Sidney L. Murphy entered the military service in California. He served as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot on C-46A "Stork" #42-96721, 1333rd Army Air Force Base Unit, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

C-46A #42-96721 took off, with a crew of 4 and 9 passengers, from Kunming, China on a cargo mission to Chabua, India. They were last contacted by radio and after that were not seen nor heard from again. It was noted that along the route planes were experiencing severe icing. Sidney was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

2Lt Murphy was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov