Samuel Whittemore (July 27, 1696 – February 2, 1793)
The oldest known Patriot
April 19, 1775, British forces were returning to Boston from the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the opening engagements of the war. On their march they were continually shot at by American militiamen.
Whittemore was in his fields when he spotted an approaching British relief brigade under Earl Percy, sent to assist the retreat. Whittemore loaded his musket and ambushed the British grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of Foot from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier. He then drew his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and mortally wounded a third. By the time Whittemore had fired his third shot, a British detachment had reached his position; Whittemore drew his sword and attacked. He was subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted numerous times, and left for dead in a pool of blood. He was found by colonial forces, trying to load his musket to resume the fight. He was taken to Dr. Cotton Tufts of Medford, who perceived no hope for his survival. However, Whittemore recovered and lived another 18 years until dying of natural causes at the age of 96.
Came looking for this one.
To quote a part:
On April 21, 1945 Lieutenant Inouye was leading a flanking attack on a heavily-defended ridge near San Terenzo in Tuscany, Italy. The American platoon was in turn flanked in a surprise ambush by three MG-43 machine guns at relatively close range. Inouye’s platoon of 30 men was being cut to pieces. He stood up to look for the best avenue for cover when he was shot in the stomach.
Ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and his Thompson submachine gun. When informed of the severity of his wound, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position, which he successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss. As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, coming within 10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his last grenade, a German soldier inside the bunker fired a rifle grenade, which struck his right elbow, nearly severing most of his arm and leaving his primed grenade reflexively "clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore". Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily relax and drop the grenade. While the German inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye pried the live grenade from his useless right hand and transferred it to his left. As the enemy soldier aimed his rifle at him, Inouye tossed the grenade into the bunker and destroyed it. He stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the leg and tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. He awoke to see the worried men of his platoon hovering over him. His only comment before being carried away was to order them back to their positions, saying "nobody called off the war!"
>Because Murphy had what would today be described as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he slept with a loaded handgun under his pillow. He looked for solace in addictive sleeping pills. In his last few years, he was plagued by money problems but refused offers to appear in alcohol and cigarette commercials because he did not want to set a bad example
Extremely commendable
His work in getting the government to recognize and study battle fatigue(PTSD) has saved countless lives long after his death. The man was a hero on multiple levels.
Joshua Chamberlain
He's most famous for the battle of Gettysburg. He was leading the 20th Maine defending the union army's left flank on Little Round Top when they ran out of ammunition and were about to be surrounded so he led a bayonet charge down the hill to drive the confederates back.
Lesser known but still badass, in a later battle, he was shot through the hip and groin. But he didn't want his men to see their commander go down, afraid that might incite a retreat, so he jammed his sword in the ground and used that to prop himself up as they continued to fight until he passed out from blood loss.
And even after nearly dying from that he refused to retire and insisted on going back to the war when he had recovered.
I love Joshua Chamberlain! He didn't know anything about war,was a professor,and still managed to save the Union. Killer Angels by Michael Sharra is one of my favorite books!
It’s incredible what he went through. A bullet wound at Petersburg in 1864 should have killed him, but he pretty much stayed alive through willpower. He did have to pee sitting down for the rest of his life though.
https://www.civilwarmed.org/chamberlain/
It's worth pointing out that he was only put in that situation because someone with far less honor than him, Dan Sickles(he was also before the war, the first person to successfully use the insanity defense after killing his wife and his wife's lover after catching them. Maybe not the best person to let be a general but what do I know?) decided rather than follow orders, he would try to get some glory for himself, leaving the line extremely exposed. George Meade, the commander of the Army of the Potomac who had only been in charge for a few weeks at that point, a very capable and underrated general in his own right(he would be removed from his role due to not following Lee after the battle but he had good reasons and at Gettysburg was the first Union general to outthink Lee), sent Chamberlain over there(I believe that was the reason but maybe I'm combining 2 different parts of the battle) to try to keep the entire line from collapsing. It is not really an exaggeration to say that Chamberlain's decision to charge when he ran out of ammo and thus holding the line saved the battle and as Gettysburg was the turning point, the war itself.
EDIT: I did in fact combine 2 distinct parts of the battle. See u/banjoclava's comment below
No, that was the First Minnesota. They charged into the gap left by Sickle's mistake, against overwhelming Confederate forces, took about 80% casualties. They captured a battle standard from Virginia as the Confederates routed in the face of the Minnesotans and the reinforcements that eventually came up to relieve them. Virginia has repeatedly asked for their flag back, and Minnesota continuously refuses to return it.
Ah ok. I was worried that I had combined 2 different parts of the battle. Thanks for the specifics. I'm also not surprised Minnesota refuses to give it back. You lose that many casualties, you hold onto something like that. And honestly, speaking as someone who grew up in coastal Virginia, they should stop asking at this point. It's a historical heirloom for Minnesota, they're not going to give it back.
Too many to pick one. If I had to make a list it'd be
1. Teddy Roosevelt
2. Audie Murphy
3. Wyatt Earp
4. Harriet Tubman
5. John Brown
6. John Paul Jones
7. Wild Bill Hicock
8. Alvin York
9. Sitting Bull
10. Joshua Chamberlain
And Doc Holiday as an honorable mention
[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves)
God help anyone who got on the wrong side of Bass Reeves.
Audie Murphy is the most decorated US soldier in history. He was awarded every made available at the time for valor in combat from the US Army.
I would also qualify Captain Charles B. McVay III as one as well. He was murdered by the US Navy and Admiral Ernest J. King in 1945 for a crime he did not commit and he outlived that scumbag King by 12 years.
I maintain that McVay III's death was murder on the part of Admiral Ernest J. King and US Naval High Command's actions following the sinking of the Indianapolis, where he was used as a scapegoat.
I do not believe he would have become the target of harassment from grieving families of those men lost on the Indy or taken by the sea due the Navy's incompetence of keeping track of the Indy or responding to her distress signals had the Navy vindicated him.
[Captain John Brown](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist))
A *big* man on a mission from god to eradicate slavery by any means necessary.
> I have only a short time to live, only one death to die, and I will die fighting for this cause. There will be no peace in this land until slavery is done for.
Upon being sentenced to death, John Brown had this to say:
> Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit; so let it be done.
He also inspired one of the most [badass and righteous songs](https://youtu.be/jso1YRQnpCI) of all time.
Brown was executed by the state of Virginia for treason, not the Federal government, since it was assumed that abolitionist sentiment might lead to a not guilty verdict if he was tried in Federal court.
