Pvt. Edmund Jerome Murphy was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on October 20, 1925, to James C. Murphy and Helen Delahanty-Murphy, and had one sister and four brothers. His family resided at 1638 South 15th Avenue, Maywood, Illinois. He graduated from Saint Eulalia School and attended Proviso Township High School. On October 23, 1943, he registered with Selective Service for the draft and named his mother as his contact person. During his senior year of high school, he left school in February 1944 and enlisted in the US Army on March 1, 1944.
He was sent to Fort McClellan, Alabama, for basic training. All that is known was that he was swimming and drowned on June 18, 1944. It is not known if this was part of his military training. His casket was sent home to Maywood by train with a military escort and a wake was held for him on June 22nd. His brother, John, who was training as an air cadet received an emergency furlough home for the funeral. On June 23, 1944, after a funeral mass at St. Eulalia’s Church, Pvt. Edmund J. Murphy was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois.
