Murray Guthrie was born on May 29, 1896, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He entered the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps for flight training in 1917, and was assigned to the 13th Aero Squadron in France in July 1918. Lt Guthrie was credited with the destruction of 6 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, all while flying the SPAD XIII, before the war ended in November 1918. He returned to the U.S. in December 1918, and was discharged from the Army Air Service the same month. After the war, he worked in advertising with the Washington-Crosby Company, co-founded Harrison-Guthrie Advertising, and was an officer with First Acceptance Corporation before starting Dietene Company. Murray Guthrie died on May 21, 1985.

His 3rd Distinguished Service Cross Citation reads:

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Murray Kenneth Guthrie, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Fontaines, France, November 4, 1918. As flight commander, Lieutenant Guthrie led his formation of six planes to the attack of seven enemy planes (type, Fokker); six of the enemy were destroyed, one of which was sent down by this officer. Immediately following this combat he attacked and drove off four hostile machines (type, Fokker), which were about to attack one of our balloons.