Audie Murphy, born into a poor Texas family, became the most decorated U.S. soldier in WWII despite his small stature. After the war, he struggled with PTSD but found success in Hollywood, starring in "To Hell and Back," based on his memoir. His post-war life included business ventures and songwriting until his untimely death in a plane crash in 1971. He is remembered as a war hero and actor, buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. Audie Murphy was born on June 20, 1925, in Kingston, Hunt County, Texas.
2. He was one of 12 children in a family of poor sharecroppers of Irish descent.
3. Audie quit school at an early age to work in the Texas cotton fields.
4. He earned $1 a day as a cotton picker, equivalent to $18 in today's money.
5. Audie developed great marksmanship skills through hunting small game.
6. He worked odd jobs as a shop clerk and gas station attendant.
7. Audie's father, Emmett Murphy, deserted the family in 1940.
8. His mother, Josie Bell, died of pneumonia the following year.
9. Audie tried to enlist in the Marines and paratroopers but was turned down due to his size.
10. He eventually joined the military after gaining weight and with his sister's false testimony about his age.
11. Audie was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment and shipped off to North Africa.
12. He did not see combat during the Tunisian Campaign.
13. His first combat experience was in Sicily, where he killed two Italian officers.
14. Murphy received battlefield promotions and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
15. He became a 2nd Lieutenant by January 1945 at age 20.
16. Audie Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honour for his actions at Holtzwihr, France.
17. He suffered from PTSD after the war and struggled with insomnia and depression.
18. Murphy became addicted to Placidyl but overcame the addiction on his own.
19. He advocated for psychological care for Korean and Vietnam war veterans.
20. Audie Murphy died in a plane crash on May 28, 1971, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
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