AUDIE MURPHY - A REAL SAN FERNANDO VALLEY HERO

The following is the citation accompanying Audie Murphy’s Congressional Medal of Honor:

Second Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to a prepared position in a wood, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, one of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire, which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad that was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued his single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way back to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack, which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.”

STEVE DEVOL SHARES SOME OF HIS PHOTOGRAPHS FROM JULY WALKING TOUR OF NO HO

Audie Murphy's medals from World War II - No Ho Masonic Temple (click on image to enlarge) Photograph by Museum in-tourist Steve Devol

Bottom of the El Portal Marquee in the No Ho
(click on image to enlarge) Photograph by Museum in-tourist Steve Devol

Guy Weddington McCreary advisor to The Museum - On the No Ho historic walking tour today. (click on image to enlarge) Photograph by Museum in-tourist Steve Duval

Richard Hilton and his tour inside of the historic No Ho Post Office (click on image to enlarge) Photograph by Museum in-tourist Steve Devol

RICHARD HILTON LEADS 2nd NOHO WALKING TOUR FOR THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

NoHo Walking Tour Feb. 2009 - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
Undaunted by the first big rains of February, Richard Hilton (Director of The Museum's Tour Programs) met an intrepid group of California in-tourists for The Museum's second NoHo historic walking tour. One of our group came to be with us from Santa Barbara.
2009 - The Year of Valley History
Masonic Temple North Hollywood 2009 (click on image to enlarge)
Richard Hilton added the very impressive neo-Mayan Masonic Temple to the 2nd. walking tour of the Museum. Hilton already has plans to expand the NoHo area tours to include the theater/arts district and a ride to Campo de Cahuenga on the Metro.
Stay tuned.
The San Fernando Valley, in the heart of the Creative Capital of the World, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.