6 American Heroes You Never Learned About in School

6 American Heroes You Never Learned About in School

Whenever Memorial Day rolls around, we look forward to a long weekend,  hopefully with a sun-drenched cookout and precious time with family and friends. If we're not careful, though, it's very easy to miss the heart of this all-American holiday. DO have the cookout, and by all means, sleep in on Monday. But please, don't forget the many thousands of heroes who gave all for our nation and their families – and for every future American generation.

We want to help this week by remembering a few courageous men whose stories should be told and retold as we commemorate their lives and heroism and celebrate 250 years of American exceptionalism.  

Navy SEAL, PO2, Michael A. Monsoor – Operation Iraqi Freedom

Michael's parents were surely awash in grief at the funeral of their dear, 25-year-old son. As his casket made its way toward the gravesite, it was carried through rows of fellow Navy SEALs – each one removing the trident pin from his uniform and pounding it into the top of the coffin. By the end of the long procession, his parents, Sally Ann and George Monsoor, and the thousands in attendance had witnessed an unprecedented display of honor for Michael – a fitting tribute to his courageous sacrifice.

President George W. Bush reflected on Michael's bravery and the honor given to his memory at that ceremony. "The procession went on nearly half an hour, and when it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten."

Born in 1981, Michael was one of four children in the Monsoor family from Southern California. He spent his youth dreaming of becoming a Navy SEAL, striving to overcome health challenges to earn his spot on SEAL Team Three, which he attained in 2004.

Deployed to Iraq, Michael faced his greatest challenge during the Battle of Ramadi. On September 29, 2006, a hand grenade was lobbed onto the roof where he and three other SEALs, along with some Iraqi soldiers, were engaged in a firefight with insurgents. The grenade hit Michael in the chest. He yelled "Grenade!" as it tumbled to the ground – and though he had the best avenue to escape injury (a nearby staircase), Michael threw himself atop the explosive. He died 30 minutes later, saving the rest of his team.

He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor two years later. Since then, his story has been shared, his heroism remembered, and his memory has been honored with the commissioning of a state-of-the-art battleship, USS Michael Monsoor, in January of 2019.

PFC Lewis Albanese - Vietnam War

An immigrant to the US, Lewis Albanese was born in Italy in 1946. His family moved to America when he was still a young child. Raised in Oregon, after high school, he took a position with Boeing. In 1965, he enlisted in the US Army and deployed to Vietnam the following year. On December 1 of 1966, he gave his life to save others.

That day, as his platoon advanced through a dense jungle, they fell under close-range automatic gunfire. Lewis was tasked with protecting the left flank of his unit and quickly identified a concealed ditch that held enemy snipers, who fired unchallenged from their protected position. His strategy was to attack head-on. He attached his bayonet to his rifle and began his assault, which stopped the sniper fire, allowing his platoon to move toward the main enemy position. Lewis killed six snipers before running out of ammunition. That didn't deter him, though, and he continued his attack, engaging and killing two more enemy soldiers before he was mortally wounded. 

His Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously on February 16, 1968. The commendation read in part, "His unparalleled action saved the lives of many members of his platoon who otherwise would have fallen to the sniper fire from the ditch and enabled his platoon to successfully advance against an enemy force of overwhelming numerical superiority. PFC Albanese's extraordinary heroism and supreme dedication to his comrades were commensurate with the finest traditions of the military service and remain a tribute to himself, his unit, and the US Army."

Cpl. Desmond Doss – World War I

Desmond Doss deeply desired to serve his country in the armed forces; however, he couldn't abide the thought of killing due to his faith convictions as a Seventh Day Adventist. Because of this, he chose to serve in the Army medical corps and would go on to deploy to the US invasion of Okinawa.

In Japan, Desmond found himself facing seemingly impossible circumstances when his unit was ordered to attack via a formidable ridge with a steep drop. His unit had to climb the escarpment to reach the forces holding the ridge. On the second day of that attack, the Americans were driven back down the hill by heavy artillery, having suffered many casualties. As they were forced to retreat, many injured remained stranded on the hill, unable to escape. 

As an elderly man, Desmond recalled his experiences in Japan in an interview by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. "I didn't feel like I should value my life above my buddies, so I decided to stay with them and take care of as many of them as I could. I didn't know how I was going to do it."

As he wondered how to get the men down the ridge, he remembered a sling he had used in his youth to help rescue flood victims in West Virginia. With the materials he had, he created a makeshift version to begin lowering his comrades, one man at a time.

Desmond remembers calling out to God to help with each soldier lowered to safety, "I just got praying, Lord, please help me get one more. One more, until there was none left. And I was the last one down."

Desmond worked tirelessly, and when he had rescued the final soldier, 75 men were lowered to safety that day. Doss was the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor and received it from President Truman in 1945.

Desmond Doss lived to tell this harrowing story, living to age 87. He passed away in 2006.   His story was dramatized in the 2016 Hollywood blockbuster, Hacksaw Ridge.

Cpt. Mervyn Bennion  - Pearl Harbor

Mervyn Bennion was born in 1887 to Mormon pioneers who settled in Vernon, Utah Territory. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1910. Serving in the US Navy for 31 years, Bennion gave his life for his country on December 7, 1941 – that "date which will live in infamy."

Bennion was the commanding officer of USS West Virginia, one of eight battleships, docked in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, that December day. The US had 21 ships either sunk or damaged during the deadly Japanese attack. As a nearby battleship, the USS Tennessee, suffered incoming bombs, Bennion was mortally wounded by shrapnel from that mighty explosion.

His crew members attempted to move him to safety; however, Cpt. Bennion vehemently refused, determined to hold his post to continue protecting his ship during the Japanese attack. Before succumbing to his wounds that fateful day, he reportedly used one arm to hold his wound closed while continuing to command his crew. He is but one among thousands of heroes that day who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation.

His Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously for "conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life."

Sgt. Henry Johnson – World War II

The world had never seen anything like it. A World War. It lasted more than four years, with estimates north of 11 million lives lost. When it began in 1914, the United States was little more than a century old and joined the Allies: Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Serbia against the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.

Sgt. Henry Johnson of Albany, New York, distinguished himself as a member of the Black American regiment known as the "Harlem Hellcats." In the worst, most brutal conditions, he became known for his astounding tenacity and courage in the fight. Though standing only 5'4, he was proven unstoppable even in the face of unthinkable odds.

It was May of 1918, a few months before the war would end, that he and Needham Roberts were manning an observation post - a foxhole in northeastern France. In their position in no man's land, their mission was to watch for troop movements and alert the unit to incoming danger. It was the early morning, still dark, when Henry and Needham began hearing movement and the sound of barbed wire being clipped.

Suddenly, German soldiers attacked, severely injuring Needham, with Henry facing numerous attackers and sustaining several injuries himself. Despite his wounds, Henry fought with brutal effectiveness using his gun, knife, and grenades to wage battle against multiple attackers. Sunrise revealed a stunning scene. Henry had prevailed against somewhere between 20 and 40 Germans. He sustained 21 wounds and became a celebrated American hero of The Great War.

For these exploits, he received France's prestigious Croix de Guerre in 1918 and, posthumously, was awarded a Purple Heart in 1996, a Distinguished Service Cross in 2002, and a Medal of Honor in 2015.

James Armistead Lafayette – American Spy – Revolutionary War

Will you indulge me as I include a great American patriot who served heroically in war, but was never officially in the Armed Services? James Armistead Lafayette was born around 1790 into slavery in Virginia. Though never officially recognized by our military, he indeed served our nation.

He was commissioned by General Lafayette to infiltrate the British to gain information, and James did so, posing as a runaway slave. The British had encountered other slaves willing to serve England's cause, and he used that to the advantage of the Colonial forces. James was able to move with relative freedom between the British and Americans. In 1781, he provided crucial information to General Washington about critical British activity during the Battle of Yorktown. General Washington and General Lafayette developed a strategy based on James' intelligence to block and trap British forces. His courageous acts helped win the Battle of Yorktown.

Because of the secretive nature of his service during the war, James did not receive his freedom as other black American soldiers did when the war ended. Instead, he returned to his owner, disappointed. However, later, when General Lafayette learned he still languished in slavery, he advocated for James' freedom, and it was granted.

Though he didn't receive a Medal of Honor like so many American heroes, he received liberty, which was the very least our nation could offer, along with a pension in recognition of his courageous acts in support of the Revolution. However we look at it, James Armistead LaFayette deserves our gratitude and honor for his service to America.

Forgotten Heroes

As we consider these noteworthy men who faced unthinkable danger and gave everything in heroic acts that saved lives, we don't want to forget those American heroes who died less gloriously.

Are you aware of how many lost their lives to starvation, disease, and other non-battle causes? During the Civil War, between 400,000 and 450,000 died of diseases like dysentery, malaria, and other diseases due to primitive medical practices. During the Revolutionary War, soldiers suffered harsh conditions and scant provisions at times, leading to as many as 20,000 deaths from illness, exposure, and starvation. Consider the contrast of that number, which is more than twice the number of those who died in combat (6,800). These men and women throughout our history deserve every measure of honor as they gave up home, hearth, their beloved families, and ultimately their lives for the cause of freedom.

As you celebrate Memorial Day and gear up for our great 250^th birthday in just a few short weeks, why not take a moment to lift a prayer of thanks for these men and women – and don't forget to share some of these stories with your kids. They deserve to know the legacy of this land and her heroes!

Podcast Note: It was great catching up with pastor and author Jonathan Brozozog, whose book Raising Parents offers practical, timely wisdom for raising children in a challenging cultural moment. His insights are grounded, hopeful, and immediately useful for families navigating today's pressures.