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Posted on 10/05/2001 2:54:54 PM PDT by Ron C.

NewsMax.com's George Putnam E-mail Newsletter
October 5, 2001

"One Reporter's Opinion"

It is this reporter's opinion that our liberal friends put their money where their mouth is, politically speaking. Names such as Barbra Streisand, Rosie O'Donnell, Robin Williams, Paul Newman, David Geffen and Steven Spielberg come to mind. These dedicated liberals volunteer amounts into six figures to support their causes and oft-times their fallen heroes.

This calls to mind an experience I suffered in the shabby treatment of our World War II most decorated hero, Audie Murphy. Audie was born of a dusty crop-sharing situation in Hunt County near Kingston, Texas. The father abandoned the family and Audie stepped in as surrogate father. Along came WWII and Audie applied to the U.S. Marine Corps. He was underage, underweight, undersize, under everything else, except his wondrous spirit. He was rejected! However, the Army, in need of recruits, took Audie.

The rest of his brilliant career is history. He rose through the ranks to become a Second Lieutenant. His brilliant exploits are documented in the motion picture in which he starred "To Hell and Back," high point of which was when exposed to German fire from three sides, he grabbed a machine gun, climbed on a burning tank destroyer and fought off and repelled the German charge. The Germans came as close as ten yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He was severely wounded, ignored it, and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted...and then reorganized his company in the counter-attack, which forced the Germans to withdraw. He is credited with killing at least fifty Nazis. He never gave an inch of ground! His indomitable courage commanded the day.

What a man!

I met Audie, after the war and after my own service in the Marine Corps, in Hollywood where the motion picture industry squeezed what they could out of his reputation. We had dogs and horses and wonderful times together. Then one day he came to me and said, "George, I'm broke. I have two unfinished pictures. I think they're sure-fire. Do you know anybody who could help finish these two pictures as an investment?" I thought of one ultra-conservative, super-patriot whom I had worked with, advised, promoted - done everything I could for conservative American causes. Having arranged an appointment, we met - Audie and I - at one of Los Angeles's skyscrapers, ascended to one of the penthouse suites where we were ushered into an elaborate - and I mean ELABORATE - board of directors' drawing rooms.

A giant table, at least 20 feet, and there was Audie and there was George seated in these lavish surroundings. We waited and waited and eventually this giant of industry, this multimillionaire, if not billionaire, burst into the room, rushed across to where we were seated and shouted, "Audie Murphy! Our hero!" He was so embarrassingly abusive that I hesitated to make a proposal, but I did. I said, "We don't have to enumerate the heroic accomplishments of Audie Murphy, but we need your help. Audie has two unfinished pictures. All he asks is financial help to complete them. We feel it's a sure-fire investment."

There was a long pause whereupon he said, "I'll be back in a moment," and left the room. Audie and I waited half an hour. He finally reappeared. This man, who could write million-dollar checks as you and I would for a few dollars, then proceeded to say, "Tell you what you do... get a cosigner and go to the _____ Bank."

I was stunned. If the man had written a check for ten million dollars and lost it all, it would not have bothered his financial stability a flyspeck. I said, "Audie, I guess our meeting is over" and we left. As we approached our cars in the parking lot, Audie opened the trunk of his and said, "George, I have a gift for you. It's a keepsake. I've given one to our friend, Duke Wayne; I'll keep one, and this is yours" and he handed me a rifle, calling it a Deer slayer. I was in a state of shock and disbelief.

I made other efforts to help Audie to no avail. Then, within a matter of weeks, I heard a bulletin on the radio that Audie had died in a plane crash. I soon learned that having failed to raise the necessary funds to complete his two pictures, but to keep body and soul together, he had agreed to publicize prefabricated houses that were being sold in a southern state. A pilot of a light plane was to fly him to the location. It was inclement weather and the pilot was not instrument-qualified. They ran into a mountain and, having been through hell and back, having avoided death on the battlefield, Audie Murphy died trying to scratch out a few dollars to survive.

What is there to say? He who served us so well, he who gave everything he had to give for his beloved country, found too many of us unwilling to do half as well when he needed us most. Audie wrote a poem when he was poking through some mementos, gathering dust in the attic, and in that poem, he opened his heart to show how strong his feeling about freedom.

What a precious thing freedom is!

Dusty old helmet, rusty old gun,
they sit in the corner and wait --
two souvenirs of the second World War
that have witnessed the time and the hate.
Mute witness to a time of much trouble
where "kill or be killed" was the law.
Were these implements used with high honor?
What was the glory they saw?
Many times I've wanted to ask them
and now that we're here all alone
relics, all three of that long ago war --
where has freedom gone?
Freedom flies in your heart like an eagle.
Let it soar with the winds high above
among the spirits of soldiers now sleeping.
Guard it with care and with love.
I salute my old friends in the corner.
I agree with all they have said
and if the moment of truth comes tomorrow
I'll be free -- or, by God, I'll be dead.

A special bumb for our friends George Putnam and Audie Murphy.

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