"Audie Murphy" Topic

They showed To Hell and Back on UK TV yesterday, the film in which he stars as himself and based on his wartime memoirs. Not a bad film and what a brave man, who suffered terribly with PTSD as a result of his wartime experiences. Died tragically young too. Last time I was in Washington I stopped by Arlington to visit his grave and pay my respects to a great man.

Well said.

Always fun to watch his westerns movies – he invariably looked like he was 16 years old. If you read a bio of him you realize it wasn't just the one incident that was the highlight of the "To Hell and Back" film that demonstrated his courage: in his Army record numerous incidents were documented and rewarded. Makes you wonder if there were other incidents, and how many, that just weren't documented. A true American hero. In his movies he always shows through as a clean cut young fellow who lives the values we like to think epitomize our country's ideals: respect for others (especially women), do the right thing, don't take advantage of others, stand up for what's right, even if you're standing alone, etc.. Even if he played a bad guy, he did the right thing in the end. You're right, Fred, he died tragically too young.

May he Rest In Peace …

Also,I periodically sing the "Dog Face Soldier" song from time to time.

I work in the county in which he was raised. His picture hangs in the hall one floor about my office. Truly a hero.

In Basic Training I remember our Drill Sargeant mentioned him at least once a day.

What is it with famous people and airplane wrecks?

Regards
Russ Dunaway

"famous people and airplane wrecks"

2 reasons; statistics and observation.

statistics. famous people are generally rich. rich people fly more than poor people. therefore they die in plane crashes at a higher rate.

observation. you notice when someone famous dies. especially in spectacular fashion. if i died in crash you wouldn't even know it.

Anybody who has not read his memoir, "To Hell And Back," should be considered deprived.

Never really out of print since publication, I have a treasured first edition, almost worn out from reading and re-reading over many years.

As for so many veterans (all wars) who saw hundreds of days in actual combat, his greatest concern was his friends, particularly those who were not as lucky as he to survive.

As the most heavily decorated US soldier of WWII (CMH and down the list, including foreign), he gave his decorations to neighborhood kids--yet slept with his service .45 under his pillow for the rest of his life.

And there is not one word about a single decoration in his book. Only accounts of specific actions, commonly where he lost friends, fill the book.

The eponymous movie is actually a dreadful disservice to the book, being mostly a "Rah Rah!" recruiting vehicle for the US Army. The tone of the book is not especially somber, but nothing like the "All Boys Adventure" tone of the film.

Any WW II buff, and perhaps particularly those who play skirmish/1:1 scale combat miniatures games, will get an education about real combat from a PhD in the subject.

Any number of paperback editions/formats, and at least two hardback editions, none over $8.00 USD (postpaid), are available here: link

Please, do yourself a favor, and read this book--it's the least any of us owe him for the hell he went to--but never quite came completely back from.

TVAG

In addition to the worthy accolades above, I would add his films show how society has changed since WW2, and peoples attitudes.
IMHO I think we have both gained and lost in that respect.

TVAG +1
Couldn't agree more. Well said.

I do not entirely agree with the assessment of the movie as "Rah, Rah" or "Boys Adventure." I have seen the movie (again) fairly recently. By the standards of the 1950's I think it was pretty gritty and sombre in tone. Could it have been better? Sure, but one shudders to think what a modern remake would be like. Anyway, I certainly regard Audy Murphy with absolute awe.

Interesting to notice that in real life most heroes are ordinary types. In films they are aways big, manly and full of it.
Respect to Mr Murhy.

Audie Murphy and T. E. Lawrence (L. of Arabia) should be an inspiration to short blokes (being one myself) everywhere.

I view Arnie Schwarzenegger in a similar way but, it's a pity he will not get DOWN with the kids.

The movie toned down many of his actions depicted so that it would be believable to those watching.

I've read that Murphy privately despised Hollywood's treatment of his autobiography, calling it a "western in uniform".

It's interesting to compare Murphy to the Australian WW1 volunteer soldier Albert Jacka, another short, physically unimposing rural labourer who was described as Australia's finest fighting soldier.

And on lighter note, I held my wedding reception at Dovie's Restaurant, in Dallas, which was once Murphy's home.