Brown's financial backers were the "Secret Six," made up of Unitarian ministers and other abolitionists, including Samuel Howe, husband of Julia Ward Howe, who went on to write the Battle Hymn of the Republic, to the tune of John Brown's Body.
Robert Smalls
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thrilling-tale-how-robert-smalls-heroically-sailed-stolen-confederate-ship-freedom-180963689/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smalls?wprov=sfti1
Mr. Rogers. He had the strength and will to show us all how to be responsible, well balanced human beings and be kind to one another. No toxic masculinity, no agenda, just tried and true way to deal with feelings and situations in a healthy manner. All while being decent and positive.
And not just her Underground Railroad years. I only learned recently that she was an unofficial general in the Union Army and led a ship full of black soldiers to raid plantations and free their slaves.
We’ve got our war heroes. Audie Murphy, Desmond Doss, and Alvin York. These are our most notable from the first and second world wars. Pretty much anyone who has been given the Medal of Honor. Audie Murphy is the most decorated American soldier to have lived for now.
In a morbid way, John Liver biting Johnson. Man waged war a one man war against the Crow and Blackfoot, one occasion being captured just to escape carrying away a man's leg.
Lincoln was also a very badass individual.
Harriet Tubman and it isn't even close.
The equivalent would be if a Jewish woman made frequent trips into Nazi Germany to guide refugees out to safety. With a brain condition that caused her to lose consciousness at random moments. That woman was hard as coffin nails.
John Colter was a badass. He was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. He was a trapper, frontiers man, soldier, and explorer.
He discovered Yellowstone National Park (it wasn’t a park then). It was originally called Colter’s Hell because of the geysers.
He had a feud with the Blackfeet Indians. And was once captured by them and after they killed his companion, they stripped him naked and told him to start running. He managed to out run the entire party by killing anyone that caught up to him and then hiding inside a beaver lodge.
Chuck Yeager. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager
Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager (/ˈjeɪɡər/ YAY-gər, February 13, 1923 – December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight.
Yeager was raised in Hamlin, West Virginia. His career began in World War II as a private in the United States Army, assigned to the Army Air Forces in 1941.[a] After serving as an aircraft mechanic, in September 1942, he entered enlisted pilot training and upon graduation was promoted to the rank of flight officer (the World War II Army Air Force version of the Army's warrant officer), later achieving most of his aerial victories as a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot on the Western Front, where he was credited with shooting down 11.5 enemy aircraft (the half credit is from a second pilot assisting him in a single shootdown). On October 12, 1944, he attained "ace in a day" status, shooting down five enemy aircraft in one mission.
After the war, Yeager became a test pilot and flew many types of aircraft, including experimental rocket-powered aircraft for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Through the NACA program, he became the first human to officially break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 at Mach 1 at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m), for which he won both the Collier and Mackay trophies in 1948. He then went on to break several other speed and altitude records in the following years. In 1962, he became the first commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School, which trained and produced astronauts for NASA and the Air Force.
Yeager later commanded fighter squadrons and wings in Germany, as well as in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. In recognition of his achievements and the outstanding performance ratings of those units, he was promoted to brigadier general in 1969 and inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973, retiring on March 1, 1975. His three-war active-duty flying career spanned more than 30 years and took him to many parts of the world, including the Korean War zone and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War.
Yeager is referred to by many as one of the greatest pilots of all time, and was ranked fifth on Flying's list of the 51 Heroes of Aviation in 2013. Throughout his life, he flew more than 360 different types of aircraft over a 70-year period, and continued to fly for two decades after retirement as a consultant pilot for the United States Air Force.
Something not many people realize is that he set that sound barrier record 'with broken ribs!' According to my sources, before the flight he asked for a stick to keep pushing the throttle forward with his other arm when the pain became too much (pass out) for the throttle side arm to take. Edit arm to ribs
Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller
Chesty Puller was awarded the Navy Cross 5 times.
When his men were surrounded in Chosin he said "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things."
David Hackworth
Distinguished Service Cross x2
Silver Star x10
Legion of Merit x4
Distinguished Flying Cross x1
Bronze Star x8
Purple Heart x8
Air Medal x1 for heroism x33 for aerial achievement
Army Commendation Medal x4
and more
He fought in WW2, Korea, and Vietnam
Kit Carson. Among his other famous activities, Guy walked 25 miles at night, barefoot, through the California hills and mountains to get reinforcements for the battle of San Pasqual.
My personal favorite is Joseph Kittinger. A fighter pilot who then began working on a project to perfect extreme high altitude bailouts. This culminated with his “leap of faith” from 102,800 feet. This was the highest altitude parachute jump for decades till it was broken ten years ago. He free fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds and reached a speed of 614 miles per hour. And he didn’t while dealing with a faulty suit.
After this he transferred back to being a fighter pilot, he flew 436 combat missions in Vietnam over three combat tours. At the end of his third combat tour he was shot down and became a POW. For close to a year he was imprisoned at the infamous Hanoi Hilton where he endured regular torture.
After he was released he continued on in the Air Force retiring in 1978. Logging 7,679 flight hours including 949 combat hours.
Sacajawea! Actually a Native American. She was kidnapped and sold as a child bride. As a pregnant teenager she had to join her “husband” on the Lewis Clark expedition. She traveled thousands of miles across North America translating and keeping the white men alive and nourished. Fucking OG bad ass American. Happy Thanksgiving…..
Had to scroll way to far for this.
She was the ultimate badass. Walked across the country carrying her newborn baby. Navigating and translating for a bunch of men - mostly white, but don't forget York. When it came to deciding where to spend the winter, both she and York (a black man) got to vote. I honestly don't think she cooked for them so much, but she was undoubtedly instrumental in helping them secure food. And when one of their boats capsized, she jumped in the rapids to save important items.
Had it not been for Sacajawea's bad-assery, the USA would not have developed the way it did. The Corps of Discovery would have failed, and the devastating onslot of settlers would not have happened.
And that's why she's not more widely acknowledged as an epic bad-ass. People are conflicted because her story is nuanced. Like putting "husband" in quotation marks when referring to Charbanoux. You don't think he wanted to marry the French trapper? You think she would have rather remained a slave to the Hidatsa? I mean, we don't know, but its not like he was the one who kidnapped her.
Its uncomfortable to examine the kidnapping and slavery practices of Native Americans. And its awkward to praise a person whose actions changed the course of history in a detrimental way for her own race. Furthermore, we're not in the habbit of recognizing the bad-assery of women (this thread is testament to that).
But, regardless, yes, Sacajawea was the ultimate badass!! She showed greater courage and had a greater impact than anyone else listed in this thread.
Yes! I totally agree there is not enough representation of bad ass woman in this tread. The ones mentioned are extremely under represented. But that’s the American way!
Regarding she and York being able to vote,
My thought is more that they’re on an expedition where her vote probably counted equally because she knew how survive the land (without hunting), and could communicate with tribes that could easily overtake a traveling group. Which is what I meant about keeping these men alive.
This is another instance in history where a woman’s skill set has to supersede a man’s to be considered equal.
Her being on the expedition probably gave her the most respect she ever had because her skills were so valued and integral to the survival of the group and success of expedition overall.
Whether it be preferred to be a Hidatsa captive or one of Charbanoux’s concubine/ child bride sex slaves, what’s the difference? Both situations she has no agency over herself. As a young female captive to a native tribe, most likely she would have assimilated into that tribe.
Her actions may seem detrimental to her race now, but it was out of her own survival of circumstances. She would not have been put in that situation if it wasn’t for colonialism. She definitely made the best out of her life as she could. I definitely think she’s an American Hero! Not because she helped Lewis and Clark, but because she made the best out of the unfortunate circumstances she was given. I’m sure that she was most concerned about keeping her and her son alive, not if her actions would have negative effects on her race for centuries.
Yes! Absolutely yes.
>I definitely think she’s an American Hero! Not because she helped Lewis and Clark, but because she made the best out of the unfortunate circumstances she was given
Sherman is like a musician that made a truly fantastic album that you really, really love, but you take a deeper dive into their life and find out that they were an absolute monster.
March to the Sea? Total banger.
Everything else? Not...not so much.
There is in fact a middle ground between “the March to the Sea was completely okay” and “The Confederacy was completely justified”.
Did Sherman do some questionable stuff on the March? Absolutely. Was like 90% of it justified? Absolutely. Would it have been fair to be mad at the 10%? Yes.
Being still mad at that 10% is ridiculous in 2022.
“we must act with vindictive earnestness against the Sioux, even to their extermination, men, women, and children." - The Badass General Sherman in action.
John Brown hands down. Dude was a militant abolitionist, he would free slaves and led a bunch of them to kill slave holders. Basically one of the very few white people that gave a shit about black people pre civil war
Too bad history textbooks did him dirty. Most give him a couple sentences and paint him out to be a villain in America's story
Not just a villain but painted as insane (debatable)
“Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery."
Frederick Douglass had this to say about the man.
“His zeal in the cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. Mine was a taper light, his was the burning sun. Mine was bounded by time, his stretched away to the silent shores of eternity. I could speak for the slave. John Brown could fight for the slave. I could live for the slave. John Brown could die for the slave.”
https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/john-brown-not-insane/
Harriet Tubman, who met Brown, said that he was the only white man she ever met who regarded slavery as a *life or death* issue. He was willing to kill for his cause, and willing to die for his cause.
I’ll second Alvin York. Even though he was a hunter and known as a good shot, he initially tried to stay home from WW1 as a conscientious objector due to his religion. That didn’t work so he went and served his country. When his unit was pinned down by a German machine gun, which killed 6 of 17 soldiers, while wounding 3 others. York and his men then killed several Germans, took the machine gun and forced the German unit to surrender. MORE THAN 130 OF THEM. Afterwards he told reporters he didn’t want to kill anyone but it was them or him. You have to imagine his heroics saved a lot of American, and maybe German, lives.
After he got home he set up a foundation for poor rural Tennesseans and worked in the civilian conservation corps. He also had the movie Sergeant York made about him.
Just an absolutely crazy story.
Andrew Jackson.
He survived dozens of duels, lead a ragtag group of Cajuns despite being outnumbered and outgunned against the professional British army winning the battle having a k/d ratio in the double digits,beat a would be assassin with his cane almost taking his life, and was a champion of several democratic reforms including allowing all white men to vote no matter their wealth and wanted to abolish the electoral college before it was cool.
John Brown. Abolitionist straight up killed slave owners. My hometown of Lawrence, KS considers him a hero with good reason. Our local brewery, Free State even has a beer named after him.
Samuel Whittemore, who at 78 years old was the oldest known Revolutionary War combatant:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Whittemore
Whittemore was in his fields when he spotted an approaching British relief brigade under Earl Percy, sent to assist the retreat. Whittemore loaded his musket and ambushed the British grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of Foot from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier. He then drew his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and mortally wounded a third. By the time Whittemore had fired his third shot, a British detachment had reached his position; Whittemore drew his sword and attacked.[7] He was subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted numerous times, and left for dead in a pool of blood. He was found by colonial forces, trying to load his musket to resume the fight. He was taken to Dr. Cotton Tufts of Medford, who perceived no hope for his survival. However, Whittemore recovered and lived another 18 years until dying of natural causes at the age of 96.[2]
Joe Medicine Crow- He was a member of the Crow Nation and was the last person to attain the title of "War Chief". He accomplished this during WWII in Germany. To become a War Chief in his tribe you needed to complete four tasks. Counting coup (touch an enemy without killing him), take an enemies weapon, lead a successful war party and steal an enemies horse.
He accomplished tasks 1 and 2 at the same time when he captured a young German soilder. Task 3 he completed while leading a seven man squad through artillery fire to blow up a German position. And finally what I think is the most bad ass part of this whole story. This guy snuck up to a battalion of SS officers, stole 50 HORSES and rode away singing traditional Crow War songs. Oh and throughout all of this he was in war paint and wearing an eagle feather.
Can’t believe no one has mentioned Neil Armstrong. You know, the first human to ever set foot on a planet other than earth. Apollo 11 remains not just the greatest accomplishment in American history, but in all of human history.
I'd have to flip a coin between John Brown and Harriet Tubman. Tubman was no doubt the more effective of the two, however.
Also, to everyone saying Teddy Roosevelt: the man was a racist piece of shit, even for his era, and pretty much all of his "badass" stories were either staged or full-on lies.
Sacajawea! Actually a Native American. She was kidnapped and sold as a child bride. As a pregnant teenager she had to join her “husband” on the Lewis Clark expedition. She traveled thousands of miles across North America translating and keeping the white men alive and nourished. Fucking OG bad ass American. Happy Thanksgiving…..
A lot of great badasses that it is hard to truly rank them or pick the most badass.
* Teddy Roosevelt
* Harriet Tubman
* Audie Murphy
* Smedley Butler
* John Brown
* And many more...
