Answer (1 of 4): Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 - 28 May 1971) was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. Robert Howard was a highly decorated American soldier with a long and distinguished career in the military. Day was also a prisoner of war in Vietnam for more than five years. During his time in Vietnam, Howard also served as a staff sergeant in the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), considered a forerunner of modern U.S. Army Special Forces (S.F.). [3]:251, In 1987, Malarkey was introduced to author and University of New Orleans Professor of History Stephen Ambrose at an Easy Company reunion in New Orleans. Just days later a German attack in their sector was repelled by thirty five men, again led by Winters, who routed two German companies, some 300 strong, losing only one of their own in the process. As for comparisons with the other Easy Co memoirs, there is more explicit combat in Winters' book (and a focus on combat leadership) so look there if that is your . Robert Howard served as a sergeant first class in the SOG. Honorable, straightforward, trustworthy and loyal. Fought at Normandy, the Netherlands, and Bastogne. But for all of his valor, he wasnt your average gung-ho marine. The bravest men in history who put the needs of others before themselves. But for Winters and the other members of E Company who survived the war, their stories didn't end there. We had a chance to have coffee at his office at Ft Benning in (74-75). Allegedly, he would often do incredible maneuvers around the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in his spare time. However, through amazing resilience and courage, Flynn resisted and kept his fellow comrades safe despite taking multiple injuries. His body was never found. Ralph Parr was as experienced as they come in the U.S. Air Force. He would continue to serve in other wars, too, for the U.S. Air Force. Enlisted at New York City, New York. A two-time recipient of the Medal of Honor, Joseph Daly was truly a legend among the Marines. One of his highest commendations came after he commanded a squadron in North Vietnam, which earned him two awards for exemplary combat. On 16 December Hitler launched his final offensive in the Ardennes, an action which caught the Allies totally by surprise. One thing is for certain: You wouldnt want to mess with Joseph Daly. In addition, he also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Cross award, too. Lieutenant General Thomas Howard Tackaberry is a decorated took part in multiple major wars: WWII, the Korean War, Cold War and the Vietnam War. Lived in Erie. He was eventually shot down and became a prisoner of war for six years in North Vietnam. The original badass ace, Col. Fonck was never injured and his plane was only hit once! Lives in Whittier. [1] [2] Robert Howard retired from the U.S. Army after 36 years of service as a full colonel and is considered the most highly decorated service member on active duty and the most decorated American soldier in U.S. military history. After his involvement in the Korean War, Meyer became an instructor at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force base in Alabama after graduating from there in 1956. Then LTC. The loyalty element was born in the summer of 1942 during their early training at Toccoa, Georgia, in the shadow of Mount Currahee. As the Allied forces attempted to consolidate their position on Utah beach on 6 June a handful of men under Lt Richard Winters captured and destroyed four German 105mm guns, an action which undoubtedly saved many lives. One of the most decorated officers in the U.S. Navy, John D. Bulkeley, has quite a reputation. By the end of WWII, Murphy was awarded a total of 28 medals. [3]:236 Malarkey graduated in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in business. Along with receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions and bravery that day, Boatswains Mate First Class James Williams earned the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, making him the most decorated enlisted man in U.S. Navy history. Trained at Camp Toccoa. Watch the video below to find out what happened. Gabreski is perhaps best known for his impressive tally of 34 destroyed aircraft and eventually reached the rank of colonel. As a parachute regiment, it was intended that the 506th should be an elite fighting force so the training was extremely tough but it turned raw recruits into soldiers capable of pushing themselves to the limits of their endurance and beyond in the most adverse circumstances. By the end of the Vietnam War, Hackworth eliminated 2,500 enemy soldiers while only losing 25 men under his own command. God please keep them coming. Fought at Normandy, the Netherlands, and Bastogne. James B. Stockdales military career is as gritty as it is impressive. Desperate to join the army,Audie used fake ID to get into the U.S. army at the age of 16. Dont let his 5-foot-6 stature fool you. Col. Scott on the other hand was nominated for every medal but due to a death in the high command didnt receive it although Pres. A highly respected hero, Paddy is known as the soldiers soldier. [3]:2930,281 He trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. For all of his heroism and service, Vice Admiral John Bulkeley received the Medal of Honor, two Distinguished Service Crosses, two Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts, two Legion of Merits, three Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the Navy Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He served for about 20 years, during which he intervened in the Korean and Vietnam War, receiving his Medal of Honor in the latter war. A lot of them are from my area so that makes it tougher. At the end of WWII, he participated in the Nuremburg Trials before returning to West Point as a tactical instructor. Fought at Normandy. Does it matter that Lieutenant Paddy Mayne be awarded the Victoria Cross? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 2023 Current Publishing. Malarkey died on September 30, 2017, of age-related causes. Inspired by Corporal Joshua Leakeys courage, the rest of his troop ran back up the hill and joined the attack. Having received every U.S. military medal for his single-handed bravery (as well as awards from other countries), Major Murphy became a Hollywood actor when he was still only 19. He was the most decorated soldier of the easy company men. In fact, he was able to withstand interrogation techniques, which were focused on getting him to release potentially damaging information for U.S. Air Force fighters. A Medal of Honor recipient, Eddie Rickenbacker was also a World War I expert fighter pilot. Corporal Leakey was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valor. Hes certainly an iconic hero of the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator. Robert Howard: The most decorated American soldier in history (Photo: X.Y.) To hear a story about a daring but much less honorable person, check out our latest post on a famous prison escape artist. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity (Gamma Zeta). He went into the earth-moving business in Arkansas. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. In regards to receiving the Medal of Honor, McGuire had performed an incredibly risky maneuver at low altitude in order to save one of his fellow fighters over an island in Papua New Guinea. Pity the film people could `nt do a movie on the 51st Highland Division which starred in the Great War and the 2nd World War. Please pay your deepest respect to them. Hes a recipient of two Purple Hearts, three Silver Star Medals, and many more. This article appears in: October 2020 By Michael D. Hull Short, slightly built, baby-faced, and soft-spoken, Audie L. Murphy of Texas was far removed from the popular image of a warrior or hero. He was 96 when he died. Col. Hackworth was the most decorated, however there are those that applied to Guinness and those that received every medal in the Army like Maj. Murphy. Over the course of his active-duty service, he rose from the rank of private to colonel. Francis Stanley Gabby Gabreski was certainly a conqueror of the skies. Another major proponent during the Vietnam War, Creighton W. Adams was also tasked with the esteemed duty of tank commander during World War II. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Known by his nickname, Destroyer, James H. Kasler was not somebody to be trifled with in air to air combat. However, here is a list not in any particular order highlighting 12 of the most decorated service members in U.S. history. Truth is, they are heroes. The final chapters relating his post-war life were engaging and at times emotional. One of his sons, Brig. Military service Robert L. Howard was born on July 11, 1939, in Opelika, Alabama. Subscribe to Military History Mattersmagazine and get cutting-edge analysis and the latest research from world-renowned historians delivered to your door every month. I also love the camaraderie between Nix and Winters. The hill itself became an unofficial symbol of the entire regiment, which adopted the nickname Currahee, and E Company also adopted the Cherokee word as its mottoWe stand alone together. He was awarded two. [2] He was interred at Willamette National Cemetery. A West Point, Virginia native, Puller had fighting embedded in his veins. He is the only military member, as of 2016, to receive both awards. In 2005, he appeared in an advertisement urging repeal of the estate tax. Operation Market-Garden was unsuccessful but the determination of the men of Easy Company had prevented it from descending into complete disaster. After almost 40 years of service, Tackaberry remains in the 10 most decorated servicemen in American history. He was also one of the most decorated soldier in American international combat, even eclipsing both Alvin York and Audie Murphy. He was posthumously inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. During the Korean