Corporal Murphy was a member of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 28 July 1950 and returned to duty on 2 August 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 15 September 1950.

Murphy was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.