When a German tank burst through American lines near Bruyères, France, Staff Sergeant Clyde Choate didn’t retreat—he ran toward it, bazooka in hand, to stop it alone.
When the Japanese came in waves through the jungle of Guadalcanal, Sergeant John Basilone stood his ground behind twin machine guns—firing, fixing, and fighting until the barrels melted red.
In the black waters off the Philippines, Commander Richard O’Kane steered the USS Tang into the jaws of two convoys—fighting to the last torpedo, and to the last breath.
Alone in the sky and outnumbered ten to one, Commander David McCampbell turned the Philippine Sea into a shooting gallery—and never let a single bomber reach the fleet.
When a company of Germans demanded his surrender, Technical Sergeant Charles Coolidge just grinned, raised his carbine, and said, “Sorry, Mac — you’ve got the wrong guy.”
Surrounded by 400 Haitian rebels in a moonlit ravine, Captain William P. Upshur refused to retreat — instead, he led his Marines through the jungle at dawn, shattering the enemy lines and capturing their stronghold.
Pinned in a Haitian ravine under fire from 400 rebels, First Lieutenant Edward Ostermann mounted a fearless counterattack at dawn — leading his Marines straight into the gunfire to scatter the enemy and seize their stronghold.
