Lesse, Ernst Udet Germany's #2 Ace in WWI. He used to like to drink a martini, then chew up & swallow the glass. On his plane he had painted,"Du doch nicht". Means "You better not" or I dare you.
Jimmy Stewart: Flew 25 combat missions as a B-24 pilot over Europe, was awarded the Air Medal and Destinguished Flying Cross, retired as a Brig. General in the USAF. Wouldn't allow Hollywood to use his war service for publicity. To this day still has no airport named for him even though there are two in metro LA named for John Wayne who never spent a day in the military.
Crews of USS England and USS Johnston. England sank more subs than any other destroyer crew on record in any navy. The main building at Fleet Sonar School in San Diego is named for her. Once met a man in Pasadena who served aboard her. USS Johnston was in the Battle off Samar that helped drive off Adm. Kurita's Center Force of 5 Battleships and 7 heavy cruisers. She torpedoed one heavy cruiser and damaged three others.
Miyamoto Musashi and Zatoichi. Musashi was the greatest swordsman in old Japan, author of the Go Rin No Sho or Book of Five Rings, a treatise on strategy still used to this day. Check out Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai trilogy of films based on Musashi's life. Zatoichi, the blind masseur/gambler/swordsman character played by Shintaro Katsu. A deadly but humble man, master of the quick draw Iai-jutsu, he personified the Zen sack & stick priest Hotei Ushu who's picture is below, painted by Musashi himself.
Finally, Hercule Savignen Cyrano de Bergerac, a free man in word and deed. Check out Jean-Paul Rappaneau's film with Gerard Depardieu in the title role. Subtitles written by Anthony Burgess, author of A Clockwork Orange, Not only does it rhyme in French but also in the subtitles.