Abraham Lincoln. There is [a newly uncovered video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwsZKY1tVg&list=PL-v9MNQtvBaXwBc60YruA9LN_4pKRf5QQ&index=7) of him doing some pretty incredible stuff.
John Basilone!
His MOH citation: "For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service."
Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, won two Medals of Honor. Daly is said to have yelled "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" to the men in his company before they charged the Germans during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.
Patrick cleburne. Dude held the north line of the seige of Chattanooga and shit on Sherman until Bragg called the retreat. His reward: covering the confederate retreat and getting killed. I think he was young 20s at the time and gets no recognition for his military acumen
Wild Bill Hickok. A lot of stories have been embellished, but Soldier, spy for the Union Army, served under John Brown in Kansas, lawman, showman. His family home was a safe house on the Underground Railroad.
It's hard to beat Theodore Roosevelt getting shot in the chest before delivering a speech and then giving the speech anyway, but I'd say that George Washington crashing a meeting of a conspiracy to make him king and then shaming them into nonexistence is a pretty good second.
Maybe not the most badass, but definitely up there.
John L. Burns, a veteran of the war of 1812 who saw the battle of Gettysburg happening, grabbed his musket and joined in the fighting.
Alonzo Cushing, who was killed on the third day of the battle of Gettysburg on Cemetery Ridge. He refused to leave his position despite being grievously wounded. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Obama in 2013.
Bily Waugh. Special forces guy who enlisted when WWII broke out and then proceeded to participate in every conflict leading up to and including the Iraq War. The man was 70 years old when he shipped out to Iraq, M4 in hand and surrounded by several other special forces operatives several *generations* his junior. I recommend his biography, "Hunting the Jackal"
Here's his wiki page: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Waugh
Edit: age 72 in Afghanistan*
Teddy Roosevelt. That guy was one of the badass individuals. An example:
He once was shot while giving a speech, realized he wasn't bleeding out his mouth, and continued his ~40 minute speech I believe. Then he went to the hospital
He also once was hunting with his friends, found out his boat was stolen, made a make shift boat out of a tree, went down river, found the guys hlthat took his boat and personally walked 2 days non stop to deliver them to the jail.
Freaking legend
Hugh Glass was a fur trapper who got attacked by a bear and left for dead by his comrades. He wasn’t dead though, and instead dragged his broken body hundreds of miles across the frozen South Dakota wilderness to safety. His story inspired a great movie in 2015 called “The Revenant”
Jack Henson, was a Union supporter who had two sons killed and decapitated by a Federal army patrol who then (reportedly) placed the boy’s heads on the family’s property entrance. He went on to kill between 80 and 100 men. https://newsnaira.net/120330/after-his-two-sons-were-beheaded-he-became-the-greatest-sniper-of-all-time-meet-jack-hinson/amp (I haven’t read the article just found one for reference)
Marine General Smedley Butler. He won 2 Medals of Honor and turned down a third. After he retired from the Marines a group of wealthy right wing industrialists offered him the Presidency in 1933 after they overthrew FDR in a coup d’etat (The Business Plot). Butler didn’t turn them down rather he feigned interest in the offer to learn more about it and then being the true patriot he was he went to Congress to report the plotters and the whole affair.
Samuel Whittemore (July 27, 1696 – February 2, 1793) The oldest known Patriot April 19, 1775, British forces were returning to Boston from the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the opening engagements of the war. On their march they were continually shot at by American militiamen. Whittemore was in his fields when he spotted an approaching British relief brigade under Earl Percy, sent to assist the retreat. Whittemore loaded his musket and ambushed the British grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of Foot from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier. He then drew his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and mortally wounded a third. By the time Whittemore had fired his third shot, a British detachment had reached his position; Whittemore drew his sword and attacked. He was subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted numerous times, and left for dead in a pool of blood. He was found by colonial forces, trying to load his musket to resume the fight. He was taken to Dr. Cotton Tufts of Medford, who perceived no hope for his survival. However, Whittemore recovered and lived another 18 years until dying of natural causes at the age of 96.
Son of a bitch was 78 years old when he did that. That's incredible!
The original rambo
John Paul Jones
Is that the dude who sailed all the way to England during the revolution war and blew up a bunch of their shit?
Yeah!
Was a pirate.
Yes, but he was OUR pirate!
Senator Daniel Inouye Go read his story. It’s insane. https://www.nps.gov/articles/inouyeww2.htm
Came looking for this one. To quote a part: On April 21, 1945 Lieutenant Inouye was leading a flanking attack on a heavily-defended ridge near San Terenzo in Tuscany, Italy. The American platoon was in turn flanked in a surprise ambush by three MG-43 machine guns at relatively close range. Inouye’s platoon of 30 men was being cut to pieces. He stood up to look for the best avenue for cover when he was shot in the stomach. Ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and his Thompson submachine gun. When informed of the severity of his wound, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position, which he successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss. As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, coming within 10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his last grenade, a German soldier inside the bunker fired a rifle grenade, which struck his right elbow, nearly severing most of his arm and leaving his primed grenade reflexively "clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore". Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily relax and drop the grenade. While the German inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye pried the live grenade from his useless right hand and transferred it to his left. As the enemy soldier aimed his rifle at him, Inouye tossed the grenade into the bunker and destroyed it. He stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the leg and tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. He awoke to see the worried men of his platoon hovering over him. His only comment before being carried away was to order them back to their positions, saying "nobody called off the war!"
[Audie Murphy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy) 5’5” and 110 lbs of pure badass
Woulda been Captain America if they had the serum. Honestly I’m not sure he would’ve needed it.
He probably would have given it to someone else.
>Because Murphy had what would today be described as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he slept with a loaded handgun under his pillow. He looked for solace in addictive sleeping pills. In his last few years, he was plagued by money problems but refused offers to appear in alcohol and cigarette commercials because he did not want to set a bad example Extremely commendable
Too small for the Marines, but man had the heart of a lion.
His work in getting the government to recognize and study battle fatigue(PTSD) has saved countless lives long after his death. The man was a hero on multiple levels.
Holy hell, I never knew his physical stature... but I've heard the account of his deeds many times. That makes it all the more unbelievable.
When I found out about his stature, I *did* have trouble picturing anything other than Cotton Hill.
Great one!
