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Probably the best encounter that was very public was this account shortly after he returned from the war. It appeared in the Dallas Newspaper on 11 December, 1946 with the following headline: "War Hero Handy With His Fist, Hijacker Discovers" "130-Pound Hero Fells 190-Pound Holdup Suspect" DALLAS MORNING NEWS DALLAS (Tex.) Dec. 11. (AP) — Little and Associated PressAudie Murphy, who is World War II’s most decorated soldier, won another battle singlehanded this afternoon when he subdued a 6-foot 2-inch, 190-pounder who apparently attempted to steal his automobile. The freckled kid from Farmersville, Tex., told the Dallas Morning News he knocked out the 25-year-old man in a rural filling station near here after a furious 10-minute battle. Murphy weighs 130 pounds and stands 5 feet 7 inches tall. State Highway Patrolmen Everett Brandon and F. H. Jensen, who talked with the News by telephone, said they arrested the man and lodged him in the McKinney Jail. No complaint was filed immediately. Tells of Holdup The 20-year-old Texas hero, who won the Congressional Medal of Honor and every other U.S. combat medal in World War II, related he was driving alone when he saw a large man limping along the highway. “It was raining like the devil and I thought I would do the fellow a favor,” Audie related. “I picked him up and we drove about a mile. “Suddenly this guy jammed something into my ribs, slapped me across the mouth and said: “‘I’m the boss now. If you won’t talk, this .45 will. I can use this car.’ “I admitted that he was pretty much the boss at that point and we drove about four more miles. He told me to pull into a roadside gasoline station and stop. I did and he took the keys and instructed me to slide along the seat and get out on his side of the car.” Decides on Fight Audie said the man’s left hand, hidden under an old army blouse, was still jammed into his ribs when he decided to make a fight for it. He grabbed the man’s hand, discovered he had no gun after all, struck him a blow that tumbled him from the car and on to the filling station drive. Murphy jumped squarely on the erstwhile tough guy and started swinging. “We fought all over the place for about 10 minutes,” Audie said. “He was a pretty big fellow, all right. I finally got him, though.” J. M. Peters, owner of the gasoline station, ran into the drive and ordered both men off the premises before he knew the background, Patrolman Brandon added. Calls in Police Audie rushed to another gasoline station a mile north to telephone the State police and upon his return found that his attacker had recovered and gone to the home of Mrs. Park Grissom, a few hundred yards distant. The man was scuffling with Mrs. Grissom and demanding fresh clothing to replace his bloody and torn garments when Murphy and the patrolmen overpowered him again. Courtesy of the Dallas Morning News Thanks, Dave |
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This is from an interview with the actor Jack Elam of Western movie film fame. Here he comments about Murphy: "He wasn’t afraid of anybody. One time we were up in Idyllwild on some show. It’d have to be "RIDE CLEAR OF DIABLO", I guess. Audie was the star of the picture so he had his own car, and he said, “Jack, ride in with me tonight.”`Cause I had to ride in a station wagon with three other guys. So he said, “Come on with me, Jack.” Anyway, we came down off the hill from Idyllwild and we hit Hemet, a little town at thefoot of the hills. Because it was a western, I had a week’s growth of beard and the long hair, which today would be short. Anyway, we stopped at a bar for a drink. Audie didn’t drink. But I said “Gimme a straight shot of Cutty Sark.” And Audie ordered a straight shot of Cutty Sark and a Coke chaser. We were sitting at the bar and that way he could just slip me his drink. It would look like he was drinking so he didn’t have to explain to the bartender, “I only want a Coke.” Anyway, some guy came down from a table at the end and walked behind me. And I had this hair, you know. And the guy got ahold of the back of my hair and squeezed it and said, “You need a haircut, buddy.” And he touched the back of my head. And Audie spun around and hit him and never said a friggin’ word. Just hit him. And he went flat. And the guy was with two other guys at a table down at the other end of the room. And the guys got up and they looked at Audie — and you know Audie was short — and these guys were big guys. He just looked at `em. Not a word. They picked their friend up— he was kind of coming together —and they left the bar. We figured we might be meeting them after we finished my drinks, on the way to the car. But there was no sign of `em. They were gone. I mean, they knew they don’t mess with Audie Murphy at that point. They could tell. He had that attitude about him of “Don’t tread on me.” Thanks, Dave |
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Here is a photo of the guy Murphy took on in the carjack attempt.
He stands 6'2 and 190 compared to Murphy's 5'7 130. When looking at the photo notice the carjackers muddy clothing and Murphy's relatively clean suit except for a small water mark on his coat sleeve. The only sign of Murphy's fight is his muddy shoes, whereas the carjacker also has a busted up mug. He was ID'd as John Thomas Daniels, a local thug. Lastly, I find it interesting that he had a .45 which Murphy took away from him, and then kicked his ass. ![]() |
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Anyway read To Hell and Back in 6th Grade saw the movie and was inspired by Lt MurpHy's selflessness and valor and knew I was going into the service. So mark down another Jarhead that is in your corner. Actually it was the photo in your avatar....Freaky wierd kinda. |
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