“Hoss” from Bonanza was a Real Life War Hero

gunsamerica.com ^ | 12/31/2022 | Will Dabbs

[rktman]

While in college Blocker parlayed his immense size into jobs as both a rodeo performer and a bouncer in a bar. Despite his intimidating habitus, friends described him as good-natured and soft-hearted. Upon his graduation from college in 1950 Blocker received a letter from Uncle Sam.

Blocker landed at Inchon and by Christmas was in the thick of the fighting. In short order, he found himself near Chorwon in what is today North Korea. The series of fortifications that Blocker’s regiment manned was called the Jamestown Line. He remained in combat for 209 days.

SGT Blocker was wounded rescuing his men under fire. He was credited with saving the lives of several members of his unit during combat. At a time when most Chinese attacks occurred at night, Blocker and his men fought gallantly against the infiltrating Communist hordes.

Blocker’s 179th Infantry Regiment was taken off the line in July of 1952. Only then was SGT Blocker finally evacuated to a hospital. The Thunderbirds went into reserve, and by the end of the summer Blocker was headed home. When he left the Army he had been awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze campaign stars, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean War Service Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

[rktman]

Just a little something some of us may or may not have known. Thanks Hoss.

[Gay State Conservative]

OK....well worth knowing! He certainly sacrificed more for this country than BillyBob,Osama Obama or The Big Guy have. And much more than I have.

But it's my understanding that he became just another showbiz liberal.

[real saxophonist]

Thanks for posting. His son Dirk Blocker was in “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, and also “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”.

[NWFree]

Lorne Greene fought the cylons

[GrootheWanderer]

By all accounts, he was regular family man who just happened to make his living in showbiz. He was good with his fans and when working but not in front of the camera would hang out with the crew.

[rktman]

Not sure what happens to some folks? Guilt from success?

[real saxophonist]

8~)

[Da Coyote]

It’s good to know that Dan Blocker was just as good in person as he was on the tube.

[real saxophonist]

Dan died really young, too. Only 43.

[M Kehoe]

Blocker bump.

5.56mm

[Leaning Right]

> But it’s my understanding that he became just another showbiz liberal. <

If so, he gets a pass from me. Most show biz liberals are wormy little things (yes, Steven Colbert, I’m talking about folks like you).

However, many folks who saw the horrors of war came back as liberals. Tony Bennett is a good example of this. Bennett was involved in serious house-to-house fighting as the Allies moved into Germany. I guess he felt that liberals were more likely to prevent future wars.

That belief is quite wrong. But it is understandable.

[R_Kangel]

Thanx for posting.

..... I have known his son Dirk for many years .... Even at his age he still tears up when talking about some of the fond memories of his dad.

[imardmd1]

Thanks for this minutiae of a well-known and loved Fifties and Sixties TV actor! Appreciate your effort to bring something warming to the heart in this time of troubles. I was trained in the NYARNG by veterans of WWII and Korea. At those times, the true heroes were TNTC (too numerous to count). They’re pretty much all gone, now. Even the Vietnam guys are dwindling.

[Chode]

RIP

got to meet him at the track way back when he was campaigning his Vinegaroon Can/Am car, good man.

[rktman]

You are welcome. I thought something nice would be a good thing. For a change.

[Gay State Conservative]

Yes,his service in Korea is a huge plus to me. But I would have preferred that he turn out more like Clint Eastwood in “Gran Turino” (a really good film).

[Round Earther]

From all accounts, Dan Blocker was a solid Texas hero and great American.

[whitney69]

“But it’s my understanding that he became just another showbiz liberal.”

“Blocker, a liberal Democrat was among Hollywood celebrities who supported Pat Brown’s re-election in 1966 as governor of California against Ronald Reagan. In 1968, Blocker backed then-U.S. Senator Eugene J. McCarthy of Minnesota for the Democratic presidential nomination. Blocker later supported the eventual Democratic Party nominee, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, also of Minnesota, for the presidency against the Republican Richard M. Nixon.”

But by supporting, I can find no entries that say he openly campaigned for anyone except by saying his support. Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts were both ultra liberal but it appears Blocker kept it to himself most of the time. But just because I can’t find it, doesn’t erase the possibility.

wy69

[odawg]

Although the character he played was certainly non-professional, he was the only one on the show who had a college degree.

[fidelis]

“Blocker, a liberal Democrat was among Hollywood celebrities who supported Pat Brown’s re-election in 1966 as governor of California against Ronald Reagan. In 1968, Blocker backed then-U.S. Senator Eugene J. McCarthy of Minnesota for the Democratic presidential nomination. Blocker later supported the eventual Democratic Party nominee, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, also of Minnesota, for the presidency against the Republican Richard M. Nixon.”

Being a liberal in those days was a far cry from those that call themselves liberal today. A lot of older libs are like that: stuck in the 60's; they think Democrats are still the party of JFK.