Today marks two milestones in America's proud military heritage; you'll see both noted in today's History post, but I thought it was worth giving some attention to -

Eddie Rickenbacker
On this day in 1890, in Columbus, OH, Edward Rickenbacher was born. Later adding the middle name "Vernon," and changing the spelling of his last name, Rickenbacker was the third of eight children; his parents were Swiss immigrants. In order to support his family, Eddie lied about his age to be able to work. After a series of jobs that left him unhappy and unfulfilled, Rickenbacker finally began work in an auto company, eventually entering the world of auto racing. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in May, 1917.

Initially assigned as staff driver for General John Pershing, Eddie eventually got some high-ranking AEF friends to pull some strings, and he enlisted in the Air Corps. He was assigned to the 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron, the first all-American air squadron to see combat. It was the start of a career that would end with him becoming the USA's first "Flying Ace." By the end of WWI, Rickenbacker had scored 69 air victories, with the last occuring just one day before the war ended.

During WWII, Eddie toured US Army Air Corps training bases to bolster morale, impress pilots with the seriousness of their mission, and secretly examine the bases and training pilots received. His close connection with the world of auto racing continued, as did his love of aviation - Eddie and a flying buddy founded what would become Eastern Airlines.

To read more about Eddie Rickenbacker, click here.

Sergeant York
Alvin York's life began unremarkably - there was certainly nothing to indicate that he would eventually be referrred to as "the war’s biggest hero" (New York Times), or "the greatest civilian soldier" of World War I (General John J. Pershing). He was born in a one-room cabin on December 13, 1887, in Pall Mall, Tennessee, the third of eleven children. He earned a reputation as a hell-raiser, gambler, and drinker. All that changed one night when he was confronted by his mother one evening, asking him "Alvin, when are you going to be a man like your father and your grandfathers?" He stated that he never drank, gambled, or cussed since then.

In 1915, York says he was "saved" by the preaching of a local evangelist; in fact, he took his newfound faith so seriously that he quickly rose to become a church elder. When he was drafted, York faced a serious inner conflict - he even wrote "I don’t want to fight" on his draft form. He attempted to be exempted from the draft, but it failed. After "two whole days and a night" of prayer, York eventually decided that God would allow him to "answer the call of my country."

By the time his unit arrived in the Argonne Forest in October of 1918, York was a corporal. Although credited with the single-handed capture of more than 100 Germans, and the killing of several dozen more, York never claimed to have acted alone. And while the story was exaggerated, the reality is still the stuff of heroes.

On October 8, 1918, the plan was for York’s men to advance across a valley and take the two hills on the other side. But the Germans were dug into the hills with machine guns and one heck of a view of that valley. York and the other squad commanders knew that advancing across that valley with their limited number of men wasn't going to work - after all, there were only 17 of them. They decided to attempt a sneak attack from the rear, advancing around the German flank.

They surprised the Germans, but the machine guns took out nine men, including an officer. Corporal York, an expert shot, was now in charge.

According to York, "(T)hose machine guns were spitting fire and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful…. I didn’t have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush, I didn’t even have time to kneel or lie down…. As soon as the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them."

York killed so many Germans that a German Major, who had already been captured, reportedly told York, "If you don’t shoot any more I’ll make them surrender."

At that point, Corporal York and his remaining seven men walked their more than 80 prisoners back to American lines - York with his pistol to the German Major's back. Along the way, York made the Major give the surrender order to other enemy troops they met, and the line had grown to 132 by the time they reached the American lines.

York was given the Medal of Honor, and was also promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

After he got home, he was much in demand from people wanting his endorsement. York, who was not seeking celebrity, and in fact downplayed his actions in Argonne, felt that to do so would be "selling his uniform."

Read more about Sgt. Alvin York here and here.