The commander of the US 9th Army in the Second World War, William Hood Simpson was very popular with his men, fellow officers and allies, gaining accolades from such men as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery.

On of the first American heroes of the Second World War, “Dorie” Miller was a mess steward who took one of the anti-aircraft guns of the USS West Virginia during the attack on Pearl Harbor, his actions making him the first black sailor to receive the Navy Cross.