World War II Honoree

Walter F. Murphy

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hudson, Massachusetts

Honored By

Kevin, Leslie, Dean & Eloise

Relationship

Family

THE AMERICANS FIRST CONTACT IN THE WAR AGAINST GERMANY WAS ALSO HIS FIRST. OPERATION TORCH BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 8, 1942, THE DIVISION LANDED IN ALGERIA NEAR ORAN. HE ADVANCED WITH THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION TO THE CAMPAIGN IN TUNISIA WERE THE COMBAT WAS HARSH AND THE DIVISION TOOK MANY CASUALTIES. ON MAY 9, 1943 THE COMMANDER OF GERMAN 'AFRIKA KORPS' SURRENDERED 40,000 SOLDIERS TO THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION. NEXT, OPERATION HUSKY JULY 10, 1943, THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION'S ADVANCE TO TAKE SICILY. FOLLOWING SICILY CAME ANOTHER BEACH LANDING AT GELA, ITALY WHERE THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION OVERPOWERED THE ITALIAN DEFENSES TO FACE THE 100 TANKS OF THE HERMAN GOERING TANK DIVISION. THE 1ST DIVISION MOVED THROUGH THEM WITH THE HELP OF NAVAL GUNFIRE, ITS OWN ARTILLERY AND THE CANADIAN ALLIES. THE DIVISION THEN ADVANCED TO CAPTURE TROINA AND OPEN THE STRAITS OF MESSINA. HE STEPPED INTO HISTORY WITH THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION ON JUNE 6, 1944, D-DAY, ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION, 16TH INFANTRY REGIMENT NEAR COLEVILLE-SUR-MER ON OMAHA (BLOOD) BEACH. THEY HELD A SMALL STRIP OF BEACH WHERE THEY LITERALLY FOUGHT FOR THEIR LIVES. FOLLOWING THE D-DAY INVASION, THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION MOVED THROUGH THE NORMANDY HEDGEROWS FORWARD TO LIBERATE LIEGE, BELGIUM. HE NEVER MADE IT OUT OF FRANCE AS HE WAS WOUNDED AUGUST 7, 1944 AND MEDICALLY EVACUATED TO ENGLAND.