Pastor Tom…

In one of those rare moments of leisure, I was reading some articles on military history, when I came across one about Audie Murphy ¹.  I had forgotten that he was the most highly decorated serviceman in World War II.  In addition to three Purple Hearts for being wounded, he earned two Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars, one Distinguished Service Cross, and a Congressional Medal of Honor.  The article detailed how Audie Murphy won the Medal of Honor.

In December 1944 the Germany Army tried unsuccessfully to push Allied forces back into Belgium and France in the Battle of the Bulge.  On New Year’s Eve the Nazi’s launched Operation Northwind to destroy two Allied armies on the western edge of the Bulge.  On January 26, 1945, Company B, 15th Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division was attacked by 6 German tanks and 250 Nazi soldiers in the woods near Holtzwihr, France.  The Company had 102 of its 120 enlisted men wounded; all the officers, except Lt. Audie Murphy, were killed.  Murphy would wage a one-man war against those German forces.

The 19-year-old Lieutenant led what was left of Company B into the woods to find cover.  By the afternoon of January 26^th, the German forces were advancing towards the Americans.  Murphy spotted an Army M-10 tank destroyer in flames, but it had a functional 50-caliber machine gun.  He left his men in the woods, jumped on the M-10 and began firing at the German infantry, forcing them to retreat.  Though wounded, Murphy stopped only to reload and make calls for Allied air support.  With air support, Company B held its ground throughout the night, and the next day reinforcements captured Holtzwihr.  If Murphy had not made his stand atop a burning vehicle, the remainder of Company B and the 15^th Regiment probably would have been destroyed.  For his extraordinary heroism, the commander of the 7^th Army presented Lt. Audie Murphy the Medal of Honor on June 2, 1945.  If you are into old movies, you might watch To Hell and Back, made about 10 years later, with Audie Murphy himself in the starring role.

After reading the military article I remembered another warrior who waged a one-man battle against the enemy.  He was older than Murphy by about 15 years, and not a commissioned officer in an army.  The small company he led was made up of 12 men, some women, and a few stragglers.  He made his stand atop a hill.   His heroism is thoroughly documented in a 260-chapter book.  Numerous movies and documentaries have been made, but he never appeared in person; these presentations are usually seen on TV only in the spring and after Thanksgiving.   Few people ever stop to realize he was closer to Hell than Audie Murphy ever was.  Yet this one-man warrior saved millions more than an Army regiment.  Would you care to guess who this hero is?

Okay, if you are struggling, here is a clue.  His first name never changed, but he was given several last names.  One was for his hometown, Nazareth (Mark 10:47); another referenced his divine appointment, as the Anointed One (Matthew 27:17); and one stated his divine nature, as the Son of God (John 20:31).  If you are still stumped, go to the library and check out the book I mentioned, it’s called the New Testament.  Or it may be simpler to find a church that is open and go inside and ask someone to tell you who this warrior is.