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My Dad was a Marine like me and my son. He never got a major award, but served in WWII-Pacific, Korea and 3 tours of Nam. He was and still is MY hero. Our country has had some awesome service men- RIP guys.

My Grandfather was injured while fighting in WWII. Audie Murphy was his CO. My Grandfather remembers the day he fought on the tank. My Grandfather, is 102, and still alive.

I was in college in the early 80's. One professor asked a number of students who were their heroes. Some said Jimmy Carter, others said OJ Simpson, one guy even said Keith Richards (no kidding). When it came to my turn, I said Audie Murphy ... no one else knew who he was, one girl even asked if I was a war monger when I told the class of Murphy's war record. Completely sad that a hero like Audie Murphy is forgotten.

Because of Audie Murphy, I enlisted in the US Army. When I saw the movie to Hell and Back as a kid, I could relate to some of his struggles growing up. And then when saw what he did at such a young age in all those Battles, he became my hero. I served 26 years, 3 combat tours, and received two Bronze Stars. I was also inducted for the highly prestigious Audie Murphy Society in the Army which recognizes the Army’s top NCOs. Now I’m a Retired Disabled Veteran. Finally , next year I’m going to Washington DC to pay respect to Audie Murphy in Arlington.

Blessed to have a tanker, airman, sub capt. , and an infantry man who did great feats in war for the U.S.

My great uncle served and fought along Audie and was his friend. He had one less medal than Audie and was offered a part in the movie. You can google his name, Onclo Airheart. He didn't like talking about the war and spent the rest of his life working on a farm and fishing.

I was able to pay my respects to the grave of Audie Murphy at Arlington last year. He is buried near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers with a very modest gravestone. I had expected to find a more decorated memorial there but looking back, I imagine that Audie wouldn't have wanted it any other way. What a courageous man he was.

Richard O’Kane is my great grandfather :) EDIT: Wow thank you all so much for your kind words. My grandad is blown away by everyone’s comments about his dad. Really appreciate it!! ❤️

Bong was my hero when I was a kid growing up in the early 70's, I nearly memorized a biography written about him. One day when I was at the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin I met marge at a booth set up to tell about the Bong museum. I just happened to have that book with me and asked that she sign it. It is one of my prize possessions.

My grandfather didn't know anyone famous, and he was knocked out of WWII on his first day in combat by a shrapnel hit. They didn't remove the shrapnel for fear of infection, and he carried that piece of shrapnel in his right lung for the next 50 years.

My Grandfather was a communications officer (radio man) and served at Utah Beach on D-Day, where he was wounded in his left shoulder, carrying the shrapnel til the day he passed in Oct 2002, his younger brother served in Korea in 1952 where he lost the bottom half of his right leg to Korean mortar fire, my Dad was an E5 at the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, he was awarded two Purple Hearts from his service in that hell hole, and after 9/11, I enlisted in the Army, where I deployed twice to Iraq (Fallujah was hell on earth)....going even further back, I descend from 2 Civil War combat vets who served with the Illinois Northern Army....Hooyah

During a visit to Arlington National Cemetary, I wandered down an unmarked path, only to end up in a place where I could view the hillside with hundreds of headstones. Looking down at the closest headstone to me, on it I saw a pile of pocket change, later finding out that the various coin values indicated some relationship to whomever was bured there. Looking at the tombstone, it was covered with various recognitions and I saw the name, Audie Murphy. He had the same tombstone as the hundreds and thousands I saw on the hillside, even though he was the most decorated soldier of WWII. I'll never forget that moment.

My stepfather served 11 years in the navy during ww2 . He was given the Pacific pen for serving in every major campaign in the pacific . Two other medals of which i cant remember . He served on the USS BATAN and another ship i cant remember but finished his navy career on the USS NEVADA . After retiring from the Navy he joined the Army where he served 7 years . After the Army he worked for Duke power for 20 years . Then worked another 30 years as a house painter for himself . During those 18 years in the service he sent 75% of his pay home to his mother to help her and the family . While most would not call him a hero . He is my biggest hero . RIP James ( jimmy ) Green . I know your singing his praises still and smiling from ear to ear .

As a child my father would tell me about Audie Murphy I can remember watching his cowboy movies on TV. Life was very beautiful during that time in my life and this true American hero was my favorite.

To be more precise, Audie Leon Murphy was not only the most decorated soldier of World War Two, he was the most decorated American fighting man in the history of our Country. His acting performances have often been maligned, but he was in truth a very good actor who took his craft very seriously. Also of note: his service in the reserves after the war likely cost him millions of dollars because it prevented him from accepting more acting jobs. Under the usual circumstances when a Medal Of Honor hero passes, their name and stats are engraved in gold on their headstone. Audie specifically requested that his NOT be adorned as such. His wish was granted, his stone has black letters like those laying beside him at Arlington. I knelt there and prayed that he rests in peace.

