Duncan Bassett Murphy, Jr. Papers

Duncan Bassett Murphy Jr. was born on June 4, 1920, and was raised in Hartfield, Massachusetts. Most people called him Dunc. He was brought up as a Protestant, was deeply religious from youth, and was a pacifist, which would influence his later involvements and activities. A Fellowship of Reconciliation group at the church of his friend, Jean Lawson, was “where convictions formed that led me to register as a C.O.” [page 17 of unpublished autobiography]. In 1942, Murphy joined the American Field Service. During his 40 months of service -- in which he drove an ambulance for an estimated 35,000 miles and transported over 3,000 Allied battle casualties -- he was in Syria Lebanon, North Africa, Italy, and Europe. Murphy was with the Scottish regiment that liberated Belsen concentration camp (Germany) in 1945. He was awarded a British Empire Medal for bravery in evacuating casualties from battles to field hospitals, as well as the 1939-1945 Star Ribbon, the France Germany Star Ribbon, and the Italy Star Ribbon. Though proud of his involvement in the AFS, it also led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and fueled his later protests and actions against war.

Murphy attended Williams College before and after World War II, graduating in 1947 with a degree in political science. After graduation, he became involved in Shiloh, an interdenominational community in Sherman, New York, whose stated purpose was rehabilitation, service, and religious discovery, as well as the selling of farm produces. Murphy lived about twenty years there; his parents were part of the community as well. For some years Murphy worked as a tree trimmer. He later lived in California.

Throughout his life, Murphy was committed to various religious and peace efforts. Murphy was deeply involved in peace efforts during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly those relating to Native American rights, and to Central America. Murphy participated in many demonstrations, walks, civil disobedience, and delegations.

Murphy’s first trip to Central America was with the Coffee Brigade that went to Nicaragua to help in the coffee harvest. The second was to El Salvador with a small group of veterans. Other trips included Honduras with Ray Bourgeois [spelling?]. Murphy helped to start the veterans' convoys to Nicaragua, which flowered into Witness for Peace [see page 106 of unpublished autobiography]. Murphy engaged in Veterans Fast For Life along with three other veterans (Charles Liteky, George Migo, Brian Willson), fasting for about six weeks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in 1986. Murphy also fasted for 30 days in 1992, beginning on Columbus Day to highlight 500 years of wrongs against Native Americans. During the Nuremburg Actions in 1987, Murphy and Brian Willson protested at the Concord Naval weapons station in California; while seated on train tracks as a train came toward them and did not stop, Murphy was able to get out of the way in time, but Willson lost parts of both of his legs. [see page 129 of unpublished autobiography]

Murphy was also interested in the transcendental, such as extraterrestrial beings and stone circles.

Murphy lived until the age of 92. He spent the last few years of his life at the Veterans Home of California and Piedmount Court. He died at the VA hospital of Palo Alto on July 28, 2012.