Audie Murphy

1925 – 1971

Audie Leon Murphy was the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, receiving every U.S. Army award for valor available, including the Medal of Honor at age 19 for single-handedly holding off a German company near Holtzwihr, France in 1945. After the war he became a successful film actor, starring in more than forty films including the autobiographical To Hell and Back (1955). He spoke publicly about combat trauma and used his platform to advocate for veterans' mental health care decades before post-traumatic stress was formally recognized.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM