I'd have to say Carlos Hathcock of the USMC. He was a sniper in Vietnam and did many amazing things during his career. Of all his encounters, I'd have to say the duel with the 'Cobra' was my favorite, but Elephant Valley was certainly the most amusing. It was also a test of durability. He did well all through Vietnam up untill the career ending explosion of his APC where he made several trips back in to save wounded comrades. Hathcock is the man!
As usual I cant narrow it down to one so here's my favorites
1) Brig Gen James Howard - Awarded Medal Of Honor for single handedly attacking 30 German fighters who were massing to attack a B-17 formation. He dove into the formation and attacked without regard for his own safety and downed several German fighters.
2) Saburo Sakai - One of Japans few surviving aces who flew Zeros through most of the war.
3) Hans Ulrich Rudel, The Tankbuster - Was credited with destroying over 500 tanks on the Eastern front. Outstanding aviator and outstanding marksman.
4) Audie Murphy - Was awarded Medal Of Honor for standing on the back of a burning tank destroyer and held off a German Infantry battalion with the tank destroyers .50cal HMG allowing his unit to withdraw.
Posted a thread about this guy a few months ago actually, his life was crazy: Felix von Luckner
The relevant part of his military career was as captain of a merchant raider in WW1, the three-masted windjammer SMS Seeadler. He managed to capture 16 Allied Ships with only a single casualty until the ship apparently ran aground while the crew and prisoners were picnicking on a tropical lagoon.
Luckner would also be on the list but he slipped my mind. He was a outstanding captain respected by both sides.
Also forgot to add Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz, also known as "The Armored Count"
He was a brilliant armor tactician and was a very motivating leader. He was wounded 13 times and by wars end could hardly walk and was prone to passing out in his command vehicle for brief periods.
He always looked after his men and led then to the American zone to surrender in 1945. He lost his two sons and his wife during the war.
He was the 11th German soldier to recieve the Swords and Oakleaves to the knights Cross of the Iron Cross.
But essentially there are no heroes, no winners in a war. Only losers.
Ah, an optimist! War's the way of the future, my friend. We need our heroes same as anyone else done and to say that their merits earn them the title of 'loser' is not a folly I intend to act upon. A given side may never really be called a winner or loser, but there are heroes.
My idea of a war hero is someone who is put in a situation and can back out or run away but instead stays and fights despite the odds and without consideration for their own safety or well being and in the end your saying "I cant believe he survived that".
For instance the Battle off Samar Bay when several US Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts protecting the withdraw of US Escort Carriers versus a Japanese task force that incuded the Yamato.
Or the Brit and Allied pilots who flew in the Battle Of Britain.
I can't narrow it down at all but I would say every single soldier in every single war who has fought for the purpose of either protecting his country or keeping the guy in the hole next to him safe. The only soldiers I don't think of as heroes are those who willingly served in units that participated in genocide or mercenaries who fight for money.
My idea of a war hero is someone who is put in a situation and can back out or run away but instead stays and fights despite the odds and without consideration for their own safety or well being and in the end your saying "I cant believe he survived that".
What if anyone had walked away from World War II? "Japan, we're not in the mood for a war.. Screw off. Oh and don't bomb our harbors." That would've worked out well.. "but instead stays and fights despite the odds and without consideration for their own safety" That's what they signed the papers to do, my friend. It's about putting their country before themselves and in many cases there is no backing out.
What Im talking about is the guy in the foxhole who sees a grenade and instead of diving for cover dives on the grenade knowing hes gonna die but his only thought is to protect his friends.
Or like Brig General Howard who sees a flight of 30 German fighters and knows that at 30:1 odds his chances of surviving are slim to none. He could have radioed tally -ho on bandits and waited for some of his group to get there and attack in force but instead seeing the situation he tells his fellow pilots "Im probably not gonna make it but Im gonna break up the German attack before they can get to the bombers, at least some bomber crews wont die" and he wades in guns blazing taking down seven German fighters and throwing the Germans into total disarray trying to figure out whats going on and then actually survives the fight.
The guys on ships in Pearl Harbor who braved burns, injuries, and risked death each and every time to run back into a ship to drag out wounded comrades knowing any second ammo could explode or the ship could roll over and he could die and yet he goes back in time after time after time.
Some of the guys ran for their lives with no regard for anyone else and no one would fault them for trying to get away safely.
But some guys went above and beyond the call of duty and what was required to brave the dangers again and again to save someone else.
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History and Warfare 
Favorite War Hero? 
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