From Desmond Doss to Audie Murphy, the greatest war heroes in history gave their all for their country and embodied bravery with their remarkable acts of selflessness.
Defining history's greatest war heroes isn't always straightforward. The conventional traits associated with heroes, such as bravery, don't always apply in the chaos of war, where every day presents the frightening possibility of losing one's life.
As World War II veteran William Carpenter once remarked, "You show me a man who claims to have been brave [during World War II], and I'll show you a liar. Every one of us was afraid. Even the Germans were afraid."
While we might assume that exceptional skill with a weapon is a crucial factor for war heroes, some of the most extraordinary ones never even picked up arms. Take Desmond Doss, a "conscientious objector" who abhorred violence and weapons. Yet, during World War II at the Battle of Okinawa, he saved between 50 and 100 men without ever firing a shot, utilizing his skills as a medic.
Then there are those who transformed into war heroes by assuming new identities. Consider Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War, or Irish-born Jennie Hodgers, who became Albert Cashier, a man, to serve in the American Civil War.
On the other hand, some war heroes defied conventions on their paths to heroism. "Mad Jack" Churchill charged into World War II battles armed with a broadsword or a longbow, while George Henry Thomas, a Southern general, fought for the Union Army.
Controversial war heroes also exist. John Rabe was an enthusiastic Nazi, yet he saved hundreds of thousands of Chinese people when the Japanese invaded Nanjing. Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda continued fighting World War II for three decades after the war officially ended.
Some war heroes operated covertly, like the spy Virginia Hall, while others showcased their prowess in the skies, like "Ace of Aces" Richard Bong. They are a diverse group. However, what unites all these war heroes is their willingness to step up when duty called.
So, what truly defines a war hero? Explore the gallery above to discover some of history's most intriguing war heroes who fought and sometimes made the ultimate sacrifice for what they believed was right.
John Basilone
American Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was a unique hero during World War II. He earned both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, a rare distinction among Marines. At the Battle of Guadalcanal, Sergeant Basilone valiantly defended a critical pass with his gun team. Despite being offered a safer training position, he chose to return to combat. Tragically, he gave his life on the battlefield at Iwo Jima.
Adrian Carton de Wiart
Adrian Carton de Wiart was an extraordinary soldier who served in four wars spanning six decades. Born in Belgium and a British Army officer, he endured a staggering 11 severe injuries, including gunshot wounds to the face, head, hand, stomach, leg, groin, and ankle. He survived multiple plane crashes and even a broken back. Remarkably, despite these harrowing ordeals, he remained unwavering in his commitment to military service.
Jacqueline Cochran
Pioneer aviator Jacqueline Cochran led the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during WWII, where she dedicated herself to training pilots for the program. Her exceptional contributions earned her the U.S. Distinguished Service Medal in 1945. Subsequently, she joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel and achieved her Air Force Command Pilot Wings, along with three Distinguished Flying Cross medals.
Desmond Doss
Desmond Doss was a fearless WWII medic who staunchly adhered to his beliefs as a conscientious objector, refusing to carry a weapon. Despite this, he displayed extraordinary courage by single-handedly saving the lives of 50 to 100 American soldiers on the treacherous Maeda Escarpment of Okinawa in 1945. Doss's unwavering dedication earned him the Medal of Honor, marking him as the first conscientious objector to receive this prestigious honor.
Witold Pilecki
Polish Army Captain Witold Pilecki volunteered to infiltrate Auschwitz to expose its horrors to the world. Inside the notorious camp, he organized a secret network of prisoners in service of the Polish resistance. Tragically, the underground army initially doubted the severity of the camp's conditions and dismissed Pilecki's reports. Despite his daring escape from Auschwitz and attempts to liberate it from the outside, he was captured during the Warsaw Uprising and ultimately executed by the Soviets on fabricated charges.
Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy, a young and unassuming Texan, emerged as one of WWII's most highly decorated heroes due to his exceptional combat skills. He earned the prestigious Medal of Honor by courageously stalling a German assault. Despite being wounded and left alone with only a single firearm, Murphy valiantly climbed aboard an abandoned, blazing tank destroyer, holding off the German forces long enough for the Allies to launch a successful counterattack.
Upon returning home as a celebrated hero, Murphy embarked on an acting career and portrayed himself in the film "To Hell and Back."
Deborah Sampson
Deborah Sampson boldly concealed her identity as a woman for two years while serving in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Even after being shot in battle, she refused to reveal her secret, extracting the bullet from her own leg to avoid discovery. Several years later, while gravely ill, her true gender was uncovered, leading to an honorable discharge. Sampson became one of the earliest female lecturers, while her husband notably became the first recipient of a widow's pension.
Noor Inayat Khan
Descended from Indian royalty, Noor Inayat Khan joined the British efforts in WWII, not as an advocate for the country but as a staunch opponent of fascism. In 1940, she enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, serving as a wireless radio operator and a member of the Special Operations Executive. Khan operated as the sole radio operator in Paris for an arduous four months until her betrayal by a double agent. She endured unimaginable torture, solitary confinement, and ultimately met her demise through execution at a concentration camp in 1944.
Frank Luke
During his brief tenure in WWI, Frank Luke epitomized the audacious image of a fighter pilot by relentlessly targeting heavily defended German observation balloons. In just 30 hours of flight time across ten missions within nine intense combat days, Luke impressively downed a remarkable 14 enemy balloons and four aircraft.
Tragically, on his final mission on September 29, 1918, Luke was shot while in the air. Despite managing to land his plane near Murvaux, France, he succumbed to his wounds. His unwavering bravery posthumously earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Jennie Hodgers/Albert Cashier
Born in Ireland in 1843, Jennie Hodgers embarked on a new life in the United States, assuming the identity of Albert Cashier, a man. Cashier courageously enlisted in the American Civil War, serving in the Union Army as part of the 95th Illinois Infantry. Revered as "one of the boys," Cashier actively participated in 40 engagements over a span of three years.
Cathay Williams/William Cathay
In 1866, Cathay Williams broke barriers as the first African-American woman to enlist in the U.S. Army. After the Civil War, she joined the 39th U.S. Infantry Company A, an all-Black regiment known as the Buffalo Soldiers, using the name William Cathay.
Her military service lasted only two of her intended three years before she fell ill, was discovered, and sent back home. Unfortunately, Williams faced declining health after her discharge, and she passed away around 1893 without receiving military disability payments.
George Henry Thomas
Despite numerous Union victories during the Civil War, General George Henry Thomas remains less celebrated than his contemporaries, such as Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. Thomas's Southern background limited the recognition he deserved during his lifetime.
Henry Johnson
As a member of the Harlem Hellfighters, a Black regiment, Henry Johnson endured 21 wounds while bravely defending against an enemy raid in the Argonne Forest during WWI. His wartime nickname, "Black Death," symbolized his courage. Unfortunately, Johnson's discharge papers contained errors that omitted his injuries, leading to the denial of his disability pay and Purple Heart. He passed away at the age of 32, but his military legacy endures through his son, Herman Johnson, who served with the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
Lydia Darragh
During the Revolutionary War, British troops unknowingly targeted Lydia Darragh's home in Philadelphia for a meeting. Darragh overheard their plans for a surprise attack and, the following day, left her home to inform American officers. Her courageous act ensured that General George Washington was prepared to counter the British advance.
"Mad Jack" Churchill
WWII war hero Jack Churchill stood out for his unconventional methods. Instead of using rifles or tanks, this British Army officer wielded a Scottish broadsword and occasionally a longbow.
As a commando, Churchill gained notoriety for his fearless charges into battle, accompanied by bagpipe music and grenade-throwing. Even after enduring time at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, from which he managed to escape, he continued his military adventures, walking an impressive 93 miles to rejoin the Army in Italy.
Virginia Hall
Virginia Hall earned the Gestapo's title of "the most dangerous of all Allied spies." They were determined to capture her, identifying her by the limp she had due to a prosthetic leg.
Hall made history as the first female operative of Britain's Special Operations Executive sent into France as an Allied spy. She operated there for three years until her daring escape on foot through the treacherous Pyrenees Mountains. Later, Hall requested to return to occupied France, working as a wireless radio operator to report German troop movements before joining the CIA in 1951.
Matthew Urban
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Urban's WWII tour resulted in seven Purple Hearts. Despite suffering critical injuries repeatedly, he always insisted on staying on the battlefield with his fellow soldiers.
Urban's unwavering dedication earned him the nickname "the Ghost." He once left an English hospital without permission, hitchhiked back to France, and rejoined his regiment to finish the fight. Surviving shrapnel and bullets, including a shot to the neck, Urban emerged as an American hero.
John Rabe
John Rabe may appear an unconventional war hero at first glance, given his affiliation with the Nazis.
However, Rabe demonstrated his heroism during the Japanese occupation of Nanjing in 1937. Initially in China for business purposes, Rabe went above and beyond by providing refuge for around 200,000 people facing imminent danger. He even used his Nazi credentials to protect women from sexual assault.
Richard Bong
Known as the "Ace of Aces," Major Richard (Dick) Bong achieved an astonishing 40 aircraft kills during his WWII pilot career, earning the Medal of Honor. On one remarkable occasion, he even shot a crocodile from the air when he noticed it following his fellow soldiers.
Bong was selected to test a P-80, the Army Air Forces' first jet, on August 6, 1945. Unfortunately, the test ended tragically, costing Bong his life. His death received little attention at the time, as it coincided with the bombing of Hiroshima.
Ruby Bradley
Serving as a surgical nurse during WWII, Ruby Bradley endured capture three weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor and was taken to a POW camp in Manila. In the camp, she became known as an "angel in fatigues" as she performed over 230 surgeries and assisted in childbirths under the camp's dire conditions, all while smuggling in food and medical supplies.
Five years later, Bradley joined the front lines of the Korean War as the Chief Nurse of the 171st Evacuation Hospital. Faced with 100,000 advancing Chinese soldiers, she refused to leave until all the injured and ill had been evacuated. Bradley narrowly escaped as an enemy shell destroyed her ambulance just as she boarded her plane.
Hiroo Onoda
For 29 years following WWII's end, Hiroo Onoda steadfastly refused to accept that the war was over. He continued to wage a one-man war, hiding in the jungles of the Philippines.
Onoda's belief in the ongoing conflict only ended when his former superior officer made a special trip to his hideout to confirm the war's conclusion. Once convinced, Onoda was relieved of his duty. He was eventually pardoned for his actions during his prolonged belief in the ongoing war.
Eugene Bullard
Eugene Bullard, the first African American fighter pilot, flew for France during WWI because the U.S. did not accept his service.
Flying under the French flag, Bullard bravely completed 25 to 27 missions in an aircraft bearing the motto, "Tout sang que coule est rouge," which means "All blood runs red." In WWII, he also served as an Allied spy in Paris, leaving an indelible mark on history.
