OT - Audie Murphy Day in Texas - June 20

[rjohns94]

So I am watching Audie Murphy on the tv today and did a search on his background. Sure most of us know this but below is a link on his life. Medal of honor winner, most decorated american soldier, died at 44 in a plane crash on memorial day weekend. June 20 is Audie Murphy day in Texas. Reading of his courage, and patriotism filled my eyes with tears. Happy Audie Murphy day, one day late.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy

[Ben_Rumson]

This great warrior's preferred weapon was the M1 CARBINE

[Rusty]

Thanks Mike, I was in Roanoke right after that happened. My dad had his own plane and we had flown in to visit cousins. It was a sad time.

I need to check the book out of the library. I keep relying on the movie... my bad.

[crs]

As a matter of fact, we are attending the annual Audie Murphy day parade in Farmersville, Texas this afternoon at 5:30.
Big doings in Farmersville! These small town parades are a lot of fun; You always see folks you know watching and riding in the parade I am taking my grandson for the fifth straight year.

[RIHMFIRE]

one of my heros.....
its been raining here in florida....
and watched 2 of his movies today
kansas raiders and seven days from sundown
good movies

[rjohns94]

i watched the same two.

[Hobie]

IIRC, Dad was called in for the recovery. Not so sure as they crashed on Park Service land.

[Charles]

Murphy was a true American hero, but like so many others, his personal life was tragic. My Grandfather was his commanding officer Stateside before Murphy went overseas. He told me he was the worse soldier under his command in terms of discipline. They took him out of the Guardhouse to ship him to Europe.

After the War, he never came to terms with life in general. He felt all of the recognition and adulation he received was unjustified, and he could not live up to his own legend. He never did get his head together. He had a very serious drinking problem that stayed with him until his untimely death.

His story was like that of classic Greek tragedy..A great man, destoryed in the end by a fatal flaw.

[junkbug]

Sometimes men who are heroic under crisis conditions just can't fit in when the situation is calm.

Sgt. Maynard "Snuffy" Smith was another. He was on KP duty the morning he was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maynard_Harrison_Smith


For whatever reason, I remember knowing about him even as a child, long before I knew anything Audie Murphy, except for the name. Probably because I was fascinated by airplanes at the time.

[Ysabel Kid]

My darn DVDR failed to record a pair of Audie movies Saturday morning!

I read "To Hell and Back" and have seen the movie many times. Audie was an American though and through... enough said!

[crs]

In my previous post about the annual Audie Murphy memorial parade in Farmersville, Texas, I forgot to mention that Audie was from Farmersville and is fondly remembered there.

The Saturday parade was great; it began with a F 15 flyover then followed up with the local police, and volunteer fire vehicles, new and antique cars with politicians and local folks, antique tractors, Boy Scouts, Nat Guard, and finished off with the local risidng club and anyone else that wanted to ride in the parade. See attached photo of typical Texas country girls riding in parade.

[Rusty]

I went tot he provided Wekipedia link and saw something very interesting. One of the little boys that played one of his kid brothers in the movie was actually Audie's son.

[Bis]

CRS- looks like the parades here in Crockett, not big as the Rose Parade in Ca., but a lot more fun (been to both).

[crs]

Bis - +1 on the small town parade over the big city parades. It is kinda nice to actually know half the folks in the audience and in the parade.