Who is your branch "Hero"?

Marine Corps Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) one of the most decorated members of the Marine Corps. He is one of two servicemen (and the only Marine) to ever be awarded five Navy Crosses. He fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955 and spent the remainder of his life living in Virginia.

"Good night Chesty wherever you are"

SFC, Major Richard "Dick" Winters of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division. He exemplified what combat leadership was and gave his men an example to follow by leading from the front. Truly an incredible individual

If I had to guess on the major icons of the Air Force, three come to mind.

A1C John Levitow, an AC-47 Loadmaster during Vietnam and the youngest Airman in the Air Force to have been awarded the Medal of Honor. He threw an about-to-ignite Magnesium flare from his aircraft after it was struck by anti-aircraft fire.

Gen James Doolittle, planned and executed the Doolittle raid, launching 16 B-25 bombers from the deck of the USS Hornet and striking Tokyo.

Maj Gen Billy Mitchell, considered the father of modern Air Power.

I am an Airman, but as a Communicator/Cyber guy...RADM Grace Hopper.

He would kill me if he knew I put this on but TSgt Ismael Villegas. He is one of our unspoken special operators in the Air Force known as Combat Controllers AKA CCTs. They are highly trained combat airmen who are specialized in a traditional pathfinder role while having a heavy emphasis on simultaneous air traffic control, fire support and command, control, and communications in covert or austere environments. They are commonly attached to and call in air support for other special operation teams such as Navy Seals, Green Berets, and Tier 1 Operators. Their motto is "First In" reaffirms the Combat Controller's commitment to undertaking the most dangerous missions behind enemy lines by leading the way for other forces to follow.
Ish is a two time Silver Star Award winner, one of two airmen to receive multiple high valor awards in the global war on terror and joins the elite list of 11 troops across all services to be awarded multiple high valor awards. Ish personifies the "Silent Professional" of our Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). He is the most humble, passionate, caring, and astute operator I have had the pleasure to know. I was honored to work with him when he was a Special Operations Liaison at Air Force Recruiting. Below is an article on his acts of heroism which he would just blow off as "just doing my job."

http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130721/NEWS/307210004/Combat-controller-among-most-decorated-troops-since-2001

Every WWII veteran I've ever treated. The most recent one bombed bridges in Germany. These guys went to war and only wanted a job when they came back. They wanted no additional services, no praise....nothing. They wanted to kiss their wives and return to work. They were then and are now the truest form of an American. And while the country they defended slowly crumbles around them, they continue to have an unmatched work ethic, and a genuine desire to let the younger generation of veterans reap the benefits of their labor decades ago.

Charles Elwood Yeager first comes to my mind. I like the fact that General Yeager was a small town farm boy that is dedicated to his country still today. I like to read his biography to get inspiration to go above and beyond.Aircraft Mechanic,Fighter pilot,test pilot,ect http://www.chuckyeager.com/

There are so many, for now I will go with Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John Finn, awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-f/j-finn.htm

Lieutenant John William Finn, USN, (1909-2010)

John William Finn was born in Los Angeles, California, on 23 July 1909. He enlisted in the Navy in July 1926 and was a Chief Petty Officer serving at Naval Air Station Kanoehe Bay, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii on 7 December 1941, during the Japanese air raid that struck that facility and others on Oahu. Chief Finn manned a machine gun and effectively fired on the enemy planes despite the receipt of several painful wounds. For his heroism at that time, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
In June 1942, Finn was temporarily commissioned as an Ensign, rising in rank to Lieutenant two years later. During his service as an officer, he served with Bombing Squadron 102, at several stateside training facilities and on board the aircraft carrier Hancock (CV-19). Following transfer to the Fleet Reserve in March 1947, he reverted to the enlisted rate of Chief Aviation Ordnanceman. In September 1956, he was placed on the Retired List in the rank of Lieutenant. John W. Finn died on 27 May 2010.

Medal of Honor citation of Lieutenant John William Finn (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 183):

"For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lieutenant Finn promptly secured and manned a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine-gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first-aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

RADM Dick O'Kane, one of the most badass Sub skippers ever! MoH winner and for some good Navy trivia for you, his personal cribbage board is kept aboard the oldest active U.S. Navy Submarine and transferred to the next oldest upon said boat's decommissioning. Here is his MoH citation

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of this life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the USS TANG operating against two enemy Japanese convoys on October 23 and 24, 1944, during her Fifth and last War Patrol. Boldly maneuvering on the surface into the midst of a heavily escorted convoy, Commander O'Kane stood in a fusillade of bullets and shells from all directions to launch smashing hits on three tankers, coolly swung his ship to fire at a freighter and, in a split decision, shot out of the path of an onrushing transport, missing it by inches. Boxed in by blazing tankers, freighter, transport and several destroyers, he blasted two of the targets with his remaining torpedoes and, with pyrotechnics bursting on all sides, cleared the torpedoes and, with a heavily escorted convoy steaming to support the Leyte campaign with reinforcements and supplies and with crated planes piled high on each unit. In defiance of the enemy's relentless fire, he closed the concentration of ships and in quick succession sent two torpedoes each into the first and second transports and an adjacent tanker, finding his mark with each torpedo in a series of violent explosions at less than a thousand-yard range. With ships bearing down from all sides, he charged the enemy at high speed, exploding the tanker in a burst of flame, smashing the transport dead in the water and blasting the destroyer with a mighty roar which rocked the TANG from stem to stern. Expending his last two torpedoes into the remnants of a once powerful convoy before his own ship went down, Commander O'Kane aided by his gallant command, achieved an illustrious record of heroism in combat, enhancing the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

My cousins Maj Russell H Kline (Unadilla Killa WW2) Distinguished Flying Cross, 11 Air Medals and more.. and LTC Stanley D. Kline, Commander of the same unit Russell was at.