Vietnam War veteran to receive honorary degree from Augustana University, 50 years later

Gene Murphy will finally get his degree from Augustana University on Thursday, almost 50 years in the making.

Murphy is a Vietnam War Veteran who was paralyzed by gunshot wounds during his service just 30 days before he was scheduled to return to the U.S.

And he was 16 credits shy of meeting the college’s graduation requirements in 1979, when he became more active with Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

“I think it’s super of Augustana University and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin” to confer the honorary degree, Murphy said.

'Helping veterans was more important at the time than the degree'

Murphy, a young Army sergeant, was on patrol in the thick jungles of Vietnam on April 21, 1969 when his unit came under fire. He was only 20, and a sergeant and squad leader in charge of 10 men. Six men in his unit were shot by fire from enemy AK-47s.

“I got hit with three bullets, and one of them cut the spinal cord,” Murphy said.

He laid on the jungle floor, fearing death, as he awaited evacuation for 14 hours after being hit, as Medivac helicopters that attempted to rescue his unit were driven away by fierce enemy fire.

His friend, Lyle Bowes, comforted Murphy through the night. Murphy was born and raised in White, and Bowes was from De Smet; and the two didn’t meet until joining the Army together. Bowes and Murphy are still close friends.

Murphy spent 14 months in four different hospitals -- Pleiku, South Vietnam; Yokohama, Japan; Fitzsimons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado; and Wood VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

On his fifth day at the Pleiku hospital, Murphy learned he wouldn’t walk again.

He also lost half his body weight. When Murphy entered the Army, he weighed 165 pounds. In 10 and a half months of service, before the incident, he was down to 135. He blames the Army food for this. When he left his multiple hospital stays, Murphy weighed 83 pounds.

Murphy’s brother Robert, an Army lieutenant at the time, visited him at Pleiku and encouraged him through his recovery process.

Gene returned to his hometown of White in a wheelchair by 1970 and credits his close friends, fellow veterans and four brothers for helping him readjust to civilian life in a wheelchair.

Murphy briefly attended Dakota State University for business administration, where he met his future wife, Eldine, a nursing student. When she knew she had to move to Sioux Falls in 1972 to continue her studies, the young couple decided to make the move together and get married.

Murphy then continued his studies at Augustana University, where he needed only about three courses to complete requirements for his bachelor’s degree.

He didn’t finish because he became heavily involved with his work at DAV, and “helping veterans was more important at the time than the degree,” Murphy said.

Murphy's lifetime of service to fellow disabled veterans

Murphy now holds the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with V device for his bravery in South Vietnam, serving with Co. C, 1st Btn., 12th Inf. Regt., 4th Inf. Div.

In addition to the DAV, Murphy is also a member of Paralyzed Veterans of America, Military Order of The Purple Heart, VFW, American Legion and the South Dakota Veterans Council, where he was president 1978-1979.

He’s signed up for life membership in the Sioux Falls DAV Chapter 1 since 1970 and has served in all elected positions in that chapter, including Chapter Adjutant-Treasurer.

He’s also active with the DAV’s Department of South Dakota and chaired several state-level committees, serving as Department Adjutant from 1982 to 1987. In 1984, he was elected Department Commander and the DAV honored him as the nation’s Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.

With DAV, Murphy started organizing free transportation for vets locally in 1984, and his efforts were soon picked up by the national DAV in 1987 and the effort went nationwide.

Murphy was National Commander for the DAV from 1987-1988, and National Vice Commander during the previous three years.

As a lobbyist for disability and veterans’ issues, Murphy dealt frequently with the South Dakota Legislature.

Gov. George Mickelson appointed Murphy to the South Dakota Veterans Commission for a five-year term in 1989, and another five-year term in 1995 by Gov. Bill Janklow, then two more five-year terms by Rounds, according to the DAV.

Murphy has also been a star player on the Sioux Wheelers, a nationally-known wheelchair basketball team. He also served as treasurer of Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church.

Murphy’s honorary degree ceremony will be held Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021 at 1 p.m. in the Hamre Recital Hall in the Fryxell Humanities Center on Augustana University’s campus, with a reception immediately following the program.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Augustana to give Vietnam War veteran honorary degree on Veterans Day