PVT Donald Francis Murphree was born 1 Apr 1923 in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. He was the 2nd child and only son of Marion Arthur and Helen (McGinnis) Murphree. His father had been serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as a PVT when he met Helen's older sister, Marie and they married. They would soon have a daughter, Donald's half-sister, Marian J. Murphree, but Marie suffered complications from the childbirth and being susceptible died of pneumonia brought on by the influenza that was ravaging the world in 1918. Arthur (as he was called) continued to live with the McGinnis family and Helen married Arthur in 1921. Arthur had been working as a salesman in a local cigar store. For some reason the family moved to McCrary, Georgia where they were living in 1930. Helen and Arthur were divorced by that time. Helen moved the family back to Cheltenham before 1935. She reported no income or occupation in 1940. All the children were attended High School, Donald at Cheltenham High School. After high school he went to work in an oil refinery.
Donald was drafted in May 1943. After his basic training he was sent to the European theater and transferred from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. PVT Muphree was killed in action on 4 Aug 1944.
PVT Murphree rests forever in the
Brittany American Cemetery.
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