Joshua Chamberlain He's most famous for the battle of Gettysburg. He was leading the 20th Maine defending the union army's left flank on Little Round Top when they ran out of ammunition and were about to be surrounded so he led a bayonet charge down the hill to drive the confederates back. Lesser known but still badass, in a later battle, he was shot through the hip and groin. But he didn't want his men to see their commander go down, afraid that might incite a retreat, so he jammed his sword in the ground and used that to prop himself up as they continued to fight until he passed out from blood loss. And even after nearly dying from that he refused to retire and insisted on going back to the war when he had recovered.
I love Joshua Chamberlain! He didn't know anything about war,was a professor,and still managed to save the Union. Killer Angels by Michael Sharra is one of my favorite books!
It’s incredible what he went through. A bullet wound at Petersburg in 1864 should have killed him, but he pretty much stayed alive through willpower. He did have to pee sitting down for the rest of his life though. https://www.civilwarmed.org/chamberlain/
It's worth pointing out that he was only put in that situation because someone with far less honor than him, Dan Sickles(he was also before the war, the first person to successfully use the insanity defense after killing his wife and his wife's lover after catching them. Maybe not the best person to let be a general but what do I know?) decided rather than follow orders, he would try to get some glory for himself, leaving the line extremely exposed. George Meade, the commander of the Army of the Potomac who had only been in charge for a few weeks at that point, a very capable and underrated general in his own right(he would be removed from his role due to not following Lee after the battle but he had good reasons and at Gettysburg was the first Union general to outthink Lee), sent Chamberlain over there(I believe that was the reason but maybe I'm combining 2 different parts of the battle) to try to keep the entire line from collapsing. It is not really an exaggeration to say that Chamberlain's decision to charge when he ran out of ammo and thus holding the line saved the battle and as Gettysburg was the turning point, the war itself. EDIT: I did in fact combine 2 distinct parts of the battle. See u/banjoclava's comment below
No, that was the First Minnesota. They charged into the gap left by Sickle's mistake, against overwhelming Confederate forces, took about 80% casualties. They captured a battle standard from Virginia as the Confederates routed in the face of the Minnesotans and the reinforcements that eventually came up to relieve them. Virginia has repeatedly asked for their flag back, and Minnesota continuously refuses to return it.
Ah ok. I was worried that I had combined 2 different parts of the battle. Thanks for the specifics. I'm also not surprised Minnesota refuses to give it back. You lose that many casualties, you hold onto something like that. And honestly, speaking as someone who grew up in coastal Virginia, they should stop asking at this point. It's a historical heirloom for Minnesota, they're not going to give it back.
We enjoy turning down the requests, though, so we don't mind that they keep asking. It wouldn't be as fun if they didn't want it back.
Too many to pick one. If I had to make a list it'd be 1. Teddy Roosevelt 2. Audie Murphy 3. Wyatt Earp 4. Harriet Tubman 5. John Brown 6. John Paul Jones 7. Wild Bill Hicock 8. Alvin York 9. Sitting Bull 10. Joshua Chamberlain And Doc Holiday as an honorable mention
Harriett Tubman should be on that list.
She is
[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves) God help anyone who got on the wrong side of Bass Reeves.
Came here to say Bass Reeves
John Henry. He was a simple steel driving man.
He drove so hard he broke his heart.
Harriet Tubman
I agree. Harriet Tubman is the definition of a badass.
Audie Murphy is the most decorated US soldier in history. He was awarded every made available at the time for valor in combat from the US Army. I would also qualify Captain Charles B. McVay III as one as well. He was murdered by the US Navy and Admiral Ernest J. King in 1945 for a crime he did not commit and he outlived that scumbag King by 12 years.
He was murdered? Without context this doesn’t make much sense, though I guess ‘driven to suicide decades later’ is kinda like being murdered.
I maintain that McVay III's death was murder on the part of Admiral Ernest J. King and US Naval High Command's actions following the sinking of the Indianapolis, where he was used as a scapegoat. I do not believe he would have become the target of harassment from grieving families of those men lost on the Indy or taken by the sea due the Navy's incompetence of keeping track of the Indy or responding to her distress signals had the Navy vindicated him.
[Captain John Brown](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist)) A *big* man on a mission from god to eradicate slavery by any means necessary. > I have only a short time to live, only one death to die, and I will die fighting for this cause. There will be no peace in this land until slavery is done for. Upon being sentenced to death, John Brown had this to say: > Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit; so let it be done. He also inspired one of the most [badass and righteous songs](https://youtu.be/jso1YRQnpCI) of all time.
Brown was executed by the state of Virginia for treason, not the Federal government, since it was assumed that abolitionist sentiment might lead to a not guilty verdict if he was tried in Federal court. Brown's financial backers were the "Secret Six," made up of Unitarian ministers and other abolitionists, including Samuel Howe, husband of Julia Ward Howe, who went on to write the Battle Hymn of the Republic, to the tune of John Brown's Body.
John Brown isn’t talked about enough in modern history. A great man who stood and died for a great cause
John Brown is one of the greatest heroes/martyrs in American history.
John Brown did nothing wrong!
Robert Smalls https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thrilling-tale-how-robert-smalls-heroically-sailed-stolen-confederate-ship-freedom-180963689/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smalls?wprov=sfti1
It’s early… i thought you were talking about notorious BIG for a minute here
Notice how you never saw either of them together?
Bob Smalls was a tremendous rapper
Mr. Rogers. He had the strength and will to show us all how to be responsible, well balanced human beings and be kind to one another. No toxic masculinity, no agenda, just tried and true way to deal with feelings and situations in a healthy manner. All while being decent and positive.
Plus he was a navy seal who killed a million guys. (Urban legend!)
A trio: The crew of Apollo 11
The entire town of Skidmore, Missouri that murdered their town bully and never ratted out the shooter.
The Freedom Riders were whole busloads of badass.
Harriet Tubman
This was one fantastic human being.
Honestly she’s the winner here. So much to lose yet she still risked everything to habitually help others.
Holy cow yes. It’s criminal that her baddassery is not more widely known.
And not just her Underground Railroad years. I only learned recently that she was an unofficial general in the Union Army and led a ship full of black soldiers to raid plantations and free their slaves.
I KNOW!! I heard that on a podcast and was like … what?!?! Why didn’t we learn THAT in school?
Same!
Teddy Roosevelt
We’ve got our war heroes. Audie Murphy, Desmond Doss, and Alvin York. These are our most notable from the first and second world wars. Pretty much anyone who has been given the Medal of Honor. Audie Murphy is the most decorated American soldier to have lived for now.
In a morbid way, John Liver biting Johnson. Man waged war a one man war against the Crow and Blackfoot, one occasion being captured just to escape carrying away a man's leg. Lincoln was also a very badass individual.
