This is going a different direction than I thought, from the title of the thread. I was thinking 'badass' as 'evil' rather than as 'tough'.

So what came to my mind was Tamerlane, an evil warlord from Central Asia in the 14th-15th Centuries, who isn't mentioned much these days. Here's a decent link for any who may be interested.

Larry Hoover. CPD SIG knows who he is.

This is an older thread.
Worth a bump!

^^^ You’re bumping an almost 5 y/o thread just to say that and has no contribution to the topic at hand? Thumbs down, my friend.

Oh, my contribution: My dad.

Jan Sigurd Baalsrud

I read this book last summer (Amazon) -

We Die Alone

Wiki

Brief summary of his almost unbelievable tale of survival -

During World War II, Norwegian commando Jan Baalsrud famously amputated his own frostbitten toes in 1943 to survive a harrowing escape from the Nazis. Trapped alone in a snowy cave, he used a pocket knife to perform the surgery and stop the spread of gangrene, ultimately evading capture.

The Arctic Escape of Jan Baalsrud

In March 1943, Norwegian resistance fighter Jan Baalsrud and his sabotage team were ambushed by a German naval vessel in the Ullsfjord. Forced to swim for his life in freezing, icy waters and subsequently buried by an avalanche, Baalsrud spent the next nine weeks enduring unimaginable conditions.

His feet became severely frostbitten and turned solid. Entombing himself in snow and wandering alone in caves, he realized that gangrene was setting in on his left foot and threatening the rest of his body.

The Operation: Alone in a wooden hut he dubbed "Hotel Savoy," Baalsrud operated on himself with a pocket knife. To stop the infection from spreading, he amputated his big toe and part of his second toe.

The Aftermath:

As his condition worsened and gangrene continued to advance, he eventually cut off the remainder of his frostbitten toes himself.

Rescue:

Bedridden and near death, he was kept alive by a network of courageous Norwegian villagers. They carried and dragged him through blizzards, eventually sliding him over mountain ranges on a stretcher to cross the border into neutral Sweden.His astonishing survival story is chronicled in detail in the book We Die Alone by David Howarth.

Army Captain (Dentist) Ben Salomon. MOH Citation:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Ben L. Salomon was serving at Saipan, in the Marianas Islands on July 7, 1944, as the Surgeon for the 2nd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. The Regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions were attacked by an overwhelming force estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese soldiers. It was one of the largest attacks attempted in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although both units fought furiously, the enemy soon penetrated the Battalions' combined perimeter and inflicted overwhelming casualties. In the first minutes of the attack, approximately 30 wounded soldiers walked, crawled, or were carried into Captain Salomon's aid station, and the small tent soon filled with wounded men. As the perimeter began to be overrun, it became increasingly difficult for Captain Salomon to work on the wounded. He then saw a Japanese soldier bayoneting one of the wounded soldiers lying near the tent. Firing from a squatting position, Captain Salomon quickly killed the enemy soldier. Then, as he turned his attention back to the wounded, two more Japanese soldiers appeared in the front entrance of the tent. As these enemy soldiers were killed, four more crawled under the tent walls. Rushing them, Captain Salomon kicked the knife out of the hand of one, shot another, and bayoneted a third. Captain Salomon butted the fourth enemy soldier in the stomach and a wounded comrade then shot and killed the enemy soldier. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Salomon ordered the wounded to make their way as best they could back to the regimental aid station, while he attempted to hold off the enemy until they were clear. Captain Salomon then grabbed a rifle from one of the wounded and rushed out of the tent. After four men were killed while manning a machine gun, Captain Salomon took control of it. When his body was later found, 98 dead enemy soldiers were piled in front of his position. Captain Salomon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself his unit and the United States Army.”

Thought after almost five years that someone would have mentioned Sgt. York by now.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
Thought after almost five years that someone would have mentioned Sgt. York by now.

"...that no one know about?"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauri_T%C3%B6rni

Lauri Allan Törni (28 May 1919 – 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Alan Thorne, was a Finnish-born soldier who fought under three countries: as a Finnish Army officer in the Winter War and the Continuation War ultimately gaining a rank of captain; as a Waffen-SS captain (under the alias Larry Laine) of the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS when he fought the Red Army on the Eastern Front in World War II;[3] and as a United States Army Major (under the alias "Larry Thorne") when he served in the U.S. Army Special Forces in the Vietnam War.

Törni died in a helicopter crash on 18 October 1965, during a covert mission in Laos amidst the Vietnam War. Serving with the U.S. Army Special Forces, Törni was involved in operations conducted by MACV-SOG when the helicopter he was on crashed under unclear circumstances. The crash site was difficult to locate due to the rugged terrain and adverse weather conditions, delaying recovery efforts. Törni's remains, along with those of other soldiers aboard, were eventually found three decades later.

Willis Augustus "Ching" Lee Jr. (May 11, 1888 – August 25, 1945)

quote:

Originally posted by chuck416:
I offer R. Adm William Augustus Lee, a student of marksmanship, from BB guns, to 16” naval battleships.

You beat me too it. I heard about him from the Fat Electrician.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: xantom,

I love The Fat Electrician generally but this episode was freaking GREAT!
US history I had no idea about.

quote:

Sir Jacob Charles Vouza

He was also was made an honorary sergeant major in the Marine Corps among many other honors from several nations.

Tough MoFo.

quote:

US history I had no idea about.

He tries to highlight unsung American military heroes.