Audie Murphy, as I am sure you all know, is the most decorated combat soldier in US history. He killed an estimated 250 germans! He also took out 6 tanks, and was in combat for 2 years. What a courageous guy. He's got my vote for greatest American.
2007-02-27 07:47:08 · 18 answers · asked by th_779 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
He's an American hero, however, many others have been more heroic.
2007-02-27 07:52:07 · answer #1 · answered by annvictorblue 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
According to the website below, Audie Murphy was NOT the most decorated American military person. (He WAS the most decorated military person in World War Two. )
The most decorated United States service man - Major Louis Cukela, U.S. Marine, 66th Company of the 5th Regiment. (TWO Medal of Honor awards plus a bunch of others.)
Then again, General MacArthur was decorated more. (But technically he was not a combat soldier.) When he retired from the armed forces, he was the most decorated U.S. serviceman in American history. However he earned his decorations over almost almost 50 years in Two World Wars and Korea plus a number of other "events" in US Military history.
I think you need to be careful. If you count actual "medals" awarded, there are some that are nothing but decorations, and they should not count the same as one for valor. And just how do Two Bronze stars with "V" for valor match up to a Medal of Honor?
2007-02-27 19:40:08 · answer #2 · answered by forgivebutdonotforget911 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would have to agree that he was a great American being the most highly decorated American Serviceman of WWII, but I also think that there's a huge number of great Americans. I have visited his gravesite in Arlington. Did you know that the actor, Neville Brande was only a few medals behind Audie Murphy in the total count?
2007-02-27 07:59:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Col. Robert Howard comes close. Only person nominated for the Medal of Honor three times. Awarded the Medal of Honor once, the Distinguished Service Cross twice, the Silver Star and eight Purple Hearts
2007-02-27 09:22:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure if that makes him the greatest American, maybe the bravest and so deserving of his Medal of Honor. I think Lincoln was a greater American or Washington. I'm not trying to denigrate his service what he did was without a doubt courageous and saved many Americans' lives I'm sure but I don't think even his mother would think he's the greatest.
2007-02-27 07:53:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well the most interesting part of his story was he was rejected by the Marines, and at first the Army. I am partial to Alvin York, since he was a conscientious objector.
But here is the bottom line, a hero is someone who does something to save the lives of others without thinking about the risk they are being subjected too. So there are literally hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen that you never hear about that are just as great.
2007-02-27 08:01:05 · answer #6 · answered by Yo it's Me 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure I'd say the greatest American, but I would sure say the greatest American war hero winning every possible award, even the Medal of Honor.
2007-02-27 07:53:08 · answer #7 · answered by mottthedog 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hero has to be one if not the most overly used word in U.S.
Not taking anything away from Audie Murphy he deserved what he was rewarded with and by al the autobiographys a good individual.
I to like York for his views and simple outlook on life and to a great extent he lived an honorable life.
While much is written on how many men one killed that is not the main reason the Medal of Honor is given.
Situations can define the heroism, acts by a complete A*hole can win them medals but does not make them worthy of emulation in rest of life.
teh military especially in todays propaganda machinery has belittled the real medals men of honor recieved in the past.
Bush and the military have cheapened the sacrifice of my relatives in all this countrys previous wars but it began in the Viet Era, an unnneeded war needs heros to get the rest of country behind them.
Take Caprenter in Viet War when the men he had led put a bounty on his head so they transfered him to Saigon.
My uncles and grandfther did not wear thier medals after they won them, they were proud of them and we proud also but they came from a time when men did things necessary for that time and not afterwards.
Today we have the President giving dead contractors and his paid liars Freedom medals, civilian equivelent to Military Medal of honor and that cheapens those given to men who deserved them in past.
I have only met three men who won the medal of honor and they all were honorable men and all from Washington state and I felt honored to meet them.
When a female military broad has to have a filmed rescue when she needed not, and then to try and lie for propaganda purposes and given a medal, a medal men had died for herioic actions, just cheapened those mens memorials.
2007-02-27 09:16:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are many ways to be great. Yes, Murphy was a war hero, but does that make him greater than the guy who made medical discoveries which saves millions of lives? Preseving life is much, much harder than taking lives.
2007-02-27 07:52:24 · answer #9 · answered by WC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe not the greatest American, but the greatest American fighting soldier based on one on one combat, you must say he was one of the best.
In my lifetime, it has been Billy Graham.
2007-02-27 07:54:36 · answer #10 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are different reasons, and priorities for people to pick someone as greatest American. It is all personal choice. I like your pick, but I would pick someone who covered more areas than just military greatness.
2007-02-27 07:59:00 · answer #11 · answered by John B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