Top 5 Badasses Of World War 2

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and happy Fourth of July!

On this day we celebrate the liberation of the American colonies from the rule of the English, fire up our grills for some righteous food, and we take a moment to thank the soldiers of this country for protecting us & keeping our land safe. To celebrate the occasion, I’d like to go back to World War 2, and talk about some of the most remarkable people who went through that time. Some of the most badass individuals who fought the good fight, and still inspire the new generations with their deeds & tales. Not just in the U.S., but abroad as well. So, sit back, grab a burger & a cold one, and enjoy my list of the top 5 badasses of World War 2!

5) Captain America & Agent Carter

I know it looks a little silly to start off this list with fictional characters, but hear me out on this. Even in the world of comics, Patriotism was at an all-time high. Young people get inspired by what they saw, while older readers have their beliefs in America reassured that even in the world of fiction, things are swell and their apple pie for all. Though there were many superheroes to respond the call against the forces of evil during WW2, none punched Nazis, Fascist Italians, or Imperial Japanese harder than Steve Rodgers, a.k.a. Captain America.

First appearing in his own comic on December 20, 1940 (A year before Pearl Harbor ironically), the front cover showed to the reader immediately what the captain stood for. Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness, and seeing every single Nazi or other threat to the United States get a fist to the face. Even when it came to modern times, Steve still carried his old beliefs in this new age, and continued to act as a symbol of purity & freedom to these new Americans & beyond!

However, sometimes a women is needed to complement the man, and Agent Carter is a perfect counterpart to Steve Rogers. Originally introduced as a unnamed love interested of the captain in Tales of Suspense #75 (One Panel) and #77 (May 1966), her character was eventually fleshed out until she was as detailed in personality & background as much as cappy. Whether it was in the comics, the Marvel movies, or her own T.V. show, Peggy Carter was a woman who knew herself, and knew how to dish it out if she could. I can always respect a girl or a women with that kind of attitude!

4) Rosie The Riveter

If there was an enduring symbol of female willpower & strength, it would be good ole Rosie! Based off of the real-life Naomi Parker Fraley, who was a waitress from California, and who actually passed away back in January of this year (The 20th of that month to be exact). Used as a icon of Feminism and women’s power in the economy (Most men were drafted into the war, and women stepped in to take their place), Rosie’s blue work outfit & red bandana, her intense gaze & flexing arm gave women the strength to continue working for the war effort, and to instill them with a sense of pride. Good on you Rosie!

3) Franz Stigler

Sometimes, badasses in World War 2 aren’t found on just the allied side. Sometimes, there were those among the Axis power that showed off some incredible individuals, and chief among them was Franz Stigler. A veteran Luftwaffe pilot (27 victories under his belt), his plane was being refueled & rearmed at a nearby base, when they happened upon a damaged B-17 Flying Fortress heading back to the Allies, piloted by 2nd Lt Charles "Charlie" Brown. Franz got back into his plane, and proceeded to catch up to the B-17. This was actually a risky proposition, as a 50-cal bullet was embedded in his radiator, and they was a chance that the engine would overheat.

Eventually, he did manage to catch up to the B-17, but noticed through the various holes in the airframe how injured & incapacitated the crew was. In an unusual move, Franz decided to attempt to save Charlie & his crew, with the reasoning from the Luftwaffe pilot being that it wasn’t right to take down a wounded opponent (This was due to personal experience in North Africa). At first trying to get the B-17 to land & surrender, they seeing if they could fly to neutral Sweden, eventually the Flying Fortress managed to fly away on their own. During that time both sides weren’t hostile, but there was tension. Luckily, there wasn’t a fight.......yet that’s not where the story ends.

In 1986 at a combat pilot reunion event called "Gathering of the Eagles", then retired pilot Lt. Col. Brown was asked if he had any memorable stories from WW2, then proceeded to recount the tale of the German pilot that tried to save him & his crew. Afterwards he decided it might be a good idea to seek the pilot out, and for 4 years he searched without results. In an interesting move he sent a letter to a combat pilot association newsletter, and after a few months Stigler replied to his letter (He was living in Canada at the time), stating that “I Was The One”. After talking to each other on the phone, and describing details from both perspectives, Brown got the answers he needed, and for nearly 2 decades the two became fast friends, and would die within a few months of each other in 2008. You can’t get much more remarkable & touching than that!

Also, Sabaton made a song about this incident.

No Bullets Fly

2) Witold Pilecki

From here on out, things get exceptionally personal for me, and if you know me, you won’t be surprised as to who takes the number 2 & 1 spots on this list. For starters we have one of the few men from WW2 who’s story gets me to cry, and that’s Polish soldier Witold Pilecki. If you can see me right now, I’m probably getting into tears, but let’s begin anyways.

