The military is full of heroes. Anyone who joins is considered a hero, and rightly so, as they’re putting their lives on the line to protect us. But some soldiers go above and beyond what is needed from them to make a bigger impact.
Whether that’s protecting their friends no matter the cost, or doing enough damage to the enemy to turn the tides of war, several famous American soldiers deserve more praise and recognition than what they currently get. Dive into history and learn about these famous American soldiers that you should know.
6. Carlos Hathcock
One of the first famous American soldiers that you should learn about is Carlos Hathcock, a United States Marine Corps deployed in the Vietnam War as a military policeman, but later became a sniper after Captain Edward James Land pushed the Marines into raising snipers in every platoon.
Hathcock quickly became a legend, and has on record 93 confirmed kills, one of the highest numbers when it comes to confirmed military sniper kills. His history and details of the missions made him a legend in the Marine Corps, and was honored by having a rifle named after him: a variant of the M21 dubbed the Springfield Armory M24 White Feather, the nickname given to Hathcock by North Vietnamese People’s Army of Vietnam.
In the Vietnam War, kills had to be confirmed by the sniper’s spotter and a third party, who had to be an officer. But snipers often didn’t have a third party present, making confirmation difficult, especially if the target was behind enemy lines. Hathcock actually estimated that he killed between 300 and 400 enemies during the war, but only a fraction was confirmed.
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5. Dakota Meyer
Dakota Meyer should be a familiar name when you think about the most famous American soldiers. The retired United States Marine was a veteran of the War in Afghanistan and was rewarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009.
He’s also the second-youngest living Medal of Honor recipient. He was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2007 as a scout sniper but gained national attention for his actions in Afghanistan during his second deployment in Kunar Province.
When told that three Marines and a Navy Corpsman, members of Meyer’s squad, were missing after an ambush, Meyer entered the area while being under enemy fire to find his missing squadmates to be extracted.
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4. Chesty Puller
Lewis Burwell Puller, better known as “Chesty” Puller, was a United States Marine Corps officer who began his career fighting guerillas in Haiti and Nicaragua as part of the Banana Wars but later served with distinction in World War II and the Korean War as senior officer.
By the time of retirement in 1955, he reached lieutenant general. Puller is considered the most decorated Marine in American history and is one of the most famous American soldiers you should know. He was rewarded five Navy Crosses, one Distinguished Service Cross, and the Silver Star.
Not only is he famed for his heroics, but he also had some quotable lines that many Marines know by heart, with one being “All right, they’re on our left. They’re on our right. They’re in front of us. They’re behind us. They can’t get away this time”. You can also see him often portrayed in multiple films, most notably in The Pacific where he’s played by William Sadler, or in the documentary narrated by John Wayne, Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend.
3. Cathay Williams
If you want to explore the most famous American soldiers that you should know, then Pvt. Cathay Williams should be at the top of your list. Williams began her journey in the military in a support role during the Civil War, forced to serve due to her status as a captured slave.
After the war, Williams became the first African American woman to enlist when she joined the Army in 1866 using a pseudonym, William Cathay. She was assigned to the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment, which was part of the famed Buffalo Soldiers, but was soon discovered to be a woman after she caught smallpox, and was then honorably discharged in 1868.
While women disguised themselves as men with fake names during the Civil War, Williams was the first African American woman to enlist and was the only woman who served during the Indian Wars.
Also Read: Korean War Heroes Who Are Often Overlooked
2. Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. He is one of the most famous American soldiers due to being the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, and has also been described as the most highly decorated soldier in U.S. history. He has received every military combat award for valor available from the United States Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism.
He even received the Medal of Honor for valor that he demonstrated at age 19 for single-handedly holding off a company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France in 1945, right before leading a successful counterattack while wounded.
Interestingly enough, Murphy and his sister worked on falsifying documentation after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to get Audie Murphy into the army earlier but was actually denied for being underweight.
1. Alvin York
One of the most famous American soldiers that you should know is Sgt. Alvin York. Alvin Cullum York was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, gathering 35 machine guns, killing at least 25 enemy soldiers, and capturing 132 prisoners.
His Medal of Honor action happened during the United States-led portion of the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France. Interestingly enough, when York registered for the draft, as all men between 21 and 30 years were required to do, he answered one question honestly saying that he didn’t want to fight, hoping to be exempt. When his initial claim for conscientious objector status was denied, he appealed, and later even denied ever having been a conscientious objector.
