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About This Quiz
America has produced a lot of war heroes, men and women who acted above and beyond the call of duty. Some are heralded, while others are relatively unsung. How much do you know about them?
Where did Wesley L. Fox's actions warrant his Medal of Honor?
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Operation Dewey Canyon in Quang Tri Province
In Operation Dewey Canyon, a massive firefight resulted in Fox's commanding officer being killed. Fox took command, and lead his men to victory, calmly communicating while crossing through areas of intense fire.
The Battle of Antietam
The Somme
What was John Stark responsible for?
Preventing the White Walkers from invading the south
Stopping the British from landing their ships
Stopping the English from flanking Patriots at The Battle of Bunker Hill
John Stark was a farmer who raised a militia and stormed into Boston as the battle was hot. He spotted a gap in the Patriots' defensive line and moved in, keeping the British away, ensuring victory.
Stopping aliens from invading New York with his high tech armor
What was the name of the ill-fated fort a young George Washington built, resulting in the deaths of nearly all his men?
Fort Necessity
By building Fort Necessity within bow range of the treeline, he effectively created a fort that the Native Americans he was fighting could shoot at from cover, without fear of retaliatory fire. Naturally, everything went wrong for him, and this memory haunted him. It is mentioned by the character George Washington in the musical Hamilton.
Fort Washington
Fort Regiment
Fort Ticonderoga
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What was the nickname of the POW camp where Senator John McCain was held?
The Hanoi Hilton
The Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi was where Senator John McCain was taken after his bomber was shot down, and he was pulled from the wreckage and severely beaten. At this prison, POWs were routinely tortured and forced to make false statements, often not coming out of the prisons for years.
The Ho Chi Minh Marriot
The Hai Phong Hyatt
The Can Tho Motel 6
What was Daniel Morgan's nickname, and how did he get it?
"Old Wagoner" because he transported supplies in the French-Indian War
"Big Wagoner" was the nickname of this former brawler who would have had fun in MMA, if you were allowed to do finger locks.
"Big Bomber" because he was known for a battle in which he threw a ton of grenades
"Street Brawler" because he used to get into no holds barred fights for fun
"Sharp" because of his skill with a rifle
What did Anthony Wayne's teachers see in him?
They thought he'd be a great academic because he was very studious
They thought he'd be a loyalist because of his love of King and Country
They thought he'd be a good soldier because he organized children for play-battles
Anthony Wayne did indeed become a soldier, and was part of the dubious invasion of Canada.
They thought he'd be an author because he wrote extensively on fiscal policy
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What did Benedict Arnold do that was heroic?
He fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill
He took a bullet meant for George Washington
At the Battle of Saratoga, Arnold and his forces won a victory against all odds
At the Battle of Saratoga, Arnold and his men had been under the impression that they would have reinforcements, but did not get them. After a night of rabble-rousing (and quite likely a lot of drinking) Arnold led his men to attack the British. They won. Arnold and his horse were struck by shot and a cannonball, breaking Arnold's leg and giving him a limp for the rest of his life. Lord Germaine, the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies called Arnold “the most enterprising and dangerous†of all the American generals.
He freed his slaves
What object sits beside the tomb of Benedict Arnold?
A sword
A musket
An aquarium full of exotic fish
Pay a visit to St. Mary’s of Battersea, a church well off the beaten path in London, and if you call ahead you can visit the crypt where Arnold is entombed. The crypt is sort of a community room, and photos found online show an aquarium full of fish sitting beside his tomb, with a sign indicating that the water aerator needs to be kept plugged in.
A statue of Washington
What did Kyle Carpenter do to warrant the Medal of Honor?
He threw his body on a grenade to keep it from killing his comrades
Kyle Carpenter was on a rooftop with another soldier when a grenade was tossed onto it beside them. Without thinking he threw his body onto it, absorbing the blast, and ensuring that no one would die from the grenade except for him. His brothers in arms ensured he didn't die either, evacuating him. He later received the Medal of Honor from President Obama.
He charged an enemy machine gun emplacement singlehanded
He jumped off a building into a Jeep full of Taliban fighters whom he killed in hand to hand combat
He put his vehicle between an IED and other soldiers to protect them from the blast
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What did Ty Carter do to warrant getting the Medal of Honor?
He risked his life to rescue a fallen comrade
In the midst of battle with the Taliban, Carter ran into a hail of bullets without his weapon in order to carry a wounded comrade out, which he managed to do, saving his life.
He crashed a vehicle through a minefield to clear an escape route for his men
He fought a Taliban squad in close combat, single-handed
He threw his body and his helmet onto a live grenade
What did Jason Dunham do to warrant receiving the Medal of Honor?
