Legends.... What makes them?

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Legends? Well it depends on what kind of legends you are referring to.

If we talk about politicians who have become what one can call a legend, then the category was most likely attained by fraudulent means; possibly the finest example of prominent politicians who would fit into the category is Churchill himself. Wherever and whenever his words are quoted he is unavoidibly associated with justness and statesmanship. We know what sort of little thug he was in reality.

When talking about soldiers there are also several factors to be considered. As Primus correctly and sufficiently commented, all those who push beyond the limits of self-sacrifice. Nearly impossible to put it better.

There is also propaganda; all nations in a state of war, resort to propaganda. It applies for past conflicts just as it applies for the present day world.

It is true when said soldiers in the conflicts of the present day world have apparently lost any individuality to their governments in terms of propaganda. This is quite a significant change if we consider the events of world war two.
 

I disagree. Churchill held a nation together and pulled them through rough times. He was a tough leader but it was in times that required a tough leader.

When talking about soldiers there are also several factors to be considered. As Primus correctly and sufficiently commented, all those who push beyond the limits of self-sacrifice. Nearly impossible to put it better.

Udet said:
It is true when said soldiers in the conflicts of the present day world have apparently lost any individuality to their governments in terms of propaganda. This is quite a significant change if we consider the events of world war two.
Click to expand...

Can you please explain what you mean by this more?
 
Adler, with pleasure.

What i meant is that the soldiers who are in combat as we exchange viewpoints here, have been deprived by their governments of all individual value in terms of propaganda. When government leaders or military spokesmen broadcast their messages, they praise the whole armed branch or force for having accomplished the mission, and not a specific pilot or soldiers.

We do not get hear the name of some pilot who performed very well when flying to attack selected enemy targets anymore.

Of course the military has a time to award medals to their men, but that is to some extent a "private" ceremony, and not necessarily broadcasted to the people of the country.

My thoughts.
 
Ah I understand now what you are saying. It depends though on who you are talking about. If the soldier went above and beyond the call of duty they most certainly are recognized outside of the military and not just in a private ceremony. There is also the Home Town News Release which prints an artical in the soldiers home town newspaper so the whole town can know of the accomplishments.
 
The other thing to consider is that some of the guys who earn these decorations dont want to be publicized or famous ect ect... I hardly tell anyone what I used to do in the Navy.... U tell someone u were a SEAL and u get 2 responses:

They either kiss ur ass or call bullsh!t on u... Both responses are a waste of time...
 

Yep. And generally it's the ones who publicise their 'bravery' for the sake of wealth and greed that are the less accomplished. Here comes in the difference between Bravery and Bravado. A brave sergeant would protect his men to and past the front lines at all costs. A sergeant with bravado would rush in with all guns blazing and claim all the credit when half his men are dead.
If you know what I mean.
 
I know what u mean, and have seen it before... Usually those bravado types are the 1st ones to get hit...

I remember this one 3rd Class Petty Officer who was so gung ho and eager to earn his Trident, when he finally got deployed, he had an accidental firing and got sent to the fleet.... As a Boatswains Mate...

Admirals dont like it when a shotgun goes off in the Armory...
 
Now thats an understatement.

Teaching a dumb @ss Occifer Cadet to shoot the 9mm Browning High Power pistol.

Standing to his left coaching his stance when he gets a missfire.

Turns his whole body towards me still pulling the trigger repeatedly and saying "Corporal it won't fire."

Just once I got to deck an Officer. Range Warrant Officer reckoned he just fell over.
 


I remember a young private pointing his 9mm at me one day after a flight. He said it was unloaded. I had him put the thing in a clearing barrel and pull the trigger and what do you know: The thing fired off a round!
 
"It is fascinating to watch the reactions of the various pilots. They fall into two broad categories; those who are going out to shoot and those who secretly and desperately know they will be shot at, the hunters and the hunted. The majority of the pilots, once they have seen their name on the board, walk out to their Spitfires for a pre-flight check and for a word or two with their ground crews. They tie on their mae-wests, check their maps, study the weather forecast and have a last-minute chat with their leaders or wingmen. These are the hunters.

The hunted, that very small minority (although every squadron usually possessed at least one), turned to their escape kits and made quite sure that they were wearing the tunic with the silk maps sewn into a secret hiding-place; that they had at least one oilskin-covered packet of French francs, and two if possible; that they had a compass and a revolver and sometimes specially made clothes to assist their activities once they were shot down. When they went through these agonized preparations they reminded me of aged countrywomen meticulously checking their shopping- lists before catching the bus for the market town."

Johnnie Johnson
 
Actually, to get back on topic, the last Legend I've remembererd would have to be CMC Rudy Boesch, SEAL Team Plank Owner...

I met him several times in the late 80's early 90's, and that mans legend preceeded him by about 300 yards... The stuff I've heard about him makes u wonder at ur own abilites, and how meager and unresourceful u really are...

Any other Legends that have arisen in the last 15 or so years????
 
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