When the Nazis took over Poland, a majority of the Polish Army was driven underground, becoming a resistance force in the process. In 1941, Witold heard through the grapevine the horrors of Auschwitz, and tried to get the exiled Polish government to take action. When they didn’t, Witold did perhaps the most bravest & foolish thing ever, and faked his way into the camp. For 2 & a half years, he endured things that would shake anyone to their very souls. After a failed attempt to get the prisoners to rebel, he managed to escape back to Allied territories, and wrote a report about his experiences (The Witold Report, which got published in English back in 2012). When the Polish government refuted Witold again, he got mad, and went back to Warsaw to liberate the city from the Third Reich.

Sadly, this story would end badly. Though the city was liberated, the Russians eventually settled in, and made an example out of Witold. Putting him on a bogus trial with made-up accusations, they eventually found him “Guilty”, and executed him. To rub salt in the wound even further, his fate would not be known until 1989.

The tale of Witold Pilecki is a remarkable one. The man’s bravery is an example we should all follow, the level of self-sacrifice is incredible, and even in the face of a corrupt system, he still carried himself with a great level of dignity. Since looking up this man, he has become one of my personal heroes, and one of my absolute favorite bands in the world dedicated a wonderful song to this man (Sabaton again), who is more than worthy of being called a badass.

Inmate 4859

1) Isabelle Krebs & Ushi Ten Kraft

Lady with the Grey Shirt, Black Pants, and Glasses

No Picture Of Ushi

Right away, you’re probably scratching your heads. Who are these two people, you’re asking yourselves. Well, these two incredible women are some of World War 2's unsung badasses, and their stories are worth the time to read & listen to.

Let me start off with someone who’s very near to my heart, Isabelle (I consider her to be my adopted Grandma). Born to American parents in the Philippines, she was a happy girl who had people who loved her very much....but tragedy struck. In 1940 has the Imperial Japanese were invading, and the island she was on said that they weren’t coming. Sadly they did, and for 3 years, she & her family, along with everybody else, were held prisoner, and led a semi-balance on their former lives. For 3 long years, Isabelle & her family were isolated from the United States, but were ultimately liberated once Douglas MacArthur came back. You want to know the cool part? She holds no ill will towards the Japanese. She does not hate them, and moved on with her life in a seemingly quick fashion. Hell, she even talks about her experience willingly to anyone who asks.

On top of that, Isabelle is one of the most unique people you’ll ever meet. She drinks a beer the moment she feels a cold, she liked learning about nerdy things, has seen some anime with me, and even has a slight taste for Heavy Metal (Her favorite song is Sabaton’s Blood of Bannockburn). Isabelle is always willing to talk, and her hugs are awesome. If that’s not a badass, then I don’t know what is!

Of course, there’s another badass in the rafters that’s just as cool & badass as my dear Isabelle, and that’s my friend Ushi. Though she’s no longer on this earth (Died back in 2007), she has a story that’s worth telling. I sadly did not know her long: I only knew her from July of 2005 to May of 2007 when she passed, but that short amount of time, she told me her past: born in Berlin, she bore witness to the rise of the Third Reich, and the propaganda of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. In an act of incredible bravery, she saved the life of a Jewish Family who were her neighbors by destroying their papers (They were getting sent to one of the camps)....and actually succeeded. Once the war was over with (If I’m remembering right), she escaped to the United States with her husband, and lived here for the rest of her days.

Sadly, it wasn’t a perfect life. Ushi would suffer from what I can only describe as a mix of PTSD & Paranoia. She kept her experiences to herself, and only told a select few. Hell, she didn’t even tell her daughter until the 1970s, and even then closed all the blinds in her house cause she thought the Nazis were still looking for her (From what I was told, her daughter was frantically telling her that they weren’t looking for her). If I’m understanding things correctly, I was the last person she ever told her experiences to. She was uncomfortable to be sure (I could tell in hindsight she was picking & choosing what she was saying), but she also knew that, as a young person (I was 18 when I first met her), I was interested in that era of history, and wanted to know her tail. When she passed away, I felt (And still feel to this day) that a piece of history was permanently lost to the sands of time. A badass that will always stay in my heart as well as my mind.

So that was my list of the top 5 Badasses of World War 2. Again, the Fourth of July is a nice day with family & friends, but let us not forget those that helped us obtain this bliss. Anyways, Industrial Metal Insanity part 2 marches on, as we take a look at the Ministry release that made me into a lifelong fan. See you after next week!




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If you’re curious about Naomi Parker Fraley, Franz Stigler, or Witold Pilecki, check out their stories below:

Naomi Parker Fraley (The New York Times)

Charlie Brown/Franz Stigler Incident (Wikipedia)

Witold Pilecki (Wikipedia)