National Treasure: Audie Murphy, The World War II Hero Who Became Hollywood’s Leading Man

Audie Murphy was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II, earning every major U.S. military honor by age 20. After the war, he became a Hollywood actor and used his fame to advocate for veterans' mental health. ___ A little more information: Audie Murphy is a true American hero – one of the most decorated soldiers in U.S. history and a symbol of courage under fire. Born in Texas in 1925, he lied about his age to join the military at just 16. During World War II, he fought bravely across Europe and earned many awards for valor, including the Medal of Honor, plus decorations from France and Belgium. His most famous act of heroism came in 1945, when he held off an entire German company – alone and wounded – by firing from a burning tank. After the war, he turned to Hollywood, starring in over 40 films, including "To Hell and Back," which was based on his own war memoir. At the same time, he privately struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Later in life, he used his platform to speak up for veterans, especially those dealing with the invisible wounds of war. Audie Murphy’s legacy is more than medals and movies – it’s a story of grit, sacrifice and resilience. He showed the world what bravery looks like, both on the battlefield and in the years that followed. #audiemurphy #ww2 #audiemurphybiography #ptsd #westernmovies #soldier Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@SmithsonianMagazine Learn more about Audie Murphy here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/audie-murphy-idol-silver-screen-came-after-most-decorated-american-hero-world-war-ii-180987467 How the ghost army of WWII used art to deceive the Nazis: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-ghost-army-of-wwii-used-art-to-deceive-the-nazis-180980336/ The stunning search for the remains of fallen WWII Airmen: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-stunning-search-for-the-remains-of-fallen-wwii-airmen-180986697/ The dramatic rescue of the citizen sailors who patrolled the Atlantic coast looking for Nazi u-boats: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dramatic-rescue-citizen-sailors-patrolled-atlantic-coast-looking-nazi-uboats-180985632/ For more videos from Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/category/original-series/ Get More Smithsonian Magazine: Official Site: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithsonianmagazine/ X: https://x.com/smithsonianmag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SmithsonianMagazine/ Executive Producers: Nicki Marko & Brian Wolly Supervising Producer & Scriptwriter: Michelle Mehrtens Producer & Editor: Sierra Theobald Motion Designer: Ricardo Jaimes Narrators: Jason Smith, Phil Freeman (voice of Audie Murphy), Aaron Ralby (voice of Lieutenant Weispfenning)