Who Qualifies As A War Hero?

[mtpopejoy]

Okay, so you have a fairly narrow definition then. That's fair...so someone who smothered a grenade WOULD apply, but what about someone who made a solo assault on a heavily defended position?

HERO

[fotobass]

I would say so, but I was curious what August thought.

[mtpopejoy]

For me a "War Hero" is anyone who served honorably. We basically have a volunteer armed forces (I know it gets tricky with the draft) and those that serve volunteer their lives, if necessary, for their country. That is a hero to me. You sign that contract and take that oath knowing you may be called on to go to some dunghole on the other side of the earth that you know only exists because you read about it in the paper or looked it up in an encyclopedia and possibly not come back. HERO.

Okay Hellcat, simply put, I don't believe in heroes but the people who come closest, in my mind, are those who do something extraordinary to save someone else. Whether in war or peace.

August

That's much better August .... I respectfully agree with you, but "hero" seems to be the only word / labol / title we can give all those amazing people who did do something extraordinary to save someone's life or someone's freedom. ... Just a few of the many, many examples for those of us who can't seem to remember ....

Omaha Beach
Torpedo 8, battle of Midway
52 lost US submarines during WW2
The 8th Air force
Battle of Britian
Guadalcanal
Iwo Jima
Bataan
Doolittle Raid
Tarawa
wake Island
Battle of the Bulge (uncle killed by mortar round)
& anyone who flew a Hellcat off a carrier at night (dad) ... haha, had to put that in there ...

And that's just WW2

My fingers would hurt to try to list anymore. But simply go to any US military cemetary anywhere in the world. Go see my uncle's grave at Arlington National cemetary and you may change your mind about the word "hero" ... I know I did.

Mark

[Tigercat]

A couple of USAAF bombing missions that come to mind:

1) The daylight missions to Schweinfurt/Regensburg.

2) Operation Tidal Wave.....August 1, 1943.


Ted

[Obergrafeter]

To get to a warbird topic.....................mtpopejoy what group was your grandfather in. Thru this website I found a book on my Uncles outfit. He was in the 405th and I thought I could find some mention of him in the book. Imagine my surprise when I opened it and saw he wrote the preface!

[O.P.]

Me and 98 other guys, were saved by a guy I would call a hero. He was just doing his job. In fact, he was probably only 1 of maybe 2 guys on the boat who could have done what he did in the very short short period of time he did it in, seconds. The problem child wasn't even in his rate. He just knew everything. It was just sh1t eating luck, that he was one of the 10 people there when it happened and was awake. He stopped it immediately at great risk to himself. No nothing. Automatic reaction. Done. Another 10 seconds, and I would be a name read off on a list every 20 years or so on the aniversary of our becoming a creamy red fish food paste and a deep sea radiological hazmat area.

I've been present for several events like this. At least two of them were with this same man. I have come to the conclusion that these cats are wired this way. They are going to go all of the way every time something like that happens in their presence, instantly.

I have been presented with split second bad deal decisions a few times, and I thought about them every time. Thank jeebus we all had those split seconds to burn. I am not the kind of person that that guy was and is. Those people are special, always.

What I am getting at is, just having a particular "Job", does not make you a "Hero". Being present for an event, does not make you a "Hero".

Some jobs that don't make you a "Hero",
Policeman
Fireman
Member of the Military
Teacher
Trucker
High power powerline worker
Nurse
Doctor
Dad
Mom
Granpa
Granma
Logger
Social Worker
Politician
NBA-NFL-PGA-MLB- Olympian- ect
ect
ect

Some things that don't make you a "Hero", by you simply being present there,
911
Pearl Harbor
WWII
WWI
Vietnam
Korea
Iraq 1-Iraq2
Hurricane Katrina-Andrew-ect-ect
The Cold War
ect
ect
ect


I think automatically giving "Hero" status to the people present for these jobs and events, denigrates the people who actually nutted up and gave it all when it counted.

H3ll, in my short life I am a "Hero" ten times over by this criteria. I don't need an ego stroking to do my job, and I didn't pick any job, or was any place, for very few other reasons other than I wanted a paycheck, or, this is a super b1tchin place to be at the time.


As far as McVeigh, Benedict Arnold was a hero too. Screw both of them.

As for McCain/Kerry, McCain said he would stay in prison. Thats enough in my book. The Navy gave Kerry a silver star, thats enough in my book. The fact that both of them served, is enough to earn my respect.

It's been said before, but I'll say it again, the real hero's are still pushing up plants and feeding fish, and in the case of my former profession, "Still on Patrol".

And, Bill, , I know you sucked me into this "debate", but really, this ain't the place for it, in this format anyway. Take it to the politcal boards, please.......

[muddyboots]

Sorry, I work with heroes every night.

yeah. You sure do.

[muddyboots]

oops: DP

Last edited by muddyboots on Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I served my country, but back then it was mandatory. Luckily I loved working around aircraft so once I got with the program I enjoyed it. Sadly without the draft fewer of our youngsters have an equal chance to serve our country or become war heroes.

[k5083]

Okay, August...you have a fairly narrow definition then. That's fair...so someone who smothered a grenade WOULD apply, but what about someone who made a solo assault on a heavily defended position?

I'd have to say no. Sorry, but martial derring-do is just not something I admire.

Okay Hellcat, simply put, I don't believe in heroes but the people who come closest, in my mind, are those who do something extraordinary to save someone else. Whether in war or peace.

August

That's much better August .... I respectfully agree with you, but "hero" seems to be the only word / labol / title we can give all those amazing people who did do something extraordinary to save someone's life or someone's freedom. ... Just a few of the many, many examples for those of us who can't seem to remember ....

Omaha Beach
Torpedo 8, battle of Midway
52 lost US submarines during WW2
The 8th Air force
Battle of Britian
Guadalcanal
Iwo Jima
Bataan
Doolittle Raid
Tarawa
wake Island
Battle of the Bulge (uncle killed by mortar round)
& anyone who flew a Hellcat off a carrier at night (dad) ... haha, had to put that in there ...

And that's just WW2

It's also just one side. Or do you mean to say that all of the men on both sides who fought in all of those engagements was a hero?

See, because I absolutely reject the nationalistic element in designating who was a hero. If you're talking about, say, Iwo Jima, I think that you have to give it up for the Japanese guys more than the Americans, since they were so outnumbered, outgunned, cut off from any hope of supply or reinforcements, and fighting a losing war. But again, I'm talking about how others use a term that I really don't use, so perhaps I lack standing.

August

[n5151ts]

...IMHO anyone in combat ON THE GROUND was! living in dirt, fighting one on one with a drug addled enemy etc. makes you that. If you were an REMF then thanks for keeping the supplies coming but...we had hot meals hot showers aircon etc etc etc. not so in the Z!

[jlittle2]

I know Bill built the thread on the "War" Hero scenario, but I believe that there is a very simple answer to the use of the word Hero.

Every person at one time or another may likely be defined, or called a "hero" by another person.

We will not know when, we will not know how, and we may not understand the inference, but it could happen.

I beluieve that Humanity thrives on a core belief that every one of us looks up to someone else at some point in our lives.....does that not make the person we look up to a "hero".

I personally think that War Heroes are in the same "human" league with the rest of us.

Just one "older" mans opinion.....who has met, seen , and read about many people he considers heroes in his life.

[RyanShort1]

Don Blakeslee was in my book...

Ryan

[mtpopejoy]

To get to a warbird topic.....................mtpopejoy what group was your grandfather in. Thru this website I found a book on my Uncles outfit. He was in the 405th and I thought I could find some mention of him in the book. Imagine my surprise when I opened it and saw he wrote the preface!

Ober,
My Grandfather sailed on the Louis Pasteur as CO of the 753rd Ordnance Co. 323rd Air Service Group. I dont have much as far as the units he served with goes. I know he went to England with the advanced party with the 9th Air Force Service Group and was involved in the logistics planning for Operation Overlord. His memoirs are very interesting and informative but short on details.
And to stay with the topic, he didn't fly 50 missions over Germany or spend a month in a snowy fox hole in the Ardennes but he spent 36 months overseas, missed the birth of this first child and HE IS MY HERO!
Regards,
Mark