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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Greenville and Hunt County are |
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celebrating Audie Murphy Days on June 15 and 16, 2007, in |
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commemoration of the famed Hunt County native and World War II hero; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Cohosted by the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum |
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and by Hunt County veterans' organizations, this two-day |
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extravaganza honors the most decorated American soldier of World |
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War II; and |
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WHEREAS, Born near Kingston, Audie Murphy enlisted in the |
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army in 1941 and rose from the rank of private to first lieutenant |
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before being discharged on September 21, 1945; his valorous |
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performance in the European theater earned him every American medal |
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for bravery, as well as several foreign awards; and |
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WHEREAS, Chief among the prestigious accolades he received |
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was the Medal of Honor, for which he was recommended after a |
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stunning display of leadership and heroism as he led Company B of |
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the 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, in battle near Holtzwihr, |
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France, on January 26, 1945; in the face of an assault by six German |
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tanks and waves of infantry, he ordered his men to withdraw to |
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prepared positions in some woods while he remained in a forward |
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position and directed Allied artillery fire by telephone; when the |
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German tanks came abreast of his position, he mounted a burning |
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Allied tank destroyer, which was in danger of exploding at any |
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moment, and employed its machine gun against the German infantry, |
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causing both the infantry and the German tanks to fall back; and |
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WHEREAS, Lieutenant Murphy continued his single-handed fight |
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for an hour, enduring German fire from three directions and |
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successfully wiping out a squad that tried to approach him on his |
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right flank, some soldiers reaching within 10 yards of his position |
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before being cut down; when his ammunition gave out, he withdrew, |
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refused medical attention for a leg wound he had sustained, and |
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organized a counterattack that forced the Germans to withdraw; his |
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courageous and selfless actions saved his company from possible |
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encirclement and annihilation and enabled it to hold the woods, |
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which had been the Germans' objective; and |
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WHEREAS, Having gained national recognition as one of the |
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country's bravest officers, Audie Murphy moved to California |
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following the war and sought work as an actor; after struggling for |
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several years, he went on to make 44 films during his 25-year screen |
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career, including the 1955 box office hit To Hell and Back, which |
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was based on his autobiography of the same name; in addition, he was |
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a successful horse breeder and a talented songwriter; and |
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WHEREAS, A legendary figure in the annals of American |
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history, Audie Murphy embodied the ideals of bravery, patriotism, |
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and unflinching resolve, and it is most fitting that the life of |
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this heroic American soldier be celebrated; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize June 15 and 16, 2007, as Audie Murphy |
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Days in Greenville and Hunt County and extend to the days' |
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organizers and participants best wishes for a successful and |
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memorable event; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Audie Murphy Days organizing committee as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |