Western Adventures of Louis L'Amour

An American icon for Americana stories of the Old West, Louis Dearborn L'Amour is among the greatest authors of United States literature. Born 22 March 1908 and died 10 June 1988, his last name spelled as LaMoore, is known for his Western novels, but also wrote historical fiction like The Walking Drum, poetry and short stories. He even wrote one science fiction novel entitled The Haunted Mesa. In 1954 he was nominated the Academy Award for Best Story.

Heroes: Melvin O. Handrich

MSG Melvin O. Handrich

Melvin Oscar Handrich is spotlighted as one of the American heroes who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War. [January 26^th 1919 to August 26^th 1950]

He posthumously received the award for his actions on August 25^th and 26^th of 1950 during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter. He is buried at Little Wolf Cemetery in Manawa, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Historical Society erected an historical marker [#485] in his honor in 2003 at 44° 27.716' N, 88° 55.239' W [See Google Map] in Waupaca County in a small park on southbound Depot Street, south of the intersection with South Bridge Street, Manawa, Wisconsin 54989.

On August 4^th, 1969, the 83rd Ordnance Battalion Compound at Anyang-ni was named Camp Handrich in his honor.

Sherlock Holmes: Elementary

Signet Paget illustration, 1893

A recent article about Stacey Solomon, former Queen of the Jungle and English singer, who is a bookworm and fan of Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes. It struck me how a fictional character could have such fans after so long. Indeed, the character Indiana Jones may well be another immortalized character.

Sherlock Holmes has been a world renown figure, an English icon, popular in the United States for more than a century depicted on film by various actors; especially famously portrayed by Basil Rathbone. He was created by an imaginative Scottish author and physician, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh Medical School. Holmes is known for his logical reasoning, his talent for disguise, and the first use of forensic science in solving mysterious cases of crime. His nemesis, Moriarty, is also famous along with Holmes' companion and friend, Dr. John H. Watson who introduces the famous sleuth detective and narrates in all but four stories published as a series from 1887 to 1927. The stories take place from 1880 to 1914.

Heroe: Chris Kyle

It is estimated that there are 90 firearms for every 100 citizens of the United States. Just as the Constitution of the United States is unique among the nations of the world and the history of civilization, the right to keep and bear arms is one of the things that makes Americans stand out internationally. Of course, with that right and those liberties comes responsibility, just as freedom of choice comes with responsibility of accepting the result of one's individual choice.

American Gun is a newly published book that provides detailed information of the ten firearms that made it big in the history of the United States and its constitutional amendment that guarantees that right. 

Theodore Roosevelt: Naturalist and Outdoorsman

If you had known Theodore Roosevelt as a child, sickly and suffering from asthma and poor eyesight, one could never imagine him growing up to be come a proficient big-game hunter, outdoorsman, leader of a military unit, to become the 26^th President of the United States. He was also an accomplished author, his best known work being The Winning of the West, published in four volumes. He was a charismatic man that gained the love of the public, who stated upon his departure from the White House at the end of his presidency:

I do not believe that anyone else has every enjoyed the White House as much as I have.

Nicknamed “Teddy”, a stuffed toy bear was named for him by a toymaker after a cartoonist portrayed Roosevelt with a bear cub. 

Texas Rangers: Samuel Hamilton Walker and His Famous Pistol

In the Hall of Fame Memorial of Texas Rangers are 30 Texas Rangers who died in the line of duty or made significant contributions of service.

Captain Samuel H. Walker

Among them was Samuel Hamilton Walker, who folks called “Sam”, who lived from 1815 to 1847. Captain Samuel Walker became immortal because of a revolver produced by Samuel Colt in his honor. He was not just a Texas Ranger, but a military officer of the Republic of Texas, serving in several armed conflicts that included the American Indian Wars and the Mexican-American wars.

Born on February 24, 1815 at Toaping Castle in Maryland, he was the fifth of seven children.

Walker arrived in Texas in 1842 and took part in the defense against the Mexican invasion led by General Adrian Woll. Later he joined the Texas Rangers in 1844 under the command of Captain John Coffee Hays. 

Famous Warriors: Ragnar Lodbrok and Lagertha

The popular History channel historical series, Vikings is closing to its second season and will continue to a third season. An Canadian-Irish production it has proved to be a great historical drama based upon what scholars and historians have learned about Nordic culture and depicts many points of historical truths and showing how Denmark became the centralized kingdom for all Nordic tribes scattered throughout Scandinavia.

