America's Hidden History | John Clem and Audie Murphy
December 5, 2019
27:33
America's Hidden History
Closed captions
America's Hidden History | John Clem and Audie Murphy
Show timecode
Hide timecode
- - [Narrator] Modern historians have revised,
- 00:00:01.210 --> 00:00:03.270
- rewritten and even deleted entire chapters
- 00:00:03.270 --> 00:00:06.190
- of American history.
- 00:00:06.190 --> 00:00:08.070
- So what are we missing?
- 00:00:08.070 --> 00:00:10.080
- What happened to the history
- 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:11.240
- that did not make the books?
- 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:13.280
- Join historian David Barton, Tim Barton,
- 00:00:13.280 --> 00:00:16.190
- and special guests as they uncover the facts
- 00:00:16.190 --> 00:00:19.150
- some historians do not want you to know.
- 00:00:19.150 --> 00:00:21.220
- This is America's Hidden History.
- 00:00:22.270 --> 00:00:26.000
- (dramatic music)
- 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.220
- (dramatic music)
- 00:00:29.210 --> 00:00:32.130
- (dramatic music)
- 00:00:48.190 --> 00:00:51.120
- - We are outside Chattanooga, Tennessee,
- 00:01:00.040 --> 00:01:01.220
- at the Chickamauga Battlefield,
- 00:01:01.220 --> 00:01:03.070
- and this is where John Clem became kind of famous
- 00:01:03.070 --> 00:01:07.200
- for surviving, shooting bad guys,
- 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:12.100
- maybe there is some details to the story,
- 00:01:12.100 --> 00:01:14.080
- but John Clems, the guy we are going to focus on,
- 00:01:14.080 --> 00:01:15.290
- and a lot of his exploits happened right here.
- 00:01:15.290 --> 00:01:18.000
- - And this is a really strategic point
- 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.040
- in the overall Civil War battle.
- 00:01:20.040 --> 00:01:22.020
- The Northern forces wanted to get in the south,
- 00:01:22.020 --> 00:01:24.030
- Southern forces wanted to get in the north,
- 00:01:24.030 --> 00:01:25.270
- that's why General Lee from the South
- 00:01:25.270 --> 00:01:27.110
- led the troops all the way into Pennsylvania, Gettysburg,
- 00:01:27.110 --> 00:01:30.080
- but coming the other direction
- 00:01:30.080 --> 00:01:31.240
- you had General Rosecrans who wants to get down to Atlanta.
- 00:01:31.240 --> 00:01:34.210
- And so in doing so, he comes through middle Tennessee,
- 00:01:34.210 --> 00:01:37.120
- and its got this campaign at Talahama,
- 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:39.150
- he wins that, goes to Murphysboro.
- 00:01:39.150 --> 00:01:41.130
- He now gets to Chattanooga,
- 00:01:41.130 --> 00:01:43.010
- and in Chattanooga the confederate general Braxton Braggs,
- 00:01:43.010 --> 00:01:45.240
- he leaves town because there is too many forces coming,
- 00:01:45.240 --> 00:01:48.100
- so as he's moving south,
- 00:01:48.100 --> 00:01:49.260
- he comes into this area here,
- 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:51.170
- as he gets to this area,
- 00:01:51.170 --> 00:01:53.020
- he gets reinforced by about 20.000 Confederate troops,
- 00:01:53.020 --> 00:01:56.100
- and says, "We got to go back around to Chattanooga.
- 00:01:56.100 --> 00:01:58.140
- President Lincoln wanted Chattanooga really bad
- 00:01:58.140 --> 00:02:00.130
- because it's a railway center,
- 00:02:00.130 --> 00:02:01.240
- you send trains out from everywhere,
- 00:02:01.240 --> 00:02:03.100
- its got a navigable river,
- 00:02:03.100 --> 00:02:04.280
- they produced iron there.
- 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:06.150
- It's a real defensible position.
- 00:02:06.150 --> 00:02:07.290
- If the Union can get Chattanooga,
- 00:02:07.290 --> 00:02:09.120
- they can hold it,
- 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:10.270
- and from Chattanooga they can launch attacks into Atlanta.
- 00:02:10.270 --> 00:02:13.000
- So right here General Braggs turns around
- 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:14.290
- and heads back up north toward Chattanooga
- 00:02:14.290 --> 00:02:17.150
- and that's where he meets General Rosecrans
- 00:02:17.150 --> 00:02:19.250
- coming this direction.
- 00:02:19.250 --> 00:02:21.080
- Right here you have 65.000 Confederate soldiers
- 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:24.010
- take on 60.000 Union soldiers,
- 00:02:24.010 --> 00:02:26.130
- slight advantage to Confederacy,
- 00:02:26.130 --> 00:02:28.120
- but that's the background of this battle.
- 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:30.060
- - Yeah, a lot of blood, a lot of casualties
- 00:02:30.060 --> 00:02:32.260
- from this battle.
- 00:02:32.260 --> 00:02:34.030
- It was recognized to be a Confederate win,
- 00:02:34.030 --> 00:02:35.180
- although both sides had significant losses.
- 00:02:35.180 --> 00:02:38.210
- - This actually is the second bloodiest battle
- 00:02:38.210 --> 00:02:40.230
- in the Civil War.
- 00:02:40.230 --> 00:02:42.080
- You have Gettysburg first and then battle of Chickamauga.
- 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.120
- So on the Confederate side there's about 20.000 casualties,
- 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:48.170
- on the Union side there is about 16.000 casualties.
- 00:02:48.170 --> 00:02:51.090
- So the Confederates had more casualties,
- 00:02:51.090 --> 00:02:53.220
- just consider that they actually won this battle.
- 00:02:53.220 --> 00:02:55.280
- - And this is considered the last major victory
- 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:57.240
- for the Confederates during the Civil War,
- 00:02:57.240 --> 00:02:59.240
- but lets back up to the hero
- 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:01.040
- that we are going to talk about, John Clem.
- 00:03:01.040 --> 00:03:02.210
- The Civil War has already been going on,
- 00:03:02.210 --> 00:03:04.050
- 1861 he is nine years old,
- 00:03:04.050 --> 00:03:06.000
- sitting at the dinner table with his father,
- 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.050
- his now-stepmom because his mother
- 00:03:08.050 --> 00:03:09.230
- actually had died previously,
- 00:03:09.230 --> 00:03:11.220
- and he has got a younger brother and younger sister,
- 00:03:11.220 --> 00:03:13.180
- and as a nine-year-old he tells his dad,
- 00:03:13.180 --> 00:03:15.140
- "I want to go fight, I want to do something"
- 00:03:15.140 --> 00:03:17.170
- and his dad rebukes him and says,
- 00:03:17.170 --> 00:03:19.070
- "They don't need children,
- 00:03:19.070 --> 00:03:20.230
- "you just sit there and eat your dinner."
- 00:03:20.230 --> 00:03:22.170
- Well, he does not want to take no for an answer,
- 00:03:22.170 --> 00:03:24.230
- and coming up very soon is Sunday,
- 00:03:24.230 --> 00:03:27.040
- and their family went to church
- 00:03:27.040 --> 00:03:28.240
- and John was in charge of taking his brother and sister
- 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:31.240
- and they were all going together to Sunday school.
- 00:03:31.240 --> 00:03:33.100
- So he takes his brother sister to Sunday school, he says,
- 00:03:33.100 --> 00:03:36.010
- "You all hang out here, it is a little early,
- 00:03:36.010 --> 00:03:37.150
- "it is going to start soon.
- 00:03:37.150 --> 00:03:38.130
- "I am going to go for a swim."
- 00:03:38.130 --> 00:03:40.100
- So he leaves to go for a swim and never comes back.
- 00:03:40.100 --> 00:03:44.010
- Now for the family this was a little traumatic.
- 00:03:44.010 --> 00:03:46.060
- If he said he is going swimming, and he hasn't come back,
- 00:03:46.060 --> 00:03:48.140
- the logical thought is he probably drowned.
- 00:03:48.140 --> 00:03:50.170
- Dad is so distraught, he actually has the canal drained,
- 00:03:50.170 --> 00:03:54.020
- looking for the body of his son.
- 00:03:54.020 --> 00:03:56.080
- They can't find him anywhere.
- 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:57.130
- They presume he is dead.
- 00:03:57.130 --> 00:03:59.020
- It was more than two years before they saw him again.
- 00:03:59.020 --> 00:04:01.140
- Now what happened.
- 00:04:01.140 --> 00:04:02.230
- He jumped a train.
- 00:04:02.230 --> 00:04:03.250
- He rides the train going up,
- 00:04:03.250 --> 00:04:05.130
- and he meets some of the Union soldiers.
- 00:04:05.130 --> 00:04:07.130
- Guys from Ohio, he says,
- 00:04:07.130 --> 00:04:08.200
- "I want to be a part of the unit.
- 00:04:08.200 --> 00:04:10.070
- "I want to go with you."
- 00:04:10.070 --> 00:04:11.170
- The guys from Ohio look and go,
- 00:04:11.170 --> 00:04:13.010
- "Okay, we cannot take children.
- 00:04:13.010 --> 00:04:15.080
- "This is actually, would be a crime for us
- 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:17.100
- "to enlist you as a nine-year-old.
- 00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:19.050
- "We can't do it.",
- 00:04:19.050 --> 00:04:20.190
- but he was very persistent.
- 00:04:20.190 --> 00:04:22.090
- He finally found the Michigan 22nd and said,
- 00:04:22.090 --> 00:04:24.280
- "I'll go with you guys."
- 00:04:24.280 --> 00:04:26.150
- and they were not enlist him,
- 00:04:26.150 --> 00:04:28.040
- but they did not drive him away.
- 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.050
- So as a nine-year-old, he follows them.
- 00:04:30.050 --> 00:04:31.290
- Finds a drum, and becomes a drummer for them.
- 00:04:31.290 --> 00:04:34.150
- He explains he went through all the hardships,
- 00:04:34.150 --> 00:04:36.210
- endured all the cold, the lack of food,
- 00:04:36.210 --> 00:04:38.280
- the marches, standing guard in the rain.
- 00:04:38.280 --> 00:04:41.050
- At the battle of Shiloh,
- 00:04:41.050 --> 00:04:42.170
- there's accounts where,
- 00:04:42.170 --> 00:04:44.020
- as a drummer he actually had a fragment shell come
- 00:04:44.020 --> 00:04:47.060
- and blow up the drama that he was drumming,
- 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:50.000
- and from that moment he became known as Johnny Shiloh,
- 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:53.160
- which was, actually I think Disney
- 00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:55.090
- did a movie about Johnny Shiloh,
- 00:04:55.090 --> 00:04:57.150
- but that's just the beginning of his story.
- 00:04:57.150 --> 00:05:00.030
- (dramatic music)
- 00:05:00.030 --> 00:05:02.260
- - Where we are now is where
- 00:05:10.100 --> 00:05:11.130
- the Battle of Chickamauga took place.
- 00:05:11.130 --> 00:05:12.230
- And this is where John Clem really did
- 00:05:12.230 --> 00:05:14.220
- come to fame a little bit.
- 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:16.020
- Part of his fame came as the union line broke
- 00:05:16.020 --> 00:05:20.000
- and actually they were retreating
- 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.030
- in the midst of battle.
- 00:05:22.030 --> 00:05:23.130
- John Clem's, the brigade that he is part of,
- 00:05:23.130 --> 00:05:25.260
- the do begin retreating as well.
- 00:05:25.260 --> 00:05:27.060
- Now John Clem is a very small boy,
- 00:05:27.060 --> 00:05:29.250
- and at this time he actually is 12 years old.
- 00:05:29.250 --> 00:05:31.260
- He's been in a couple years,
- 00:05:31.260 --> 00:05:33.110
- but he is still noted to be very small boy.
- 00:05:33.110 --> 00:05:36.020
- In fact, he explained that they took one of the muskets
- 00:05:36.020 --> 00:05:38.100
- and they cut the barrel off
- 00:05:38.100 --> 00:05:39.170
- so that he would have something to right size
- 00:05:39.170 --> 00:05:41.060
- for him to hold and shoot as a young boy.
- 00:05:41.060 --> 00:05:43.150
- Well, as he, and actually sister was interviewed later,
- 00:05:43.150 --> 00:05:46.060
- they both explain, as a young boy,
- 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:48.060
- he just couldn't keep up with the rest of the soldiers
- 00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:50.080
- while they were retreating,
- 00:05:50.080 --> 00:05:51.170
- so he falls behind in the retreat.
- 00:05:51.170 --> 00:05:53.260
- As he falls behind there is a officer,
- 00:05:53.260 --> 00:05:56.060
- a Confederate officer rides up, saber drawn,
- 00:05:56.060 --> 00:05:58.190
- cussing at him, coming to get him.
- 00:05:58.190 --> 00:06:00.230
- He turned around and he just had his gun held up,
- 00:06:00.230 --> 00:06:03.170
- said he didn't even aim,
- 00:06:03.170 --> 00:06:04.230
- he cocked and he pulled the trigger,
- 00:06:04.230 --> 00:06:06.080
- and he shot the officer out of the saddle,
- 00:06:06.080 --> 00:06:09.030
- and they fired a volley
- 00:06:09.030 --> 00:06:10.110
- at the Union forces as they're escaping.
- 00:06:10.110 --> 00:06:12.270
- Well, he was kind of smart in this regard.
- 00:06:12.270 --> 00:06:15.000
- He thought, "I better just pretend like I'm dead."
- 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.160
- He stayed there pretending to be dead until that night.
- 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:20.160
- That night he got up,
- 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:21.210
- snuck through the woods
- 00:06:21.210 --> 00:06:22.280
- and caught up with his brigade at Chattanooga.
- 00:06:22.280 --> 00:06:25.150
- At this point he tells them what happened
- 00:06:25.150 --> 00:06:27.040
- and when he caught up,
- 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:28.150
- his hat had three bullet holes in it,
- 00:06:28.150 --> 00:06:31.030
- and so he catches up, he tells them what he's done,
- 00:06:31.030 --> 00:06:34.090
- and they begin praising him
- 00:06:34.090 --> 00:06:35.200
- that he shot this Confederate officer.
- 00:06:35.200 --> 00:06:38.000
- This 12-year-old survived.
- 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:40.000
- Word got to General Thomas and General Rosecrans,
- 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.200
- and when they found out they said,
- 00:06:42.200 --> 00:06:44.000
- "Okay, you bring this boy to us."
- 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.100
- They promoted him to Sergeant for what he had done.
- 00:06:46.100 --> 00:06:49.140
- - Hey, whoa, wait.
- 00:06:49.140 --> 00:06:50.280
- A 12-year-old Sergeant?
