♪ (female narrator) In 1945, a series of cartoons about World War II titled "America's Fighting Heroes" ran in newspapers throughout the United States.

One of the heroes, a modest man from North Carolina, was shown fighting 200 German soldiers single-handedly.

He was a draftee, not a volunteer.

When he arrived as an untested young officer, no one expected greatness.

His name was Charles P. Murray Jr.

(male speaker) He was a... kindly older man with a warm smile and kind of great, jowly face by the time I came to know him.

In his patriotism he yielded to no one.

(male speaker) You never heard him brag about anything, but you knew that he was one of the... real heroes of our Army of World War II.

(Williams) It would take a long time to say, "You know what?

"I betcha he's a decorated veteran.

"I betcha he killed a bunch of Nazis during World War II and captured a bunch more."

You would never know about Colonel Murray, what made him a famous American.

(male speaker) Straight out of college.

Think about anybody today who is, let's say, a sophomore in college and realizing that you're gonna lead a hundred-plus men into combat.

And he did what many others cannot do.

He jumped in front of his men, and he led them through a harrowing experience by taking charge, making sure they were protected, and making sure that, at the end of the day, he completed his mission.

(narrator) First Lieutenant Murray had been company commander for just eight days when he was faced with his greatest challenge.

He showed incredible bravery that day.

His actions earned him the nation's highest award for valor.

So what would inspire this modest man to charge 200 German soldiers armed with only a broken radio, a grenade launcher, and a machine gun?

♪ ♪ A career in the military was not the life Charles Murray had imagined as a boy.

The son of a barber, Murray was born in Baltimore.

His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, and he grew up in that small coastal town.

Unlike some young men who volunteered for the war effort, Murray was pursuing a college education when the U.S.

entered World War II.

He was studying accounting at the University of North Carolina when he was drafted into the Army in 1942.

I had finished my junior year at Chapel Hill and went back to Wilmington and got a summer job.

About the first of September, I got a telegram, as 15 million people did, I guess.

The telegram said, "We invite you to serve your nation as a member of the armed forces."

(narrator) Because of his education, he was selected for officer candidate school.

(Murray) I was married.

Ann and I were married on the 28th of November, 1942, at the end of basic training.

(narrator) Murray was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the spring of 1943 but wasn't sent to Europe until the following summer.

He landed on Omaha Beach several weeks after D-Day.

(Murray) We landed on Omaha Beach and put a tent city on the plateau above the beach.

The first afternoon, we looked up, and above us was flight after flight of U.S.

bombers as wide and far as you can see going inland to Germany or somewhere over there to drop their bombs.

(narrator) He was assigned as replacement platoon leader to Company C of the 30th Infantry Regiment, Third Infantry Division.

(male speaker) Third Infantry Division formed November 21, 1917.

We got our nickname from the Battle of the Marne.

Everybody who's come through Fort Stewart have heard guards say "Rock of the Marne."

Third Infantry Division Patch has a lot of symbolism.

The field of blue is for loyalty and steadfastness, qualities we want our soldiers to have.

The green piping is the infantry color.

The three white stripes, our numerical designation, represent the three major offensives we fought during World War I.

(narrator) The men of the division called themselves dog-faced soldiers because of their scruffy, dirty faces after months of combat.

(Daubert) Third Infantry Division has the longest combat record in World War II.

We're the only division to fight the Germans on every front.

Dog-faced soldiers were bringing the fight to them.

♪ (narrator) In December of 1944, Murray's company was fighting near Kaysersberg, France.

Before World War I, the town had been part of Germany.

The name means "Emperor's Mountain" in German.

It lies on the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains in the Alsace region, renowned for its vineyards and farms.

(male speaker) In December of 1944, the Third Infantry Division had been ordered into the Vosges Mountains.

They had just successfully completed securing Strasbourg.

Before that, the Normandy beach units and the Mediterranean beach units had linked up in September, and then everybody had headed up for the French- German border.

The Third Infantry Division had successfully secured the major political and strategic area of Strasbourg and then was ordered back into the Vosges Mountains to relieve the 36th Texas Division and eliminate the Colmar Pocket.

(narrator) Early on the morning of December 16th, Murray and Company C crossed the Weiss River and established a defensive position on top of Hill 512, just south of Kayserberg.

It was bitter weather for a young man from the South.

It was so cold that Murray's unit picked up two German soldiers who left their post to keep warm.

By this time, it was daylight, 8:30 or so in the morning.

I had to set up two platoons to defend our portion of the hill.

I went down through the woods where everyone else was resting, making coffee, or taking care of their feet.

(narrator) Murray and a platoon set out on a reconnaissance mission.

(Murray) My job was to defend from the south with two platoons.

One more important job, probably the most important, was to send my one platoon to keep German armor, vehicles, troops from passing through that area to get back to us, our units.

(narrator) Murray and his men were moving down a winding trail when they spotted German soldiers in a sunken road below.

As I went down, from 4 or 5 yards, you could see the German position.

There were a lot of them in there.

(narrator) German soldiers were firing mortars on hill 512, where the rest of Murray's men dug in.

The Germans did not see Murray or his platoon.

If you went another three steps, you couldn't see them.

(narrator) Inching forward, Murray saw that the German force was about 200 men strong.

Murray did not want to send his men, a platoon of 35, up against well-armed Germans who outnumbered them 6 to 1.

He protects his own force by leaving them in position.

And he's deciding, What's the best course of action to take these guys out?

(narrator) He told his men to stay put and crept closer to radio in an artillery barrage.

I told them to fire one round, and one round came in.

It was a couple hundred yards to the right and a couple hundred yards too far.

(narrator) When Murray tried to radio back to adjust the range, he found that the batteries were dead.

The next best weapon we had was an anti-tank grenade launcher.

(Dawson) Put a tube on your M1 rifle.

You take what looks like a sophisticated bottle rocket with an explosive projectile, and you slide it over the new false barrel of the M1, jack a round in the chamber, look downrange, pop a round off, and see where it lands.

(narrator) He hurried back to his platoon, retrieved a rifle-propelled grenade launcher, returned to his solo position, and fired on the Germans.

Murray's first shots disclosed his location.

The German soldiers returned fire, but Murray held his ground, sending grenades into the German position until his ammunition ran out.

(Dawson) They either can't see him or they can't hit him.

(narrator) Murray went back to his platoon a third time, retrieved a Browning automatic rifle, and continue firing.

(Dawson) You got about a 15-pound automatic rifle, gas operated, that holds a 20-round magazine of 30-06 ammunition in the base of the weapon.

Very accurate, very heavy duty, very dependable.

It's an infantryman's choice to take out a bunch of Germans behind a road.

(narrator) In all, Murray killed 20 German soldiers and wounded many more.

(Murray) One of my soldiers told me that I fired 2,000 rounds.

Now that's a lot of rounds.

That's a hundred magazines full.

(narrator) The German troops began pulling out.

Murray's men brought up a mortar to support him.

(Murray) The gunner, who has to level the bubbles to be sure you had the right range in elevation, couldn't find the target.

They were running, so he couldn't see the target.

I knew the ground pretty good by now.

He didn't see anything-- he said that twice-- and I asked him to move over.

I don't think I said, "Please, move over."

And he moved over.

(narrator) Murray directed the firing of this mortar, causing confusion among the German troops.

Murray then moved to take control of a bridge and set up a road block, the mission he viewed as his most important.

There was prisoners, and they easily gave up.

(narrator) On his way to the bridge, Murray captured 10 Germans in foxholes.

An 11th German soldier approached.

This German thought I was the only one there.

(narrator) The soldier raised his hands to surrender, but instead, threw a live grenade.

(Dawson) The Germans used a couple of hand grenades.

The most common had a wooden handle.

You yanked a cord, and there's an explosive on the end.

The concussion sometimes would knock you down and pepper you with shrapnel, but unless it landed right next to you, you had a chance.

That German got out a potato masher and threw it when my back was turned.

It hit the ground and exploded.

(narrator) Murray was knocked to the ground by the blast.

Wounded by shrapnel and bleeding badly, still, he refused to stand down.

Though his unit was with him, he would not go to the rear until he chose the spot for the roadblock and made sure his men were safely in position.

(Dawson) The probabilities are incredible that at any point along that line he would have been killed, wounded, or incapacitated as he moved down that chain of events, but he just kept going and going and going, and he finished his mission... beyond any expectation, any rational thought that one guy would be able to accomplish that in that afternoon.

(narrator) News of Murray's exploits spread quickly.

His one-man assault on 200 Germans made him a hero back home.

(Dawson) The individual heroism of all of those guys who were decorated, and then somebody wanted a story to reinforce the public support for a war that the United States needed to win.

♪ (narrator) After his heroic actions, Murray was taken to the rear for treatment.

Following surgery, he insisted on helping the nurses take care of other patients.

After Christmas, anxious to rejoin his men, he borrowed a uniform and hitched a ride on an ambulance back to the front.

He caught up with his men where he'd left them less than two weeks earlier.

It was December 28, 1944.

He had to be back with his men.

He had an obligation to his men because he recognized that his leadership would make a difference.

(narrator) Three months later, Murray learned that he'd been recommended for the Medal of Honor.

(Daubert) The Medal of Honor is the highest award for an act of valor.

You have to really put yourself out there for your soldiers.

Here's guy who has beaten 200 Germans but has repetitively gone back at them.

He takes artillery, rifle-grenades, a BAR.

He moves forward into their positions, and when he's wounded, he doesn't do the normal thing, get medevaced.

He waits until he's established that position.

So above and beyond at every point.

(narrator) In keeping with Army policy, Murray was removed from combat and remained with his division in Salzburg.

On May 7th, 1945, Murray was in Salzburg when a cease-fire was declared.

The next day, Germany surrendered, and the war in Europe was over.

Murray found out he was to receive the Medal of Honor when his wife sent him a clipping from their hometown Wilmington newspaper.

General Geoffrey Keyes presented Murray with the Medal of Honor on July 5, 1945, at Salzburg Airport.

♪ All 15,000 men of the Third Division marched by the reviewing stand to honor him.

Murray's Medal of Honor citation recounted his heroics.

(male speaker) "By his single-handed attack "on an overwhelming force "and by his intrepid and heroic fighting, "First Lieutenant Murray stopped a counterattack, "established an advanced position "against formidable odds, "and provided an inspiring example for the men of his command."

(Murray) My desire was to get back to the States to see my family, my wife, and get to Chapel Hill before school started.

(narrator) Murray returned to Wilmington in September 1945 and received a hero's welcome.

He went back to college and graduated in 1946 with a degree in accounting, but his career path had already been altered by his experiences as a soldier.

♪ His single-handed attack on 200 German troops made Murray a legend before he was 25 years old.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Murray also received three Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars with Valor, a Purple Heart, and a Combat Infantry Badge.

Murray was one of the most decorated soldiers of World War II.

Though Murray had returned home to finish his degree at the University of North Carolina, the draftee, it turned out, was destined to become a career Army man.

Murray reenlisted and returned to Salzburg.

There, just 12 miles from Hitler's infamous Eagle's Nest, Murray became the city's chief U.S.

intelligence officer.

It was a four-year stint.

Salzburg has always been special because this is where the war ended for me and my company.

(narrator) Murray then served in the 82nd Airborne Division, participating in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

His last combat assignment was commanding an infantry brigade in Vietnam, where both of his sons also served.

After the Vietnam War, Murray became a colonel and deputy commander of the Old Guard, whose mission is to greet arriving dignitaries, conduct funerals in Arlington National Cemetery, and guard the Tomb of the Unknowns.

(Shwedo) He was responsible for making sure that it met the high standards that people of the United States have in a ceremonial unit.

He had some of the highest standards of anybody I've ever met in my Army career.

He was a handsome fellow.

He was tall, straight, wore a uniform beautifully.

So when he was walking with the President, why, he looked like a soldier.

The commander of that Old Guard has to look like a soldier, and Charlie Murray fit that bill to a tee.

(narrator) In 1970, Colonel Murray was transferred to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.

He retired from the Army in 1973 but continued to maintain a busy schedule in the state capital supporting veterans.

(Williams) Colonel Murray will knock you over to go say hello to anybody in uniform.

He was always like that.

He just believed it was the highest calling.

(Bell) He called me and said, "Have you been on an Honor Flight to Washington?"

I told Charlie Murray, "No, I have not."

He said, "You're going on the next one.

I'm going to put you in for it."

I went, and it was one of the finest days of my life.

(narrator) NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams became friends with Murray as a board member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.

He was the typical citizen soldier of his generation.

You can be the toast of the town, the bell of the ball, especially during wartime, by having one of these medals placed around your neck.

Or you can do what Colonel Murray did.

Say "Thank you very much," go to a couple, three conventions every year, give your share of speeches, but basically just live a good life and be a great living reminder of all those qualities that the medal entails.

♪ (narrator) To commemorate the Third Infantry Division's accomplishments 65 years before, markers were placed in Salzburg, Obersalzberg, and Berchtesgaden.

We are placing flags for several reasons.

First of all, to preserve history and honor our veterans who fought in World War II, especially Third Infantry Division veterans.

And also to educate younger generations of what they have done.

(narrator) Only Murray and four other dog-faced soldiers were able to make the trip.

We want to pay our respect, and we want to thank you.

We understand that this was the day of the liberation of Salzburg from the Nazi regime and from the horrors of the Second World War.

It's very special to take Colonel Murray around here so many years after his units arrived in this area.

I've gotten to know an extremely interesting personality whom I would call a nationaler Held, a national hero, in the United States.

And Colonel Murray lives up to that standard.

He is exactly how you would expect someone like that to be.

♪ (Murray) This is the first time I've been present at a dedication of this kind in Germany.

And this is an ideal place to start my experience in Germany because this is, to all of us, very, very important.

For the Third Infantry Division, this meant-- and Salzburg-- meant the end of the fighting in Europe, which came about three days later.

(male speaker) This is, even for me, that I'm just about 37 years old, an interesting day because I've heard it from my grandfather who fought in World War II.

And so it has quite an influence back on our life back here in Berchtesgaden.

(narrator) Near the end of the visit, Murray sat down in the solarium of the Hotel Salzburg, looking out over the city he loved.

(Murray) You can see tears because I'm very emotional, and as I think back to the war, my soldiers, and my family, I really get kind of sniffed up a bit, which is all right.

Even a grown man-- an older man-- can cry if he wants to.

♪ (male speaker) Ready, step.

[footfalls marching] Ready, step.

[footfalls marching] ♪ (narrator) A little more than a year later, he died in his sleep from complications following surgery.

♪ The would-be accountant's heroic acts made him a Medal of Honor recipient.

A career Army officer, he was known as much for his humility as for his bravery.

And to his final day, he was an advocate for his fellow veterans.

Today he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

♪ (Shwedo) People think that people do the heroic things that he did because he was a patriot, and he was.

But it's not patriotism alone that leads you to do the things Charles Murray did.

What drove him was his love of his soldiers.

He trained them.

He held them accountable to very specific standards.

But when it came to them, he never expected his soldiers to do anything he wouldn't do personally.

(Dawson) It was not pretentious awesomeness that he had.

It was a plain, everyday... this is a great guy to be around and to have as a friend.

And if you needed him to take a German pillbox, he could probably pick up a M1 Rifle, a BAR, and go do it tomorrow.

He was that kind of guy.

I don't think he ever lost that hardcore steel piece that was Charlie Murray.

Colonel Murray was an American hero.

He probably hated that title until the day he left us.

But he's all you need to know about.

He's a perfectly representative member of the best generation we ever put on a planet.

♪ ♪ I'm just a dog-faced soldier ♪ ♪ with a rifle on my shoulder ♪ ♪ and I eat raw meat for breakfast every day.

♪ ♪ So feed me ammunition, ♪ ♪ keep me in the Third Division, ♪ ♪ your dog-faced soldier's a-okay.

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