He threw his body and his helmet onto a live grenade
Jason Dunham died when he threw his body onto a grenade, covering the explosive with his helmet in an attempt to contain the blast. At a checkpoint on the Syrian border, a driver got into hand to hand combat with him pulling the pin on a grenade in a suicidal last ditch. Dunham saved at least two Marines from the blast.
He charged a sniper's nest, taking three shots to the abdomen before killing the sniper
He led his men out of an ambush by Taliban fighters
He rescued POWs from a Taliban prison camp
What did Salvatore Giunta say when, at his Medal of Honor ceremony, he was called a hero?
“If I’m a hero, every man that stands around me, every woman in the military, everyone who goes into the unknown, is a hero.â€
Indeed, this is what he said to the Christian Science Monitor. “So if you think that’s a hero – as long as you include everyone with me," he concluded.
"Anyone who sticks their neck out for their brothers and sisters is a hero."
"If you think I'm a hero, then you'd better include the men and women I fought alongside, since they're every bit as brave and loyal and committed as I am."
"What, me worry?"
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What did Dakota Meyer say about his heroics, the time his unit was ambushed by more than fifty Taliban fighters?
“I was a failure. My guys died. That was my whole team.â€
Dakota Meyer's words to CNN were heartbreaking. When the rest of his unit was separated from him by an ambush, he disobeyed orders to evacuate and, wounded, charged in with a machine gun, first pulling out his Afghan allies, and later the bodies of his men, all of whom died.
"I only wish I could have been faster. I feel like a failure."
"I'm no hero. I failed my men. They were the only thing I cared about."
"I'm awesome! Gimme some bling, Mr. President!"
After the evacuation of Firebase 6, how many days did Brian Thacker elude capture, so American and South Vietnamese forces could recapture the base?
8 days
After leading a crazy-brave defense of Firebase 6, directing action from an exposed viewpoint and taking Viet Cong fighters on in hand to hand combat, Brian Thacker ordered the evacuation of the base, staying behind alone to hold off the vastly numerically superior enemy with just one M-16. While the enemy approached with the rocket launchers, flamethrowers, machine guns, and grenades they used to penetrate the base's defenses, Thacker ordered friendly fire on his position to further stymie the enemy. Somehow, he survived and escaped, laying low until the base was recaptured. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor, obviously.
1 Week
A fortnight
A weekend
What actions garnered Melvin Morris the Medal of Honor?
Morris stopped an assault on his firebase by calling in an air strike on his own position
Morris's men were pinned down behind enemy lines. Charging the enemy position, Morris emptied his machine gun into the bunker where the enemy fighters were, killing them
With his men pinned down behind enemy lines, Morris charged the enemy position, dropping hand grenades on the enemy, wiping out all the opposition
On September 17, 1969, Morris used a bag of grenades to blow up a row of bunkers that were keeping his battalion pinned down.
He warned everyone in the mess that the beans would give them dysentery
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How was Michael Murphy's Medal of Honor awarded?
On a weekend
At Walter Reade
After he retired
Posthumously
Navy SEAL Michael Murphy and his men were ambushed and pinned down by Taliban fighters. He took multiple rounds as he calmly radioed for help, returning fire thereafter until he succumbed to his wounds.
Did the presence of Ryan Pitts turn the tide of battle?
Yes
The official report of the assault on Wanat, Afghanistan is that the presence of Ryan Pitts turned the tide of battle.
No
We'll never know
Maybe
In what war did Robert Blume earn the Medal of Honor?
The Spanish-American War
Aboard the U.S.S. Nashville during the cutting of the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, in 1898, Seaman Blume "set an example" through his coolness and bravery.
The Vietnam War
World War II
The Civil War
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Who was the most decorated American officer of World War 2?
Matt Urban
Matt Urban's Medal of Honor citation notes ten–yes, ten!–examples of bravery above and beyond the call of duty. Urban was wounded seven times over the course of seven campaigns. He seemed to "come back from the dead" so often, among the enemy he earned the nickname "The Ghost".
Charles Coward
"Mad Jack" Churchill
Bhanbhagta Gurung
Who was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor?
Jacob Parrott
Jacob Parrott was one of six men awarded the medal of honor thirty years after their actions in "The Great Locomotive Chase" in April 1862. His actions, taken well before the Civil War in the far-off land of what would become Arizona, earned him and his comrades the first Medals of Honor.
Jacob Parot
Jacob Perot
Jake Parrot
Who was the second generation of the first father and son Medal of Honor awardees?
Douglas McArthur
General Douglas McArthur and his father, the eccentrically named Arthur MacArthur, Jr., were both awarded the Medal of Honor.
Seymour W. Terry
Clyde Thomason
Stanley T. Adams
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What army did Medal of Honor recipient Alvin Cullum York fight against?
The Germans
Alvin Cullum York fought against the Germans in World War I.
The Viet Cong
The CSA
The Taliban
About what important fact did Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy lie?
His actions in combat
His allegience
His combat-readiness
His age
Audie Murphy lied about his age so he could enlist in World War 2. Sent to the Mediterranean theater, he became one of the most decorated soldiers in the war.
Why did most consider Nathanael Greene a poor bet for being a soldier?
He was blind in one eye and had tremors
He was an asthmatic Quaker with a limp
Nathanael Greene was an unlikely soldier, but with the help of a bookseller friend, he amassed a collection of books on military strategy and tactics and used them to impress Washington, convincing him to put Greene in charge, despite his physical shortcomings and pacifist leanings.
He had a deformed left arm and spina bifida
He was effete
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Who transported the canon from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, for the Siege of Boston?
Sam Adams
Henry Knox
Henry Knox was a young, tough man with no military training when Washington spotted him, putting important tasks in his hands rather than those of more experienced or educated officers.
Alexander Hamilton
Roy Rogers
What foreign citizenship did Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg renounce to become a US serviceman?
French
Florent Groberg was born in France, and moved to the US, where he renounced his citizenship to join the US military.
Israeli
Iraqi
Canadian
As of March, 2016, who are the remaining medal of honor recipients still on duty?
Ryan M. Pitts and Kyle White
Edward Byers and William D. Swenson
By March 2016 the only remaining Medal of Honor recipients still on active duty were Edward Byers and William D. Swenson.
Leroy Petry and Dakota Meyer
Florent Groberg and Salvatore Giunta
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What prompted the medal of honor for Charles H. Coolidge?
Holding off a German assault with only small arms and hand grenades
Charles H. Coolidge and his unit held a position against a German advance, in which the Germans had many more men, several tanks, and more powerful weaponry. Charles H. Coolidge himself was targeted by the tanks several times. For his acts above and beyond the call of duty, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
He just looked so good in his uniform...
He ended a Japanese artillery bombardment by infiltrating the enemy lines and killing the enemy in their sleep
He used a flamethrower to clear an enemy machine gun nest, while on fire
What was former Senator John Kerry's highest military award?
The Silver Star
The silver-haired politician was awarded the silver star for an incident whereupon he charged a Vietcong soldier wielding a rocket launcher, killing the other soldier and capturing his ordinance, saving dozens of his men.
The Bronze Star
Nothing
The Medal of Honor
What was Theodore Roosevelt's famous military accomplishment?
He led the Rough Riders at the Battle of Las Guasimas and the Battle of San Juan Heights
He led the Rough Riders at the Battle of Los Hijos he Battle of San Juan Hill
He led the Buff Riders at the Battle of Las Bonitas and the Battle of San Bernadino
He led the Rough Riders at the Battle of Las Guasimas and the Battle of San Juan Heights
T. R. made his name in the battles of Las Guasimas and San Juan Heights, before being elected Vice President.
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Who was the Commander in Chief of the American Army in France?
John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing was one of the voices speaking out against the Treaty at Versailles and was the only American to be promoted to the rank of General of the Armies in his lifetime.
Tommy Atkins
John Baker
Joseph Theodore Adkinson
Who was Virginia Hall?
An intelligence analyst
A spy
Virginia Hall was an American spy who spent the first half of the war as a spy, ducking in and out of Nazi territory, training the French Resistance, and dodging the Nazis, all while hobbling around on a prosthetic leg.
An assassin
A Nazi turncoat
Who was it who aided soldiers scrambling ashore on D-Day, then showed his leadership skills by organizing the forces and summoning them by radio?
Carlton W. Barrett
Carlton W. Barrett helped turn the ride of D-Day and potentially, the war. He was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Jesus DeSuza
Phillip X. Tunderson
John P. Rogers
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What was the name of the hero who organized a force on D-Day under intense enemy fire, then ran through exposed terrain to direct tank fire, only to be surrounded and killed by German forces?
Jimmie W. Monteith, Jr.
Jimmie. W, Monteith was awarded the Metal of Honor for his actions on D-Day.
James P, Wonteith, Jr.
Jimmie W. Monteith, Sr.
Jacob Borenstein
What was General William Eaton known for?
The resurrection of the USMC, which continues to exist to this day
While he is best known for reviving the Marine Corps, all of these facts are technically true. General Eaton was a diplomat in North Africa when the prince governing Tripoli, then a Barbary State surviving through piracy, took three hundred American sailors hostage. He asked the President for a small group of men to be trained as Marines, a military specialty that he had encountered during the Revolutionary War. With them and an army of mercenaries, armed with a pistol and a scimitar, General Eaton took Derna, the heavily fortified second city of Tripoli.
Whipping a corrupt middle eastern politician in the street
Having a personal beef with President Jefferson
Drinking himself to death by the age of forty
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