The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-09-24
CITIZENS GREET
WAR HERO TODAY
Continued from Page One)

WILL GCG AAlOS4 WIZ
sentation Of the colors by the colo
guard from Bluethenthal Air Base
The Rev. J. F. Herbert, paste
of Grace Methodist Church vii
pronounce the invocation anc thel
Mavor Ronald w. Lane will intro
: duce Wilmington's No. hero
If Capt Charles P. Murray, Jr.
Principal It. T. Hamilton of New
Hanover High School will delivel
the main address of the evening
and will speak on Captain Muir
rays High School Career" Bishop
Thomas C. Darst, will offer {
"Prayer of Thanks" and the pro
gram will close with the retiring
of the colors.
In case of inclement weather, the
program honoring Capt. Murray
will be held in ITALIAN Hall, Score
tarv Cartier said. The official vel
come by the citizens of Wilmington
will come to a close with an IN
formal reception for him at the
Cape Fear club at o'clock.
Captain Murray, member OF
the 3Oth Infantry Regiment OF the
Third Division, was born at Baltl-
more. Md, on September rs, 1921
and moved with his family to Will
nington in December Of tie follow
ing year and has continued TO
make his home here ever since.
He attended Hemingway ana
Isaac Bear schools and while IN
the seventh grade, won his first
decoration, an American Legion
award which was presented to him
bv Commander Edwards OF Posi-
No. 10 of Wilmington. He entered
New Hanover High in 1894 and
graduated in 1888 and after taking
postgraduate work at MINIS for q
wear. he entered the University Of
North Carolina in 1899. leaving
school in his third year to enter
the armed services Ct the Nation at
Fort Bragg on Sept. 81. 1912.
+u Some ten days later he was on
his way to Camp VOTERS, Texas
for his basic training and in jan
nary. 1943 entered the Infantry
school at Fort Benning, Ga. Seven
months to the day Of his induction
he received his commission and
was then sent to Camp Robinson,
Little Rock, Ark. He also served
At Camp Fannin, Tyler, Texas ano
served one year as an instructor
at Forte Meade, Md.
While still in basic training, ne
narried the former Anniemae
King Of Wilmington at Mineral
Wells, Texas, and in December
1913, was promoted to first heu'ell.
ant. In October, 1914, he went
overseas and joined the 3oth IN
fantry Regiment Of the Third d.
vision and two weeks later, was
placed in command OF Company
&c"
During his comparatively short
but gruelling service in the Euro
Dean theatre of war, Captain Muir
ray, although saddened by the
death of his mother in 1941, hung
up a record of bravery which moi
only came to the attention OF his
own government at Washington,
but won recognition Of the French
government as well. For his
many deeds Of heroism and
bravery, often beyond the cab
of duty, he was awarded the Silver
Star Medal with two oak Leaf
clusters, the Bronze Star Medal,
the Purple Heart, French Croi1
de Guerre, the Fournngerre colors
of the Croix de Guerrero, the
Presidential Unit Citation, the
French Unit Citation and the
highest honor within the gift Of
the United States, the Congress
sional Medal of Honor.
Capt. Murray's citation from his
commanding officers reads as fol-
lows:
In naid-December, just before
the Germans took the initiative
over the Western Front, the 30th
Infantry was assigned a task OF
cracking the northern defense wall
Of remaining German mountain
defense in the Co1rnar pocket. SIS
troops and officer candidates con-
stituted the major part Of their
perimeter defense
Against stiff resistance elo-
ments Of the 30th took the Ger.
man stronghold Of Kaysersberg
on December 18th and swept be.
yond at heavy cost. The LIST Bat.
talon, Of which Capt. Murray's
&C" Company is a part, seized
and occupied high ground near
the city when the enemy counter
attacked. Capt. Murray engaged
the 200 enemy alone.
Motioning to two platoons to de.
ploy and wait, Capt. Murray grab.
bed a radio and crawled forward,
masked by a small knob. From a
forward position he called for artil.
lery fire, but his radio broke
down after bracketing.
For second time he went for
ward, this time with an NJ rifle
and a grenade 1auncher. He fired
two grenades and drew a volley
reply that sent earth splatterjng
all over him. Quickly he lobbed
ten more prenades dnuy, ar1