Dusting the Trophy Cabinet – Military Heroes You May Not Have Heard Of

Beyond the familiar names etched into the monuments of American history, there are countless U.S. military heroes whose extraordinary courage has remained largely in the shadows. These are the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines whose stories of valor, though less known, are no less vital to the fabric of the nation's story. Remembering these unsung heroes is essential to fully appreciate the depth of sacrifice made in the name of freedom. Here are the stories of some American military heroes you may not know but never should forget.

Doris "Dorie" Miller - The Pearl Harbor Messman Who Became a Hero

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Doris Miller was serving as a Mess Attendant, Third Class, aboard the USS West Virginia. As a Black man in the then-segregated U.S. Navy, his duties were confined to tasks like laundry and serving in the mess hall; he was not trained in combat. When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began, torpedoes slammed into his ship, and Miller's captain was mortally wounded on the bridge.

Ignoring the chaos and flames, Miller first carried his wounded captain to a safer location. Then, despite having no training, he manned a .50-caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine gun and began firing at the attacking planes.  "It wasn't hard," he later recalled. "I just pulled the trigger, and she worked fine." He is credited with shooting down at least two, and possibly as many as six, enemy aircraft before being ordered to abandon ship. For his actions, which went far beyond the call of duty, Miller became the first African American to be awarded the Navy Cross, the third-highest honor for valor. His heroism became a symbol for the Civil Rights movement, but he was tragically killed in action in 1943.

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker - The Civil War Surgeon and Only Female Medal of Honor Recipient

A true pioneer of her time, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a force of nature; a skilled surgeon, a fervent abolitionist, and a tireless advocate for women's rights who shattered the conventions of the 19th century. When the Civil War erupted, she journeyed to Washington D.C. to offer her medical skills to the Union Army. Denied a commission as a medical officer due to her gender, Walker refused to be deterred. She served instead as an unpaid volunteer surgeon on the front lines, treating wounded soldiers at major battles like Fredericksburg and Chickamauga and often crossing enemy lines to care for civilians.

In 1864, her dangerous work led to her capture by Confederate troops, and she was held for four months as a prisoner of war in Richmond, Virginia. In recognition of her unparalleled bravery and meritorious service, she was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865, making her the only woman in U.S. history to receive the nation's highest military decoration. In a controversial 1917 review, her medal was rescinded along with over 900 others. However, Walker defiantly wore it every day until her death. Her honor was officially and posthumously restored in 1977, forever cementing the legacy of a woman who served her country with unmatched courage and conviction.

Henry Johnson - The One-Man Army of the Harlem Hellfighters

Private Henry Johnson was a member of the 369th Infantry Regiment, an all-Black unit better known as the "Harlem Hellfighters." Because of segregation, the unit was assigned to fight with the French Army in World War I. On the night of May 15, 1918, while on sentry duty in the Argonne Forest, Johnson and a fellow soldier were attacked by a German raiding party of at least 12 men.

When his rifle jammed, Johnson used it as a club. Wounded multiple times by gunfire and grenades, he saw the Germans attempting to drag his injured comrade away. Armed with only a bolo knife, Johnson charged the enemy, fighting in savage hand-to-hand combat to rescue his friend. He killed four Germans and wounded several others, causing the rest of the raiding party to retreat. Despite sustaining 21 different wounds, he had single-handedly prevented a German capture and secured a major intelligence victory for the Allies. The French awarded him the Croix de Guerre avec Palme, their highest honor for bravery. Yet, due to racial prejudice, he received no American medals in his lifetime. It wasn't until 2015 that his incredible valor was finally recognized with a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Tibor Rubin - The Holocaust Survivor Who Became an American Hero

Tibor "Ted" Rubin's story is one of impossible resilience. A Hungarian Jew, he survived 14 months in the Mauthausen concentration camp as a teenager during the Holocaust. After being liberated by American soldiers, he vowed to repay them by joining the U.S. Army. During the Korean War, Corporal Rubin's heroism was twofold.

First, in combat, he single-handedly defended a hill for 24 hours against waves of North Korean soldiers, allowing his company to retreat safely. Later, after being captured, he was sent to a Chinese prisoner of war camp. There, despite the immense danger, Rubin drew upon his horrific experiences in the Holocaust to help his fellow soldiers survive. He would sneak out of the camp at night to steal food from enemy storehouses, distributing it among the sick and starving. His actions are credited with saving the lives of as many as 40 fellow POWs. For years, his commanding officer's anti-Semitic prejudice prevented his heroism from being recognized. Finally, in 2005, Tibor Rubin was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery both on the battlefield and in the brutal confines of the POW camp.

Alwyn Cashe - A Hero's Ultimate Sacrifice in Iraq

On October 17, 2005, in Salah ad Din Province, Iraq, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, causing it to burst into flames. Soaked in fuel himself, Cashe immediately exited the vehicle and began pulling his soldiers from the burning wreck.

Despite being engulfed in flames, he returned to the inferno again and again, his uniform melting away as he refused to stop until every one of his men was out. He suffered burns over more than 70% of his body but showed no regard for his own life, focusing only on his soldiers. Once they were evacuated, his first words were, "How are my boys?" Sergeant Cashe succumbed to his wounds three weeks later. For his astonishing bravery and selfless sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2021, becoming the first Black service member to receive the award for actions in the Global War on Terror.

‍