While fixing a 1943 American halftrack a few years ago, I pulled a throw out bearing from its original box backed in the 40’s. The bearing was wrapped in a the front page of a Toledo newspaper. It had a large picture of General McArthur shaking hands with Bong. The back side was a story of General Patton rolling across Europe. The Bulge hadn’t happened yet.

Our military has come a long way with technology, the only thing that has stayed the same is the pure grit, never give up attitude and American pride in each and every soldier when they are giving it all on the front lines each and everyday. Much love for our troops!

Great video! In Northern Wisconsin, where I was born and raised, Richard Bong is still remembered as a hero and in his home town of Poplar there is a museum dedicated to his memory. The bridge connecting Superior and Duluth is named the "Dick Bong" bridge! 40 victories to his credit made him the #1 American Ace in the Pacific theater. Rest in peace.

Four of the millions of heros retired, active and fallen loved ones of our military. It is nice that you covered all the branches from the ground, air and sea, thank you.

On the night I was born my father was in the waiting room watching an Audie Murphy movie when he got the call you have a boy ,what do wish to name him "Audie ". Good thing he wasn't watching Mayberry could have been Goober.

My father fought alongside Audy Murphy in the Third Division from Casa Blanca to Munich and beyond..He is pictured fighting house to house in the Mark Felton production about the taking of Berchtesgaten.

I "met" Lafayette Pool while I was a PFC stationed at Ft Hood TX. This was about 1988. I put met in quotes since I was a 'gofer' .. bringing water and sandwiches to him and his wife as they sat under a canapoy that overlooked a company of tanks maneuvering below. He had a Major as an "aide" as he watched and commented. When he was .. call it .. "unhappy" with the results the Major gets on the radio and they did it over. My battalion - 3/32 AR was the direct descendant of his from WWII and they brought him to the Battalion where they had a tank with "In the Mood" on the gun tube and they put him in the turret and ran around a bit. The entire Battalion was there in company formation and there were speeches, and a band playing and lots of praise. It was wonderful.

My father lied about his age, he 16-years old and stood 6ft 4ins, and served as a Marine BAR gunner in WWII, then in the Army during the Korean War as a BAR gunner, and finally as an Air Force Forward Air Controller in Vietnam--still using a BAR! Some of the men who served with him told me that while everybody else would be spraying shots from their BARs at Japanese fortifications, my dad would sniper either the personnel through the openings or their guns which put hem out of commission! I watched him at a gun range as a child using a BAR and he was using open-sights picking off 3-inch metal discs at 100 yards!

Richard Bong may have actually downed as many as 80 Japanese aircraft. There were many instances where squad mates believe he had likely downed enemies, but the gun camera malfunctioned or the kill couldn't be confirmed.

My dad was a highly decorated combat, U.S. lead bombardier, in many missions, in B-17’s over France and Germany. He survived, but saw many comrades shot to pieces in aircraft, never with a medic for hours, until landing in England, usually deceased. He did not speak often of these horrors.

Audie Murphy was Captain America before Captain America. Rejected for being sickly. Rejected for being small. Rejected for being weak. Didn't let any of that stop him from becoming the greatest American Soldier of WWII if not one of the best of all time. Also, "To Hell and Back" was filmed at the Yakima Training Center in Washington which is just over a ridge from my house. It was also filmed at Joint Base Lewis McChord which is where my brother-in-law was stationed.

Audie Murphy is simply the best, what a record, what a backstory, what a struggle to even get there, and the MOH. The other medals awarded were of course impressive but, for life he would be saluted for the MOH. What a guy. Very impressive. Memorable. I dig the movies too. Very cool.

My father was a RAAF spitfire pilot out of Brisbane late in WW2. He often talked about our P40's in New Guinea having hopelessly worn out 50cal barrels which meant pressing home close attacks before diving away & running for it in boom & zoom attacks against the turn & burn specialists A6M Zeros.

Audie Murphy was a hero to us boys growing up in the late 40' and 50's.

From a Canadian soldier thank you for those inspiring stories.

Was a kid in the 60s , Audie Murphy was still a household name. Thanks for your work!

WarsofTheWorld -- Minor point I know, but THANK YOU for placing the ads at natural breaking points. It is appreciated!

Great documentary. I wish they would teach this kind of stuff to our kids in school. Men like these need to be remembered for MANY MORE GENERATIONS.