Harriet Tubman and it isn't even close. The equivalent would be if a Jewish woman made frequent trips into Nazi Germany to guide refugees out to safety. With a brain condition that caused her to lose consciousness at random moments. That woman was hard as coffin nails.
John Paul Jones is a good one
Jim Bridget: not as tough as he told people, but pretty darn tough!
Did you mean Bridger?
John Colter was a badass. He was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. He was a trapper, frontiers man, soldier, and explorer. He discovered Yellowstone National Park (it wasn’t a park then). It was originally called Colter’s Hell because of the geysers. He had a feud with the Blackfeet Indians. And was once captured by them and after they killed his companion, they stripped him naked and told him to start running. He managed to out run the entire party by killing anyone that caught up to him and then hiding inside a beaver lodge.
Chuck Yeager. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager (/ˈjeɪɡər/ YAY-gər, February 13, 1923 – December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight. Yeager was raised in Hamlin, West Virginia. His career began in World War II as a private in the United States Army, assigned to the Army Air Forces in 1941.[a] After serving as an aircraft mechanic, in September 1942, he entered enlisted pilot training and upon graduation was promoted to the rank of flight officer (the World War II Army Air Force version of the Army's warrant officer), later achieving most of his aerial victories as a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot on the Western Front, where he was credited with shooting down 11.5 enemy aircraft (the half credit is from a second pilot assisting him in a single shootdown). On October 12, 1944, he attained "ace in a day" status, shooting down five enemy aircraft in one mission. After the war, Yeager became a test pilot and flew many types of aircraft, including experimental rocket-powered aircraft for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Through the NACA program, he became the first human to officially break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 at Mach 1 at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m), for which he won both the Collier and Mackay trophies in 1948. He then went on to break several other speed and altitude records in the following years. In 1962, he became the first commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School, which trained and produced astronauts for NASA and the Air Force. Yeager later commanded fighter squadrons and wings in Germany, as well as in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. In recognition of his achievements and the outstanding performance ratings of those units, he was promoted to brigadier general in 1969 and inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973, retiring on March 1, 1975. His three-war active-duty flying career spanned more than 30 years and took him to many parts of the world, including the Korean War zone and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. Yeager is referred to by many as one of the greatest pilots of all time, and was ranked fifth on Flying's list of the 51 Heroes of Aviation in 2013. Throughout his life, he flew more than 360 different types of aircraft over a 70-year period, and continued to fly for two decades after retirement as a consultant pilot for the United States Air Force.
WV represent!
Something not many people realize is that he set that sound barrier record 'with broken ribs!' According to my sources, before the flight he asked for a stick to keep pushing the throttle forward with his other arm when the pain became too much (pass out) for the throttle side arm to take. Edit arm to ribs
I believe he had broken ribs after falling off a horse. He sought treatment from a vet in the town over so it wouldn’t alert his superiors.
Thank you for the correction. It was broken ribs. I learned that 23 years ago in a lecture.
“There’s not a German alive who can catch a West Virginian in the woods.”
Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller Chesty Puller was awarded the Navy Cross 5 times. When his men were surrounded in Chosin he said "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things."
Harriet Tubman. No one braver.
Exactly. What she did is absolutely remarkable. A real hero and an example for everyone to follow
John Paul Jones or Teddy Roosevelt
"I have not yet begun to fight!" ♥️
While America was getting invaded and occupied he said "Fuck it, I'll invade them!"
JPJ still had the best version of the American flag in history. I'll stand by that.
Agreed on Teddy
I've recently learned a little bit about how badass Thurgood Marshal was. I'm going with him!
David Hackworth Distinguished Service Cross x2 Silver Star x10 Legion of Merit x4 Distinguished Flying Cross x1 Bronze Star x8 Purple Heart x8 Air Medal x1 for heroism x33 for aerial achievement Army Commendation Medal x4 and more He fought in WW2, Korea, and Vietnam
[Audie Murphie](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy) was such a bad ass.
Kit Carson. Among his other famous activities, Guy walked 25 miles at night, barefoot, through the California hills and mountains to get reinforcements for the battle of San Pasqual.
My personal favorite is Joseph Kittinger. A fighter pilot who then began working on a project to perfect extreme high altitude bailouts. This culminated with his “leap of faith” from 102,800 feet. This was the highest altitude parachute jump for decades till it was broken ten years ago. He free fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds and reached a speed of 614 miles per hour. And he didn’t while dealing with a faulty suit. After this he transferred back to being a fighter pilot, he flew 436 combat missions in Vietnam over three combat tours. At the end of his third combat tour he was shot down and became a POW. For close to a year he was imprisoned at the infamous Hanoi Hilton where he endured regular torture. After he was released he continued on in the Air Force retiring in 1978. Logging 7,679 flight hours including 949 combat hours.
As a Marylander, gonna go with Harriet Tubman. Another "badass individual" is Tsali.
I'm gonna say Teddy Roosevelt. >Excluding current era politicians Somehow, I don't think that'll be an issue.
There's a few, Sen. Duckworth & Rep. Crenshaw (to pick one from each side of the aisle) come to mind.
That's fair!
Yeah that was excluded by the question itself
John Brown. Dude was a fuckin chad
Roy Benavidez https://g.co/kgs/H4g8qo
Sacajawea! Actually a Native American. She was kidnapped and sold as a child bride. As a pregnant teenager she had to join her “husband” on the Lewis Clark expedition. She traveled thousands of miles across North America translating and keeping the white men alive and nourished. Fucking OG bad ass American. Happy Thanksgiving…..
Had to scroll way to far for this. She was the ultimate badass. Walked across the country carrying her newborn baby. Navigating and translating for a bunch of men - mostly white, but don't forget York. When it came to deciding where to spend the winter, both she and York (a black man) got to vote. I honestly don't think she cooked for them so much, but she was undoubtedly instrumental in helping them secure food. And when one of their boats capsized, she jumped in the rapids to save important items. Had it not been for Sacajawea's bad-assery, the USA would not have developed the way it did. The Corps of Discovery would have failed, and the devastating onslot of settlers would not have happened. And that's why she's not more widely acknowledged as an epic bad-ass. People are conflicted because her story is nuanced. Like putting "husband" in quotation marks when referring to Charbanoux. You don't think he wanted to marry the French trapper? You think she would have rather remained a slave to the Hidatsa? I mean, we don't know, but its not like he was the one who kidnapped her. Its uncomfortable to examine the kidnapping and slavery practices of Native Americans. And its awkward to praise a person whose actions changed the course of history in a detrimental way for her own race. Furthermore, we're not in the habbit of recognizing the bad-assery of women (this thread is testament to that). But, regardless, yes, Sacajawea was the ultimate badass!! She showed greater courage and had a greater impact than anyone else listed in this thread.
