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Orphaned at sixteen, Audie Murphy escaped a life of poverty when the United States entered World War II. Murphy lied about his age to enlist in the army, where his courage and ferocity earned him multiple honors. In January 1945, he single-handedly fought off six Panzer tanks and 250 German infantry for over an hour, earning the Medal of Honor for his actions.

Returning home a national hero, Murphy was convinced by film legend James Cagney to take up acting and became one of the most popular movie stars of the 1950s, playing the lead in many westerns and in director John Huston’s epic The Red Badge of Courage. Murphy also wrote a best-selling memoir about his wartime experiences and played himself in the movie adaptation. More»