Audie Murphy is an absolute legend in the US Army

Dad was in WWII and Korea. In WWII he was a ping jokey aboard 83501 which was a part of the match box fleet. His vessel was tasked with saving men off the beaches of Omaha and Utah during operation Overlord. He always said he felt sorry for those boys walking ashore into machine gun fire.

Thank you for this great video, ordinary people in extraordinary situations. My dad served in the Navy during world war 2 and was at the battle of Iwo Jima, every person who served in that war is a hero in their own right. We do owe them and all those who've stood in harm's way to protect us a dept of gratitude.

I've heard of two of the four deadliest WWII men, MAJ Richard Boone and LT Audy Murphy. Glad to know the story of RADM Richard O'Kane's and SGT Lafayette Pool's heroism and their fighting skills.

Very informative... thank you

Great video, thank you for sharing.

Thanks for doing this one . . . Names worth remembering, and done with enough context that it can be appreciated that their medals came at a price.

Bong's story is incredible. I can imagine the addiction to the adrenaline that dogfights cause. But in the end he played luck too much. His wife must have had her heart in her hands everytime he jumped into combat

Excellent commentary. Thank you!

Excellent stories!! Thank you!

I as many others do appreciate and respect the men who served in world war II and all wars. My grandfathers and two great uncles served in the Army and Air Corps during WW II. One being shot down and captured in Germany. He spent 8 months in a POW camp being released at the wars end. The men in this video and the heroes everywhere are all immensely deserving of our utmost respect.

Well done, thank you.

Thank you so very much for these videos.

very informative thank you

Thank you, I learned some things. That’s always a good thing!

Badasses! I'm proud to have a cousin, Lt. Col. Frederick W. Arthur who, as a Captain in WWII, almost single-handedly forced the surrender and capture an entire German company by capturing its commander who was directing fire. He was awarded the Silver Star

Thanks for sharing!

Outstanding documentary, and excellent narration, and good writing. 💛🙏🏼

The VA hospital in San Antonio was named in Audie Murphy's honor and some of his war and Hollywood memorabilia is on display there.

Outstanding! These brave young men and the incredible odds that they were up against. May the all Rest In Peace. Amen.

Great program, have watched three of them tonight. THE BEST!!

Thankx for sharing this intriguing and informative video! Bravo! ✌👌👍

Great video and commentary! Very engaging and informative! Keep up the great work brother! And of course GOD BLESS our heroes of war!

Thanks for this video & well done! My dad crossed the English channel on Dday+60. His older brother, my uncle flew a P-51 Mustang. Another uncle was wounded in the battle of the Bulge. All were U.S. Army. These men were real heroes!

Thank you for the video.

Excellent content. Like always

I was a tanker for 11 yrs and can tell you that sgt. Poole had to be an expert in tank tactics.Being in a Sherman tank with thin armor and a low velocity 75 mm gun,tactics and being level headed kept his tank crew alive longer than most.My guess,that's why he became a tank instructor after the war.

Back in the 80s, I attended the same small rural elementary school (Poplar) that Richard Bong went to as a kid. A wing of the school had been converted into a memorial to him, with his uniform, medals, several photos, etc. on display. It was a really nice little shrine, I went there often, probably at least weekly. His P-38 was mounted, at a rakish angle, up on stilts, over an edge of the rear playground. It still worked, they'd fire up the engines every Memorial Day. The school has long since closed and the artifacts from that little museum moved to a modern visitors center/small museum in Superior, but it was pretty cool growing up playing four square a few yards from the plane flown by the Ace of Aces.

What a wonderful video, informative and extremely interesting, thanks a lot!

Just found this channel. Love it. Subbed

On the 5th War Patrol for the USS Tang an electrician's mate was missing. This man was also a plank holder for the USS Tang having participated in all four previous war Patrols and assigned to the USS Tang prior to its commissioning. This man is a neighbor of mine in Arizona USA. He still swears that they only hit 2 ships not the 4 given to them after the war. He states there were other subs in the area and O'Kane never bolstered his stats but reported accurately what happen on those 4 war patrols my neighbor was on. My neighbor is in his 90's and has shown me many things in regards to his war experiences which would leave me little doubt as to his stories. Even being over 90 years old he is still hurt over the loss of his mates aboard the Tang.

I cannot argue with this list, but here are 4 more very tough men: Matt Urban - a distinguished service cross shy of tying Audie Murphy for most decorated soldier of WW 2, but was awarded 6 purple hearts. Leonard Funk - was the most decorated 82nd Airborne soldier of WW 2 including the MOH. Chesty Puller - a marine who earned 6 distinguished service crosses - one was from the army. Tony Stein - a marine MOH winner on Iwo Jima who attacked the japanese carrying a modified aircraft machine gun.

