Here is a concise summary of Audie Murphy's story:
**Early Life and Enlistment**
* Audie Murphy, a 5'5" 16-year-old, was repeatedly rejected from military service due to his age and size.
* He eventually enlisted in the US Army in 1942 with a falsified birth certificate.
**World War II Heroism**
* Murphy proved to be a capable soldier, earning numerous decorations for his actions in North Africa, Italy, and France.
* Key heroic acts include:
+ Single-handedly holding off a German counterattack in the Vosges Mountains, killing/wounding 50 Germans and destroying several vehicles while wounded himself.
+ Braving heavy fire to retrieve a machine gun, then using it to repel German forces in southern France.
+ Killing six Germans, wounding two, and taking 11 prisoner in a solo attack on a house in France.
**Awards and Legacy**
* Awarded the US military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, among numerous other awards (e.g., Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart).
* Became one of the most highly decorated soldiers in US history, also receiving awards from France and Belgium.
* After the war, Murphy had a successful Hollywood acting career, starring in films about his own combat exploits, before his death in a plane crash in 1971. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences:
**Early Life and Enlistment**
1. Audie Murphy was rejected by the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps in 1940 due to being underweight, underheight (5'5"), and underage (16).
2. Murphy faked his birth certificate with his sister's help and was accepted into the Army on June 30, 1942.
**Military Career**
3. Murphy earned his Marksman Badge with Rifle Component Bar and Expert Badge with Bayonet Component Bar during basic training.
4. He was sent to the Mediterranean Theater, serving as a platoon messenger in Algeria.
5. Murphy participated in the assault landings in Sicily during a freak summer storm.
6. He was promoted to Sergeant, then Staff Sergeant by January 1944, at just 19 years old.
7. Murphy was hospitalized with malaria for a week and a half before rejoining his unit.
**Notable Battles and Awards**
8. Murphy destroyed a German tank with rifle grenades near Cisterna, earning the Bronze Star with V device.
9. He landed in southern France, participating in the Allied invasion.
10. Murphy earned a Silver Star for assaulting a German machine gun position, killing four and wounding three.
11. He received a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster for his Silver Star and a battlefield commission to Second Lieutenant.
12. Murphy was wounded in the hip by a German sniper on October 26, 1944.
13. He received his first Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster for his Purple Heart.
**Final Battle and Medal of Honor**
14. On January 26, 1945, Murphy's unit was ambushed in the Colmar Pocket, Vosges Mountains.
15. He single-handedly manned a .50 caliber machine gun on a burning M10 tank destroyer, holding off German forces.
16. Murphy killed or wounded over 50 Germans and knocked out several vehicles before being wounded in both legs.
17. He led his men in repelling the German counterattack, securing the US position.
18. Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism.
**Post-War Life**
19. Murphy's wounds ended his combat career, and he was moved to Regimental Headquarters as a liaison officer.
20. He became one of the most highly decorated soldiers in US history, also receiving awards from France and Belgium.
21. After the war, Murphy had a successful Hollywood acting career, starring in films about his own combat exploits.
22. Audie Murphy died in a plane crash on May 28, 1971, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.