The story of an American hero's wife never gets too old to tell
Apr 9, 2018Sure, I tell them, go ahead. We had her all to ourselves out here for so long working at the Sepulveda VA, we almost took her for granted — as if that was ever really possible.There’s never been a woman who commanded so much attention and respect from the first moment the veterans heard whispers in the VA hallways about who the sweet lady carrying the clipboard was.Pamela Murphy, widow of America’s most decorated fighting man in World War II – Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy. Mr. Hell and Back.It was like somebody told them Gen. Patton was knocking at the front door or Ike was flying in from the White House to pay the troops a visit. Their backs stiffened and they snapped to attention.RELATED STORY: Dennis McCarthy: Remembering shy heroine Pam Murphy on Veterans DayAudie Murphy’s widow? No fooling?Pam Murphy had lived in Audie’s massive shadow for 20 years. She never complained publicly when his gambling took all their money, and his philandering stole their marriage.After he died at age 46 in a 1971 private plane crash, we all learned of the demons the war-hero-turned-Hollywood-actor had still been fighting – the faces of buddies he lost and men he killed (an estimated 250 German soldiers) were returning now as nightmares, not medals.Pam always defended him, even as she was forced to move from their sprawling ranch-style home in Van Nuys to a small, one-bedroom apartment near the VA in Mission Hills – taking a clerk’s job in the main reception area to support herself, and begin paying off Audie’s considerable debts.RELATED STORY: Dennis McCarthy: Pam Murphy, widow of actor Audie Murphy, was veterans’ friend and advocateIt took her nearly 10 years, but she paid off every one – 100 cents on the dollar. Nobody would ever say Audie Murphy welched on a deal.Men with tears in their eyes would walk up to her in the hallway, and ask for a hug when they learned who she was. “Thank you,” they said, over and over. The first couple of years, the hugs were more for Audie.The last 30 years, they were for her.She was the one who held their hand when they wer... (LA Daily News)