Ian Fleming: Creator of James Bond, 007

Ian Fleming 1954

Ian Fleming (1908-1964) was the novelist who created the world famous James Bond.

The series of novels and short stories began in 1953 with the novel Casino Royale. He continued the adventures of British Secret Service agenda, 007, in twelve novels and two collections of short stories, all written from his estate in Jamaica he named Goldeneye. Two of his books were published after his death in 1964. Since his death, several authors have written continuing works. Ian Fleming Publications were copyright holders and kept the novels and short stories going.

Fleming was born in London, England on May 28, 1908; one of four sons, growing up in an affluent and influential family. His father, Valentine Fleming, served in Parliament before fighting in World War I. Fleming was nine years old when his father died in combat.

Heroes: John G.B. Adams

John G.B. Adams

John Gregory Bishop Adams (1841-1900), born in Groveland, Massachusetts, enlisted as a private when the Civil War started in the 19^th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. When the unit departed he obtained the rank of corporal in Company A. He served with the 19^th in the Peninsula Campaign and the Battle of Antietam. He was given a field commission as Second Lieutenant in Company I and one of 18 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for valor at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Adams recovered the regimental and national colors as a corporal and a lieutenant carrying them fell, mortally wounded. With a flag in each hand, he advanced and the regiment was reformed on him. He was one of seven soldiers of the 19^th Regiment to receive the Medal of Honor during the war.

Theodore Roosevelt: Hunter and Outdoorsman

Theodore Roosevelt was a dynamic person, whether he was a colonel leading the Rough Riders, a hunter and adventurer, or the President of the United States. The following is taken from the Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt, an excerpt where he is found to be deserted by his mountain guide, but continues the hunt regardless …

...the only narrow escape I met with was not from one of these dangerous African animals, but from a grizzly bear. It was about twenty-four years ago. I had wounded the bear just at sunset, in a wood of lodge-pole pines, and, following him, I wounded him again, as he stood on the other side of a thicket. He then charged through the brush, coming with such speed and with such an irregular gait that, try as I would, I was not able to get the sight of the rifle on the brain-pan, though I hit him very hard with both the remaining barrels of my magazine Winchester.

Heroes: Joe Foss

Joseph Jacob “Joe” Foss [April 17, 1915-January 1, 2003] was born and raised on a farm near Sioux Falls, South Dakota without electricity. His father was a strapping Norwegian and his mother was a petite Irish-Scottish woman who loved working outdoors on the farm. His mother inherited 40 acres and after his father married her, he bought an additional 80 acres.

At age 12, Foss visited a local airfield to see Charles Lindbergh on tour with his aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis. Four years later, he and his father took their first aircraft ride in a Ford Trimotor for $1.50 each with the famous Clyde Ice aviator, for which a local airfield would be named.

Heroes: Vernon Baker

Vernon Joseph Baker (1919-2010) was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor, belatedly bestowed by President Bill Clinton in 1997. He died in 2010 at the age of 90.

He was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming and after his parents died in a car accident he was raised with two sisters by their grandparents. His grandfather was a railroad worker in Cheyenne and taught Vernon how to hunt in order to help bring food to the table. Graduating from high school, he worked as a railroad porter, until his grandfather's death in 1939. He attempted to enlist in the US Army in April of 1941, but was turned down by the recruiter. Baker tried again with a different recruiter and was accepted, requesting to become a quartermaster, but was assigned to the infantry. After completing Officer Candidate School he was commissioned as second lieutenant on January 11, 1943.

Heroes: Gregory "Pappy" Boyington

Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was born on December 4, 1912 in Coeur d'Arlene, Idaho, growing up in the logging town of St. Maries, Idaho and in Tacoma, Washington. He joined ROTC while attending the University of Washington and later worked for Boeing as a draftsman and engineer. In 1935, transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve and accepted an appointment as an aviation cadet. He signed up using his biological father's name of Gregory Boyington, his mother being Sioux. He was then assigned to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. He was the first Native American to become a fighter pilot.