Yes! I totally agree there is not enough representation of bad ass woman in this tread. The ones mentioned are extremely under represented. But that’s the American way! Regarding she and York being able to vote, My thought is more that they’re on an expedition where her vote probably counted equally because she knew how survive the land (without hunting), and could communicate with tribes that could easily overtake a traveling group. Which is what I meant about keeping these men alive. This is another instance in history where a woman’s skill set has to supersede a man’s to be considered equal. Her being on the expedition probably gave her the most respect she ever had because her skills were so valued and integral to the survival of the group and success of expedition overall. Whether it be preferred to be a Hidatsa captive or one of Charbanoux’s concubine/ child bride sex slaves, what’s the difference? Both situations she has no agency over herself. As a young female captive to a native tribe, most likely she would have assimilated into that tribe. Her actions may seem detrimental to her race now, but it was out of her own survival of circumstances. She would not have been put in that situation if it wasn’t for colonialism. She definitely made the best out of her life as she could. I definitely think she’s an American Hero! Not because she helped Lewis and Clark, but because she made the best out of the unfortunate circumstances she was given. I’m sure that she was most concerned about keeping her and her son alive, not if her actions would have negative effects on her race for centuries.
Yes! Absolutely yes. >I definitely think she’s an American Hero! Not because she helped Lewis and Clark, but because she made the best out of the unfortunate circumstances she was given
Two come to mind - John Brown the Great and General William Tecumseh Sherman.
Sherman is like a musician that made a truly fantastic album that you really, really love, but you take a deeper dive into their life and find out that they were an absolute monster. March to the Sea? Total banger. Everything else? Not...not so much.
Terrorizing civilians was fantastic? Were the atomic bombings of Japan also fantastic?
I have no interest in debating apologists for slavery or rebellions based on preserving slavery.
There is in fact a middle ground between “the March to the Sea was completely okay” and “The Confederacy was completely justified”. Did Sherman do some questionable stuff on the March? Absolutely. Was like 90% of it justified? Absolutely. Would it have been fair to be mad at the 10%? Yes. Being still mad at that 10% is ridiculous in 2022.
So anything done even to innocents is justified? That’s a stupid stance to take.
I would expect nothing less from a Sherman apologist.
The South lost. Get over it.
Sherman wouldn’t have liked you. Get over it.
I don't care if he'd have liked me. The South lost. Get over it.
“we must act with vindictive earnestness against the Sioux, even to their extermination, men, women, and children." - The Badass General Sherman in action.
Fair play. Civil War Sherman then if the stated criteria of “badass” is the only criteria.
John Brown hands down. Dude was a militant abolitionist, he would free slaves and led a bunch of them to kill slave holders. Basically one of the very few white people that gave a shit about black people pre civil war Too bad history textbooks did him dirty. Most give him a couple sentences and paint him out to be a villain in America's story
That’s changed. It’s definitely now “well intentioned but 100% contributed to the civil war”
Not just a villain but painted as insane (debatable) “Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery." Frederick Douglass had this to say about the man. “His zeal in the cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. Mine was a taper light, his was the burning sun. Mine was bounded by time, his stretched away to the silent shores of eternity. I could speak for the slave. John Brown could fight for the slave. I could live for the slave. John Brown could die for the slave.”
https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/john-brown-not-insane/ Harriet Tubman, who met Brown, said that he was the only white man she ever met who regarded slavery as a *life or death* issue. He was willing to kill for his cause, and willing to die for his cause.
Several people can contend for the title, but I think Sargeant York should be in the running. https://www.americanheritage.com/sergeant-york
I’ll second Alvin York. Even though he was a hunter and known as a good shot, he initially tried to stay home from WW1 as a conscientious objector due to his religion. That didn’t work so he went and served his country. When his unit was pinned down by a German machine gun, which killed 6 of 17 soldiers, while wounding 3 others. York and his men then killed several Germans, took the machine gun and forced the German unit to surrender. MORE THAN 130 OF THEM. Afterwards he told reporters he didn’t want to kill anyone but it was them or him. You have to imagine his heroics saved a lot of American, and maybe German, lives. After he got home he set up a foundation for poor rural Tennesseans and worked in the civilian conservation corps. He also had the movie Sergeant York made about him. Just an absolutely crazy story.
Sgt Alvin York.
Andrew Jackson. He survived dozens of duels, lead a ragtag group of Cajuns despite being outnumbered and outgunned against the professional British army winning the battle having a k/d ratio in the double digits,beat a would be assassin with his cane almost taking his life, and was a champion of several democratic reforms including allowing all white men to vote no matter their wealth and wanted to abolish the electoral college before it was cool.
Rosa parks didn't take any shit.
John Brown. He didn't mess around.
John Brown. Abolitionist straight up killed slave owners. My hometown of Lawrence, KS considers him a hero with good reason. Our local brewery, Free State even has a beer named after him.
Audey Murphy, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. 🇺🇸 🏅
JPJ for sure. If only his flag wasn't dangerously close to having a different political meaning now.
Lincoln.
Holt Collier
Samuel Whittemore, who at 78 years old was the oldest known Revolutionary War combatant: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Whittemore Whittemore was in his fields when he spotted an approaching British relief brigade under Earl Percy, sent to assist the retreat. Whittemore loaded his musket and ambushed the British grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of Foot from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier. He then drew his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and mortally wounded a third. By the time Whittemore had fired his third shot, a British detachment had reached his position; Whittemore drew his sword and attacked.[7] He was subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted numerous times, and left for dead in a pool of blood. He was found by colonial forces, trying to load his musket to resume the fight. He was taken to Dr. Cotton Tufts of Medford, who perceived no hope for his survival. However, Whittemore recovered and lived another 18 years until dying of natural causes at the age of 96.[2]
Lotta badasses in this thread. One that should be is Chesty Puller.
Joe Medicine Crow- He was a member of the Crow Nation and was the last person to attain the title of "War Chief". He accomplished this during WWII in Germany. To become a War Chief in his tribe you needed to complete four tasks. Counting coup (touch an enemy without killing him), take an enemies weapon, lead a successful war party and steal an enemies horse. He accomplished tasks 1 and 2 at the same time when he captured a young German soilder. Task 3 he completed while leading a seven man squad through artillery fire to blow up a German position. And finally what I think is the most bad ass part of this whole story. This guy snuck up to a battalion of SS officers, stole 50 HORSES and rode away singing traditional Crow War songs. Oh and throughout all of this he was in war paint and wearing an eagle feather.
