Simply amazing soldier...........

[SunnyX]

I had never heard of Audie Murphy until today. I decided to Google his name and was amazed at the info I found. This man was amazing. The accounts of his bravery and valor are almost too great to be true.

http://www.audiemurphy.com/newsclip/fts_p2_27Jan97.pdf

[SunnyX]

Medal of Honor citation

Below is the official U.S. Army citation for Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor:

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Holtzwihr France, 26 January, 1945. Entered service at: Dallas, Texas. Birth: Hunt County, near Kingston, Texas, G.O. No. 65, 9 August 1944. Citation: Second Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, one of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire, which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waiver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued his single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way back to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.

[Ritten]

Sunny, my husband and I were just talking the other day about how few people know who Audie is. He's a heck of an actor also. You'll have to google his movies and watch them. I believe he also raised his seven or so siblings before going off to the war.

[johnski]

the movie "to hell and back" is his story of his medal of honour achievement

[Aquaman]

Hehe, Ya just don't mess with them Texans! :uzi:

[Fat Man]

Sunny now try Googling Alvin Cullum York.

[Saltz Creep]

Yeah, watch the movie "To Hell and Back" as johnski wrote. Audie Murphy actually plays himself in the movie. It was filmed entirely in Yakima, WA where I was once stationed. The movie may give you clues as to why Murphy may have been so heroic. He was young and very small for a soldier and so may have had something to prove. He also came from an extremely poor family. Sometimes brave means nothing to lose.

[Unome]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7567639#post7567639 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fat Man
Sunny now try Googling Alvin Cullum York. He has a very interesting story also. You ever see the movie about his life which starred Gary Cooper?

[Fat Man]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7568682#post7568682 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Unome
He has a very interesting story also. You ever see the movie about his life which starred Gary Cooper?

Yep.


Here's another one to look at. Joe Hooper (http://www.blackied2501.com/stories/hooper_2.htm)

[Muttling]

All the Medal of Honor winners are pretty impressive guys and the Audie Murphy story is definitely interesting.



Another really impressive one was Desmond Doss, the only concientious objector to ever win the honor....

Here's some of the details from the web site linked below..

Desmond T. Doss seemed an unlikely candidate to become a war hero. As a devout member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, he would not drill or train on Saturday because his church recognizes it as their Sabbath Day. He would not carry a gun because he believed all killing was wrong. He wouldnt even eat meat after seeing a chicken flopping around with its head cut off.

Not only did the men not like Doss, even though he did nothing to them, but the Army just didnt know what to do with a soldier who would not work on Saturday, who wouldnt carry a gun, and who didnt eat meat. At one point, his commanding officer tried to initiate a Section Eight (unfit for military service) discharge, but Doss vehemently fought the move, saying he really did want to serve his country, he just didnt want to kill. He remained in the Army to the great displeasure of most of his officers and fellow soldiers.

However on May 5th (during the battle for Okinawa) the tide turned against the Americans as the Japanese launched a huge counterattack. Enemy fire raked Company B and almost immediately 75 men fell wounded. The remaining troops who were able to flee, retreated back down to the base of the escarpment. Left at the top of the cliff were the wounded, the Japanese, and Desmond T. Doss.

For the next five hours, while his wounded comrades fought back their attackers, Doss began to lower man after man to safety down the face of the cliff using little more than a tree stump and a rope. Doss said that he just kept praying that the Lord would let him rescue one more man. No one knows for sure how many men Doss lowered to safety that day. The Army determined that this medic, whom no one had wanted in the Army, had personally saved 100 lives. Doss humbly said it couldnt have been more than 50. Because of Doss humble estimate, when the citation for his Medal of Honor was written, they split the difference and he was credited with saving the lives of 75 of his fellow soldiers.

On May 21st, the Americans again were under fire while Doss remained in the open to help a wounded soldier. He and three other soldiers had crawled into a hole to wait for the cover of darkness to escape when a grenade was thrown into their hole. The other three men jumped out to safety but the grenade blew up just as Doss stepped on it. Somehow he miraculously did not lose his leg but he sustained many wounds. He didnt want to endanger anyone else so he bandaged his own wounds and waited the five hours until daylight for help to arrive.

As he was being carried off the field they passed another critically wounded soldier. Doss rolled off the litter and told the medics to take the other man. He joined another wounded soldier and together they started to hobble off while supporting each other. Doss had his arm across the other mans neck when he felt a bullet slam into his arm. It shattered Doss upper arm, which in turn, saved the other mans life.

On the way out to a hospital ship offshore, Doss discovered that he had lost the Bible his wife Dorothy had given him. He sent word asking if the men could keep an eye out for it. The word passed from man to man, and an entire battalion combed the battlefield until Doss Bible was found. A sergeant carefully dried it out and mailed it to Doss.

