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Audie Murphy Collection

The most decorated soldier of WWII, Audie Murphy went on to enjoy a twenty-year career in Hollywood.

Audie Murphy

6 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 2 hours, 1809 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
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3 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from August 16, 1960:

"Army Hour Audie Murphy Interview"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Audie Murphy
(1925 – 1971)

Audie MurphySeveral of the most respected voices in OTR, indeed in Hollywood as a whole, answered when their nation called and acquitted themselves with honor. Not everyone could serve on the front lines, of course, and we make no distinction whether a vet's service involved flying combat missions in enemy skies, storming the beaches of Normandy, manning the recording booth at the Armed Forces Radio Service studios in Hollywood, or cooking powdered eggs in Omaha, the fact that they were willing to wear their country's uniform and contribute to something so much bigger than themselves makes them worthy of our admiration and respect.

While we honor the service of every veteran, there are certain those whose service stands out. The most prominent of these would be that of Audie Murphy, one of the most decorated soldiers to serve in the Second World War. Murphy was born into a sharecropper's large family in Hunt County, Texas. His father abandoned them and Audie left school in the fifth grade to find work to support the family. About the only job available to a barely educated boy was picking cotton, but it was Audie's skill with a hunting rifle which kept food on the table. His mother died in 1941 of pneumonia when Audie was just 16.

War Decorations

Audie had wanted to be a soldier his whole life and tried to join as soon as he heard the news about Pearl Harbor. However, he was denied entry into the service because he was too young and too small. Finally, his older sister helped him to falsify some paperwork and he was accepted into the Army on June 30, 1942. After basic training at Ft. Wolters and Advanced Infantry Training at Ft. Meade, Murphy was shipped to Casablanca as a private to join 3rd Infantry Division under Gen Lucian Truscott. He was a division runner and promoted to corporal just after landing in Sicily with the Division.

Although the slight Murphy was occasionally sidelined by illness, he managed to find himself in the thick of things quite often. Decorations for Valor and promotions came with stunning frequency. Audie Murphy would be awarded every combat award for valor available to Army personnel, including French and Belgian awards. A battlefield commission to 2nd Lt came in October 1944, and the 19-year-old Murphy found himself a platoon leader commanding troops ten years his senior. His combat effectiveness and zeal for getting the job done made him an effective commander.

In January of 1945, Murphy's unit was fighting in the Colmar Pocket in the Alsace region of France, and he was ordered to hold a vital roadway until reinforcements could arrive. The cold afternoon stillness was broken as an enemy artillery barrage opened up on his position, and he saw 250 German troops and six tanks coming out of the woods. Murphy ordered his men to fall back to prepared defensive positions, but he stayed at his command post, calling in artillery support fire (the artillery commander asked how close the enemy was to the young lieutenant's position, Murphy shouted back "Just hold the phone and I'll let you talk to one of the bastards!") A nearby tank destroyer was hit and began to burn, but Murphy saw that the 50 caliber machine gun mounted on the vehicle was still serviceable. Using the smoke as a screen, he fired burst after burst to hold back the enemy (standing on the burning vehicle, he later noted that his feet were warm for the first time in three days) while directing artillery over the field telephone. Although he sustained a shrapnel injury, he did not give up the tank destroyer until he was out of ammunition. When he returned to his men, rather than being evacuated with his wounds he organized a counter-attack which drove the Germans back into the woods.

Audie

Second Lt Audie Murphy was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in the Colmar Pocket. Somewhat ironically, the Army decided that the celebrity which came with the Medal of Honor made Murphy too valuable to risk in combat, and he was reassigned as a liaison officer until the end of the War. He returned home in July 1945 to a hero's welcome complete with parades and his picture on the cover if Life magazine.

Screen legend James Cagney advised Murphy that his new found celebrity and boyish good looks would make him an almost instant Star in Hollywood. The Westerns which were still popular were a natural fit for the Texas Native, and Murphy made more than 40 movies in his twenty year Hollywood career, including playing himself in To Hell and Back (1955) for Universal which was loosely based on his autobiography. The picture would be Universal's most profitable film until Jaws came out in 1975.

Murphy juggled his film career with service in the Texas National Guard and helped to drill recruits when National Guard elements were called to service in Korea. Despite his success, Murphy battled with depression and anxiety after the War (it is recorded that he slept with a loaded 45 Colt Automatic under his pillow and was reduced to tears when shown footage of German War orphans). It is now recognized that he was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Murphy used his celebrity to fight for Veterans Rights for soldiers returning from Vietnam, recognizing that he had insight into the struggles they were facing.

Audie Murphy

On May 29, 1971, a private plane in which Murphy was a passenger crashed into Brush Mountain, Virginia, killing all aboard. Major Audie L. Murphy was buried with full Military Honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1605 Vine Street honors the contributions to Motion Pictures made by Audie Murphy.

Major Murphy's gravesite at Arlington is in Section 46, headstone number 46-366-11, located across Memorial Drive from the Amphitheater. Traditionally, the headstones of Medal of Honor recipients in Arlington are decorated with gold leaf, but Murphy requested that his remain plain and inconspicuous. Nonetheless, it is the second most visited grave in the National Cemetery after that of President John Kennedy.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    I just wanted to write and say WOW! I've been recently trying to get collections of old-time radio for archiving and enjoying and I have to say, you guys have the best deal going HANDS DOWN! Before I found OTRCAT, you'd have to be independently wealthy to be able to afford it! Then I find your website, started downloading some horror via the free downloads and then read up on the MP3 CD option. I am in LOVE! I get the archival CD AND instant downloads to the entire collection at a VERY reasonable price?? I can get the programs I want and pay what is reasonably within my budget? Pinch me I'm dreaming. I've ordered a set of Light's Out and will probably order more before the evening is over. You guys offer a really great deal for the consumer. The deal is far superior for those working class folks like me! I appreciate your deals, how yall do business, what you stand for, and will be back for more!

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    6 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 2 hours, 1809 min
    6 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 2 hours, 1809 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 6 shows – total playtime 2 hours, 30 minutes
    2. Army Hour 600817 Audie Murphy Interview.mp3
    3. Cavalcade Of America 511009 Fields Are Green.mp3
    4. Hedda Hopper Show 501111 X Audie Murphy.mp3
    5. Hollywood Fights Back 471026.mp3
    6. Pabst 471113 047 Audie Murphy.mp3
    7. Uso Farewell Program 480111 Special.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    6 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 2 hours, 1809 min
    6 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    69 MB – total playtime 2 hours, 30 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 6 shows – 69 MB – total playtime 2 hours, 30 minutes
    2. Army Hour 600817 Audie Murphy Interview.mp3
    3. Cavalcade Of America 511009 Fields Are Green.mp3
    4. Hedda Hopper Show 501111 X Audie Murphy.mp3
    5. Hollywood Fights Back 471026.mp3
    6. Pabst 471113 047 Audie Murphy.mp3
    7. Uso Farewell Program 480111 Special.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    6 recordings on 3 Audio CDs. Total playtime 2 hours, 30 min
    6 recordings on 3 Audio CDs
    total playtime 2 hours, 30 min

    Audie Murphy Disc A001

    1. Hollywood Fights Back 471026
    2. Pabst 471113 047 Audie Murphy

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Audie Murphy Disc A002

    1. Uso Farewell Program 480111 Special
    2. Hedda Hopper Show 501111 X Audie Murphy

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Audie Murphy Disc A003

    1. Cavalcade Of America 511009 Fields Are Green
    2. Army Hour 600817 Audie Murphy Interview

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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