World War II Honoree

Frederick C. Murphy

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Weymouth, Massachusetts

Honored By

Robert M. Thomas

Relationship

Admirer

MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT. MEDICAL DETACHMENT, 259TH INFANTRY, 65TH INFANTRY DIVISION. ENTERED SERVICE AT WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS. AID MAN; WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER SOON AFTER HIS COMRADES HAD JUMPED OFF IN A DAWN ATTACK MARCH 18, 1945 AGAINST THE SIEGFRIED LINE AT SAARLAUTERN, GERMANY. REFUSED TO WITHDRAW FOR TREATMENT AND CONTINUED FORWARD, ADMINISTERING FIRST AID UNDER HEAVY MACHINE-GUN, MORTAR AND ARTILLERY FIRE. WHEN THE COMPANY RAN INTO A THICKLY SOWN ANTI-PERSONNEL MINEFIELD AND BEGAN TO SUFFER MORE AND MORE CASUALTIES, HE CONTINUED TO DISREGARD HIS OWN WOUND AND UNHESITATINGLY BRAVED THE DANGER OF EXPLODING MINES, MOVING ABOUT THROUGH HEAVY FIRE AND HELPING THE INJURED UNTIL HE STEPPED ON A MINE WHICH SEVERED ONE OF HIS FEET. IN SPITE OF HIS GRIEVOUS WOUNDS, HE STRUGGLED ON WITH HIS WORK, REFUSING TO BE EVACUATED AND CRAWLING FROM MAN TO MAN ADMINISTERING TO THEM WHILE IN GREAT PAIN AND BLEEDING PROFUSELY. KILLED BY THE BLAST OF ANOTHER MINE WHILE DRAGGING HIMSELF ACROSS THE FIELD IN AN EFFORT TO REACH STILL ANOTHER CASUALTY. WITH INDOMITABLE COURAGE AND UNQUENCHABLE SPIRIT OF SELF-SACRIFICE AND SUPREME DEVOTION TO DUTY WHICH MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO CONTINUE PERFORMING HIS TASKS WHILE BARELY ABLE TO MOVE. SAVED MANY OF HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS AT THE COST OF HIS OWN LIFE.