by it. Both men who found the carbine disappointing were using it outside its intended role and after their unfortunate experiences chose another weapon.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike radford
I read Murphy's book but it has been many years ago. I only recall one incident of him killing a sniper, that was a German who got off the first shot and wounded Murphy in the hip. I could obviously be mistaken about that being the only incident though. Surviving with a wound after having been targeted by a designated sniper is very, very rare. I believe that sniper's rifle was the one that was in the Life magazine story.
Anyone who does what Audie Murphy did in his military career has to be very brave, very skilled, have a very cool head, and last but far from least very lucky.
I think he was a true American hero. He was modest and a very nice person. He grew up in a rural city just a little distance from me. Imagine the cool headed, and wonderful personality he had after all he went through to become an actor of fame just after the war.
The little city of Farmersville, TX still has an Audie Murphy day every year and has our local CAF unit fly a 'Missing Man' flight over their little town square.
[QUOTE=cafdfw;37404]I think he was a true American hero. He was modest and a very nice person.
I absolutely agree. I have never heard of anyone who had an unkind word to say about the man. He never had an easy life but he truly lived it with a grace and dignity that's rare at anytime.
As it says in Ecclisasticus, he was "honored in his generation and was a glory in his day."
Well said Art.
There are a few people who are still alive in his town who remember him. He really was a dirt poor skinny little guy from a small farm and they say he was as kind as he could be.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0COLORb2-1.jpg Look about half way down the page.
The other can't be Audie Murphy's carbine because the 3rd ID site, Audie Murphy, says this is his. :confused: Ain't this strange:dunno:
'Yuk' Bill. :yikes:
The site you posted is actually fairly decent as far as a compilation of stories and photographs, but some enthusiest put it together by researching the internet and copying stuff. (At least they copied a carbine photo and not a Garand! :D)
Ha, maybe I can sell my authentic 'Audie Murphy Helmet' to the enthusiast who put the site together! (Keep away from my customer iboos, I need the cash! ;-)
Isn't that sad?
Audie Murphy's portrait hangs in the Senate chamber of the Capitol Building in Austin. I believe the only one of his generation so honored. Well maybe that bun of a sitch LBJ is hanging there too but I refuse to consider them equals.
I believe the story was, that Murphy was being interviewed about his Army service and he said you remember certain things, like your rifle's serial number was xxxxxxxxx and he reeled off the actual number, which the writer duly reported in the interview, and some orificer in the Army Material Command read the article and had both the snap to take note of the number and the pull to get the carbine tracked down at Anniston. When one considers that had not those two guys been paying attention to detail, that carbine might have ended up at Xuan Loc or some snit-hole in Central America and therefore lost forever, that therefore we owe the reporter and that orificer a huge debt of gratitude. Good night, Good Sirs, whoever and wherever you are.
Then which Audie Murphy carbine is in his museum in San Antonio?Quote:
Originally Posted by A. F Medic
Not trying to wreck this thread but isn't it possible that Audie Murphy used MORE THAN ONE CARBINE in his term of service?
And since he seemed to recall numbers well, he probably gave different numbers at some point.
I used M-14s and Garands and 30 cal MGs and M-60's in my term. I regret that I never cared about the numbers at the time. I know of one Garand number I used since I happen to have an equipment sheet with the serial number.
But let's give old Murph a break.
Heck, Murphy probably had more than one M1 rifle as well. When I was in the Army I had 3 M14's and a match M1911 and a .22 Ruger and I was in the Ord Corps. I was also issued an M1 Carbine once for an exercise. I can't remember the serial numbers of any of them now.
The event to which you are referring was not that Rifle event with the sniper that wounded him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Art
Both events were at about the same time, but different.
The event from which Murphy took the sniper's rifle happened at Cleurie Quarry, France. Audie killed the sniper and took the rifle. He actually managed to drill him between the eyes. The rifle was placed on the back of the unit chow truck and stayed there about 2 months as just several days later Audie was wounded. When he returned to the unit after recuperating he reclaimed the rifle and brought it home. It was assumed he gave it to his sister as there is a photo in "Life in July of '45 showing it to her. He actually gave it to his 12 year old nephew who still has it to this day.
To clarify the wound, he was wounded by sniper fire indirectly if we can say. He was leading his Platoon, and as always in the front with his Radio Man. The Radio man was hit and KIA instantly with a head wound. Second round was fired at Murphy, missed, richocheted off a tree and struck him in the hip. In those precious 2-3 seconds Murphy managed to return fire as he was falling. Witnesses say while holding his carbine with one hand as was reeling backward, fired and struck the Kraut in the head.
Not bad!
The story that you relate is the correct version of how the rifle was recovered.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andouille
[QUOTE=Andouille;38269]Audie Murphy's portrait hangs in the Senate chamber of the Capitol Building in Austin. I believe the only one of his generation so honored. Well maybe that bun of a sitch LBJ is hanging there too but I refuse to consider them equals.
Here is the painting of Audie from the Texas State House. I think it is OK but not the best.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ateHouse-1.jpg
I have been a Murphy collector over 20 years and have a large collectionof Murphy memorabilia.
Here is a painting of Audie that I had commissioned last year. It is 24 x 36, oil on canvas.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...version2-1.jpg
Here is the image of the Black and White photo of Audie that the artist used to paint it from.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...eBWtoOil-1.jpg
She used images from Google images to take the B&W to color.
I think in my opinion, and naturally, I am biased, but it is the best Murphy painting I have ever seen. I think it is "picture perfect."
Comments? Would love to hear them!
Dave
"I believe in all the men who stood up against the enemy, taking their beatings without whimper and their triumphs without boasting. The men who went and would go again to hell and back to preserve what our country thinks right and decent." Audie Murphy, 1949
Good point. My Dad carried and Inland on IWO, but also had a Saginaw for a time, too (unfortunately, I don't know more details, and he has passed on).Quote:
Originally Posted by 0311Shooter
I was issued an M16 in basic in 1974, a different one as an MP at Oakland Army base, another one as an MP at Fort Ord, and a GAU-8 (Air Force version of Colt Commando) when with the 142nd SPF in 79-81.
For years, I did remember the serial number of my 1911A1 at Fort Ord.
Were you required to memorize your serial # or is that something you did 'cause you wanted to?
At our arms room, you had to give them your weapons card and then recite the serial number before the armorer handed it over. I rarely checked out an M16 (only once that I can think of when SLA was supposed to hit a payroll run to Hunter Ligget on payday), so that was not an issue. When I was an MPI Investigator the last year and a half, I was issued an S&W model 10 2" for 24 hour carry. Didn't turn it in until I ETSed in 1977. I still often checked out the 1911A1 on days I was 24 hour duty Investigator for Fort Ord, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brasidas
I can't find it now, but a short while back I seen a web site story about Audie getting a gun pulled on him and had his car jacked. He managed to catch up with the guy and kicked the much larger guys a$$. The story showed a newspaper picture of Audie, a policeman and the want to be thief.
Tough in real life also.
He owned and loved his race horses.
Found it....
Read page 18.
Page 12 is entertaining also.
http://www.audiemurphy.com/newslette...amrf_news2.pdf
I also heard he insisted on doing many of his own stunts in his movies, within reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by painter777
OK, let me shed light on this 2 rifles story or even 3.
The one is San Antonio is simply a weapon displayed to signify the type of weapon Murphy carried.
The two rifles of Murphy's shown in the previous post are the same weapon.
May not look the same but they are.
This is the Rifle in question that was in Birmingham:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1Carbine-1.jpg
It is serial number 1108783 and is on Display at Ft. Stewart.
The Rifle below is the identical Rifle:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...313_9176-1.jpg
I cannot divulge much more than I am telling you now but here is the story.
After the weapon was recovered, the Army allowed Murphy to keep it for some time and it was still in his possession when he died. It had been left at the home of his best friend and collaborator on the book, "To Hell and Back" Spec McClure.
Spec photographed the Rifle in 1975 at his home. I have another pic that I cannot share showing the identical background blanket with Audie's medals on it laying beside a 1975 copy of the L.A. Times. It was Spec's way of showing he was still in possession of the Rifle and Medals at that time.
