Audie Murphy was a hero and already an icon before he became an actor. An underweight kid from Texas, he overcame poverty and tough circumstances. His patriotism and rock hard work ethic, helped transform him into America’s most decorated soldier in WWII. Audie was awarded the Congressional Medal Of Honor and an array of other medals for courage, valor, and gallantry. He acted in his own auto biography “To Hell and Back” in 1955.
Of course, he acted in many other pictures, turning solid acting performances.
Audie knew his weapons also. He gave some of his friends, such as Roy Rogers, pistols or rifles as gifts. As a shooter, Audie was familiar with a variety of weapons and he could expertly handle them on screen. I especially like the M1 Carbine and Thompson SMG pictures of Audie as he undoubtedly used these in the Army.
Audie was just as large a hero for speaking about PTSD and its effects on some of our veterans. Before Audie spoke out, this was an unknown subject to most of the public. There was national mourning in 1971 when America lost Audie. His courage, patriotism, devotion to duty, and concern for fellow veterans was unmatched, he is still missed.
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