Former Florida State University Football Coach Bobby Bowden ~ "Whether we want to admit it or not, we're all hero worshippers. We don't have cowboys anymore. We don't have war heroes to admire. So most of the heroes today are athletes". This country needs heroes to look up to for inspiration. There are many real heroes to choose from, not just cartoon characters or athletes. Real heroes who saved lives or helped the cause of freedom.
One of America's most famous military men was General George S. Patton. This man was feared by his Nazi opponents in World War II. He led the 3rd Army across France and Belgium in 1944 faster than any other army in history before his. To find out more about "Ol' Blood & Guts", check out the series "Patton 360" on YouTube or DVD. It goes into much more detail than the A&E Biography, or movie "Patton" did.
One of our best Presidents was Abraham Lincoln. He was the man who held the United States together while abolishing slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation and directing troops to protect freedom from southern states' armies in the 1860's. He did nearly as much to bring this country together as the Founding Fathers did.
Was John Wayne a hero? Some may say that he was just an actor. He wasn't really a cowboy, a sergeant in the Old West, a ranch owner, a colonel in the Civil War, a police officer, a submarine captain or many of the other heroic roles he played. In fact, due to his willingness to portray so many poignant American roles that people could look up to, he culminated so many outstanding everyday heroes in his career, he WAS an American hero. Unlike so many of today's actors who portray heroes but actually stand against American greatness, The Duke represented America in it's best fashion.
All American women during World War II. Without these "Rosie the Riveters" and women who took jobs in the private sector, the United States could not have won the war. These women filled the roles that the men vacated when they joined the military. Too many things needed to be made, repaired, grown, cooked, calculated and welded to be left undone. Thank you, ladies!
Which inventors were heroes? Here's a great example of one: Sergeant Curtis G. Culin. He came up with the idea of cutting up the "hedgehog" water obstacles placed by Nazis to slow the Allies' June 1944 D-Day landings and putting them on the front of tanks. These prongs or teeth cut through the very dense hedgerows so tanks could get through them without going over the tops of the bushes and exposing their thinly armored bellies to German fire. The invention sped up the invasion and saved hundreds of Allied lives.
A recent national hero was pilot Chesley Sullenberger. He safely landed his Airbus A320 in the Hudson River in New York City after it struck a flock of birds upon takeoff, knocking out the power in both engines. He did not have power to make it to any runways. He was the last of 155 people to be rescued from his plane. No lives were lost during the January 2009 incident.
Edward "Butch" O'Hare (for which Chicago's O'Hare Airport was named) was a Navy pilot during World War II. In one encounter, he shot down five Japanese "Betty" bombers headed for his aircraft carrier (the USS Lexington) before he ran out of bullets. None of the other four bombers headed for his ship hit their target. Butch received the Congressional Medal of Honor for this brave act.
Ever heard of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan or Mary Jackson? These three black ladies worked for NASA in the 1960's and beyond. They helped the space program figure out how to successfully and safely get astronauts into and out of orbit when no one else could. Such was a major milestone as we were trying to catch up and surpass the Soviet space program at the time. You can find out their inspiring story by watching the movie "Hidden Figures".
These are but a few of the countless American heroes. Remember them, tell someone about them and revere them. Maybe you will be inspired to be a hero someday!