Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private 1st Class

Unit:

Medical Detachment, 259th Infantry Regiment, 65th Infantry Division "Battle-Axe", U.S. Army

Awarded on:

February 26th, 1946

Citation:
"An aid man, he was wounded in the right shoulder soon after his comrades had jumped off in a dawn attack 18 March 1945, against the Siegfried Line at Saarlautern, Germany. He refused to withdraw for treatment and continued forward, administering first aid under heavy machinegun, mortar, and artillery fire. When the company ran into a thickly sown antipersonnel minefield and began to suffer more and more casualties, he continued to disregard his own wound and unhesitatingly braved the danger of exploding mines, moving about through heavy fire and helping the injured until he stepped on a mine which severed one of his feet. In spite of his grievous wounds, he struggled on with his work, refusing to be evacuated and crawling from man to man administering to them while in great pain and bleeding profusely. He was killed by the blast of another mine which he had dragged himself across in an effort to reach still another casualty. With indomitable courage, and unquenchable spirit of self-sacrifice and supreme devotion to duty which made it possible for him to continue performing his tasks while barely able to move, Pfc. Murphy saved many of his fellow soldiers at the cost of his own life."

Awarded posthumously.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Medical Detachment, 259th Infantry Regiment, 65th Infantry Division "Battle-Axe", U.S. Army

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private First Class

Unit:

Medical Detachment, 259th Infantry Regiment, 65th Infantry Division "Battle-Axe", U.S. Army

This award was obtained in the form of an Oak Leave to be attached on the ribbon of the first award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private First Class

Unit:

Medical Detachment, 259th Infantry Regiment, 65th Infantry Division "Battle-Axe", U.S. Army

This award was obtained in the form of a second Oak Leave to be attached on the ribbon of the first award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With bronze star

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)