MOH

Medal of Honor: Audie L. Murphy – World War II – France – January 1945

Outnumbered, wounded, and alone, he refused to give an inch of ground. Standing atop a burning vehicle, he turned certain defeat into decisive victory.

January 27, 2026

Name: Audie L. Murphy
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division
Place: Near Holtzwihr, France
Entered Service At: Dallas, Texas
Born: Hunt County, near Kingston, Texas

Summary of Action

On 26 January 1945, near Holtzwihr, France, Second Lieutenant Audie L. Murphy commanded Company B, 15th Infantry, as it was attacked by six German tanks supported by waves of infantry. Recognizing the overwhelming threat, Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared defensive positions in nearby woods while he remained forward at his command post to direct artillery fire by telephone.

As the enemy advance intensified, a U.S. tank destroyer to his right was struck and burst into flames, forcing its crew to withdraw. With German tanks closing in and infantry advancing, Lt. Murphy continued to adjust artillery fire, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. When the tanks drew abreast of his position, he climbed onto the burning tank destroyer—fully exposed and in danger of explosion—and manned its .50-caliber machine gun.

Alone and under fire from three sides, Lt. Murphy poured devastating fire into the advancing German infantry, killing dozens and breaking the momentum of the attack. For nearly an hour, the enemy attempted to eliminate him with every available weapon. Despite being wounded in the leg, he refused to withdraw, personally wiping out an enemy squad that attempted to flank his position and mowing down German soldiers who advanced to within ten yards.

Only when his ammunition was exhausted did Lt. Murphy leave the burning vehicle. He rejoined his company, refused medical treatment, and immediately organized and led a counterattack that forced the German forces to withdraw. Through his leadership and personal valor, Lt. Murphy killed or wounded approximately fifty enemy soldiers and saved his company from encirclement and destruction.

Medal of Honor Citation

MURPHY, AUDIE L.

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division.

Place and date: Near Holtzwihr, France, 26 January 1945.

Entered service at: Dallas, Tex.

Birth: Hunt County, near Kingston, Tex.

G.O. No.: 65, 9 August 1945.

Citation:

Second Lieutenant Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. Second Lieutenant Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, 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. Second Lieutenant Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry.