Originally Posted by
Tom Doniphon
I believe they said that the Audie's Winchester made carbine was found by the curator at Anniston. How they knew what serial number carbine he used is unknown to me. IIRC, the serial number was actually 1108783.
Audie had it memorized and quoted it in an interview.
“THE “WOUNDED” CARBINE
The story of Audie Murphy’s service during WWII has become legendary since then. Here was a young man, turned down by the Marines and the paratroopers as being physically unfit, who went on to receive every award for valor that our country could bestow, all before his 21st birthday. He was wounded four times, awarded two Silver Stars only five days apart, two Bronze Stars and ultimately the Medal of Honor. In 1967, during the course of an interview, Murphy recalled:
“Losses are inevitable, so you learn not to get too friendly with anybody … Every action is new people. One way or another, people come and go … You don’t remember the guys’ names. You remember that one-one-zero-eight-seven-eight-three (1108783) is the number of your rifle, but names are too personal. That’s really how it is.”
When this quote was noted in the 1990 book Hero – The Life and Death of Audie Murphy by Charles Whiting, an individual at the Center of Military History Clearinghouse at Anniston Army Depot searched that serial number through its computers. Surprisingly, a match turned up.
When the 3rd Division went into Southern France in August of 1944, Audie Murphy was there with the 15th Infantry Regiment. They pushed north to the vicinity of the Vosges Mountains, where at Genevreuville Murphy received his first wound after a year in combat. A mortar round exploded next to him. Murphy recalled: “When I come to, I am sitting beside a crater with a broken carbine in my hands. My head aches; my eyes burn; and I cannot hear.” After his injuries were taken care of, Murphy repaired the broken stock on his carbine with wire and continued to use it. He began referring to it as his “wounded carbine”.
In the following days Murphy’s “wounded carbine” became well-known in his unit and some felt that it might be a lucky charm for Murphy. However, on 25 October in the forests near Les Rouges Eaus, Murphy was wounded by a sniper. As he lay on the ground, he was able to discern the sniper’s location and quickly fired one round that killed the sniper instantly. When his fellow-soldiers came to his assistance, it was assumed from the nature of the wound that Murphy would be sent home. One NCO asked Murphy if he could have his “lucky” carbine, perhaps hoping that the battered weapon might bring him a measure of luck as well. It was not to be, as the sergeant, with most of his platoon, were wiped out the following day in a fire fight in the forest.
“In all probability, the carbine was salvaged from the battlefield and turned in, where it was refurbished and eventually placed into storage."
Thanks to Audie documenting the serial number of his weapon, we have been able to identify it today and preserve it as a tangible piece of the WWII history of the 15th Infantry Regiment, the 3rd Infantry Division, and the US Army.
Last edited by PhillipM; 02-03-2015 at 08:07.
Phillip McGregor (OFC)
"I am neither a fire arms nor a ballistics expert, but I was a combat infantry officer in the Great War, and I absolutely know that the bullet from an infantry rifle has to be able to shoot through things." General Douglas MacArthur
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