Heroes: Daniel Inouye

Daniel Inouye was born on September 7, 1924 (died December 17, 2012); a Nisei  Japanese American. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Inouye served as a medical volunteer. In 1943, the US Army dropped the ban of enlistment of Japanese Americans and Inouye dropped his premedical studies at the University of Hawaii, enlisting in the US Army. He volunteered for the Nisei 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, promoted to sergeant in one year, assigned as platoon sergeant. He served in Italy in 1944, promoted for his brave actions in the battle to relieve the Lost Battalion to First Lieutenant. While leading an attack, a bullet struck his chest just above his heart, stopped by two silver dollars in his shirt pocket. He continued to carry the coins as lucky charms until they were lost during a battle in which he lost his arm.

Heroes: Charles G. Abrell

Charles Abrell was born in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1931; attended school in Las Vegas, Nevada, enlisting in the US Marine Corps in August of 1948. After completing training at Parris Island, South Carolina, Abrell was assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, then the USS Noble and finally the 1^st Marine Division in Korea.

Awarded Medal of Honor posthumously by President Harry S. Truman to Corporal Abrell, Charles G. - Company E, 2d Battalion, 1^st Marine Division, USMC; Hangnyong, Korea, 10 June 1951.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a fire team leader in Company E, in action against enemy aggressor forces. While advancing with his platoon in an attack against well-concealed and heavily fortified enemy hill positions, Cpl. Abrell voluntarily rushed forward through the assaulting squad which was pinned down by a hail of intense and accurate automatic-weapons fire from a hostile bunker situated on commanding ground. Although previously wounded by enemy hand grenade fragments, he proceeded to carry out a bold, single-handed attack against the bunker, exhorting his comrades to follow him. Sustaining 2 additional wounds as he stormed toward the emplacement, he resolutely pulled the pin from a grenade clutched in his hand and hurled himself bodily into the bunker with the live missile still in his grasp. Fatally wounded in the resulting explosion which killed the entire enemy gun crew within the stronghold, Cpl. Abrell, by his valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death, served to inspire all his comrades and contributed directly to the success of his platoon in attaining its objective. His superb courage and heroic initiative sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Charles Abrell is buried in the West Lawn Cemetery in Farmersburg, Indiana.

Deadwood, South Dakota and Its Colorful Historical Characters

Deadwood, South Dakota is so named after the dead trees found in the gulch and name of the canyon. The Lakota Sioux call it Owáyasuta and it is today the county seat of Lawrence County. In the American Old West history, it is as famous as Dodge City and Tombstone.

Greatness of the Founders: An Objective Examination, Part 5

James Madison was the major architect of the Constitution and constructed the Bill of Rights, amendments to the Constitution, coauthor of The Federalist and who advocated religious liberty. He was the co-founder of the Democratic-Republican political party in the 1790s and the most important member of the first House of Representatives in 1789. He was Secretary of State to Jefferson's administration; and the fourth President of the United States. Yet compared to other Founders, especially Thomas Jefferson who was his close friend, he has not received as much accolade from historians.

Greatness of the Founders: An Objective Examination, Part 4

When people wrote about Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, they write him as the founder of American capitalism. Yet, in 1900 when that New York University established a Hall of Fame, Alexander Hamilton was honored by being the first person selected. Theodore Roosevelt was a fan of Hamilton and the first editor of the New Republic, Herbert Croly, called him – a sound thinker, the constructive statesman who sponsored a vigorous, positive, constructive national policy ...that implied a faith in the powers of an efficient government to advance the national interest. [The Promise of American Life, Herbert Croly, NY, 2002; p. 29 & p. 38]

Greatness of the Founders: An Objective Examination, Part 3

While Benjamin Franklin became a symbol of the ability to succeed in the United States rising from poverty to wealth, Thomas Jefferson became the symbol of the advocacy against tyranny, the principles of the Constitution, and the battle against oppression. He has been the most quoted of the Founders and scrutinized for his seeming hypocrisy that all are created equal and at the same time retaining slaves. The first person to write Jefferson's biography was James Parton, who wrote:

If Jefferson was wrong, America is wrong. If America is right, Jefferson was right. [The Jeffersonian Image in the American Mind, Merrill Peterson, Oxford University Press, 1960; p. 234]

Greatness of the Founders: An Objective Examination, Part 2

Benjamin Franklin was a man who wore many hats and contributed to the science of electricity and invention. For historians, he is a complex character who rose from obscure poverty to be among the great thinkers of the founding of a new nation. An artisan, he was a self-made man with little formal education and rose from poverty to wealth. Ordinary citizens identified with him because he was more in tune with common society than the other founding gentlemen, like Washington and Jefferson.