Aboard a flight surrounded by fog, Audie Murphy and five others were killed when the private airplane crashed on Brush Mountain in Craig County near Roanoke on May 28, 1971.
During World War II, Murphy was awarded The Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military honor, along with 32 other medals that rendered him the most decorated soldier of World War II.
Also, he was awarded medals by France and Belgium, and he was credited with killing more than 240 German soldiers.
Standing at only 5’5” and noted for his boyish facial features, Murphy was born in Kingston, Texas on June 20, 1925.
In 1974 on Brush Mountain near Catawba, the Veterans of Foreign Wars erected a stone monument in his honor near the crash site.
Less than six months before Murphy enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, Carole Lombard, a famous Hollywood movie star, had been killed in an airplane crash on Jan. 16. Murphy was only 17 when he enlisted, having convinced the Army’s recruiters that he was 18.
Murphy would suffer the same fate as Lombard nearly 30 years later.
During World War II, he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant with Company B of the 15th Infantry.
On Aug. 21, 1945, Murphy entered as a 1st Lieutenant in the Infantry U.S. Officers’ Reserve Corps.
Murphy ranks as the 29th most decorated American soldier of all time of those who have won the Medal of Honor.
Following World War II, he entered the Texas National Guard on July 14, 1950 as a Captain.
He served there till Feb. 14, 1956, and he left with the rank of Major.
On Nov. 8, 1966, he entered the U.S. Army Reserve as a Major, and retired as a Major on May 22, 1969.
Murphy landed a couple of bit parts in movies after World War II ended, “Beyond Glory” (1948) and “Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven” (1948).
His first lead role as a movie star was “Bad Boy” in 1949, but he starred as himself in “To Hell and Back” in 1955, and the blockbuster film became the highest-grossing movie up till that time, a box office record that was not topped till the release of “Jaws” 20 years later.
Murphy was most often cast in westerns, and he racked up 40 film credits before his untimely death at 45.
Some are as follows: “Ride a Crooked Trail,” (1958); “No Name on the Bullet,” (1959); “The Unforgiven,” (1960); “Gunpoint Chad Lucas,” (1966); “The Texican,” (1966); and “40 Guns To Apache Pass,” (1967).
Suffering from what is known today as (PTSD), Murphy became addicted to sleeping pills after World War II, but he overcame his addiction.
Not only did Murphy star in films, but he became a professional songwriter who teamed up with Scott Turner. Their songs, such as “Play a Song for Me, Mr. Music Man,” were recorded by the likes of Dean Martin, Charlie Pride, Porter Wagoner and Eddie Arnold.
He also became a successful rancher, owning ranches in Texas, Ariz. and Calif.
However, by 1968, his popularity as a movie star had waned, and he was forced to file bankruptcy.
Murphy was laid to rest in Arlington’s National Cemetery, and records there show that his grave is the second most visited, with only President John F. Kennedy’s grave having had more visitors.
