Murphy tried to enlist in the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was rejected for being underage. (He was 15 years
old at the time.) Shortly after Murphy's 16th birthday, his sister, Corrine, adjusted his birth date on his birth certificate to where he would appear to be 18 and legally allowed to enlist in the military. Murphy was accepted into the United States Army.
Murphy was sent to Camp Walters, Texas for basic training the to Fort Meade, Maryland for advanced infantry training after basic.
In early 1943, Murphy was sent to Casablanca, Morocco as a replacement in Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He saw no action in Morocco except in training maneuvers with his Division. Murphy finally saw combat on July 10, 1943 when his Division was sent to liberate Sicily. Murphy was promoted to Corporal soon after killing two Italian officers as they tried to escape. After a while in Sicily, Murphy contracted Malaria, an illness which sent him to the hospital during his Army years.
Murphy distinguished himself many times in combat while in Italy. It earned promotions and decorations of valor.
On August 15, 1944, the 3rd Division entered Southern France. Shortly afterwards, Murphy's best friend, Lattie Tipton, was killed by a German soldier. Murphy went into a rage and single handedly wiped out the German machine gun crew that killed his friend. Afterwards, he used the German machine gun on nearby enemy positions.
Murphy was promoted to Staff Sergeant, he was wounded in the hip and spent 10 days recovering. Upon returning to his unit, he became company commander.
On January 26, 1945, the battle at Holtzwihr began with Murphy's unit's strength of 19 out of 128. He sent his men to the rear while he took pot shots at the Germans until he ran out of ammunition. He proceeded to an abandoned, burning tank (U.S.), using its machine gun on the German infantry. Murphy was wounded in the leg during heavy fire, he kept on firing. Murphy stopped when his telephone line to the artillery fire direction center was cut. Murphy's remaining men came forward and hi directed his men in a counter attack. They drove the enemy away from Holtzwihr.Murphy was removed from the front lines afterwards and made a liaison officer until June when he went back home.
Links to the rest of the segment of Audie L. Murphy.
Audie L. Murphy-Post War Illness
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