Great job very interesting and informative!

Great Presentation, thanks!

Thank you for the acknowledgement.

I saw the movie, "To Hell and Back" when it was at the local theatre in the early 1960's. It was quite a movie and the exploits were amazing. Thank you Audie Murphy!

Thank you for a great presentation. I learned new things I never knew. GREAT!!!

Thank you for this gem 💎

I came from a military family. My great grandfather fought in the Civil War my grandfather fought in World War II. My father was with the CCC a.k.a. civilian conservation Corps during the second world war. I had two uncles that fought in Korea so when the late 1960s came around I join the US Army and served. I was a radio operator very much enjoyed it

John Basilone was my childhood hero it was his influence that made me enlist into the Marine Corps. The man was such a selfless Warrior

good job ! thanks

excellent Ty

That "In the Mood" Sherman illustrates the hidden advantage of a Sherman. Poole, and most of his crew, survived the fate of their tanks. The Sherman was survivable. It had five exits, and sure, it burned, but it didn't explode. With many thousands of new Shermans arriving every month, the crews were an important consideration. Poole, in his third tank, was even more dangerous due to the additional experience.

I've always known about Audie Murphy, but it was enlightening to learn of the other 3 heroes. There are thousands whose stories will never be known.

that was outstanding. Thanks

What a great video (subscribed) Thanks for uploading this!

Outstanding stories of four courageous soldiers.

Great content. We love our heroes, risking their lives so others can live free.

Great video. Thanks.

Very good,, thanks.

Submariners are a unique critter, and Dick O'kane and his Skipper Mush Morton were some of the best.

But! I just finished watching the top 5s video about the lost aircraft! I’m loving the spoiling your giving me! 🤩

Great stuff

Thank you. This was wonderful. Heroes.

Truly four members of the "Greatest Generation"

Audie Murphy!!! I learned about this man at the very beginning of my basic training in the army!!! This man is a huge American hero. This man would never admit to it...I'm sure this man was extremely humble

Audie Murphy was a childhood hero. I learned of Major Bong as I developed a love for military aviation. Pool and O’Kane were new to me but equally impressive. Great presentation. Thank you.

OMG why didn't i find you earlier???? you have POG content! keep up the good work!!!!!

I truly appreciate the way the English are able to narrate their videos. You have a truly clear, easy to understand and provide much detail in your dialogue. Thank you, too many american history channels...really any channel, seemingly can't just talk normal.

I’m now a retired US Army Infantry Senior NCO and back when I was stationed at Ft Campbell (D Co. 2/502 INF, 101st ABN) from 1986-93 we would occasionally be assigned to do funeral details for certain burials for Army Veterans. We spent a week or two practicing firing our rifle volleys so all seven shots sounded as one shot, we took that duty VERY seriously, same for folding the US Flag, it had to be done properly. We were just young men, barely in our 20’s but as goofy as we would be, there was none of that when doing funeral services. I was in about 30 or 40 funeral details in my 6 years in the 101st and I remember one idiot locking his knees while the 6 pall bearers held a stretched out US flag and passed out and fell in the grave. Lol. We just left him there until the flag was folded and once the flag was given to the spouse we pulled jackass out of the hole. Only once did I have to give the order; “re-fold the flag” since giving a badly folded flag to the family member is not the way to render honors. We listened to the stories of the Veterans and most were great men in their careers and little by little we saw that we were navel lint compared to those Veterans. Everyone in our Company were Tank Destroyers/ MOS 11H so we always left the service somewhat somber as we thought about the old Soldier we just buried, we’re familiar with the fears he faced and how he fought the enemy. The 101st ABN Division takes extra effort to teach each new Soldier the heritage of our Division and how they should conduct themselves on and off base. Most of us loved our unit and stay there a few years was very common. Even 30 years on, I still wish I was back there, of course I don’t miss the 24 mile ruck marches twice a month, lol.

A great history lesson!!! Thank you!!!

great stuff

One side of my family fought in the Pacific and the other side fought in Europe. Something about that war brought them back as extraordinary people. Fighting and dying for your fellow humans awakens love and humanity.

My dad was 3rd Army and earned 2 purple hearts and a Silver Star for actions at The Battlle of the Buldge! Prior to combat in Europe he was a drill sergeant for OCS. He said he had only one "standing order"....break them if you can.

Very well presented. Heroes all!

Excellent!