- 00:06:50.280 --> 00:06:53.050
- Can you imagine 25-year-old guys
- 00:06:53.050 --> 00:06:55.000
- following a 12-year old Sarge - Come on guys.
- 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.210
- Mickey Mouse, settle down.
- 00:06:57.210 --> 00:06:59.060
- That really would be super bizarre
- 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:00.230
- and you know, who knows how they used him,
- 00:07:00.230 --> 00:07:03.050
- because actually, one of the things he talks about,
- 00:07:03.050 --> 00:07:04.220
- it was just a few days, even weeks later,
- 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:08.020
- he was part of a caravan,
- 00:07:08.020 --> 00:07:10.070
- a train as they arr moving goods,
- 00:07:10.070 --> 00:07:11.270
- and they were actually attacked by Confederates.
- 00:07:11.270 --> 00:07:13.240
- He becomes a prisoner of war as a 12-year-old.
- 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:16.140
- He gets taken to a Confederate general,
- 00:07:16.140 --> 00:07:18.140
- and they used him
- 00:07:18.140 --> 00:07:19.290
- as show and tell as they go to Confederate places,
- 00:07:19.290 --> 00:07:22.090
- and towns and cities, and say,
- 00:07:22.090 --> 00:07:23.270
- "Look how desperate the Yankees must be,
- 00:07:23.270 --> 00:07:25.170
- "they are using children to fight us.
- 00:07:25.170 --> 00:07:27.160
- They have even promoted this one."
- 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:29.170
- They use him really on display, if you will.
- 00:07:29.170 --> 00:07:32.140
- - Propaganda. It is Southern Propaganda.
- 00:07:32.140 --> 00:07:34.080
- - It really was, right?
- 00:07:34.080 --> 00:07:35.210
- Trying to help, make themselves look good in this regard.
- 00:07:35.210 --> 00:07:38.010
- Well, about two month later,
- 00:07:38.010 --> 00:07:39.130
- they worked out a prisoner of war exchange,
- 00:07:39.130 --> 00:07:41.020
- So he gets out, as he comes back,
- 00:07:41.020 --> 00:07:43.240
- he goes back to his brigade.
- 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:45.060
- He continues on, fights and many battles.
- 00:07:45.060 --> 00:07:47.120
- 1864 is when he is finally discharged.
- 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.130
- He is only a Sergeant at this point,
- 00:07:50.130 --> 00:07:52.180
- but he wants to continue his education.
- 00:07:52.180 --> 00:07:54.260
- So he finishes out of high school
- 00:07:54.260 --> 00:07:56.120
- and then decides he wants to go to West Point.
- 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.200
- He applies for West Point and to get into West Point
- 00:07:58.200 --> 00:08:01.250
- you actually have to take an academic test.
- 00:08:01.250 --> 00:08:03.290
- Apparently there was some rigor involved.
- 00:08:03.290 --> 00:08:05.250
- - I would think at nine years old,
- 00:08:05.250 --> 00:08:07.040
- you have not been much schooled at that point,
- 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:08.110
- because you left to join the Army.
- 00:08:08.110 --> 00:08:10.140
- Your academics probably going to be fairly low at--
- 00:08:10.140 --> 00:08:12.280
- - He did go back to school.
- 00:08:12.280 --> 00:08:14.160
- He did go back and finish his schooling,
- 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.100
- for whatever that might have been,
- 00:08:16.100 --> 00:08:18.270
- but he did not have the academics
- 00:08:18.270 --> 00:08:21.020
- he needed to get into West Point.
- 00:08:21.020 --> 00:08:23.020
- He then wrote and said
- 00:08:23.020 --> 00:08:24.180
- it was a shame that someone who was a Civil War veteran,
- 00:08:24.180 --> 00:08:27.240
- who was an honored veteran, as he explained himself.
- 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:30.220
- He said that someone in their old age
- 00:08:30.220 --> 00:08:32.230
- cannot even get into West Point.
- 00:08:32.230 --> 00:08:33.270
- He was 20 years old,
- 00:08:33.270 --> 00:08:35.050
- and he was saying that that was his old age.
- 00:08:35.050 --> 00:08:37.030
- That he could not get into West Point.
- 00:08:37.030 --> 00:08:38.120
- - Well, he has bee 11 years around battles,
- 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:41.050
- That is more than half his life.
- 00:08:41.050 --> 00:08:42.070
- - Well, he points out, though,
- 00:08:42.070 --> 00:08:43.180
- during the Civil War,
- 00:08:43.180 --> 00:08:44.240
- he became friends with a general Grant.
- 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:47.110
- He said, "Who at that time was occupying the White House."
- 00:08:47.110 --> 00:08:50.070
- He said, "So I went to see my friend General Grant,
- 00:08:50.070 --> 00:08:52.120
- "and explained to him my problem."
- 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:54.130
- Well, General Grant promoted him to lieutenant,
- 00:08:54.130 --> 00:08:56.150
- helped get him a commission.
- 00:08:56.150 --> 00:08:58.020
- So he does continue on his education,
- 00:08:58.020 --> 00:09:00.120
- and this is where for, really the rest of his life,
- 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:03.270
- so to speak, at least military-wise,
- 00:09:03.270 --> 00:09:06.030
- he continues to serve in the military.
- 00:09:06.030 --> 00:09:07.290
- The other encounters and engagements going forth,
- 00:09:07.290 --> 00:09:10.070
- he is in the military all the way up to World War I.
- 00:09:10.070 --> 00:09:12.070
- - Yeah, he went through the Spanish-American War.
- 00:09:12.070 --> 00:09:14.070
- He was a leading officer there.
- 00:09:14.070 --> 00:09:16.050
- He was engaged in a lot of Army stuff
- 00:09:16.050 --> 00:09:18.110
- for the next 30, 40 years.
- 00:09:18.110 --> 00:09:19.220
- - He really was.
- 00:09:19.220 --> 00:09:21.000
- 1915, at 65 years old.
- 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:23.090
- There was a federal law that said,
- 00:09:23.090 --> 00:09:25.230
- I'm looking because he can help me on this one.
- 00:09:25.230 --> 00:09:27.160
- - Mandatory retirement.
- 00:09:27.160 --> 00:09:28.230
- You hit 65, you are out, you are done.
- 00:09:28.230 --> 00:09:30.260
- He is 65, and he is still an officer in the Army.
- 00:09:30.260 --> 00:09:33.070
- - So at this time, on his retirement,
- 00:09:33.070 --> 00:09:35.010
- he is actually promoted to Brigadier General.
- 00:09:35.010 --> 00:09:38.110
- He is a pretty famous guy.
- 00:09:38.110 --> 00:09:40.130
- A lot of stories are being told.
- 00:09:40.130 --> 00:09:42.010
- They are probably not all true,
- 00:09:42.010 --> 00:09:43.140
- but there being told about how amazing he was.
- 00:09:43.140 --> 00:09:45.220
- All the exploits he did.
- 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:47.190
- Congress goes even further,
- 00:09:47.190 --> 00:09:49.110
- and they promote him to Major General.
- 00:09:49.110 --> 00:09:51.110
- - Wow, that is a two star general.
- 00:09:51.110 --> 00:09:53.120
- - Which is where they want to honor him.
- 00:09:53.120 --> 00:09:55.140
- So John Clem, really,
- 00:09:55.140 --> 00:09:57.020
- his life was involved in the military,
- 00:09:57.020 --> 00:09:59.070
- but it starts all the way back
- 00:09:59.070 --> 00:10:00.180
- when he was a nine-year-old boy.
- 00:10:00.180 --> 00:10:02.070
- He runs away from home.
- 00:10:02.070 --> 00:10:04.180
- He actually did get to go home at one point
- 00:10:04.180 --> 00:10:06.200
- during the Civil War,
- 00:10:06.200 --> 00:10:07.190
- after he was a prisoner of war,
- 00:10:07.190 --> 00:10:09.000
- and he was exchanged.
- 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:10.150
- He did get to go home for a week.
- 00:10:10.150 --> 00:10:12.000
- This was the first time his family found out he was alive.
- 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:15.180
- His father was so excited to see him
- 00:10:15.180 --> 00:10:17.180
- that there was probably no discipline involved,
- 00:10:17.180 --> 00:10:20.100
- at least his sister said,
- 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:21.240
- "No, my father didn't beat him from running away.
- 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:23.070
- "We were just so glad he was alive",
- 00:10:23.070 --> 00:10:25.090
- but they did talk about how he was very thin
- 00:10:25.090 --> 00:10:28.120
- because for those two months that he was a prisoner of war,
- 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:31.170
- he really did not get a lot of nutrition,
- 00:10:31.170 --> 00:10:33.120
- did not get a lot of food.
- 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:34.170
- - The southern side was very noted
- 00:10:34.170 --> 00:10:36.160
- for being very rough on prisoners of war,
- 00:10:36.160 --> 00:10:38.110
- whether it was Andersonville or other camps.
- 00:10:38.110 --> 00:10:40.120
- The pictures there look like
- 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:41.260
- pictures you would see in the Holocaust in World War II.
- 00:10:41.260 --> 00:10:44.180
- They are emaciated, bone sticking out everywhere,
- 00:10:44.180 --> 00:10:46.260
- and so that would be very accurate.
- 00:10:46.260 --> 00:10:48.280
- You said he was small.
- 00:10:48.280 --> 00:10:49.260
- The are so many pictures of him
- 00:10:49.260 --> 00:10:51.110
- because the notoriety that came here on this battlefield,
- 00:10:51.110 --> 00:10:54.000
- and you look at the pictures
- 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:55.070
- and he is always a tiny, tiny little guy.
- 00:10:55.070 --> 00:10:58.000
- - At his retirement as Brigadier General,
- 00:10:59.060 --> 00:11:00.160
- he was only 5 feet and 105 pounds.
- 00:11:00.160 --> 00:11:03.240
- He never a big guy,
- 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:05.090
- but he was a noted warrior, a noted hero.
- 00:11:05.090 --> 00:11:08.010
- And he is part of America's hidden history.
- 00:11:08.010 --> 00:11:10.100
- (jazz music)
- 00:11:10.100 --> 00:11:12.210
- - John Clem is one my personal favorite stories,
- 00:11:17.050 --> 00:11:19.290
- basically all-time.
- 00:11:19.290 --> 00:11:21.180
- We actually have a number of awesome artifacts.
- 00:11:21.180 --> 00:11:25.020
- What I have right here are two pictures from the 1860s.
- 00:11:25.020 --> 00:11:28.250
- These are taken during the war
- 00:11:28.250 --> 00:11:30.090
- whenever somebody distinguish themselves,
- 00:11:30.090 --> 00:11:32.000
- and they became heroes,
- 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.100
- they would go in, take their picture,
- 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:34.270
- and then they would put them on these cards
- 00:11:34.270 --> 00:11:36.150
- to spread out around the country,
- 00:11:36.150 --> 00:11:38.070
- and even around the world.
- 00:11:38.070 --> 00:11:39.220
- On the back of this one it has actually got his story,
- 00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:41.220
- which is very interesting.
- 00:11:41.220 --> 00:11:43.120
- On the back of this one right here
- 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:44.200
- it has got his signature.
- 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:46.160
- He signed this John Clem himself,
- 00:11:46.160 --> 00:11:49.130
- but also, I have this little book.
- 00:11:49.130 --> 00:11:52.030
- And this is actually what is called,
- 00:11:52.030 --> 00:11:54.230
- 'The Soldier's Handbook'.
- 00:11:54.230 --> 00:11:57.030
- This one, of all people, was passed out to John Clem.
- 00:11:57.030 --> 00:12:01.060
- He takes this and uses it to practice writing his name.
- 00:12:01.060 --> 00:12:04.210
- He actually changes the spelling of his name
- 00:12:04.210 --> 00:12:06.230
- during this time.
- 00:12:06.230 --> 00:12:08.080
- If I jump back over this picture,
- 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:10.180
- you can see how short he is.
- 00:12:10.180 --> 00:12:12.160
- He is holding a musket.
- 00:12:12.160 --> 00:12:13.220
- I have a musket right here.
- 00:12:13.220 --> 00:12:16.170
- If I were to lean it back exactly how it is in the photo,
- 00:12:16.170 --> 00:12:20.070
- we see that John Glenn is about
- 00:12:20.070 --> 00:12:22.210
- as tall as I am sitting down.
- 00:12:22.210 --> 00:12:25.080
- We have a little guy doing big things.
- 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:29.050
- (dramatic music)
- 00:12:29.050 --> 00:12:31.280
- - We are in Greenville, Texas,
- 00:13:00.250 --> 00:13:02.010
- at the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum,
- 00:13:02.010 --> 00:13:04.020
- and we are here to tell the story of Audi Murphy.
- 00:13:04.020 --> 00:13:06.050
- Now Audi Murphy is a name
- 00:13:06.050 --> 00:13:07.210
- that a lot of Americans probably don't know,
- 00:13:07.210 --> 00:13:10.010
- and they certainly don't know much of his story,
- 00:13:10.010 --> 00:13:11.240
- but Audi Murphy is a military and American hero.
- 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:15.150
- Considered the most decorated soldier from World War II,
- 00:13:15.150 --> 00:13:18.060
- one of the most decorated in military history.
- 00:13:18.060 --> 00:13:21.000
- He actually grew up in this area of Texas.
- 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:23.220
- Doing a lot of work on a cotton farm.
- 00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:25.060
- In fact, he reportedly was five years old,
- 00:13:25.060 --> 00:13:27.120
- he was already out working in the field,
- 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:29.240
- and as he explained,
- 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:30.240
- this was just to survive.
- 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.150
- At that time, if families were not working together,
- 00:13:32.150 --> 00:13:34.210
- you might not make it,
- 00:13:34.210 --> 00:13:36.060
- but actually his father got fed up and had enough.
- 00:13:36.060 --> 00:13:39.010
- When he was a teenager the father abandoned the family.
- 00:13:39.010 --> 00:13:41.180
- This was devastating for Audie and the family,
- 00:13:41.180 --> 00:13:43.110
- as you might imagine.
- 00:13:43.110 --> 00:13:44.180
- The following year, then his mother dies,
- 00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:46.190
- and so Audie is trying to figure out,
- 00:13:46.190 --> 00:13:48.100
- "What are we going to do? "How is the family going to work?"
- 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:50.150
- His siblings were sent to live in different homes,
- 00:13:50.150 --> 00:13:53.050
- and as a young man Audie was trying to think,
- 00:13:53.050 --> 00:13:55.060
- "What am I going to do?"
- 00:13:55.060 --> 00:13:56.270
- Audie had a couple of uncles who fought in World War I.
- 00:13:56.270 --> 00:13:59.070
- They would tell the stories from World War I.
