The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-06-09
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Yak Leaf clusters and Purple
Heart, is at the right.
-V
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big surprise. That's the first
I've heard of it," Mr.. Murray
exclaimed.
The newsman then read him
the story and made an appoint
ment with the father for pho
tOgraphs.
Mr.. Murray called his daugh-
aer-in-law and told her the
wonderful news.
why, it's such a surprise.
He'd written that he was get
ting a medal but he thought
it was another Silver Star. We
had no idea it was this" she
said. Captain Murray also
holds the Silver Star for gal
lantry i'll action on January 22,
with two Oak Leaf clusters.)
Later in the afternoon a copy
Of the story was taken to the
barber shop, where Mrs. Muir
ray was waiting. She started
reading it standing up but it
was too much. She sat down
in one of the chairs and, too
excited to hold the paper, a
friend held it while She finish
ed learning the details Of how
her young husband became
one of the country's tOp-flight
heroes.
She paused once or twice to
correct a fact such as ''he's
not "a, he's only % years old"
and he isn't native of Bal
timore. He's always lived
here" (The Associated Press
said he was a Baltim0rian, per-
haps because that's where he
was born.)
II think it's wonderful. This
is the happiest day of my life.
just can't say anything
more" she beamed.
Everything seems to be hap
pening at once. At noon today
received a letter from MIN. HI
didn't say a thing about being
promoted to captain but up in the
corner, there it was Captain
Charles P. Murray, Jr.'. And now
THIS medal. This is almost too
much"
Mrs. Murray was reluctant about
having her picture taken until she
was assured several times tha
her husbands would be in the
paper too.
Meantime, the elder Murray
trying his best to keep his paren
tai pride concealed, just said
I'VE re mighty, mighty proud o:
him.
Hes the first in Wilmington tt
win the medal, isn't he?" he ask
cd. Assured he was, he wanted
to know if any other North Caro-
linians had received it. Only
slightly more than 100 medals o.
honor have been awarded among
the hundreds of thousands of In
fantrymen in World War II. The
Tooth was presented to Sgt. Jake
Lindsey. of Lucedale, Miss, a
ceremonies in Washington las
so Captain Murray's may
be the 101st or 102nd.
Sitting in the lobby of the Cape
Fear hotel, the wife and father o.
the young hero then told, in answer
10 a reporters questions, how ne
was wounded the day he won the
medal.
He was hit eight times, mostly
in the leg, with grenade shrapne
and was taken to an Army hospital
"He didn't stay there but - days
He went AWOL-no, that's not it
ne left without permission OF the
IOclOfS TO TeJOlIl Il1o SOiAApe.iiJ ~
wrote that he felt he should be
with his men, that they Weren
getting the attention they should,
Mr. Murray said. Then was when
Captain Murray received the Pur-
ole Heart.
They didn't know any of the de-
.ails about how he won the Con-
sressional Medal of Honor but a
elbow officer had given them III
he Associated Press story.
He is First Lieut.. Edward {.
la Belle. of Monroe Bridge, Mass,
executive officer of the company
who told Army officials how Muir
,ay, with a reinforced platoon,
,econnoitered an area held by the
Germans.
1--WE decided against attack. Our
mail force would have been fore
ID to move out into a treeless,
Ill.,. ..,,,pco whore the Germans