While LTC West may not be a 'hero' he was the senior man on the scene.
I do not condone letting soldiers beat a person, be it an enemy soldier or a spy but LTC West's personal action, IMO, do not merit the attention they have been getting.
So he fired a shot into the air, then held the barrel to the person's head, then fired a shot into the ground. Did he harm the person? NO.
LTC West is the type of officer I would want commanding me and my men. Did he think about the consequences when he acted in this manner?
I believe he did and counted the safety of the men under his command as worth more than the safety of his career.