Let each man hear his own music and live by it. The drums roll one way for one man, and another way for another. You have to listen for your own.

Murphy previously requested that his stone remain plain and inconspicuous like that of an ordinary soldier. Murphy received his first military promotion to Private First Class while serving in Algeria. For his service in the Texas National Guard during the Korean War he received the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

But he remained aware of his role model influence and refused offers for alcohol and cigarette commercials. In the last few years of his life his film career took a downturn and he found himself plagued with money problems. He bred quarter horses in California and Arizona and became a regular participant in horse racing.