In the early days of aviation, those who took to the skies fascinated the public. Those who broke records or were the first to achieve a milestone often became celebrities. Dick Merrill was certainly one of those. Henry Tyndall (Dick) Merrill was born in Iuka, Mississippi, in 1894. He was a descendant of the legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone. Merrill acquired the nickname … [Read more...] about A Small Town Boy Becomes A Hero in the Skies
Heroes
A Hero Before His Time; The Life and Legend of Bass Reeves
His life story reads like a novel or Hollywood screenplay. Bass Reeves came into life in a situation that never revealed all his story would entail. Born into slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1838, he and his family were property of an Arkansas state legislator, William Reeves. Over time, Bass became a stable hand, a blacksmith apprentice, and then a house … [Read more...] about A Hero Before His Time; The Life and Legend of Bass Reeves
Heroes Close to Home
The amphibious operation on D-day, June 6, 1944, also known as Operation Neptune, was a day like no other in the history of global warfare. It stands as the largest seaborne invasion the world has ever seen. The United States and its Allies had over 419,000 soldiers and approximately 6,939 ships and other watercraft involved in the effort to overthrow the deadly Nazi occupation … [Read more...] about Heroes Close to Home
Overcomer; The Wilma Rudolph Story
“Don’t blink, or you’ll miss her.” These words were often said when legendary sprinter Wilma Rudolph lined up for a race. As fast as she was, and in her day, she was the fastest, it’s hard to grasp all the hardships she had to overcome to wear the title of “The Fastest Woman in the World.” Wilma came into the world in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee, on June 23, 1940. She was born … [Read more...] about Overcomer; The Wilma Rudolph Story
Audie Murphy: The Tragic Life of One of America’s Greatest Heroes
Audie Murphy is known as a Medal of Honor awardee, the most decorated soldier of World War II, and a movie star. Who was he, really? A poor kid from Texas, a soldier extraordinaire, an actor in dozens of movies, or a violent man? He was all of that and more. Audie Murphy was a hero, a man who was fearless in battle, angered when his fellow soldiers were harmed. We must never … [Read more...] about Audie Murphy: The Tragic Life of One of America’s Greatest Heroes
