We would like to continue honoring our veterans this week to show our appreciation of the s
acrifices they have made and are still making for our country. This week, let's continue talk Classic Movies of American War Heroes! Our last blog post featured Sgt. Alvin York, a WW I American hero who saved lives throughout his time serving our country. The American war hero classic movie that we are featuring today is one in which Second Lt. Audie Murphy, a WW II American hero, plays “himself” in Universal’s To Hell and Back (1955).
acrifices they have made and are still making for our country. This week, let's continue talk Classic Movies of American War Heroes! Our last blog post featured Sgt. Alvin York, a WW I American hero who saved lives throughout his time serving our country. The American war hero classic movie that we are featuring today is one in which Second Lt. Audie Murphy, a WW II American hero, plays “himself” in Universal’s To Hell and Back (1955). Based on the star's autobiography, this is the story of how Audie Murphy became America's most-decorated soldier during WW II. 
After dwelling a bit on Murphy's impoverished Texas upbringing, the story moves ahead to 1942, when, at 17, Audie Murphy joined the army. Within a year, he was a member of the 7th Army, serving in North Africa, Italy, France and ultimately Germany and Austria. One by one, the members of Murphy's Company B are killed in the war, until only three men from the original company are left (the others appear at the finale as 
ghostly images, a standard visual cliché of 1950s war films). The bulk of the film is given over to Murphy's conspicuous acts of combat bravery, and his killing of 240 enemy soldiers. Highlighted by excellent battle sequences, To Hell and Back is a serviceable tribute to Audie Murphy, a most complex individual.
Second Lt. Audie Murphy’s enlistment details: After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Murphy tried to enlist in the military, but the services rejected
him for being under age. In June 1942, shortly after his 17th birthday, his sister Corrine adjusted his birth date so he appeared to be 18 and legally allowed to enlist, and his war memoirs, To Hell and Back, maintained this misinformation, leading to later confusion and contradictory statements as to his year of birth. Murphy was accepted into the United States Army, at Greenville, after being turned down by the Marines and the paratroopers for being too short (5 feet 5.5 inches) and of slight build. He was also turned down by the Navy for being slight of build. He was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas, for basic training and during a session of close order drill, passed out. His company commander tried to have him transferred to a cook and bakers' school because of his baby-faced youthfulness, but Murphy insisted on becoming a combat soldier. His wish was granted: after 13 weeks of basic training, he was sent to Fort Meade, Maryland for advanced infantry training.
Second Lt. Audie Murphy was the most decorated American soldier of World War II. He received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest award for valor, along with 32 additional U.S. and foreign medals and citations, including five from France and one from Belgium. Murphy was a celebrated movie star for many years in the post-war era, appearing in 44 films. He also found some success as a country music composer. He died in a plane crash May 28, 1971 and was interred, with full military honors, in Arlington National Cemetery. Audie Murphy's grave site is the second-most visited grave at Arlington, after that of President John F. Kennedy.
**Trivia Question for Today: What movie did Audie Murphy have his first starring role? Who was his character in that movie?
Trivia Answer for Previous Post: When shooting at enemy soldiers, the
trick Sgt. York used to coax them out in the open was to gobble like a turkey. This “turkey tactic” worked for the turkey shoot, likewise it worked for enemy soldiers to arouse curiosity. Just like the turkeys, the soldiers would raise themselves up from the safety of their barricades to give Alvin a clear shot.
After dwelling a bit on Murphy's impoverished Texas upbringing, the story moves ahead to 1942, when, at 17, Audie Murphy joined the army. Within a year, he was a member of the 7th Army, serving in North Africa, Italy, France and ultimately Germany and Austria. One by one, the members of Murphy's Company B are killed in the war, until only three men from the original company are left (the others appear at the finale as 
ghostly images, a standard visual cliché of 1950s war films). The bulk of the film is given over to Murphy's conspicuous acts of combat bravery, and his killing of 240 enemy soldiers. Highlighted by excellent battle sequences, To Hell and Back is a serviceable tribute to Audie Murphy, a most complex individual.Second Lt. Audie Murphy’s enlistment details: After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Murphy tried to enlist in the military, but the services rejected
him for being under age. In June 1942, shortly after his 17th birthday, his sister Corrine adjusted his birth date so he appeared to be 18 and legally allowed to enlist, and his war memoirs, To Hell and Back, maintained this misinformation, leading to later confusion and contradictory statements as to his year of birth. Murphy was accepted into the United States Army, at Greenville, after being turned down by the Marines and the paratroopers for being too short (5 feet 5.5 inches) and of slight build. He was also turned down by the Navy for being slight of build. He was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas, for basic training and during a session of close order drill, passed out. His company commander tried to have him transferred to a cook and bakers' school because of his baby-faced youthfulness, but Murphy insisted on becoming a combat soldier. His wish was granted: after 13 weeks of basic training, he was sent to Fort Meade, Maryland for advanced infantry training.
Second Lt. Audie Murphy was the most decorated American soldier of World War II. He received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest award for valor, along with 32 additional U.S. and foreign medals and citations, including five from France and one from Belgium. Murphy was a celebrated movie star for many years in the post-war era, appearing in 44 films. He also found some success as a country music composer. He died in a plane crash May 28, 1971 and was interred, with full military honors, in Arlington National Cemetery. Audie Murphy's grave site is the second-most visited grave at Arlington, after that of President John F. Kennedy.
**Trivia Question for Today: What movie did Audie Murphy have his first starring role? Who was his character in that movie?
Trivia Answer for Previous Post: When shooting at enemy soldiers, the
trick Sgt. York used to coax them out in the open was to gobble like a turkey. This “turkey tactic” worked for the turkey shoot, likewise it worked for enemy soldiers to arouse curiosity. Just like the turkeys, the soldiers would raise themselves up from the safety of their barricades to give Alvin a clear shot.
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