Audie Leon Murphy was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm He received 28 medals during World War II from the United States, France, and Belgium, including the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor.http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/historical_information/audie_murphy.html He is the most decorated soldier in U.S. history.http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html After the war, he moved to Hollywood, where he acted and wrote songs.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm He died in a plane crash on May 23, 1971.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm

In 1996, his birthday was designated Audie Murphy Day by the Texas Legislature.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm In 1999, then-Governor George W. Bush also formally declared June 20th to be Audie Murphy Day.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm In 1998, the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hunt County Veterans Exhibit was dedicated at the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum in Greenville, Texas.http://www.cottonmuseum.com/audie.htm The museum also erected a statue of Murphy, which was dedicated in 2002.http://www.cottonmuseum.com/veterans.html

Murphy was one of twelve children born to poor Texas sharecroppers.http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=553155 His father left when he was 16, and his mother died the next year.http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html Murphy dropped out of the eighth grade to support his siblings, though the three youngest were taken to an orphanage.http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=553155http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html

Following the onset of war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Murphy tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps and the paratroopers, but was turned away because of his diminutive size. He was later accepted into the infantry.http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/historical_information/audie_murphy.html Murphy saw action during the Allied invasions of Sicily and Anzio, Italy. He was a sergeant by the time the Allies invaded Southern France in August 1944.http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html In October 1944, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions near the village of Holtzwihr, Germany.http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/historical_information/audie_murphy.html By the time victory was declared in Europe in May 1945, Murphy had been wounded three times and received 28 medals from three countries.http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/historical_information/audie_murphy.html

Actor James Cagney saw Murphy's picture on the cover of Life magazine and invited him to Hollywood, where he met David McClure, who would co-author Murphy's 1949 autobiography, To Hell and Back.http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html Murphy went on to act in 49 films and television shows, including The Red Badge of Courage (1951) and the 1955 adaptation of his autobiography.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001559/ He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/index.php?module=wof

Murphy suffered from what is now known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and became addicted to sleeping pills.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm His first marriage lasted 15 months. He became a gambler and went bankrupt in 1968.http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html He died in a private plane crash near Roanoke, Virginia.http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm

• 1924: Born in Texashttp://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm
• 1942: Enlists in the U.S. Armyhttp://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/historical_information/audie_murphy.html
• 1945: Receives the Congressional Medal of Honor and appears on the cover of Life magazinehttp://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/historical_information/audie_murphy.html
• 1948: Makes acting debut in Texas, Brooklyn & Heavenhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001559/
• 1949: Publishes autobiography To Hell and Backhttp://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html
• 1951: Marries second wife, Pamela Archerhttp://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html
• 1955: Portrays himself in the film adaptation of his autobiographyhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001559/
• 1968: Goes bankrupthttp://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html
• 1971: Dies in plane crashhttp://www.americainwwii.com/stories/audiemurphy.html