When it was finally turned over to the Army for the Museum I do not know, and can't help beyond that as Spec died in 1986. Also, can't say what happened to the Medals mentioned.
Sort of a duplicate post but this photo may be a better quality for anyone interested.Quote:
Originally Posted by painter777
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...dBadGuy1-1.jpg
Here is the accompaning story:
11 December, 1946
"War Hero Handy With His Fist, Hijacker Discovers"
"130-Pound Hero Fells 190-Pound Holdup Suspect"
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
DALLAS (Tex.) Dec. 11. (AP) — Little
Audie Murphy, who is World War II’s most
decorated soldier, won another battle
singlehanded this afternoon when he subdued
a 6-foot 2-inch, 190-pounder who apparently
attempted to steal his automobile.
The freckled kid from Farmersville, Tex., told
the Dallas Morning News he knocked out the
25-year-old man in a rural filling station near
here after a furious 10-minute battle.
Murphy weighs 130 pounds and stands 5
feet 7 inches tall.
State Highway Patrolmen Everett Brandon
and F. H. Jensen, who talked with the News by
telephone, said they arrested the man and
lodged him in the McKinney Jail. No complaint
was filed immediately.
Tells of Holdup
The 20-year-old Texas hero, who won the
Congressional Medal of Honor and every
other U.S. combat medal in World War II, related
he was driving alone when he saw a large
man limping along the highway.
“It was raining like the devil and I thought
I would do the fellow a favor,” Audie related.
“I picked him up and we drove about a mile.
“Suddenly this guy jammed something into
my ribs, slapped me across the mouth and said:
“‘I’m the boss now. If you won’t talk, this
.45 will. I can use this car.’
“I admitted that he was pretty much the
boss at that point and we drove about four
more miles. He told me to pull into a roadside
gasoline station and stop. I did and he took
the keys and instructed me to slide along the
seat and get out on his side of the car.”
Decides on Fight
Audie said the man’s left hand, hidden under
an old army blouse, was still jammed into
his ribs when he decided to make a fight for it.
He grabbed the man’s hand, discovered he
had no gun after all, struck him a blow that
tumbled him from the car and on to the filling
station drive.
Murphy jumped squarely on the erstwhile
tough guy and started swinging.
“We fought all over the place for about 10
minutes,” Audie said. “He was a pretty big
fellow, all right. I finally got him, though.”
J. M. Peters, owner of the gasoline station,
ran into the drive and ordered both men off
the premises before he knew the background,
Patrolman Brandon added.
Calls in Police
Audie rushed to another gasoline station a
mile north to telephone the State police and
upon his return found that his attacker had
recovered and gone to the home of Mrs. Park
Grissom, a few hundred yards distant.
The man was scuffling with Mrs. Grissom
and demanding fresh clothing to replace his
bloody and torn garments when Murphy
overpowered him again.
Courtesy of the Dallas Morning News
and Associated Press
Gotta love him!
The guy always put others above self!
Thanks for posting that.......
This whole thread shows that...
All that serve deserve our greatest respect. Including those working hard on the home front for the overall effort.
No matter what war or 'conflict', The love of country and family makes us what we are.
To quote Glen Beck again........
" A countrys' top priority should be for the welfare of those asked to fight it's battles "
Bless the troops, one and all.
Charlie-painter777
Here's a photo of Audie at Werfen castle, Werfen Austria an hour or so after receiving the Medal of Honor and Legion of Merit.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...enCastle-1.jpg
Dave
The picture I posted of Audie Murphy's M1 Carbine was the rifle brought to the National M1 Carbine Display in B'ham Alabama by Dr. Durham of the U.S. Army Historical Center in Carlyle (sp?) Pa. He had to drive to Ft. Stewart in Savannah Ga. to bring it with Gen. Omar Bradley's Paratrooper to display. I have no reason to doubt it was Audie Murphy's rifle. It took me a year of negotiating and close to $1800.00 (expenses) to get Dr. Durham to bring it for display. I don't think it was a misrepresetation, but you guys are experts and know everything. I have learned a valuble lesson on sharing information and pictures of my events. "DON'T"
In the spirit of collecting
PBI
He said that he was obviously a heavy drinker and looked it. He had his medals in a light box in his home. My friend said it was very impressive. He also had Don Drysdale's father (who was a phone man) on his crew and used to see Don from time to time. These guys like Murphy and David Hackworth were just people who's number wasn't up. It's all luck; if the other guy is aiming at you and he's a good shot, that's it. Physical fitness can add about 10% to the equation, but in the end it's fortune (fortune favors the prepared). Hack was shot 8 times, twice in the head and he died in a bed in Mexico. Murphy drank himself to death. A local M.O.H. winner died at a very early age too. Killing 40 Vietnamese with a rifle and grenades can leave a lot of stuff to think about.
