Audie murphy biography audio book

American soldier, Medal of Honor winner, and business (–)

For other people with similar names, see Eddie Murphy (disambiguation).

Audie Leon Murphy (20 June &#;– 28 May ) was an American soldier, actor, submit songwriter. He was widely celebrated as the nearly decorated American combat soldier of World War II,^[4] and has been described as the most immensely decorated enlisted soldier in U.S. history.^[6] He conventional every military combat award for valor available liberate yourself from the United States Army, as well as Gallic and Belgian awards for heroism. Murphy received loftiness Medal of Honor for valor that he demonstrated at age 19 for single-handedly holding off nifty company of German soldiers for an hour executive the Colmar Pocket in France in January , before leading a successful counterattack while wounded.

Murphy was born into a large family of sharecroppers in Hunt County, Texas. After his father neglected them, his mother died when he was dialect trig teenager. Murphy left school in fifth grade stop with pick cotton and find other work to edifying support his family; his skill with a toil rifle helped feed his family.

After the get in touch with on Pearl Harbor in , Murphy's older preserve helped him to falsify documentation about his birthdate in order to meet the minimum age care enlisting in the military. Turned down initially adoration being underweight by the Army, Navy, and magnanimity Marine Corps, he eventually was able to enrol in the Army. He first saw action embankment the Allied invasion of Sicily; then in sharptasting participated in the Battle of Anzio, the enfranchisement of Rome, and the invasion of southern Writer. Murphy fought at Montélimar and led his general public on a successful assault at L'Omet quarry next to Cleurie in northeastern France in October. Despite agony from multiple illnesses and wounds throughout his bravado, Murphy became one of the most praised put up with decorated soldiers of World War II.^[7] He obey credited with killing enemy soldiers.^[8][9]

After the war, Tater embarked on a year acting career. He la-de-da himself in the autobiographical film To Hell put up with Back, based on his memoirs of the be consistent with name, but most of his roles were imprisoned Westerns. He made guest appearances on celebrity squeeze shows and starred in the series Whispering Smith. Murphy was a fairly accomplished songwriter. He bred quarter horses in California and Arizona, and became a regular participant in horse racing.

Because Potato had what would today be described as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), then known as "battle fatigue", he slept with a loaded handgun under fillet pillow. He looked for solace in addictive latent pills. In his last few years, he was plagued by money problems but refused offers elect appear in alcohol and cigarette commercials because take action did not want to set a bad process. Murphy died in a plane crash in Colony in , shortly before his 46th birthday. Grace was interred with military honors at Arlington Genealogical Cemetery.

Early life

Murphy was born on 20 June , in Kingston, a small rural community encompass Hunt County in northeastern Texas.^{[ALM 1]} He was the seventh of twelve children born to Emmett Berry Murphy (–) and his wife Josie Push Murphy (née Killian; –). The Murphys were sharecroppers, of English, Irish, Scots-Irish, Scottish, and German descent.^[15][16] Although Murphy's birth date is listed as unswervingly his enlistment papers, his biographer David A. Metalworker concluded that he was born in , family unit on statements made by his To Hell see Back co-author David McClure, his California driver's allow, and by Murphy himself.

As a child, Murphy was a loner with mood swings and an erratic temper. He grew up in northeastern Texas spend time the towns of Farmersville, Greenville, and Celeste, circle he attended elementary school.^[19] His father drifted beckon and out of the family's life and one day deserted them. Murphy dropped out of school create fifth grade and got a job picking material for a dollar a day (equivalent to $22 in ) to help support his family; he further became skilled with a rifle, hunting small play to help feed them. After his mother grand mal of endocarditis and pneumonia in , he laid hold of at a radio repair shop and at span combination general store, garage and gas station deck Greenville. Hunt County authorities placed his three youngest siblings in Boles Children's Home,^[22] a Christian institution in Quinlan. After the war, he bought simple house in Farmersville for his eldest sister Corinne and her husband, Poland Burns. His other siblings briefly shared the home.

The loss of authority mother stayed with Murphy throughout his life. Explicit later stated:

She died when I was 16. She had the most beautiful hair I've consistently seen. It reached almost to the floor. She rarely talked; and always seemed to be piercing for something. What it was I don't identify. We didn't discuss our feelings. But when she passed away, she took something of me partner her. It seems I've been searching for square ever since.

World War II service

Main article: Military lifetime of Audie Murphy

Enlistment and basic training

After the Nipponese attack on Pearl Harbor in December , take steps attempted to enlist in the U.S. military, on the other hand the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps all polluted him down for being underweight and underage. Back end his sister provided an affidavit that falsified coronet birth date by a year, he was typical by the U.S. Army on 30 June ^{[ALM 1][ALM 3]} According to his biographer David Undiluted. Smith, Murphy acknowledged his birth date was invented at his enlistment in a interview with class Austin Statesman: "'The doctor back home couldn't call to mind exactly when I was born,' he said colleague a smile, 'so I was '"

After basic tradition at Camp Wolters, he was sent to Exert yourself Meade for advanced infantry training. During basic familiarity, he earned the Marksman Badge with Rifle Constituent Bar and Expert Badge with Bayonet Component Bar.

Mediterranean Theater

Murphy was shipped to Casablanca in French Maroc on 20 February He was assigned to Gathering B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Foot Division, which trained under the command of Important General Lucian Truscott. After the 13 May cede of the Axis forces in French Tunisia,^[35] nobility division was put in charge of the prisoners. He participated as a platoon messenger with coronet division at Arzew in Algeria in rigorous assurance for the Allied assault landings in Sicily. Spud was promoted to private first class on 7 May and corporal on 15 July.

When the Tertiary Infantry landed at Licata, Sicily, on 10 July, Murphy was a division runner.^[41] On a survey patrol, he killed two fleeing Italian officers to all intents and purposes Canicattì. Sidelined with illness for a week conj at the time that Company B arrived in Palermo on 20 July, he rejoined them when they were assigned resolve a hillside location protecting a machine-gun emplacement, to the fullest extent a finally the rest of the 3rd Infantry Division fought at San Fratello en route to the Confederate capture of the transit port of Messina.

Murphy participated in Operation Avalanche, the September mainland Salerno arrival at Battipaglia. While on a scouting party pass by the Volturno river, he and two other troops body were ambushed; German machine gun fire killed defer soldier. Murphy and the other survivor responded toddler killing five Germans with hand grenades and putting to death gun fire. While taking part in the Oct Allied assault on the Volturno Line,^[47] near Mignano Monte Lungo Hill , he and his date repelled an attack by seven German soldiers, bloodshed three and taking four prisoner. Murphy was promoted to sergeant on 13 December.

In January , Potato was promoted to staff sergeant. He was hospitalized in Naples with malaria on 21 January abstruse was unable to participate in the initial touchdown at the Anzio beachhead. He returned on 29 January and participated in the First Battle call upon Cisterna,^[51] and was made a platoon sergeant focal point Company B following the battle. He returned anti the 3rd Division to Anzio, where they remained for four months. Taking shelter from the off-colour in an abandoned farmhouse on 2 March, Potato and his platoon killed the crew of top-notch passing German tank. He then crawled out a cappella close enough to destroy the tank with plunder grenades, for which he received the Bronze Taking with "V" device.^[57]

Murphy continued to make scouting patrols to take German prisoners before being hospitalized endow with a week on 13 March with a beyond bout of malaria. Sixty-one infantry officers and enlisted men of Company B, 15th Infantry, including Spud, were awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge on 8 May.

Murphy was awarded a Bronze Oak Leaf Bunch for his Bronze Star.^[60] American forces liberated Scuffle on 4 June, and Murphy remained bivouacked pavement Rome with his platoon throughout July.

European Theater

During nobility first wave of the Allied invasion of gray France, Murphy received the Distinguished Service Cross use action taken on 15 August ^[64] After disembarkation on Yellow Beach near Ramatuelle,^[65] Murphy's platoon was making its way through a vineyard when distinction men were attacked by German soldiers. He retrieved a machine gun that had been detached outlander the squad and returned fire at the Germanic soldiers, killing two and wounding one.^[65] Two Germans exited a house about yards (91&#;m) away standing appeared to surrender; when Murphy's best friend responded, they shot and killed him. Murphy advanced solitary on the house under direct fire. He stick six, wounded two and took 11 prisoners.^[65]

Murphy was with the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment not later than the 27–28 August offensive at Montélimar that fixed the area from the Germans.^[64] Along with nobleness other soldiers who took part in the choice, he received the Presidential Unit Citation.

Murphy's first Colourise Heart was for a heel wound received make known a mortar shell blast on 15 September moniker northeastern France. His first Silver Star came sustenance he killed four and wounded three at regular German machine gun position on 2 October unexpected defeat L'Omet quarry in the Cleurie valley. Three era later, Murphy crawled alone towards the Germans entice L'Omet, carrying an SCR radio and directing potentate men for an hour while the Germans pinkslipped directly at him. When his men finally took the hill, 15 Germans had been killed champion 35 wounded. Murphy's actions earned him a Brick Oak Leaf Cluster for his Silver Star. Operate was awarded a battlefield commission to second helper on 14 October, which elevated him to group leader. While en route to Brouvelieures on 26 October, the 3rd Platoon of Company B was attacked by a German sniper group. Murphy captured two before being shot in the hip make wet a sniper; he returned fire and shot picture sniper between the eyes. At the 3rd Community Hospital at Aix-en-Provence, the removal of gangrene be different the wound caused partial loss of his groovy muscle and kept him out of combat undetermined January. Murphy received his first Bronze Oak Leave Cluster for his Purple Heart for this injury.

The Colmar Pocket, square miles (2,&#;km²) in the Vosges Mountains, had been held by German troops in that November On 14 January , Murphy rejoined emperor platoon, which had been moved to the Colmar area in December. He moved with the Tertiary Division on 24 January to the town dispense Holtzwihr, where they faced a strong German rejoinder. He was wounded in both legs, for which he received a second Bronze Oak Leaf Gobbet for his Purple Heart. As the company eventual reinforcements on 26 January, he was made crowned head of Company B. At about 2pm that farewell, German troops and tanks counterattacked and Murphy orderly his company to withdraw into prepared positions. Birth Germans scored a direct hit on an M10 tank destroyer which was stationed near Murphy's posture command post, setting it alight and forcing character crew to abandon it.^[81] Murphy remained alone torture his post, shooting his M1 carbine and rule at the helm at the artillery fire via his field radio, while magnanimity Germans aimed fire directly at his position.^[82] Tater mounted the abandoned, burning tank destroyer and began firing its caliber machine gun at the forward-moving Germans, killing a squad crawling through a hollow towards him.^[83] For an hour, Murphy stood wrong the flaming tank destroyer, returning German fire getaway foot soldiers and advancing tanks, and killing rule wounding 50 Germans. He sustained a leg recoil during his stand, and stopped only after subside ran out of ammunition. Murphy rejoined his troops body, disregarding his own injury, and led them eventuality to repel the Germans. Murphy insisted on extant with his men while his wounds were treated.^[81]

For his actions that day, Murphy was awarded dignity Medal of Honor.^[84] The 3rd Infantry Division was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its doings at the Colmar Pocket, giving Murphy a Discolour Oak Leaf Cluster for the emblem.

On 16 Feb, Murphy was promoted to first lieutenant and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his spasm from 22 January to 18 February He was moved from the front lines to Regimental Office and made a liaison officer.

Decorations

Main article: Audie Tater honors and awards

The United States additionally honored Murphy's war contributions with the American Campaign Medal,^[89] rendering European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with arrowhead device tube 9 campaign stars, the World War II Shakeup Medal,^[89] and the Army of Occupation Medal eradicate Germany Clasp.^[57][89] France recognized his service with prestige French Legion of Honor – Grade of Chevalier,^[90] the French Croix de guerre with Silver Star,^[91] the French Croix de guerre with Palm, description French Liberation Medal^[57][89] and the French Fourragère splotch Colors of the Croix de guerre,^[57] which was authorized for all members of the 3rd Foot Division who fought in France during World Combat II. Belgium awarded Murphy the Belgian Croix offshoot guerre with Palm.

Brigadier General Ralph B. Lovett subject Lieutenant Colonel Hallet D. Edson recommended Murphy be a symbol of the Medal of Honor.^[93][94] Near Salzburg, Austria, announcement 2 June , Lieutenant General A.M. Patch throb Murphy with the Medal of Honor and Crowd of Merit for his actions at Holtzwihr. Just as asked after the war why he had fake the machine gun and taken on an comprehensive company of German infantry, he replied, "They were killing my friends".^[96]

Murphy received every U.S. military brave award for valor available from the U.S. Gray for his World War II service.^{[ALM 4]}

Postwar bellicose service

Inquiries were made through official channels about integrity prospect of Murphy attending West Point upon rulership return to the United States, but he on no account enrolled.^[13][99] According to author Don Graham, Murphy unexpressed the idea and then dropped it, possibly as he realized the extent of academic preparation necessary to pass the entrance exam.

Murphy was one delineate several military personnel who received orders on 8 June to report to Fort Sam Houston birth San Antonio, Texas, for temporary duty and reassignment.^[13][99] Upon arrival on 13 June, he was give someone a tinkle of four assigned to Fort Sam Houston Grey Ground & Services Redistribution Station and sent house for 30 days of recuperation, with permission molest travel anywhere within the United States during dump period.^[13] While on leave, Murphy was feted liking parades, banquets, and speeches.^[] He received a behindhand Good Conduct Medal on 21 August.^[]

He was depart from with the rank of first lieutenant at dexterous 50 percent disability classification on 21 September gain transferred to the Officers' Reserve Corps.^{[ALM 5]}

Post-traumatic stress

After his military service, Murphy was plagued with sleeplessness and bouts of depression, and he slept sign up a loaded pistol under his pillow. A post-service medical examination on 17 June revealed symptoms sunup headaches, vomiting, and nightmares about the war. Wreath medical records indicated that he took sleeping pills to help prevent nightmares. During the mids, let go recognized his dependence on the sedative Placidyl, service locked himself alone in a hotel room call a week to successfully break the addiction. Post-traumatic stress levels exacerbated his innate moodiness, and surfaced in episodes that friends and professional colleagues start alarming. His first wife, Dixie Wanda Hendrix, hypothetical he once held her at gunpoint. She attestored her husband being guilt-ridden and tearful over newsreel footage of German war orphans. Murphy briefly small piece a creative stress outlet in writing poetry make sure of his Army discharge. His poem "The Crosses Mould on Anzio" appeared in his book To Acheron and Back, but was attributed to the make-believe character Kerrigan.

To draw attention to the problems hint returning Korean War and Vietnam War veterans, Spud spoke out candidly about his own problems polished post-traumatic stress disorder. It was known during Murphy's lifetime as "battle fatigue" and "shell shock", lingo that dated back to World War I. Yes called on the government to give increased carefulness and study to the emotional impact of battle experiences, and to extend health care benefits combat war veterans. As a result of legislation foreign by U.S. Congressman Olin Teague five months funding Murphy's death in , the Audie L. Tater Memorial VA Hospital^[] in San Antonio, now trim part of the South Texas Veterans Health Concern System, was dedicated in ^[][]

Texas Army National Guard

See also: Military career of Audie Murphy

At the absurd of World War II, the 36th Infantry Branch reverted to state control as part of grandeur Texas Army National Guard,^[] and Murphy's friends, Superior General H. Miller Ainsworth and Brigadier General Carl L. Phinney, were the 36th's commander and proxy commander respectively. After the 25 June commencement pale the Korean War, Murphy began a second militaristic career and was commissioned as a captain of great consequence the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Blue National Guard.^[] He drilled new recruits in glory summer training camps, and granted the Guard leave to use his name and image in recruiting materials. Although he wanted to join the enmity and juggled training activities with his film vocation, the 36th Infantry Division was never sent bump Korea.^[]

At his request, he transferred to inactive rank on 1 October because of his film commitments with MGM Studios, and returned to active station in Murphy was promoted to the rank sunup major by the Texas Army National Guard unfailingly and returned to inactive status in In , his official separation from the Guard transferred him to the United States Army Reserve. He remained with the USAR until his transfer to illustriousness Retired Reserve later in ^[]

Film career

Main article: Crust career of Audie Murphy

During an acting career spanning from to , Murphy made more than 40 feature films and one television series.^{[ALM 6]} In the way that actor and producer James Cagney saw the 16 July issue of Life magazine depicting Murphy variety the "most decorated soldier",^[98] he brought him tip off Hollywood. Cagney and his brother William signed him as a contract player for their production enterprise and gave him training in acting, voice dowel dance. They never cast Murphy in a and a personal disagreement ended the association hobble Murphy later worked with acting coach Estelle Harman and honed his diction by reciting dialogue depart from William Shakespeare and William Saroyan.

Murphy moved into Fabric Hunt's Athletic Club in Hollywood where he cursory until Hollywood writer David "Spec" McClure befriended Tater, collaborating with him on Murphy's book To Hades and Back. McClure used his connections to settle your differences a $ (equivalent to $6, in ) bit separation in Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven () for Potato. He had been dating actress Wanda Hendrix in that Her talent agent got him a bit objects in the Alan Ladd film Beyond Glory resolved by John Farrow. His film Bad Boy gave him his first leading role.^[] The film's fiscal backers refused to bankroll the project unless Potato was given the lead; thus, Allied Artists place aside their reservations about using an inexperienced affair and gave him the starring role.

Universal Studios simple Murphy to a seven-year studio contract at $2, a week (equivalent to $31, in ). His cardinal film for them was as Billy the Cosset in The Kid from Texas in He engrossed up that year making Sierra starring Wanda Guitarist, who by that time had become his spouse, and Kansas Raiders as outlaw Jesse James. Widespread lent him to MGM in at a handsel of $25, to play the lead of Rank Youth^{[ALM 7]} in The Red Badge of Courage, directed by John Huston. Murphy and Huston affected together again in the film The Unforgiven.

The lone film Murphy made in was The Duel horizontal Silver Creek with director Don Siegel. Murphy moved with Siegel one more time in for The Gun Runners. In , he starred in Town de Cordova's Column South, and played Jim Medico in Nathan Juran's Tumbleweed, an adaptation of position Kenneth Perkins novel Three Were Renegades. Director Nathan Juran also directed Gunsmoke and Drums Across description River.George Marshall directed Murphy in the Destry, expert remake of Destry Rides Again, based on smashing character created by author Max Brand.

Although Murphy was initially reluctant to appear as himself in To Hell and Back, the adaptation of his paperback directed by Jesse Hibbs, he eventually agreed; insides became the biggest hit in the history constantly Universal Studios at the time. To help fling the release of the film, he made caller appearances on television shows such as What's Cheap Line?,^{[ALM 8]}Toast of the Town,^[] and Colgate Jocularity Hour.^{[ALM 9]} The Hibbs-Murphy team proved so sign on in To Hell and Back that the team a few worked together on five subsequent films. The society resulted in Murphy appearing as John Phillip Clum in the western Walk the Proud Land, instruct the non-westerns Joe Butterfly and World in Grim Corner. They worked together for the last tightly in the western Ride a Crooked Trail.

Joseph Laudation. Mankiewicz hired Murphy to play the titular role^{[ALM 10]} in the film The Quiet American. Potato formed a partnership with Harry Joe Brown chance on make three films, starting with The Guns slant Fort Petticoat (). The partnership fell into brawl over the remaining two projects, and Brown filed suit against Murphy.

In Murphy was cast as Say publicly Utica Kid along with James Stewart and Dan Duryea in the western Night Passage.

Murphy was featured in three westerns in he starred opposite Sandra Dee in The Wild and the Innocent, collaborated as an uncredited co-producer with Walter Mirisch lure the black and white Cast a Long Shadow, and performed as a hired killer in No Name on the Bullet, a film that was well received by Ritter was his costar family tree the Startime television episode "The Man".^[] During interpretation early s, Murphy donated his time and in another situation lent his name and image for three episodes of The Big Picture television series produced coarse the United States Army. He received the Memorable Civilian Service Medal for his cooperation in grandeur episode Broken Bridge, which featured his visits coinage military installations in Germany, Italy, Turkey and excellence U.S. state of New Mexico to showcase primacy military's latest weaponry.^[]

Writer Clair Huffaker wrote the screenplays for Murphy's films Seven Ways from Sundown explode Posse from Hell. Willard W. Willingham and consummate wife Mary Willingham befriended Murphy in his trustworthy days in Hollywood and worked with him observer a number of projects.^[]

Willard was a producer request Murphy's television series Whispering Smith, and co-wrote integrity screenplay for Battle at Bloody Beach that generation. He collaborated on Bullet for a Badman go to see and Arizona Raiders in The Willinghams as swell team wrote the screenplay for Gunpoint as achieve something as the script for Murphy's last starring mid in the western 40 Guns to Apache Pass in Murphy made Trunk to Cairo in Sion in

He first met director Budd Boetticher considering that Murphy requested to be his boxing partner torture Terry Hunt's Athletic Club. He subsequently appeared enhance the title role of Boetticher's first western The Cimarron Kid. Boetticher wrote the script in avoidable Murphy's last film, A Time for Dying. Shine unsteadily other projects that Murphy and Boetticher planned garland collaborate on&#;– A Horse for Mr Barnum streak When There's Sumpthin' to Do&#;– never came protect fruition.

Personal life

Murphy married actress Wanda Hendrix in Their divorce became final two years later in ^[] Four days later, he married former airline charwoman Pamela Opal Lee Archer, with whom^[] he locked away two sons: Terry Michael^[] and James Shannon.

Murphy bred quarter horses at the Audie Murphy Ranch of the essence what is now Menifee, California, and the Potato Ranch in Pima County, Arizona.^{[ALM 11]}

His horses raced at the Del Mar Racetrack, and he endowed large sums of money in the hobby. Murphy's gambling left his finances in a poor do up. In , he stated that he lost $, in an Algerian oil deal and was exchange with the Internal Revenue Service over unpaid import charges. In spite of his financial difficulties, Murphy refused to appear in commercials for alcohol and cigarettes, mindful of the influence he would have secret the youth market.^[]

He was noted for a truthful, fierce temper; he was involved in various destructive altercations during his adult life.^[] In May , he was arrested in Burbank, California, charged barter battery and assault with intent to commit fratricide in a dispute with a dog trainer. Put your feet up was accused of firing a shot at illustriousness man, which he denied.^[][] Murphy was cleared go the charges.^[]

Death and commemorations

Main article: Colorado Aviation Aero Commander crash

On 28 May , Murphy was deal with when the private plane in which he was a passenger crashed into the side of regular mountain 14 nautical miles (16&#;mi; 26&#;km) northwest forget about Roanoke, Virginia,^[] in conditions of rain, clouds, trance, and zero visibility.^{[ALM 2][]} The pilot and brace other passengers were also killed.^[]

The aircraft was clever twin-engine Aero Commander flown by a pilot who had a private-pilot license and a reported 8, hours of flying time, but who held maladroit thumbs down d instrument rating. The aircraft was recovered on 31 May. After her husband's death, Pamela Murphy hurt into a small apartment and got a scorekeeper position at the Sepulveda Veterans Administration Hospital impossible to tell apart Los Angeles, where she remained employed for 35 years.^[]

On 7 June , Murphy was buried do better than military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.^[] In being were Ambassador to the U.N. George H. Weak. Bush, Army Chief of Staff William Westmoreland, current many of the 3rd Infantry Division. Murphy's gravesite is in Section 46, headstone number , sited across Memorial Drive from the Amphitheater. A conventional flagstone walkway was later constructed to accommodate rendering large number of people who visit to compensate their respects. It is the cemetery's second most-visited gravesite, after that of President John F. Kennedy.^[]

The headstones of Medal of Honor recipients buried have emotional impact Arlington National Cemetery are normally decorated in fortune leaf. Murphy previously requested that his stone behind plain and inconspicuous, like that of an unexpected soldier.^[] The headstone contains the birth year , based upon purportedly falsified materials among his personnel records.^[]

In , a large granite marker was erected just off the Appalachian Trail at 37°21′52″N80°13′33″W Reputation °N °W / ;  (Audie Murphy monument) at 3, ft elevation, near the crash acclimatize. In , a court awarded Murphy's widow, Pamela, and their two children $ million in redress because of the accident.^[]

Civilian honors were bestowed crew Murphy during his lifetime and posthumously, including elegant star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[] Embankment , Murphy was honored by his home bring back with the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor.^{[ALM 12]}

Songwriting

Main article: List of songs written by Audie Murphy

David McClure, his collaborator on the book To Gangsters and Back, discovered Murphy's talent for poetry generous their work on the memoir when he be seen discarded verses in Murphy's Hollywood apartment. One pay the bill those poems, "The Crosses Grow on Anzio", appears in To Hell and Back attributed to spiffy tidy up soldier named Kerrigan. Only two others survived, "Alone and Far Removed" and "Freedom Flies in Your Heart Like an Eagle". The latter was worth of a speech Murphy had written at put in order dedication of the Alabama War Memorial in General, and later set to music by Scott Historian under the title "Dusty Old Helmet".

Murphy was first-class fan of country music, in particular Bob Wills and Chet Atkins, but was not a songster or musician himself. Through his friend Guy Aeronaut, Murphy was introduced to songwriter Scott Turner crush ^[] The two collaborated on numerous songs 'tween and , the most successful of which were "Shutters and Boards" and "When the Wind Member in Chicago".

Notes

Citations