Distinguished: American Military War Heroes

Thomas A. Pope was born on December 15, 1894, in Chicago, Illinois. He joined the Illinois National Guard before the United States entered World War I. On July 4, 1918, at the Battle of Hamel, France, Pope's company was advancing behind the tanks, when they were counterattacked by German soldiers at a hill known as "Wolfsberg." Joint Australian and American forces eventually halted t...

George "Bud" Day, born on February 24, 1925, in Sioux City, Iowa. He dropped out of high school and joined the Marines at just 17 years old, which led an extraordinary military career that spanned over three decades. During the Vietnam War, he was shot down on August 26, 1967, he suffered severe injuries upon ejection and became a prisoner of war. Throughout his captivity, Day's phys...

George A. Davis Jr. was born on December 1, 1920, in Dublin, Texas. He he joined the US Army on March 21, 1942, at the onset of World War II. During an aerial mission over Europe on February 10, 1944, Davis displayed exceptional courage and skill in defending his bomber formation against enemy fighter attacks, successfully shooting down several enemy planes. Davis achieved seven aerial victories d...

Second lieutenant Frank Luke, Jr. was born on May 19, 1897, in Phoenix Arizona. He enlisted in the United States Army Signal Corps in May 1917 during World War I. Luke undertook numerous daring missions, successfully destroying enemy observation balloons and aircraft. His fearless and aggressive approach earned him the nickname, the "Arizona Balloon Buster." After successfully shooting d...

Second Lieutenant Ernest Childers was born on October 1, 1918, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the military on September 16, 1941, serving in the United States Army during World War II. On September 22, 1943, during his service in World War II, Childers demonstrated remarkable bravery and led his platoon in an assault against heavily fortified German positions. Despite sustaining two inj...

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was born on November 26, 1832, in Oswego New York. She enlisted as a contract surgeon for the Union Army in 1861. Despite the Army's initial refusal to accept female doctors, she served in various military hospitals and battlefields as a nurse and eventually gained recognition as a surgeon in 1863. Her commitment to saving lives, led her across enemy lines and in the mi...

Commander Eugene B. Fluckey was born on October 5, 1913, in Washington, D.C. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1935. Fluckey found 30 Japanese vessels hiding in a harbor and damaged six of them in early 1945. His submarine managed to evade Japanese patrol boats and escape. For his extraordinary actions, Commander Fluckey was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration in the...

Edward Rickenbacker, was born on October 8, 1890, in Columbus Ohio. He enlisted in the military on May 25, 1917, joining the Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps and being assigned to the Aviation Section. He became America's greatest flying ace of WW1, credited with 26 confirmed aerial victories. His remarkable achievements led to him receiving the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery in att...

Sergeant William H. Carney was born a slave on February 29, 1840, in Norfolk, Virginia. He gained his freedom by escaping to the North in 1855 and settled in Massachusetts. During the American Civil War, on March 4, 1863, Carney joined the Union Army and became part of Company C in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African American regiments established. On July 18, 1863,...

Thomas Ward Custer was born on March 15, 1845, in New Rumley Ohio. On September 2, 1861, sixteen-year-old Thomas Custer lied about his age and enlisted in the Union Army’s 21st Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the early campaigns of the Civil War. On April 3, 1865 at the Battle of Namozine Church in Virginia, Custer led the charge against an enemy barricade, which disrupted the Conf...

Dakota Meyer, was born on June 26, 1988, in Columbia, Kentucky. In 2006, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. On September 8, 2009, he and his fellow Marines came under intense and sustained enemy fire from well-prepared insurgents. Despite facing overwhelming odds, Meyer repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to provide cover for his team and attempt to rescue his tr...

Marcus Luttrell was Born on November 7, 1975, in Houston Texas. He joined the military and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1999. During a critical mission in Afghanistan's rugged mountains in 2005, Luttrell faced an extraordinary test of courage. His team encountered a devastating enemy ambush, leaving him as the lone survivor. Despite severe injuries, he displayed unmatched bravery and...

Chris Kyle was born on April 8, 1974, and raised in Odessa, Texas. In 1999, he joined the United States Navy and became a Navy SEAL, serving multiple tours of duty in Iraq during the Iraq War. During his military career, Kyle earned the nickname "Legend" for his extraordinary skills as a sniper. His confirmed kills numbered 160, making him the most lethal sniper in American military hist...

Adam Lee Brown was born on February 5, 1974, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He enlisted in the Navy in August 1998, and became a Navy SEAL. Throughout his military career, he faced physical setbacks, including losing his right eye in a training accident. Undeterred, he adapted to shooting with his left eye and even completed SEAL sniper school. In 2005, while deployed in Afghanistan, Brown suffered a s...

Desmond T. Doss was born in Lynchburg Virginia on February 7, 1919. During World War II, he held steadfast to his religious beliefs but ultimately enlisted in the US Army as a "conscientious cooperator." Refusing to engage in combat or carry a weapon due to his religious convictions, Doss served as a medic in the Pacific theater of World War II. Despite the challenges and hostility he fa...

David McCampbell was born on January 16, 1910, in Bessemer, Alabama. He graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1933. He became a Naval Aviator in April 1938 and served with Fighting Squadron Four (VF-4) on the USS Ranger. McCampbell commanded Fighting Squadron 15 (VF-15) and later became the commander of the USS Essex's air group. During the Battle of the Philippine Sea on June 19, 1944, he...

Join us for this short documentary podcast about the life and legacy of one of the most decorated American War Heroes, Audie Murphy.

Join us for this short documentary podcast on the life and legacy of American Military War Hero, Dan Daly.

Join us for this short documentary podcast, as we honor the legacy of American Military War Hero, Chesty Puller. Lewis Burwell Puller was born on June 26, 1898, in the small town of West Point, Virginia. From birth, Puller was destined to become one of the most revered figures in American military history. Growing up in an environment immersed in hunting and the tales of the Civil War, Puller deve...

Join us for this short documentary podcast, as we honor the legacy of American Military War Hero, Sgt. Alvin York.

Join us for this short documentary podcast, as we honor the legacy of American Military War Hero, General Douglas MacArthur. General Douglas MacArthur received numerous medals and accolades throughout his distinguished career. Some of the most notable ones include: Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and Legion of Merit. In addition to these major awards, General Douglas MacArthur also rece...

Distinguished is a short, documentary podcast, honoring and profiling the lives and legacies of real American Military War Heroes.