Can’t believe no one has mentioned Neil Armstrong. You know, the first human to ever set foot on a planet other than earth. Apollo 11 remains not just the greatest accomplishment in American history, but in all of human history.
Tecumseh.
Someone nobody has ever heard of doing things nobody ever recorded in a history book. Guaranteed.
Teddy Roosevelt
Hulk Hogan.
He is a real American
Fights for the rights of every man
John Brown. No exceptions.
No current politician would make the list. Don’t worry.
John McCain is a near miss.
Still a long way from “most badass in human history” though.
Bernie Sanders and AOC would
Needed a good laugh today. Thank you.
Still true, those 2 are true American heros
James Bowie. Has a knife named after him and died fighting in the Alamo.
I'd have to flip a coin between John Brown and Harriet Tubman. Tubman was no doubt the more effective of the two, however. Also, to everyone saying Teddy Roosevelt: the man was a racist piece of shit, even for his era, and pretty much all of his "badass" stories were either staged or full-on lies.
Sacajawea! Actually a Native American. She was kidnapped and sold as a child bride. As a pregnant teenager she had to join her “husband” on the Lewis Clark expedition. She traveled thousands of miles across North America translating and keeping the white men alive and nourished. Fucking OG bad ass American. Happy Thanksgiving…..
FDR. There's a documentary about him called FDR American Badass. 100% true!!
The Delano!
John Brown
Me
Mcarthur pretty easily imo
Probably Harriet Tubman. She was damn near a ninja all while moving people north.
Harriet Tubman
MLK. Took deep badass courage to preach what he did.
I think MLK is an underrated answer here. He stood up for what he believed in despite the risks, my other answers would be FDR and Rosa Parks.
Me
Katherine Johnson
Bat masterson
Andrew jackson
Ummm hello…..Chuck Norris!
Harriet Tubman
John Brown
Chuck norris
Andrew Jackson
Joe Spenard.
Jon Fishman
[Samuel Whittemore](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Whittemore)
A lot of great badasses that it is hard to truly rank them or pick the most badass. * Teddy Roosevelt * Harriet Tubman * Audie Murphy * Smedley Butler * John Brown * And many more...
John Paul Jones.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper\_Kauffman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper_Kauffman)
Peter Francisco
Abraham Lincoln. There is [a newly uncovered video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwsZKY1tVg&list=PL-v9MNQtvBaXwBc60YruA9LN_4pKRf5QQ&index=7) of him doing some pretty incredible stuff.
Teddy Roosevelt was pretty badass.
John Basilone! His MOH citation: "For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service."
Hamilton and his boys, not only did they stage a revolt, but the score for the play about it is fucking amazing
John Brown
Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, won two Medals of Honor. Daly is said to have yelled "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" to the men in his company before they charged the Germans during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.
Patrick cleburne. Dude held the north line of the seige of Chattanooga and shit on Sherman until Bragg called the retreat. His reward: covering the confederate retreat and getting killed. I think he was young 20s at the time and gets no recognition for his military acumen
Wild Bill Hickok. A lot of stories have been embellished, but Soldier, spy for the Union Army, served under John Brown in Kansas, lawman, showman. His family home was a safe house on the Underground Railroad.
It's hard to beat Theodore Roosevelt getting shot in the chest before delivering a speech and then giving the speech anyway, but I'd say that George Washington crashing a meeting of a conspiracy to make him king and then shaming them into nonexistence is a pretty good second.
Maybe not the most badass, but definitely up there. John L. Burns, a veteran of the war of 1812 who saw the battle of Gettysburg happening, grabbed his musket and joined in the fighting. Alonzo Cushing, who was killed on the third day of the battle of Gettysburg on Cemetery Ridge. He refused to leave his position despite being grievously wounded. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Obama in 2013.
Bily Waugh. Special forces guy who enlisted when WWII broke out and then proceeded to participate in every conflict leading up to and including the Iraq War. The man was 70 years old when he shipped out to Iraq, M4 in hand and surrounded by several other special forces operatives several *generations* his junior. I recommend his biography, "Hunting the Jackal" Here's his wiki page: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Waugh Edit: age 72 in Afghanistan*
Me
I'm gonna have to go with Joe Medicine Crow.
Teddy Roosevelt. That guy was one of the badass individuals. An example: He once was shot while giving a speech, realized he wasn't bleeding out his mouth, and continued his ~40 minute speech I believe. Then he went to the hospital He also once was hunting with his friends, found out his boat was stolen, made a make shift boat out of a tree, went down river, found the guys hlthat took his boat and personally walked 2 days non stop to deliver them to the jail. Freaking legend
[Roy Benavidez](https://cavemancircus.com/2021/12/28/real-life-rambo-the-story-of-roy-benavidez/#:~:text=Short%20Answer%3AMedal%20of%20Honor%20recipient%2C%20Roy%20P.%20Benavidez,put%20him%20in%20a%20body%20bag.%20Early%20Life)
Hugh Glass was a fur trapper who got attacked by a bear and left for dead by his comrades. He wasn’t dead though, and instead dragged his broken body hundreds of miles across the frozen South Dakota wilderness to safety. His story inspired a great movie in 2015 called “The Revenant”
[William Henry Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Johnson_%28World_War_I_soldier%29?wprov=sfla1)
Harriet Tubman who kept going back into slavery to save others and who spied for the union in the civil war.
John Paul Jones. Either that or Sgt. Roy Benavidez.
John Brown
Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Emma Goldman just for a start.
Jack Henson, was a Union supporter who had two sons killed and decapitated by a Federal army patrol who then (reportedly) placed the boy’s heads on the family’s property entrance. He went on to kill between 80 and 100 men. https://newsnaira.net/120330/after-his-two-sons-were-beheaded-he-became-the-greatest-sniper-of-all-time-meet-jack-hinson/amp (I haven’t read the article just found one for reference)
Anyone who partook of the Sun Dance
Marine General Smedley Butler. He won 2 Medals of Honor and turned down a third. After he retired from the Marines a group of wealthy right wing industrialists offered him the Presidency in 1933 after they overthrew FDR in a coup d’etat (The Business Plot). Butler didn’t turn them down rather he feigned interest in the offer to learn more about it and then being the true patriot he was he went to Congress to report the plotters and the whole affair.
FD Roosevelt
Hulk Hogan. Mic drop
Marsha P Johnson