War Heroes: True Stories of Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients [Hardcover]

Kent DeLong (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0275943097 | ISBN-13: 978-0275943097 | Edition: 1St Edition

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award given to American servicemen for valor in battle. Only slightly more than 200 recipients of the Medal of Honor are alive today. In this extraordinary book, 15 recipients tell the stories of the actions for which they received their awards. Heroes from the Marines, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force recount their stories of action in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Together, their stories present a definition of heroism in battle. Individually, they are fifteen profiles of the Hero. The stories, based on interviews with the recipients and written by Kent DeLong, the attending physician of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, are well-told and exciting. They present true examples of valor, courage, and sacrifice. But they are more than just stories. They are the oral history of significant moments in the life of our country.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book honors the men of our country who truly deserve the recognition of helping to make our nation free; men who were willing to sacrifice their own lives, many in the early years of their manhood, for the ideals of freedom. This book tells the exciting and incredible true stories of some of these great men who are the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor--the highest award given to American servicemen for valor in battle.”–J. Elliott Williams, President Congressional Medal of Honor Society

“This book is truly an accurate account of the deeds of war heroes, those special individuals who have performed so courageously on the battlefield.”–General William C. Westmoreland

About the Author

KENT DELONG is the attending physician of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers; 1St Edition edition (July 30, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275943097
• ISBN-13: 978-0275943097
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #785,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aristotle understood the mechanism of heroism, December 19, 2008

By 

Michael A Neulander "Political Philosophy" (VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: War Heroes: True Stories of Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients (Hardcover)

I read this book for a graduate seminar on Ethics. Many soldiers who have acted courageously and survived their ordeal, have either not been very forthcoming in communicating their courageous acts or had a difficult time explaining what motivated them to risk their lives. However Kent DeLong, who at the time of writing his book War Heroes, was the attending physician of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, conducted personal interviews with a few MOH recipients. One case in particular is the courageous actions of Major Patrick Henry Brady; a helicopter air ambulance pilot during the Vietnam War. When reflecting on his experience Brady said, "You don't think about the danger as much as you think about helping men who need you. In Vietnam, I was faced with a series of obstacles: enemy fire, terrain, or aircraft limitations. I worked my way through those obstacles and brought human beings to safety." Brady's quote sounds like a good definition of Aristotelian virtue ethics about courage. When one reads the myriad of MOH citations, one quickly finds that the vast majority of soldiers recognized by their nation to have acted courageously did so out of friendship and love of their comrades in arms. Thus, Aristotle believes that a soldier is not acting courageously when he is reacting to danger with a thoughtless or blind act of emotional anger or revenge.

I recommend this work to anyone interested in philosophy, and ethics.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing stories, June 24, 2003

By 

Robert (PETOSKEY, MI, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: War Heroes: True Stories of Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients (Hardcover)

If you have an interest in history, and most especially these amazing men who put so much on the line for thier friends and country. This is the book for you.
Facinating detailed stories of what these men did to recieve thier awards.
I just wish we in this country were a little more careful about how we use the word hero. Because after you read this book, it will be hard to think of a basketball player, or movie star as hero.
A fun read

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars War Heroes, December 26, 1999

By 

Camden Douglas (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: War Heroes: True Stories of Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients (Hardcover)

Very inspiring accounts of the actions of Medal of Honor Recipients. Easy to read and you don't want to put it down.