Randel L. Murphy Jr.

Randel Lee Murphy Jr. Randel Lee Murphy was born in Austin, TX in March of 1923. "Pat" has been his name since he was born at Seton Hospital and was blessed by a Father Pat. Pat graduated from San Jacinto High School in Houston, TX in 1941. In high school, Pat was in the ROTC, where he got the nickname of "Dead-eye Dick" for his rifle marksmanship. Soon thereafter, this skill would payoff in the service, during WWII and Korea, as a highly decorated officer. Pat was attending A&M University, when Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941. Since flying was his dream as a boy, he volunteered for service in the US Army Air Corps, and stayed in school up until he was called up in 1943. Pat got his wings at Luke Field, AZ, and went on to train as a fighter pilot, which lead to his service in the 8th Air Corps, 56th Fighter Squadron, as a part of Zemke's Wolfpack. After joining the Wolfpack, Pat named his P-47, the "Brat", after his sweetheart. On Friday, April 13, 1945, with his lucky silver dollar at hand, Pat received his highest awarded air medal, the Silver Star, in the attack of the Eggebek Airdrome in Germany. The medal was awarded for the most destroyed enemy planes in a single mission at that time in the entire European Theater, ten confirmed and one damaged. After returning from the war, he married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Isabelle Weaver, between V-E Day and V-J Day in 1945. Pat was not finished with flying, and became the first volunteer of the Texas Air National Guard, out of Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, where he flew p-51 Mustangs. By the time the Korean conflict broke out, his unit had advanced to F-84 Thunderjets. Pat flew 100 missions during his time over Korea. During his distinguished career, he reached the rank of Major. His decorations consisted of the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross two times (once in the European Theater and once in Korea), the Air Force Medal 15 times, the American Campain Medal, the European Theater of Operations with 3 Battle Stars, the WWII Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Ribbon, the ROA Korean Medal, the U.N. Ribbon, the Korean Service Ribbon, the Presidential Citation, and the Korean Unit Presidential Citation. Pat retired from Vinson Supply Company in 1985. Pat is survived by his wife of 67 years, Margaret Isabelle, three sons, Randel Lee, William Alfred, and Patrick Harrison and their wives, two grandsons William Blaine and Robert Shannon, one granddaughter, Kelly Shea, and two great grandchildren. Services will be held at Forest Park Funeral Home, on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 2:00pm.