PBI,
What have I missed?
I didn't see that there was anying questioning about Murphys carbine at the Bhama show.
page 4 Audiesdad said the rifle in question. I am not saying he questioned it but somebody did for him to give that response. I find it funny sometimes to watch the witch hunts that go on. I am waiting for all the witches threads saying my Rock-Ola parts on ebay are fake. Oh well some people are to hard to convince.
If they think these parts are fakes........
They need a new hobby....... like matchbox cars.
eBay Seller: m1cc: Collectibles items on eBay.com
Cheer Up Big Guy.....
Your Buddy,
Charlie
I selling my M1 Carbine collection and getting into an upscale knowlegible hobby like collecting Armitron Watches.
PBI, why don't just get into the safe hobby of collecting rocks???? Or is someone gonna think you are making them out of little balls of concrete??? :banghead:Quote:
Originally Posted by PBI
Oh, and if you are going to sell your carbine collection, can I have 1st dibs on all your "fake" stuff?
:cheers:
Wow, dude. :thdown:Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveHH
From the website Biographical Sketch
Maybe you ought to read up on your history. You can start with this article.Quote:
While on a business trip on May 28, 1971, (Memorial Day Weekend) he was killed at the age of 46. A private plane flying in fog and rain crashed in the side of a mountain near Roanoke, Virginia. Five others including the pilot were also killed. Although Audie owned and flew his own plane earlier in his career at Hollywood, he was among the passengers that tragic day.
Just to set the record straight, the rifles are one in the same photos taken at different times.Quote:
Originally Posted by PBI
and yes I did get involved in the thread over people questioning the rifles.
I have collected Murphy memorabila for over 20 years and devoted much of my life to researching him.
I consider myself an authority on Audie Murphy.
Thanks for sharing your pics.
I am always looking for new pics. The way the weapon was displayed at the show was fantastic.
Thanks again!
When the carbine was found it had most likely been through the arsenal upgrades. Fortunately, "Lucky" was put back into it's WWII configuration. I think "Murph" would be pleased.
I believe his size lent well to his agility and success. He was small, fast, and could not be killed by the enemy. The carbine was the perfect light weapon and supported his tactics. Growing up in East Texas hunting for his food, he learned stealth and became an excellent shot having to conserve ammunition.
It amazes me that he went through so many perils and close calls only to be killed in a plane crash state side. I had heard he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, and we can only imagine what he saw and experienced by killing so many of the enemy and watching his close friends die. My bet, it was the latter that inspired him to do his heroic deeds.
Would have loved to have met him, shaked his hand, and just say thank you.
Now again I agree with user BHP I'm not sure where your buddy got his info but I can tell you Murphy neither smoked nor drank. The most Murph was known to drink was an occasional glass of wine.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveHH
I have known people (many) through my research that served with him during the war, knew him as a kid, and worked with him in Hollywood.
He was not a drinker or smoker. There is no documentaion or evidence to support that vicious rumor.
I think of his 43 films there are only in which he purportes to having a drink. In virtually every role he orders from the bar milk or coffee. He later stated that it was not proper for kids who idolized him to see him ordering a drink.
He was however a heavy gambler and lost fortunes at the tracks and the craps tables.
Here is a short quote from someone who knew Murphy well and worked with him in Hollywood, Denver Pyle ("Dukes of Hazzard").
This is a quote from Pyle, not about any issues raised here but just in general.
"Audie...you could look him in the eye and know that he would think nothing about killing you. It’s the look that people get or have. It’s nothin' threatening, but you just know that he’d kill you and think nothing of it. And he was the first person that I was ever around that had that look. And he used it — you can see it in his work. He didn’t need any acting lessons. Not for that. He was deadly. Deadly."
Here is another reference Audie and his drinking as well as showing he was a Man who could take care of himself. This story was told by Jack Elam of Western movies fame.
"He had a shorter fuse than anybody I’ve known. And he didn’t like bullies. I saw him jerk a guy off a horse one time, you know. When the guy got smart with a lady — he didn’t like that at all. He wasn’t afraid of anybody.
One time we were up in Idyllwild on some show. It’d have to be "RIDE CLEAR OF DIABLO", I guess. Audie was the star of the picture so he had his own car, and he said, “Jack, ride in to town with me tonight.” Cause I had to ride in a station wagon with three other guys. So he said, “Come on with me, Jack.” Anyway, we came down off the hill from Idyllwild and we hit Hemet, a little town at the foot of the hills. Because it was a western, I had a week’s growth of beard and the long hair, which today would be short. Anyway, we stopped at a bar for a drink. Audie didn’t drink. But I said “Gimme a straight shot of Cutty Sark.” and Audie ordered a straight shot of Cutty Sark and a Coke chaser.
We were sitting at the bar and that way he could just slip me his drink. It would look like he was drinking so he didn’t have to explain to the bartender, “I only want a Coke.” Anyway, some guy came down from a table at the end and walked behind me. And I had this hair, you know. And the guy got a hold of the back of my hair and squeezed it and said, “You need a haircut, buddy.”
And he touched the back of my head. And Audie spun around and hit him and never said a friggin’ word. Just hit him. And he went flat.
And the guy was with two other guys at a table down at the other end of the room. And the guys got up and they looked at Audie — and you know Audie was short — and these guys were big guys. He just looked at `em. Not a word. They picked their friend up — he was kind of coming together —and they left the bar.
We figured we might be meeting them after we finished my drinks, on the way to the car. But there was no sign of `em. They were
gone. I mean, they knew they don’t mess with Audie at that point. They could tell.
He had that attitude about him of “Don’t tread on me.” You had to know Audie. The guy I knew early on is the same guy that I knew at the very end of our relationship after we’d done pictures together. There was no change in him.
Not even the slightest, from before he’d ever done pictures, before he became a star. Not even the tiniest change in his personality. Because he was what he was. He was Audie Murphy. It had nothing to do with whether he was a movie star or a horse player. There was only one Audie Murphy and there will never be another."
As to your statement about luck. In Murphy's case it wasn't about luck at all. Murphy was mythological, and had the gifts from God that kept him alive in the war.
That may sound corny but over and over there are statements about Audie from people who knew or served with him, such as this one from Kirk Douglas, "He had the god damnest eyes of any man I have ever known. He could see things no one else could see." Murphy's vision was uncanny and often his vision as well as his keen sense of surroundings were keys to him staying alive.
He is another from his old Battalion Commander during the war. It is an excerpt from his Eulogy.
"Audie's acts of bravery are legendary. Never foolhardy. He cooly and calmly calculated planned each move. He had a sixth sense of impending danger and what had to be done to succeed. He had the ability to make a decision automatically and almost instantaniously, and to devise means of overcoming any obstacle."
Don (last name intentionally withheld) who served with Audie and is the last known living eye-witness to the Medal of Honor event offered this insight and assessment about Murphy in a letter to me,
"He was always keenly aware of the situation around him. He led us with knowledge, courage, wisdom, and by example. He hated the Germans when in action against them, but would do anything to protect them once they were prisoners. When challenged he would ask no quarter and give none in return. He was a skilled marksman and his exploits are that of legend, but true. He was often the target of snipers because he led from the front, but he always seemed to sense where they were and his reflexes were so good he could hit them while firing off the hip. He was a natural hunter and stealthy and could walk long distances tirelessly. When you heard his voice it was the voice of authority. His eyes were constantly searching and they never missed anything. His whole being radiated confidence."
"Lt. Murphy had terrific vision and could spot a small change in the area around him. It could be shrubs or trees that just weren't quite normal, that might conceal a sniper or a MG nest. He was quick to identify movement that might be out of place".
