Audie Murphy served in the Texas National Guard after World War II. He attained the rank of Major in the National Guard, later transferring to the US Army Reserves until his passing in 1971. Given his lifetime of bravery, honor, and achievements, the Texas Legislature saw fit to pass HCR 3 awarding the medal.
In a ceremony in Farmsville, TX on Oct. 29th, Governor Rick Perry presented the award, posthumously. Here are the Governor's remarks:
I'm privileged to be here today, joining you all to honor an individual who helped define heroism for his community, his state and his country.
More than four decades since his untimely passing, Audie Murphy lives on in the hearts and memories of a generation of Americans.
For them, Audie remains the first person they think of when they hear words like "valor," "determination" and "courage."
Many of you here today knew Audie personally, and you knew that Audie stood for all of that, and much, much more. You know what made Audie great wasn't simply his courage.
It was his quick wits, improvising effectively when things went wrong within the fog of war.
It was his determination...powered by a seemingly endless reserve of energy...and his profound faith in the rightness of his cause.
And it was his love. The love he felt for his fellow soldiers on the battlefield; the love he felt for his country; and the love he felt for everyone waiting for him back home. Audie Murphy personified every trait that led America to victory in the Second World War, and what's led us to victory on other battlefields, in other wars, around the globe.
As such, it's our obligation to keep his memory alive, telling and re-telling his stories, reminding new generations of Texans of what this sharecropper's son accomplished through the sheer power of his will.
Put simply, that's what the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor is all about.
It's about recognizing true greatness in the individuals who served our state, and our country, during our most trying times.
It's about thanking individuals who gave everything they had in combat, putting themselves in harm's way to preserve the freedoms that make America exceptional.
That seems tailor-made for an individual like Audie Murphy, and I'm honored to be here to present this award.
To his friends and family here today, please know Texas simply couldn't be any prouder of Audie.
We will all work to keep his memory, and his spirit, alive.
We'll do so because, first, it's the right thing to do for a man who gave so much to his community and country.
But we'll also do so because he remains a shining example for anyone who believes in the importance of service, for generations now, and into the future.
Once again, thank you for having me here today.
May God bless you and, through you, may He continue to bless the great State of Texas.
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