Thanks to Cody Dinsmore, I have been able to touch the actual Winston Cup won by Bill Elliott (hope you don't get in touble Cody) when I visited the Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame as Cody's guest. I have touched many race trophies, even presented a few, held all kinds of awards but, until today, I had never even SEEN a Congressional Medal of Honor except on TV and in books. Today, at the Veterans' Day Parade in Columbia, SC (one of the largest such parades in the country) I actually saw, and touched, that Congressional Medal of Honor hung around the neck of Colonel Charles P. Murray, US Army retired.
He and I never mentioned stock car racing and, frankly, he wouldn't say much about the medal, only that he was very happy to be at the parade and to be honored as the Grand Marshall of that parade. He was the absolute epitome of a gentleman and humble beyond words. I've always heard true heros are like that. Being the curious guy that I am, I couldn't let it rest. I had to know how and when he won this medal. I was finally able to get my hands on one of the programs limited the the VIPs in the reviewing stand.
Colonel Murray's record would fill an entire blog with incredible, almost unbelieveable facts. He won so many awards and medals I'm sure he has to have Presidential permission not to wear them all for such a weight would cause critical health problems. But, the main focus of my curiousity, the Congressional Medal of Honor, came to light as follows, quoting now, from the VIP program:
" During World War II he served with the 3rd Infantry Division in Europe as rifle platoon leader, company executive officer and company Commander in Company C, 30th Infantry Regiment. He received the Medal of Honor for action in France on December 16, 1944. During that action, then 1st Lt. Murray was credited with almost singlehandedly breaking up a German Counterattack of almost 200 troops. In the process, he killed 20 of the enemy with small arms fire and wounded many others, captured 10 prisoners, received multiple wounds from an enemy hand grenade thrown at close range, completed his mission of establishing an advance position in enemy territory and saw that his men were properly deployed on the position before returning to the rear for medical aid".
Colonel Murray moves a little slowly now, but that comes with age as some of us know well. Nevertheless, I noticed that EVERY TIME our Stars and Stripes came by the reviewing stand he stood and saluted and there must have been a hundred such flags in that 90 minute parade. I spoke to him as the parade ended and he was so appreciative to have been given the honor of being the Grand Marshall.
So, this I know: The Winston Cup is impressive, but not quite what I thought it would be. The Congressional Medal of Honor is not nearly what I expected it would be to actually see it and touch it........or, maybe, that is just because it was hanging around the neck of a man whose bravery and sacrifice for his country make the medal, any medal, seem so inconsequential and small. I met a true American today, a true hero, but don't depend on HIM to tell you that. He never will. Let history tell you that.
God bless Colonel Charles M. Murray, US Army, retired, and God Bless the USA.
Tim
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
