June 02, 2025

This Week in the West: Audie Murphy

4 minutes

🤠This Week in the West

🎙️Episode 31: Audie Murphy

📢 Episode Summary:

This week on This Week in The West, we saddle up with the extraordinary story of Audie Murphy—a humble Texas farm boy who became the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II and then a bona fide Hollywood cowboy. We share the gripping tale of Murphy’s Medal of Honor heroics on the battlefield, his unlikely rise to Western stardom, and how his legacy continues to resonate 80 years later.

From standing alone atop a burning tank destroyer under enemy fire to playing himself in To Hell and Back, Murphy’s life was a remarkable blend of valor, vulnerability, and the American spirit. Join us as we honor a reluctant hero whose real-life courage shaped not only the outcome of a war, but also the golden age of the Western film genre.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

How a teenage soldier from rural Texas became the most decorated combat veteran of WWII

Why Audie Murphy's real-life heroism made him a natural fit for Hollywood Westerns

How Murphy helped shape America's understanding of PTSD long before it had a name

👥 Behind the Scenes

Host: Seth Spillman

Producer: Chase Spivey

Writer: Mike Koehler

🔗 Further research:

Biography from the Department of Defense: https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/4035082/medal-of-honor-monday-army-maj-audie-murphy/

1949 Radio Broadcast of “This Is Your Life”: https://youtu.be/MrPaGoBOGY0?si=HjN5DE9Ah_BJQZMc

Audie Murphy Memorial website: https://www.audiemurphy.com/index.htm

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🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708

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By The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

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