was also the recipient of the French Liberation Medal. Belgium awarded Murphy the Belgian Croix de guerre with 1940 Palm on 10 December 1955. The 3rd Infantry Division received the Croix de guerre with Palm as a unit award, and all individual members were awarded the French Fourragère. Homecoming and discharge Murphy received orders on 8 June 1945, to report to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. At a 13 June San Antonio homecoming parade held for returning Texas veterans, a quarter of a million people cheered Murphy, Charles P. Cabell, Lucian Truscott, Harold L. Clark and others. He was then assigned to the Army Ground & Services Redistribution Station at the base and given 30 days leave. Murphy was the home grown hero, and on a visit to Dallas, the media followed his every move, interviewing and photographing him. Farmersville pulled out all the stops, giving him an escort caravan, and five thousand local citizens showed up to hear a band concert and speeches in his honor. He was the star attraction at the 2 to 4 July McKinney rodeo where he opened the event every night. The 16 July issue of Life magazine brought Murphy national attention when its cover story proclaimed him "most decorated" next to a smiling image of him in full dress uniform. Photographers for the magazine followed him to a birthday party in his honor, to his first civilian haircut since 1942, and around to visit friends and relatives. While on leave, he discussed with family and friends the possibility of his enrolling in West Point and making the Army a lifetime career. Inquiries on his behalf had been sent through military channels before he left Europe, and Patch had encouraged him to enroll. Both Edson and Paulick had also counseled Murphy about attending the military academy, with Paulick offering to tutor him for the entrance examinations. Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives Sam Rayburn supported the idea and offered to use his influence to help Murphy enroll at West Point. Murphy expressed concerns to Edison and others that his war injuries might prevent him from passing the physical examination required to enroll. Texas A&M University was another military school Murphy considered as a possibility. In the end, he enrolled in neither school. A belated Good Conduct Medal was presented to Murphy on 21 August. He was discharged with the rank