Sunday, June 04, 2006
Audie Murphy's second monument grows stone by stone
New River Field Guide
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Monday was Memorial Day, as you know, but you may have missed the significance of last Sunday.
World War II hero Audie Murphy died in a plane crash May 28, 1971, at the top of Brush Mountain.
The out-of-the-way location of his death makes visiting the site a bit of an undertaking. It's a goodly drive from Blacksburg out Mount Tabor Road to a bumpy forest service road that takes you to a littered parking area. From there it's a 0.7-mile walk to the monument.
But this location has actually led to a moving tribute from an unlikely source. The site is just off the Appalachian Trail, where it may get more visits from hikers than from anyone else.
The monument is topped by little piles of stones.
Many more stones are piled on the ground next to it.
Two through-hikers I saw there recently -- Rush Hour and Firefly were their trail names -- understood what to do, and each added their own stone. It's simple, but certainly one of the most sincere ways of honoring a veteran that I've ever seen. The many small tokens of appreciation added up to a second monument of sorts.
The original monument itself is quite nice and explains that Murphy was the most-decorated American soldier of all the men who fought in World War II. But what's missing is a photo of Murphy. The two hikers I saw seemed genuinely interested and spent longer looking at the monument than I would have expected.
But I imagine that seeing his photo would have helped them realize that the man behind the many medals was a fellow about their age when he earned those decorations.
Bottom line: Through a strange fluke of geography, Audie Murphy's monument is visited by young folks who might not normally visit a military monument. I can't help but think that Murphy would be mighty pleased.
Suggested viewing: "To Hell and Back," starring Audie Murphy as Audie Murphy in the true story of his World War II heroics.
Directions: The monument is right on the border between Craig and Roanoke counties, but is easily found when driving from Blacksburg. Take North Main Street to Mount Tabor Road, which will twist and turn and offer at least one unexpected stop sign. After crossing into Roanoke County, look for a sign pointing to a forest service road. Take this to the top of the mountain and turn right. Follow this road to a parking area. Another sign here guides you to the trail that soon meets up with the Appalachian Trail. When the path splits, take the left fork up to the monument.
