Sgt. A.F. "Kelly" Murray U.S.M.C.: A Hoosier Hibernian in the Great Pacific War

By Kevin Charles Murray

Sgt. A.F. Kelly Murray, a Hoosier Hibernian in the Great Pacific War is the story of an 18-year old from the Irish east side of Indianapolis who spent three years in the Marine Corps at a very critical time for the world. Kelly Murray, an Indianapolis firefighter, died in 1978 at the age of 53 years without revealing in any detail his Marine Corps service years. Like many other World War II Veterans, perhaps Kelly felt the less said, the better. Cruel memories of horror best forgotten. Thus, the story is told largely from letters and photographs that remained in his U.S.M.C. sea bag for over 60 years. The correspondence and pictures provide an interesting perspective on Kelly Murrays Great Pacific War journey, and the news from home that followed him. It is a simple tale of a true life yet modest hero, who quietly served his beloved country.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781467043915

Kevin Charles Murray

Kevin Charles Murray is the eldest son of the late Albert Francis “Kelly” Murray and Ruth Cunningham Murray. A native of the Indianapolis east side, Kevin is a graduate of St. Philip Neri Grade School, Scecina Memorial High School, Indiana State University, and Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis. He has practiced law over 30 years in Indianapolis, Indiana, with Locke Reynolds, now known as Frost Brown Todd. Kevin is active in Indiana Democratic politics, the Indianapolis Irish community, and historic preservation. Enrolled as a graduate student at the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University, Kevin is currently finishing a Master of Science Degree in Historic Preservation. Kevin’s preservation projects include the rehabilitation of an Irish stone cottage near Dunfanaghy, County Donegal, Ireland, his great grandfather’s village

Book preview

Sgt. A.F. Kelly Murray U.S.M.C.

A Hoosier Hibernian In The Great

Pacific War

Kevin Charles Murray

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AuthorHouse™

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© 2011 by Kevin Charles Murray. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 10/24/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4670-4393-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-4392-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-4391-5 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011917773

Printed in the United States of America

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Contents

FORWARD

the pre-war years

Indianapolis, Indiana

1942

The War In The Pacific

Indianapolis, Indiana

1943

The War In The Pacific

San Diego, California

The Pacific Ocean

New Caledonia

1944

The War In The Pacific

New Caledonia

Emirau Island,

St. Matthias Group

Guadalcanal

Guam

1945

The War In The Pacific

Guadalcanal

Okinawa

Guam

China

Indianapolis—

The Post-War Years

EPILOGUE

appendix

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KELLY MURRAY

USMC

1943

Hello Mom: Next one I’ll have stripes, one at least. Of course you know, I am sending this to the best Mom in the ole tangled up world. It was taken in March of ’43 and I hope I’m home to write more on it the same date a year later. Love Kelly

FORWARD

Sixty some years have now passed since V-J day; thirty plus years have elapsed since my father died. Perhaps now I can put pen to paper to record a special time in the life of a special man–my Dad.

I knew from the very beginning of my life that my Dad was a hero–a combat Marine veteran of the South Pacific and an Indianapolis Firefighter. His life was devoted to public service–high risk public service. As Sheriff Frank Anderson would say, my Dad had jobs where he signed his life as collateral to ensure a job properly done. From 1943 to 1946, Kelly Murray did his Marine Corps job very well. Then Dad came home; joined the Indianapolis Fire Department; married and had two sons. He never talked about the War much. My Mom revealed that until about 1955 or so, Dad had War nightmares.

I was born in 1953 and quickly embraced my Marine Corps heritage. I had every U.S.M.C. uniform, including dress blues. I played with his Marine Corps gear–ultimately, destroying his K-Bar (combat knife) and losing his Marine Corps rings. I frequently dove into his sea bag and devoured the photos of combat and letters from home. I played with his ribbons, insignia, and other memorabilia. I worshipped him as a Dad and I quietly wondered, but never asked, about his War years.

During the Viet Nam War, I thought of becoming a Marine Corps officer; a way to pay my way through college and law school; a way to honor my Dad. On his advice, and because of a high draft number, I didn’t do it. My great, great grandfather fought with the 1st Irish Regiment of Indiana; my grandfather fought as a Doughboy in France during World War I; and my Marine Dad fought in the Pacific. But I did not fight in my war–an ugly and sad affair.

After college came law school and soon my father’s fatal heart attack. Dad was 53 years old and a House Captain at Engine House 7, the Indianapolis Fire Department Headquarters. He had chest pains, relieved himself from duty and drove to Community Hospital. There he tried to rest while the surgeons planned a cardiac procedure. His last words to me were to get out of the Hospital; go study for my Bar Exam. The next morning, June 8, 1978–Kelly Murray was gone.

I devoted myself to the law and the Irish community in Indianapolis. In 1981, I offered the Murray family, the Green Kepi as a way to honor my Dad and my Irish great great grandfather’s service during the War for the Union. But the unanswered questions about my Dad’s service in the Marine Corps were always in the back of my mind. I tried to further honor my Dad’s memory by serving as President of the Fire Merit Board and promoting Irish American activities, such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Irish Fest, the Celtic Cross Memorial, and the 1st Irish Regiment of Indiana Monument. I also devoted myself to Democratic politics and served as Counsel to Governor Joe Kernan and Sheriff Frank Anderson–two more true American heroes. I wish Kelly Murray could have met them–I wish that they could have met Kelly Murray.

In September 2006, a friend offered, Flags of our Fathers for a good read. It opened my eyes to the necessity that I had to mine the personal history of Kelly Murray, U.S. Marine. I say mine because all of the surviving information was now spread out in many boxes in my basement. I had preserved his Marine uniform, his fatigue jacket, his blanket, his sea bag; but with the passing of my mother in April 2004, I feared that much information had been lost. I started with photos, letters, books and personal discussions to try to piece together Kelly Murray’s life as a U.S. Marine.

What follows is a labor of love–love for his grandchildren–great kids who never knew a truly grand man–their grandfather. Dad loved all kids and he would have loved them dearly. So here is to Caitlin Kelly Murray, Conor Hays Murray, Sean Kelly Murray, and Devin Michael Murray. Here is the story of Sgt. A. F. Kelly Murray, U.S.M.C.

"If the Army and