Tribute to Audie Murphy, Military March 22 at Sports Park

Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park will be the site of Sunday's "A True American Hero" event.

A developer of Audie Murphy Ranch and local residents will pay tribute to members of the military and law enforcement as well as the man for whom the development is named on Sunday, March 22.

The event, called "A True American Hero", will play tribute to Audie Murphy -- one of the most decorated U.S. combat soldiers of World War II and a famous actor whose sprawling ranch of more than 1,000 acres stood where modern homes are now built in a community honoring his name.

The celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park, located at 30376 Lone Pine Drive in Menifee, bordering Newport Road. The 11-acre park opened last year as a recreational facility for local residents and includes ballfields, picnic areas and a skate park.

Food trucks will provide meal options and there will be a classic car show featuring automobiles from the Canyon Lake Car Club. The Paloma Valley High School band will perform and there will be a live remote broadcast on K-FROG radio. Tickets to the 2015 Stagecoach Country Music Festival will be given away.

In addition, 14 model homes will be open for tours.

After his heroic service in World War II, Murphy became a movie star and appeared in 44 films before retiring to his ranch, where he raised horses. Some of the structures and artifacts from Murphy's ranch (including the poster at right) were preserved by former Menifee City Councilman Tom Fuhrman, who lives on the Wooden Nickel Ranch just south of Audie Murphy Ranch and displays them there.