The story of a real American hero

These days we seem to be fading back to that pre-9/11 habit of calling everyone from athletes to minor do-gooders, heroes. My definition of a true hero is someone who knowingly puts his or her safety or life on the line to help others. And so, when I read in "The New York Times" about the death of Medal of Honor winner James Hendrix, I thought to myself, that guy defines the term.

It was June of 1944, World War II. U.S. forces surrounded and under fire, at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. In one day, then Private Hendrix, 5'6", 125 pounds, single-handedly captured 13 German soldiers, two of them in hand-to-hand combat, helped rescue two wounded American soldiers by silencing German machine gun positions, then helped another trapped in a burning armored vehicle while under fire.

Hendrix was quoted a year later saying "I wasn't being brave and if I had ever heard of the Medal of Honor, I didn't pay it no mind. A feller just figures, if it's his time, it's his time."

Well, you don't have to premeditate bravery and so today, I want to salute and thanks James Hendrix, one of the many men who fought for my freedom before I was even born.

Medal of Honor Citation:

HENDRIX, JAMES R.

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company C, 53d Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division. Place and date: Near Assenois, Belgium, 26 December 1944. Entered service at: Lepanto, Ark. Birth: Lepanto, Ark. G.O. No.: 74, 1 September 1945. Citation: On the night of 26 December 1944, near Assenois, Belgium, he was with the leading element engaged in the final thrust to break through to the besieged garrison at Bastogne when halted by a fierce combination of artillery and small arms fire. He dismounted from his half-track and advanced against two 88mm. guns, and, by the ferocity of his rifle fire, compelled the guncrews to take cover and then to surrender. Later in the attack he again left his vehicle, voluntarily, to aid 2 wounded soldiers, helpless and exposed to intense machinegun fire. Effectively silencing 2 hostile machineguns, he held off the enemy by his own fire until the wounded men were evacuated. Pvt. Hendrix again distinguished himself when he hastened to the aid of still another soldier who was trapped in a burning half-track. Braving enemy sniper fire and exploding mines and ammunition in the vehicle, he extricated the wounded man and extinguished his flaming clothing, thereby saving the life of his fellow soldier. Pvt. Hendrix, by his superb courage and heroism, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service.

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