Audie Murphy

Date of Birth: June 20, 1925

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: May 28, 1971

Biography

Audie Leon Murphy was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. Born into a poor family in Kingston, Texas, Murphy enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 after being refused by both the Navy and the Marine Corps for being underweight and underage. Despite his small stature, Murphy quickly proved his valor and became a legendary figure in military history. Over a 27-month period of combat action in Europe, he received every U.S. military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. After the war, Murphy leveraged his fame into a successful acting career, starring in 44 feature films over two decades, including the autobiographical “To Hell and Back,” which became a major hit. He also became a successful songwriter and a champion for veterans’ rights, particularly those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His life was tragically cut short in a plane crash in 1971, but his legacy as a war hero and advocate endures.

5 Interesting Facts about Audie Murphy

1. Audie Murphy received the Medal of Honor at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off an entire company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France.

2. Despite his heroic image, Murphy suffered from PTSD, then known as “battle fatigue,” and was a vocal advocate for better mental health care for veterans.

3. He published a memoir titled “To Hell and Back,” which was later adapted into a film where he played himself.

4. Murphy was also a talented songwriter, with several of his songs recorded by well-known artists like Dean Martin and Eddy Arnold.

5. He was posthumously awarded the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor in 2013.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Audie Murphy

1. “I came back to the States after World War II feeling like I was ten years older.”

2. “I’m glad that I’m not going to be young anymore. I don’t want to go through that again.”

3. “I have a lot of memories, but I don’t let them bother me.”

4. “I was scared before every battle. But, as a leader, you can’t let your men see that.”

5. “I don’t think of myself as a hero. The real heroes are the ones who didn’t come back.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Audie Murphy’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $300,000 at the peak of his film career, which is approximately $2 million today when adjusted for inflation.