Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy was the most decorated American Army soldier of World War II. The orphaned son of Texas sharecroppers, he enlisted at age 18 and went on to win two dozen military medals for valor, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. After the war Murphy parlayed his war time fame into a career as a movie actor, song writer, and business man. He wrote his war memoirs, To Hell and Back, and played himself in the 1955 movie of the same name. The 20th of June is officially Audie Murphy Day in Texas. Audie Murphy was born in Kingston, Hunt County, Texas. He died at Roanoke, Virginia and he was buried in the Arlington National Cemetery.
Audie Murphy was born to Emmett Berry and Josie Bell Murphy who was of Irish decent in 1926. His parents were poor sharecroppers. Audie grew up on farms between Farmersville and Greenville, as well as near Celeste, Texas. Audie Murphy was the 6th of 12 children. 9 of his siblings only survived till the age of 18! His many brothers and sisters were named the following: Corinne, Charles Emmett a.k.a. Buck, Vernon, June, Oneta, J.W., Richard, Eugene, Nadine, Billie, and Joseph Murphy. Audie Murphy dropped out of school at Celeste when he was in 8th grade to help support his family. He worked for a dollar a day, plowing and picking cotton on any farm that would hire him. Although he worked for a dollar a day, this was not enough to help feed his family, so he got himself a rifle and started hunting small game with it to eat. His father finally left Audie and his family in 1936. Over time, Audie became very skilled with his rifle. Once, he remarked to his hunting buddy after he told Audie that he never missed what he shot at, “Well, if I don’t hit what I shoot at, my family won’t eat today.” His mother died in 1941 on May 23rd. In that same year, in agreement with his older sister, Audie Murphy was forced to place 3 of his youngest siblings in an orphanage to ensure their care. He eventually did reclaim
Audie Murphy was the most decorated American Army soldier of World War II. The orphaned son of Texas sharecroppers, he enlisted at age 18 and went on to win two dozen military medals for valor, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. After the war Murphy parlayed his war time fame into a career as a movie actor, song writer, and business man. He wrote his war memoirs, To Hell and Back, and played himself in the 1955 movie of the same name. The 20th of June is officially Audie Murphy Day in Texas. Audie Murphy was born in Kingston, Hunt County, Texas. He died at Roanoke, Virginia and he was buried in the Arlington National Cemetery.
Audie Murphy was born to Emmett Berry and Josie Bell Murphy who was of Irish decent in 1926. His parents were poor sharecroppers. Audie grew up on farms between Farmersville and Greenville, as well as near Celeste, Texas. Audie Murphy was the 6th of 12 children. 9 of his siblings only survived till the age of 18! His many brothers and sisters were named the following: Corinne, Charles Emmett a.k.a. Buck, Vernon, June, Oneta, J.W., Richard, Eugene, Nadine, Billie, and Joseph Murphy. Audie Murphy dropped out of school at Celeste when he was in 8th grade to help support his family. He worked for a dollar a day, plowing and picking cotton on any farm that would hire him. Although he worked for a dollar a day, this was not enough to help feed his family, so he got himself a rifle and started hunting small game with it to eat. His father finally left Audie and his family in 1936. Over time, Audie became very skilled with his rifle. Once, he remarked to his hunting buddy after he told Audie that he never missed what he shot at, “Well, if I don’t hit what I shoot at, my family won’t eat today.” His mother died in 1941 on May 23rd. In that same year, in agreement with his older sister, Audie Murphy was forced to place 3 of his youngest siblings in an orphanage to ensure their care. He eventually did reclaim