- 00:13:59.070 --> 00:14:02.010
- Audie always thought,
- 00:14:02.010 --> 00:14:03.080
- "I would like to be in the military."
- 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:05.030
- In December of 1941 is when
- 00:14:05.030 --> 00:14:06.210
- the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
- 00:14:06.210 --> 00:14:08.130
- America finally declares
- 00:14:08.130 --> 00:14:09.210
- that we will enter into World War II.
- 00:14:09.210 --> 00:14:11.240
- It was at this moment Audie thought,
- 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:13.140
- "I want to get involved."
- 00:14:13.140 --> 00:14:14.250
- (dramatic music)
- 00:14:14.250 --> 00:14:17.180
- - When Audie decides he wants to join the military,
- 00:14:22.020 --> 00:14:24.000
- this is actually the place he comes and signs up.
- 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.020
- This is a post office,
- 00:14:26.020 --> 00:14:27.210
- but it also served as a recruiting station
- 00:14:27.210 --> 00:14:30.000
- during World War II.
- 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:31.230
- Audie ends up with the Army,
- 00:14:31.230 --> 00:14:33.090
- but that is not where he wants to be.
- 00:14:33.090 --> 00:14:34.220
- He goes and signs up with the marines,
- 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:36.130
- but the marines look at him and go,
- 00:14:36.130 --> 00:14:37.240
- "We do not think you are marine material",
- 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.180
- and their defense?
- 00:14:39.180 --> 00:14:40.250
- He was five foot five and roughly 110 pounds.
- 00:14:40.250 --> 00:14:43.150
- They thought,
- 00:14:43.150 --> 00:14:44.290
- "You are probably not going to make in the war."
- 00:14:44.290 --> 00:14:47.060
- The army gave him a shot,
- 00:14:47.060 --> 00:14:48.110
- but they still weren't sure about him.
- 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:49.240
- In fact, they encouraged, he should be a cook,
- 00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:52.070
- maybe a baker.
- 00:14:52.070 --> 00:14:53.140
- Do something where you will not see combat,
- 00:14:53.140 --> 00:14:55.030
- because you are probably going to die.
- 00:14:55.030 --> 00:14:56.180
- Audie did not want to be a cook.
- 00:14:56.180 --> 00:14:58.070
- He wanted to serve in combat.
- 00:14:58.070 --> 00:14:59.100
- He put up a huge protest.
- 00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:00.290
- They finally allowed him,
- 00:15:00.290 --> 00:15:02.070
- "Okay, come train with normal guys."
- 00:15:02.070 --> 00:15:04.020
- When finally got a gun in his hand.
- 00:15:04.020 --> 00:15:05.190
- Now they recognize this kid has some potential
- 00:15:05.190 --> 00:15:07.220
- because he was a very good shot.
- 00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:09.040
- He might actually be a good soldier.
- 00:15:09.040 --> 00:15:10.190
- He was a great soldier, as we know from his story.
- 00:15:10.190 --> 00:15:14.020
- The unit he is with, they are sent to deploy.
- 00:15:14.020 --> 00:15:17.010
- They are on their way to North Africa.
- 00:15:17.010 --> 00:15:19.030
- By the time they get there,
- 00:15:19.030 --> 00:15:20.080
- most of that has been kind of settled.
- 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.250
- So they are sent from North Africa on to Sicily.
- 00:15:22.250 --> 00:15:24.220
- Sicily is where he really starts to see action,
- 00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:27.020
- and this is where immediately
- 00:15:27.020 --> 00:15:28.200
- he sets himself apart from the other troops.
- 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:30.180
- The commanding officers noticed.
- 00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:32.020
- From the very beginning, he begins receiving commendations,
- 00:15:32.020 --> 00:15:34.140
- and awards and metals by his bravery.
- 00:15:34.140 --> 00:15:37.020
- So this little kid, out of the field,
- 00:15:37.020 --> 00:15:39.010
- is recognizes as an amazing soldier.
- 00:15:39.010 --> 00:15:41.080
- Officers begin trying to promote him.
- 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:43.090
- Audie fights the promotions.
- 00:15:43.090 --> 00:15:44.240
- He says, "I am really not smart enough.
- 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:46.090
- "I do not have the proper education to be an officer."
- 00:15:46.090 --> 00:15:48.260
- He also was afraid that if he was promoted,
- 00:15:48.260 --> 00:15:51.050
- he would have to leave his unit,
- 00:15:51.050 --> 00:15:52.210
- and these are the men the he loves and cares about.
- 00:15:52.210 --> 00:15:53.290
- "I do not want to leave them."
- 00:15:53.290 --> 00:15:55.210
- He only would accept promotion
- 00:15:55.210 --> 00:15:57.210
- if he was allowed to stay with his men,
- 00:15:57.210 --> 00:15:59.290
- which they allowed him to do.
- 00:15:59.290 --> 00:16:01.230
- As the war continued, he continues fighting.
- 00:16:01.230 --> 00:16:03.270
- He received bronze stars and silver stars,
- 00:16:03.270 --> 00:16:05.290
- and so many medals,
- 00:16:05.290 --> 00:16:07.140
- but there's two stories
- 00:16:07.140 --> 00:16:08.220
- that stand out above all the others.
- 00:16:08.220 --> 00:16:10.210
- (dramatic music)
- 00:16:10.210 --> 00:16:13.120
- - Even though Audi distinguished himself
- 00:16:19.040 --> 00:16:20.200
- pretty much every battle he was a part of,
- 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:22.220
- there certainly are two that stand out in my mind.
- 00:16:22.220 --> 00:16:25.070
- In fact, one of them is
- 00:16:25.070 --> 00:16:27.020
- what the statue beside me is depicting.
- 00:16:27.020 --> 00:16:29.060
- There was a battle in southern France,
- 00:16:29.060 --> 00:16:30.240
- where there were several German machine gun nests.
- 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:33.140
- In fact, the group that he was with,
- 00:16:33.140 --> 00:16:34.260
- they were pinned down,
- 00:16:34.260 --> 00:16:36.090
- but Audie decides,
- 00:16:36.090 --> 00:16:38.040
- "I think I can take some of these machine gun nests out."
- 00:16:38.040 --> 00:16:41.200
- He advances up the hill where there are machine gun nests,
- 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:44.220
- and begins taking out machine gun nest ,
- 00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:46.210
- after machine gun nest.
- 00:16:46.210 --> 00:16:47.280
- His best friend apparently decides
- 00:16:47.280 --> 00:16:50.150
- he does not want to miss out on the action.
- 00:16:50.150 --> 00:16:52.050
- Audie explains as he looks beside him,
- 00:16:52.050 --> 00:16:53.270
- and his best friend is now beside him,
- 00:16:53.270 --> 00:16:56.150
- as they are going up.
- 00:16:56.150 --> 00:16:58.020
- Audie and his best friend continue up the hill,
- 00:16:58.020 --> 00:17:00.070
- taking out machine gun nests.
- 00:17:00.070 --> 00:17:01.240
- The Germans indicated they want to surrender.
- 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:04.160
- Audie says, "I was a little suspicious about this."
- 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:07.020
- but Audie's friend thought,
- 00:17:07.020 --> 00:17:08.100
- "We got it, lets go."
- 00:17:08.100 --> 00:17:10.040
- His friend stood up, when he stood up,
- 00:17:10.040 --> 00:17:12.090
- the Germans shot him down.
- 00:17:12.090 --> 00:17:14.010
- Audie was so enraged, he was so furious.
- 00:17:14.010 --> 00:17:16.150
- With no thought for his safety,
- 00:17:16.150 --> 00:17:18.030
- he stood up and he charged this machine gun nest.
- 00:17:18.030 --> 00:17:20.240
- Throwing grenades in,
- 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:22.100
- and killed the guys that had just killed his best friend.
- 00:17:22.100 --> 00:17:24.120
- When he gets into that machine gun nest,
- 00:17:24.120 --> 00:17:26.080
- he picks up the machine gun
- 00:17:26.080 --> 00:17:28.000
- the Germans had been using,
- 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.180
- continues on shooting everybody
- 00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:32.200
- that comes against him.
- 00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:34.050
- Ultimately clear the whole hill, virtually by himself.
- 00:17:34.050 --> 00:17:37.250
- As his men saw him do this, they were so impressed
- 00:17:37.250 --> 00:17:39.230
- with what they had just seen him do.
- 00:17:39.230 --> 00:17:41.250
- This when Audie receives
- 00:17:41.250 --> 00:17:43.020
- what is considered the second highest award
- 00:17:43.020 --> 00:17:44.220
- you can receive for valor.
- 00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:45.200
- The Distinguished Service Cross,
- 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:47.080
- and this is where again, Audie continue to show himself
- 00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:50.090
- as an incredible warrior soldier on the field,
- 00:17:50.090 --> 00:17:53.060
- but his most special defining moment of World War II,
- 00:17:53.060 --> 00:17:56.110
- has not even happened yet.
- 00:17:56.110 --> 00:17:57.280
- (dramatic music)
- 00:17:57.280 --> 00:18:00.220
- - Certainly one of Audie's most memorable moments
- 00:18:06.100 --> 00:18:08.040
- is what led to him getting the Medal of Honor.
- 00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:10.230
- Although Audie has distinguished himself,
- 00:18:10.230 --> 00:18:13.180
- through world War II,
- 00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:14.250
- wins almost every medal you can win for valor,
- 00:18:14.250 --> 00:18:17.000
- or every distinguishment you can win,
- 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:18.230
- certainly what set him apart,
- 00:18:18.230 --> 00:18:20.100
- was a moment that happened in January of 1945.
- 00:18:20.100 --> 00:18:23.030
- In this moment he is assigned,
- 00:18:23.030 --> 00:18:24.130
- roughly two dozen men.
- 00:18:24.130 --> 00:18:26.090
- They are given a section of land they are supposed to hold.
- 00:18:26.090 --> 00:18:28.140
- This was the border of France and Germany.
- 00:18:28.140 --> 00:18:30.290
- As they are to hold this area, hold this territory,
- 00:18:30.290 --> 00:18:34.050
- they have two tank destroyers and roughly two dozen men.
- 00:18:34.050 --> 00:18:38.130
- There is a group of Germans coming up against them,
- 00:18:38.130 --> 00:18:40.230
- and it is estimated it was at least 200 troops,
- 00:18:40.230 --> 00:18:43.200
- as well as six tanks
- 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.290
- that came up against him and his men.
- 00:18:44.290 --> 00:18:46.220
- Audie tells his men to retreat back and find safety,
- 00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:49.220
- but retreating is not really something Audie does,
- 00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:52.230
- or thinks about, so Audie decides,
- 00:18:52.230 --> 00:18:54.260
- "No, we are not going to retreat.
- 00:18:54.260 --> 00:18:56.250
- "Actually we are going to stand and fight,
- 00:18:56.250 --> 00:18:58.150
- "but by we, I mean I."
- 00:18:58.150 --> 00:19:00.220
- Audie decides he is going to stay and fight.
- 00:19:00.220 --> 00:19:03.020
- As the Germans have advanced,
- 00:19:03.020 --> 00:19:04.100
- one of the things that happens,
- 00:19:04.100 --> 00:19:05.170
- is one of the two tank destroyers
- 00:19:05.170 --> 00:19:07.010
- has gone off in a ditch,
- 00:19:07.010 --> 00:19:08.110
- the other one is hit and catches on fire.
- 00:19:08.110 --> 00:19:12.040
- His men have retreated,
- 00:19:12.040 --> 00:19:13.150
- he is now by himself, he has his rifle,
- 00:19:13.150 --> 00:19:15.210
- comes up with his carbine, and unloads.
- 00:19:15.210 --> 00:19:17.290
- Once he is out of ammo, he does not want to stop fighting,
- 00:19:17.290 --> 00:19:20.050
- so he looks around,
- 00:19:20.050 --> 00:19:21.140
- and sees the one tank destroyer that was hit,
- 00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:23.260
- that I snow on fire, there is a machine gun on top,
- 00:19:23.260 --> 00:19:26.200
- and it looks like it still works,
- 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:28.050
- so he goes and climbs on this tank destroyer,
- 00:19:28.050 --> 00:19:30.180
- that I son fire, gets on the machine gun,
- 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:33.120
- and opens up against the troops that are advancing.
- 00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:36.240
- More than 200 hundred troops advancing, six tanks advancing.
- 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:40.100
- Apparently he has got a walkie-talkie,
- 00:19:40.100 --> 00:19:42.030
- because he starts calling in artillery strikes.
- 00:19:42.030 --> 00:19:44.200
- The Germans realize, "This is not going very well.
- 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:47.120
- "we do not want to be here anymore"
- 00:19:47.120 --> 00:19:49.060
- The Germans retreat.
- 00:19:49.060 --> 00:19:51.060
- They abandon the area.
- 00:19:51.060 --> 00:19:53.080
- He realizes, "Okay, we have held the land."
- 00:19:53.080 --> 00:19:56.070
- He jumps off this artillery destroyer,
- 00:19:56.070 --> 00:19:57.290
- that is on fire,
- 00:19:57.290 --> 00:19:59.140
- the tank destroyer then blows up as he is walking away.
- 00:19:59.140 --> 00:20:01.260
- His life is barely spared
- 00:20:01.260 --> 00:20:03.180
- from this exploding tank destroyer.
- 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:05.180
- He goes back to where his men are,
- 00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:07.140
- calls his men to come back and join him,
- 00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:09.070
- His men come and they secure the area
- 00:20:09.070 --> 00:20:11.170
- that he held by himself.
- 00:20:11.170 --> 00:20:13.190
- Because of his heroism and bravery,
- 00:20:13.190 --> 00:20:15.030
- he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
- 00:20:15.030 --> 00:20:16.290
- This, again, was just one of many of the awards
- 00:20:16.290 --> 00:20:19.000
- he received during World War II.
- 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:20.180
- Audi Murphy continued to be the humble guy he was.
- 00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:23.220
- Even though he is one of the most decorated
- 00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:25.190
- guys in military history.
- 00:20:25.190 --> 00:20:27.110
- (jazz music)
- 00:20:27.110 --> 00:20:29.230
- - Audie Murphy lived such an incredible life.
- 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:35.190
- He is one of the few people
- 00:20:35.190 --> 00:20:37.090
- who's ever been able to act in a movie about himself.
- 00:20:37.090 --> 00:20:40.170
- This is actually his autobiography 'To Hell and Back'.
- 00:20:40.170 --> 00:20:43.070
- Just a gripping tale of the realities of war.
- 00:20:43.070 --> 00:20:46.130
- What I have in front of me are some of our artifacts.
- 00:20:46.130 --> 00:20:48.170
- This right here in an M1 Grand.
- 00:20:48.170 --> 00:20:50.270
- This is what he would have used during World War II.
- 00:20:50.270 --> 00:20:54.140
- It was the Americans main battle rifle.
- 00:20:54.140 --> 00:20:56.200
- It was such a technological innovation
- 00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:58.230
- over basically any other main battle rifle
- 00:20:58.230 --> 00:21:01.050
- of any other major player in the war,
- 00:21:01.050 --> 00:21:02.250
- both on allies and on the axis.
- 00:21:02.250 --> 00:21:05.030
- This is what it shot.
- 00:21:05.030 --> 00:21:06.110
- This is a eight round clip of 30 odd six.
- 00:21:06.110 --> 00:21:08.070
- These are some of the amazing artifacts
- 00:21:08.070 --> 00:21:09.210
- that we have here
- 00:21:09.210 --> 00:21:11.050
- that Audie Murphy himself would have been familiar with.
- 00:21:11.050 --> 00:21:13.120
- (dramatic music)
- 00:21:13.120 --> 00:21:15.120
- - When Audie arrives back in America,
- 00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:16.210
- he arrives to fanfare, a very warm reception
- 00:21:16.210 --> 00:21:19.110
- because the news of his heroics in the battlefield
- 00:21:19.110 --> 00:21:22.000
- had reached the American people.
- 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:23.090
- As he is trying to find his way,
- 00:21:23.090 --> 00:21:24.230
- there is an actor in Hollywood, James Cagney,
- 00:21:24.230 --> 00:21:26.200
- who was a very famous actor at the time,
- 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:28.230
- who says, "Audie, you need to come out to Hollywood,
- 00:21:28.230 --> 00:21:31.050
- "come act with us."
- 00:21:31.050 --> 00:21:32.210
- Audie gets the invite to Hollywood.
- 00:21:32.210 --> 00:21:35.010
- However, when he gets there, it takes him a little time
- 00:21:35.010 --> 00:21:37.140
- to find his feet,
- 00:21:37.140 --> 00:21:38.280
- but he does develop to be a pretty decent actor.
- 00:21:38.280 --> 00:21:41.230
- In fact, he had a 20 year career in Hollywood,
- 00:21:41.230 --> 00:21:43.160
- with more than 40 movies made.
- 00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:45.120
- One of his more famous movies is
- 00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:47.130
- 'The Red Badge of Courage'.
- 00:21:47.130 --> 00:21:48.280
- It was a Civil War epic you can still see it today
- 00:21:48.280 --> 00:21:51.110
- about a young soldier trying to figure out
- 00:21:51.110 --> 00:21:53.140
- if he is going to be brave enough to actually survive,
- 00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:56.010
- but his more famous film is over on this side
- 00:21:56.010 --> 00:21:59.010
- called 'To Hell and Back'.
- 00:21:59.010 --> 00:22:00.200
- To Hell and Back was a movie
- 00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:02.010
- based on Audie's autobiography by the same title,
- 00:22:02.010 --> 00:22:05.010
- that really was a retelling of his heroics,
- 00:22:05.010 --> 00:22:07.170
- and the events he went through World War II.
- 00:22:07.170 --> 00:22:09.260
- The book was so successful
- 00:22:09.260 --> 00:22:11.120
- that Universal decided they want to make a movie,
- 00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:13.150
- and as they were looking for a lead actor,
- 00:22:13.150 --> 00:22:15.010
- it was suggested that Audie
- 00:22:15.010 --> 00:22:16.150
- should just star his own movie.
- 00:22:16.150 --> 00:22:18.120
- Audie was very hesitant and even resistant to this.
- 00:22:18.120 --> 00:22:21.080
- Maybe it is because he didn't
- 00:22:21.080 --> 00:22:22.180
- want people to think he was being prideful
- 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:24.100
- and promoting his own story.
- 00:22:24.100 --> 00:22:25.230
- Maybe because he didn't have to relive
- 00:22:25.230 --> 00:22:28.150
- all of those moments that he had gone through.
- 00:22:28.150 --> 00:22:30.280
- Maybe it is a combination of both,
- 00:22:30.280 --> 00:22:32.180
- but finally he was talked into it.
- 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:34.120
- He did star in this movie,
- 00:22:34.120 --> 00:22:35.220
- and this was one of the successful movies
- 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:37.140
- Universal ever did for decades.
- 00:22:37.140 --> 00:22:40.030
- This was really his last
- 00:22:40.030 --> 00:22:42.040
- successful movie on that level.
- 00:22:42.040 --> 00:22:44.120
- As he is still trying to struggle
- 00:22:44.120 --> 00:22:46.090
- in this acting career,
- 00:22:46.090 --> 00:22:47.100
- he is doing movies.
- 00:22:47.100 --> 00:22:48.080
- He realizes,
- 00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:49.230
- "This isn't what I want to do for the rest of my life."
- 00:22:49.230 --> 00:22:51.280
- So he begins looking for something else to do.
- 00:22:51.280 --> 00:22:54.020
- (dramatic music)
- 00:22:54.020 --> 00:22:56.250
- - We are in Washington DC at the World War II Memorial.
- 00:23:11.260 --> 00:23:13.270
- We are a couple of miles away from here
- 00:23:13.270 --> 00:23:15.090
- is Arlington National Cemetery,
- 00:23:15.090 --> 00:23:17.010
- which is where Audie Murphy is buried.
- 00:23:17.010 --> 00:23:19.000
- After his acting career
- 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:20.160
- he decides he wants to get involved in business.
- 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:23.130
- Although he has a really tough time in business,
- 00:23:23.130 --> 00:23:25.120
- and honestly just has a really tough time
- 00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:27.030
- for the rest of his life,
- 00:23:27.030 --> 00:23:28.230
- he is haunted by the memories
- 00:23:28.230 --> 00:23:30.100
- of what happened World War II.
- 00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:31.270
- He said he could not sleep at night,
- 00:23:31.270 --> 00:23:33.100
- had nightmares almost every night.
- 00:23:33.100 --> 00:23:34.250
- He could not sleep unless he had
- 00:23:34.250 --> 00:23:35.270
- a loaded gun under his pillow.
- 00:23:35.270 --> 00:23:37.100
- It just brought him comfort.
- 00:23:37.100 --> 00:23:38.190
- I guess probably imagining, remembering
- 00:23:38.190 --> 00:23:40.200
- those scenarios where he had to fight
- 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:42.140
- for his life, for his friends life.
- 00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:43.240
- - With all that, it is the guilt that,
- 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:45.120
- "It should have been me.
- 00:23:45.120 --> 00:23:46.180
- "Why my buddies die, and I did not,
- 00:23:46.180 --> 00:23:48.190
- "They were better than me."
- 00:23:48.190 --> 00:23:50.210
- In trying to kill out that pain
- 00:23:50.210 --> 00:23:52.040
- and trying to kill out that trauma,
- 00:23:52.040 --> 00:23:54.110
- he goes to alcohol, he goes to drugs,
- 00:23:54.110 --> 00:23:56.150
- he goes to all sorts of stuff,
- 00:23:56.150 --> 00:23:58.060
- trying to drown out that noise
- 00:23:58.060 --> 00:23:59.200
- and it just does not work.
- 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:01.180
- - It haunts him for the rest of his life.
- 00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:03.100
- Because of it he has a very difficult time in business.
- 00:24:03.100 --> 00:24:07.010
- It goes from one failed venture to the next.
- 00:24:07.010 --> 00:24:09.020
- Ends up bankrupt and in 1971,
- 00:24:09.020 --> 00:24:12.060
- he was with several men,
- 00:24:12.060 --> 00:24:13.140
- they were going on a business venture
- 00:24:13.140 --> 00:24:14.280
- trying for him to rebuild his life financially,
- 00:24:14.280 --> 00:24:17.150
- and they had a plane crash and all of them died.
- 00:24:17.150 --> 00:24:20.220
- What should've been a moment where he was celebrated
- 00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:22.150
- as one of the greatest military heroes in American history,
- 00:24:22.150 --> 00:24:24.250
- which he was,
- 00:24:24.250 --> 00:24:26.090
- his death largely went uncovered and reported on.
- 00:24:26.090 --> 00:24:28.220
- This was a time in the Vietnam-era.
- 00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:30.190
- American military just was not appreciated the same way.
- 00:24:30.190 --> 00:24:34.020
- When you have one of the greatest heroes
- 00:24:34.020 --> 00:24:35.160
- from military history who has passed,
- 00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:37.200
- a lot Americans did not even know.
- 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:39.010
- They did not know his story.
- 00:24:39.010 --> 00:24:40.010
- He wasn't talked about,
- 00:24:40.010 --> 00:24:41.080
- but today we do take time
- 00:24:41.080 --> 00:24:42.160
- and we remember one of these forgotten heroes
- 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:45.010
- from American history.
- 00:24:45.010 --> 00:24:46.110
- (calm music)
- 00:24:46.110 --> 00:24:48.240
- - Looking at John Clem and Audie Murphy.
- 00:24:52.260 --> 00:24:54.210
- Both are military heroes,
- 00:24:54.210 --> 00:24:56.210
- different generations and
- 00:24:56.210 --> 00:24:57.280
- very, very, very different stories.
- 00:24:57.280 --> 00:25:00.110
- The book contributed a lot.
- 00:25:00.110 --> 00:25:01.250
- Audie Murphy, Medal of Honor.
- 00:25:01.250 --> 00:25:03.180
- They didn't spend his whole life in military.
- 00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:05.150
- John Clem did.
- 00:25:05.150 --> 00:25:06.250
- But both of them,
- 00:25:06.250 --> 00:25:08.010
- when I think of what they have done
- 00:25:08.010 --> 00:25:09.200
- for America, the sacrifices they made.
- 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:11.230
- I am reminded of,
- 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:14.020
- Bible verses always stood out to me,
- 00:25:14.020 --> 00:25:15.180
- and Psalm 144:1 says,
- 00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:18.110
- "The Lord has trained my hands for battle,
- 00:25:18.110 --> 00:25:20.210
- "my fingers for war"
- 00:25:20.210 --> 00:25:22.150
- I have always considered that,
- 00:25:22.150 --> 00:25:24.010
- there are guys who are gifted
- 00:25:24.010 --> 00:25:25.150
- by God to be soldiers.
- 00:25:25.150 --> 00:25:28.010
- The rest of us benefit from that.
- 00:25:28.010 --> 00:25:29.270
- - One of the things that strikes me,
- 00:25:29.270 --> 00:25:31.030
- even understanding that military gifting.
- 00:25:31.030 --> 00:25:33.220
- John Clem, one of things he said was,
- 00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:35.240
- if he was ever in charge of military and war came out,
- 00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:38.100
- he would enlist more kids.
- 00:25:38.100 --> 00:25:39.280
- Because kids are able to overcome fear
- 00:25:39.280 --> 00:25:43.110
- with a reckless courage
- 00:25:43.110 --> 00:25:45.030
- that more often than not,
- 00:25:45.030 --> 00:25:46.130
- reckless courage is able to overcome the enemy.
- 00:25:46.130 --> 00:25:49.010
- And I think this is what is interesting,
- 00:25:49.010 --> 00:25:50.090
- even from the biblical perspective,
- 00:25:50.090 --> 00:25:51.170
- where Paul writes Timothy, and says,
- 00:25:51.170 --> 00:25:53.130
- "Do not let someone look down on you
- 00:25:53.130 --> 00:25:54.280
- "because you are young, but set an example for them."
- 00:25:54.280 --> 00:25:56.150
- Well, Audie Murphy was incredibly young,
- 00:25:56.150 --> 00:25:59.020
- John Clem was really young.
- 00:25:59.020 --> 00:26:00.180
- When they make a name for themselves,
- 00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:02.040
- they are, in today's terms, they would be children.
- 00:26:02.040 --> 00:26:05.060
- They were not even adults in our modern sense
- 00:26:05.060 --> 00:26:08.150
- of the idea of adults. - It is not how old you are,
- 00:26:08.150 --> 00:26:10.240
- it is how mature you are, it is what you are willing to do,
- 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:13.000
- it is what you are capable of doing.
- 00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:14.130
- These are guys that really did break the mold
- 00:26:14.130 --> 00:26:16.240
- that we are trying to put on people today,
- 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:18.190
- it would be good to break that mold,
- 00:26:18.190 --> 00:26:20.070
- look at then as individuals,
- 00:26:20.070 --> 00:26:21.150
- and encourage them to flourish in that area.
- 00:26:21.150 --> 00:26:23.240
- (dramatic music)
- 00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:26.170
- We hope you are enjoying TBN's
- 00:26:30.030 --> 00:26:32.010
- exclusive series of America's hidden history.
- 00:26:32.010 --> 00:26:34.150
- Thrilling stories of ordinary
- 00:26:34.150 --> 00:26:36.060
- and unsung Americans who God used
- 00:26:36.060 --> 00:26:38.120
- in extraordinary ways to shape our nation.
- 00:26:38.120 --> 00:26:40.290
- Right now we want to send you
- 00:26:40.290 --> 00:26:42.140
- the entire first season of America's Hidden History
- 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:44.240
- as our way of saying thank you for your gift of support.
- 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:47.150
- To help TBN keep this kind of programming coming,
- 00:26:47.150 --> 00:26:49.290
- and if you are able to support TBN's mission
- 00:26:49.290 --> 00:26:52.060
- to deliver the message of Jesus
- 00:26:52.060 --> 00:26:53.280
- with a gracious gift of $180 or more,
- 00:26:53.280 --> 00:26:57.000
- we'll also send you a large print study Bible.
- 00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:59.080
- The Founders Bible.
- 00:26:59.080 --> 00:27:00.190
- Filled with thousands of illuminating notes.
- 00:27:00.190 --> 00:27:02.230
- You will learn how the Scriptures played
- 00:27:02.230 --> 00:27:04.220
- such a foundational role
- 00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:06.020
- in the formation of the United States,
- 00:27:06.020 --> 00:27:07.290
- and discover a wealth of information
- 00:27:07.290 --> 00:27:09.230
- to share with others.
- 00:27:09.230 --> 00:27:11.090
- For a short time, you can receive all seven episodes
- 00:27:11.090 --> 00:27:13.110
- of America's Hidden History Season One,
- 00:27:13.110 --> 00:27:15.170
- and the remarkable Founders Bible,
- 00:27:15.170 --> 00:27:17.090
- by helping TBN continue to deliver truth around the world.
- 00:27:17.090 --> 00:27:21.080
- Call 800-866-2233
- 00:27:21.080 --> 00:27:24.040
- or go online to TBN.org/history2
- 00:27:24.040 --> 00:27:29.040