"I recall one event when he noticed a single German standing behind a large tree about 50 yards ahead of us. There was only a small swatch of cloth protruding from the Kraut overcoat but Murphy caught sight of it. Murphy, without warning to us, fired a single shot from the hip with his carbine at face level that struck the very edge of the tree. The German instictively fliched backward just a bit, and in the milli second, Lt. Murphy fired a second round off the hip, taking him down"."He was an imaginative, creative soldier and a terrific shot. His reflexes and eyesight were uncanny. He was more accurate with a carbine from the hip than most GI's were firing from the shoulder. He could also fire a Tommy Gun or a MG from the hip and was deadly with either. If a German exposed any part of himself to Murphy, he would spot them and it was game over. He was blessed with extreme skills and could move through the terrain at night like an Indian. He was just as skilled with a knife or bayonet as he was with a rifle. Legends were made of his patrols and ventures and they are true. The night before he earned the Medal of Honor he led several of us on a Patrol from our positions in the woods up to the village at Holtzwihr to observe German troop movement and equipment. Murphy felt fear, but he let his courage and his natural instincts take over. The day he earned the Medal of Honor he was in fear. He feared for the safety of his men and ordered us when the German got so close into the woods and he stayed on that Tank. When the Germans retreated he climbed down and calmly walked back to us. He was exhausted".
"The character of Lt. Murphy is hard to explain. He lost many friends and he was reluctant to make new ones. Most of us who served with him loved and respected us but he didn't befriend us because of the pain of losing us."
"What do I remember most about Lt. Murphy? He treated us with respect, he was in control and never asked us to do anything that he could not or would not do himself. He was a leader and never a follower. He liked being on the offensive. Most of the time he would simply say "Follow me."
He was always aware of the needs of his men, dry socks, hot chow, and better footgear was high on his list of priorities. He was a great person and a great soldier. My only claim to fame is to had the priveledge to serve under Audie Murphy".
As to the case of Medals, yes Murphy's wife Pam had placed about 12 of them into a shadow box. This was the fourth or fifth set that he had reissued by the government as he was constantly misplacing or losing them.
His original set he had given away to local kids immediatley after the war (the minor campaign and service ones) and according to his Nephew shortly after he came home he was driving with the nephew on some country road, took them from the seat of the car (they were in a shoe box) and tossed them out the window into the dirt.
In his last interview in his home with Thomas Morgan of "Esquire" in 1967, the reporter noticed the Medals in the shadow box. This is a direct quote about the Medals from Morgan, " On a table in the corner was a small unkempt glass case containing about a dozen of Murphy's medals. I noticed that the Medal of Honor looked awry and tacky. Murphy's first Purple Heart had slipped down to the bottom of the case and turned over on its face."
Murphy was a very humble man and hated the term "Most Decorated Soldier."
Final point 614 men were assigned to B Company from the time they sailed from the U.S. in 1943 until they returned in 1945. That is counting all killed, wounded so badly they were evacuated and could not rejoin the Company, POW's, MIA's etc..
Of the 614 Murphy and the Supply Sergeant were the only 2 who sailed to Europe with the Company and returned in one-piece at the end of the war.
What a burden to bear!
Dave
I am very close friends with this guy and he was in Audie's house for several hours. That's what he told me. I don't know how close you were to him, and there are a lot of people who are drinkers and hide it. I also found out that he was killed in a plane crash, so who really knows. I am a great admirer of Lt Murphy.
Not to burst any bubbles but Winchester made an M1 Rifle AND an M1 Carbine that bore serial number 1,108,783: the rifle in MAY '42 and the carbine about a year later. I believe the "serial number" quote occurred several years after the war, and that of all people, Murphy would know the difference between a rifle and carbine. Further bad news to some: I saw and held the "wounded" carbine back in the early 60's while attending a meeting of Outpost 7 (Wash. DC) of The Society of the Third Infantry Division and it was a Sagainaw NOT a Winchester and was told by Murphy's BN Commander (among others) that it was the real thing. It sure looked like it had been to hell and back; broken stock w/wire wrapped pistol grip, worn finish, end of operating rod handle and front sight ears deeply gouged.