On October 12, 1945, Desmond Doss, was invited to the White House to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for his brave service on May 5, 1945 - the first noncombatant to ever receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. He would spend a total of six years in hospitals as a consequence of his wounds and a bout with tuberculosis. Today, almost totally deaf, Doss lives with his wife in the mountain community of Rising Fawn, Georgia, where he serves his church with all the quiet determination he once put at the service of his country. (This last part is incorrect, he died earlier this year.)


http://www.medalofhonor.com/DesmondDoss1.htm

[ficklefins]

Wow.....

[Hunter21]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7567203#post7567203 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquaman
Hehe, Ya just don't mess with them Texans! :uzi:

I agree!!! :D (fellow texan here)

Erin

[Saltz Creep]

Most of the winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor are indeed medics, awarded posthumously.

[SunnyX]

Great stories guys!!

I was reading and found there were quite a few Medal Of Honor winners who jumped on grenades to save the lives of their fellow soldiers. Simply amazing.

[DJ88©]

Victoria Cross is the Commonweath's version of the Medal of Honor.

I was lucky enough to meet the last surviving Canadian VC winner a year before he passed away. Went to his funeral last summer. Was amazing to see. Amazing man. One of the most unassuming and gentle people I have ever met.

"Smokey" Smith (http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/smokysmith)

[SunnyX]

Lets not forget abouth the greatest warrior of all time:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achilles

You cant count this guy out either:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander

[SunnyX]

Sniper Class:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Alexandrovich_Zaitsev

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gordon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Shughart

[SunnyX]

The last two I listed, Gary Gordan and Randy Shughart, were the two snipers in the movie Black Hawk Down. Togther they are credit with 100 kills during the Battle of Mogadishu.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Muttling, I would consider Doss a true hero in my book. I know that it takes a lot out of a soldier, but it takes even more out of a noncombatant. And if I ever have to serve, I could only hope that I could find myself as honorable as him. (If you can't tell, I'm more of a Pacifist. But, unlike Doss, if I was stuck in a rough position, I wouldn't be afraid to pick up a gun.)

[Crusty Old Shellback]

One of my good frieneds that I used to ride dirt bikes with down in Baja has an Uncle who was a CMH reciepent, Uncle John W. Finn. I met him at my freinds funeral when he stood up and said some words about his nephew. He was wearing his CMH. Uncle John received his from Pearl harbor. Was the first one given out. Here's a couple of stories about his medal and about something bad that happened to him in an airport and how people did not even know what a CMH was. Sad day in our times nowdays when people don't reconigise the highest medal our country awards.

Now in his 97th year, America's oldest living Medal of Honor recipient is San Diego County resident, Lieutenant John W. Finn, USN (Ret.).

His medal citation.

The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to

FINN, JOHN WILLIAM



Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered service at: California. Born: 23 July 1909, Los Angeles, Calif.
Citation:

For extraordinary heroism distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machinegun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

What he did in the terriorty of Hawaii that morning.

http://www.usshancockcv19.com/finn_tribute.htm


His airport story

http://www.homeofheroes.com/talkingpoints/0207_finn.html

[SunnyX]

Sad, sad story.

This one is pretty bad too:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/news/archives/2002_0100_foss.html

[SunnyX]

This looks like a good DVD, I think I may just order it:

https://www.beyondthemedal.com/

Enter code HOH to get 33% off.

[BeltwayBandit]

Douglas Munro is another MOH recipient that most people don't know anything about either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Munro

[johnski]

Just wanted to thank everybody for posting these links, amazing stories.

Thanks again

John

[hawaiianwargod]

I salute all our military men and women who served our country.
I am proud of my younger brother who joined the Marines and served this country as well. I still have cousins and friends enlisted and hope and pray for thier safety.
One last thing...my friend who toured twice in Iraq just got back and he is with us now...thanks devil dogs!!!

[Crusty Old Shellback]

^

Agree whole heratly. Glad your friend made it back. I too have nephews, cousins, friends over there now.

I'm lucky in that even though I'm retired, I can still support my sailors thru the job I have now, makeing sure they have the weapons they need to defend themselfs and make it back home. ;)

[fat-tony]

this guy grew up down the road from here....

http://www.militarycity.com/valor/257227.html


There was a book written about him too

The Gift of Valor : A War Story

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7573508#post7573508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fat-tony
this guy grew up down the road from here....

http://www.militarycity.com/valor/257227.html


There was a book written about him too

The Gift of Valor : A War Story

That is a true hero, a true warrior who sacrificed himself for his comrades and country.
Simply outstanding.


Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.
Kahlil Gibran

[SunnyX]

What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.

Confucius
Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC)

[SunnyX]

The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Confucius, The Confucian Analects
Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC)