Audie Murphy was the recipient of America's highest decoration known as the
Medal of Honor. Originally authorized by congress during the Civil War this
medal has had several versions since 1862. This particular version was authorized
for the Army in 1904 and is known as the "Gillespie" version. It was issued
to Medal of Honor recipients in the Army through the end of World War II but
was later replaced with another, more recent version.
Medal of Honor Orders
General Orders No. 65 |
WAR DEPARTMENT |
Washington 25, D.C., 9 August 1945
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Section |
MEDAL OF HONOR - Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 |
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I. MEDAL OF HONOR. - By direction of the President, under the
provisions of the act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (WD Bul. 43, 1918), a
Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life
above and beyond the call of duty was awarded by the War Department in the
name of Congress to the following-named officer:
Second Lieutenant Audie L. Murphy, 01692509, 15th Infantry, Army of the
United States, on 26 January 1945, near Holtzwihr, France, commanded Company
B, which was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. Lieutenant Murphy
ordered his men to withdraw to a prepared position 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. Lieutenant Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which
killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks
abreast of his position, Lieutenant Murphy climbed on the burning tank
destroyer which was in danger of blowing up any instant and employed its .50
caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to the
German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans
and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry
support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available
weapon to eliminate Lieutenant 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 the single-handed
fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way 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 personally killed or wounded about 50. Lieutenant
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.
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BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
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OFFICIAL: | G.C. MARSHALL |
EDWARD F. WITSELL | Chief of Staff |
Major General | |
Acting The Adjutant General | |
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Medal of Honor Certificate
Medal of Honor U.S. Army
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Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Certificate
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute
Washington, D.C.
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Last updated 20 August 2006
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