War, Hackworth led a platoon known as the Wolfhound Raiders. So he was born with the silver spoon, but dropped out of one of the best colleges to volunteer for one of the toughest units out there, struggled with not making a difference and alcoholism, watched the family business fall apart, and recovered. Staff Sgt. Mabry continued his army career after World War IIs end, eventually retiring as a major general in 1975. He made such a good Malarkey. Immortalised in the television series Band of Brothers, Dick Winters and the men of E (generally known as Easy) Company, part of the 2nd battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment in the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army, were rightly acclaimed for their bravery and daring, as well as their loyalty to each other. Boatswains Mate First Class James Williams is the most decorated enlisted man in the proud history of the United States Navy. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 once the United States had joined World War II. Known as the most decorated Marine in U.S. history, Lieutenant General Lewis Chesty Puller was as tough as they come and he proved that all over the world during his 37 years of service in the Marine Corps. On 2 October the men of Easy Company found themselves, a force of just 130 men, defending 3 kilometres of front line. He was a happy and loving man who lived a long and good life. Theories Abound But We May Never Know For Sure, The Scariest Of Them All: Jack The Ripper Vs Sherlock Holmes, Are Rasputin And Jack The Ripper The Same Guy, Jack The Ripper: Londons Most Notorious Serial Killer, The Perfect Sheet Cake For Your Next Party: Costco, Everything You Need To Know About Costcos Tiered Cakes. In addition to the MOH, DSC, SS, etc he has 53 combat air medals. For his actions over a 13-month period from 1967 to 1968, while serving with MACV-SOG, Howard was recommended for the Medal of Honor on three occasions for three separate actions in which he risked his life to save others. Hes still there.. Despite being so outnumbered, he engaged all seven enemy aircraft and shot down two of them. Dont worry we havent forgotten about the aces in the sky. He was a U.S. Army soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor. He would make sure his men were physically able to take on the trials ahead. What would I do without George Luz? R I P OLD FRIEND! REVIEW The International Brigades: fascism, freedom, and the Spanish Civil War, Back to the Drawing Board: the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Ken Scar via U.S. Army Reserve. Edward Allen Carter Jr. wasnt your typical staff sergeant. But for his most distinguished accolade, he was awarded the most prestigious award, the Medal of Honor, during World War II. On January 26, 1945, then-second lieutenant Murphy was with the 3d Infantry Division, at Holtzwihr, France when the men were attacked by six German Panzer tanks and 250 infantrymen. 9. He has some great quotes, quiet stoicism, and more importantly has other people say great things about hm. Providing civic as well as infrastructural benefits to American society will always be his legacy. Johnson was awarded the MOH and a couple of other medals from his service in World War 2 as a second Lt. While the E stands for Easy, these men were anything but, jumping into Normandy behind enemy lines as part of the 2nd Battalion hours before the invasion. He was considered a top tier fighter pilot during the Korean War and WWII. Serving on the Western Front, in No Mans Land, this was no small thing. Maj. Audie Murphy enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 at the age of 17. He fought for twenty-three days in Normandy, nearly eighty in the Netherlands, thirty-nine in the Battle of Bastogne in Belgium, and nearly thirty more in and around Haguenau, France, and the Ruhr Pocket in Germany. Smedley Butler. After accruing multiple awards Purple Heart, more than two dozen Air Medals, two Silver Stars and many more he went on to serve as the Secretary of State under the Reagan Administration. You new boys, you pay attention to Sergeant Randleman. Broke his leg on the D-Day Jump. Malarkey, Donald G., with Bob Welch (2008). Coltman would stay on the battlefield until every man- whether injured or dead was brought back to safety. Among them, the three Purple Hearts (one . The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord, through V-J Day. After the liberation of France, E Company was sent to assist the British forces around Eindhoven, as part of Operation Market Garden. James Benjamin Linder is easily falls in the 25 most decorated American servicemen in history. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. His courage, bravery and leadership was renown in the Army, and his medals reflected that. He received the Purple Heart among many other awards. He saw his first combat in the Vietnam War. To say the military runs in this family would certainly be an understatement. 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