Category Archives: Unsung Heroes

Night Witches: The Forgotten Aviatrixes

Unsung Heroes, War Heroes

By Jesse Schultz

There was a controversy in the early 1990s. U.S. Secretary of Defense Les Aspin announced in 1993 that for the first time in US history, women would be allowed to fly combat missions. It was a field that was traditionally dominated by men and by that date there were still many who felt that it should remain that way. The debate played out in the nightly news and in television shows ranging from JAG to Northern Exposure. Even a close family member of mine, who was a veteran of the second World War and had a long Naval career, expressed mild opposition to it.

But it was a controversy that should never have happened for the simple reason that woman had flown combat missions before and had done it successfully during World War II. Not in the United States, where most are aware of the non-combat Women’s Army Corp (or WACs), but in the Soviet Union.

In the summer of 1941 Russian aviatrix Marina Raskova was tasked with forming a regiment of night bombers to conduct strikes against German positions. This tactic was known as harassment bombing. Raskova in turn formed a unit composed entirely by women, from the mechanics to the pilots themselves and the 588th Regiment was born.

During the course of the war the squadron would fly some 23,000 sorties and drop an estimated 3000 tons of bombs. Impressive for a regiment that at its height only had 40 two-person crews. Impressive enough that it was the Germans who gave them their name:  Nachthexen, or Night Witches. Even more amazing was that the Night Witches were given obsolete Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes, aircraft that were originally designed for crop dusting and training, to conduct their operations in.

And really this is where the Night Witches were truly inspirational. Not only because they were among the first at something, or unsung, or overcame adversity (though they deserve recognition for all of that).  It is because they turned that adversity into advantage. While the Po-2s were slow, lightly armed, and vulnerable the Night Witches found that they did have their advantages. The slow air speed of the plane often placed them below the stall speed of the German fighters sent to attack them. The slow speed also allowed the pilots to fly close to the ground and use trees and buildings as cover. And being biplanes the Night Witches could shut their engines off and silently glide to their targets, effectively performing some of the first stealth bombing missions. The Germans would often have no idea an attack was coming until the bombs were dropping.

By the end of the war, 30 members of the Night Witches had died in combat and 23 were awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title, the highest distinction in the Soviet Union at the time.

However, after the end of the war the women pilots found their opportunities increasingly limited. Politics of the Cold War kept their exploits from western attention. But as their lesson is now too late for the debate of 1993, we can still learn from them and others who went before. Whenever a society or a culture or a stereotype insists that this group or that group cannot do something there will always be an example from history to refute the notion. Be it an ethnic group striving for new opportunities, or a religion group seeking to live their lives peacefully, or a gender who can defend their country with the same valor as their counterparts.

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The author, Jesse Schultz, is a life long admirer of aviation, history, and women- though not necessarily in that order. His previous musings on heroism include Love Thy Enemy: Opposing Heroes.  His previous blogs on Merlin and The Makers of Fire will appear in our new book Heroic Leadership: An Influence Taxonomy of 100 Exceptional Individuals.

Katelin Peterson: An Inspirational and Heroic Student-Athlete

Unsung Heroes

By Paige Venables, Jess Hollis, and Chelsea Davies

Katelin Peterson, a former student athlete at the University of Richmond who majored in psychology and served as captain for the varsity women’s field hockey team, has left a legacy and continues to inspire an ever-growing list of individuals. Besides her impressive resume of athletic and academic accomplishments, Katelin brings a smile and a positive attitude to any situation no matter how bad the circumstances. She believes wholeheartedly in Christianity and lives by her faith, always upholding good morals and values. Katelin is a remarkable leader in the classroom, on the field, and in her faith. She was involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and often inspired others by sharing her testimony at Fellowship of Christian Athlete events.

During the summer of 2011 her team received an email explaining that Katelin was in the hospital suffering from a serious blood infection known as septicemia. She was in and out of the hospital for weeks, receiving treatments and tests yet continued to stay positive and fight to get better in time for the fall season. Septicemia often results in death due to gradual organ failure but Katelin never questioned God’s plan and beat the dire odds against her, eventually making a full recovery. When she returned to the University of Richmond she still was able to perform well and lead the team. In order to prepare for the grueling two-a-day practices Katelin had to complete her summer workouts in front of a fan because sweating was dangerous for her due to the nature of the infection. She didn’t dwell on her own setbacks but continued to work hard not only for herself, but also as a mentor for the rest of the team. She led the field hockey team to an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship Title and a bid to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and received academic and athletic Atlantic 10 All-Conference Honors.

Since her graduation from the University of Richmond, Katelin has become an advocate and volunteer for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, spreading her story and her faith to new generations of young athletes. Her goal is to go into missionary work in the future. Her chosen profession is as noble and uplifting as she is.

Katelin is a member of the University of Richmond field hockey team whose presence is sorely missed by all. On the first day of fall 2012 preseason, Katelin surprised the entire team by traveling all the way from her home in sunny California to be at the University of Richmond at the 7 o’clock morning practice where the team was about to run their first and most dreaded fitness test. Upon seeing cheerful and smiling face teammates reacted with powerful emotions, many crying and laughing out of joy and disbelief. It was only fitting that Katelin would get the team through their most difficult first day.

Katelin has exuded the best qualities a person can possess. Anyone who knows her has been touched by her presence and continues to remember her effervescent personality fondly. She is both a role model and a hero for any who hear her story.

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Paige Venables, Jess Hollis, and Chelsea Davies are undergraduate students at the University of Richmond.  They are enrolled in Scott Allison’s Social Psychology course and composed this essay as part of their course requirement.

Tony Mendez: The Audacious Hero of ‘Argo’

Unsung Heroes

By Mallory Krause, Olivia Peros, and Lizzie Ruggieri

Tony Mendez is a former CIA agent who specialized in covert CIA operations for 25 years. Recently, his actions over three decades ago have propelled him to the status of hero to the general public.  The recent release of the 2012 movie Argo, starring Ben Affleck, tells the long-classified story of Mendez’s heroism.  Argo highlights his role in the Canadian caper operation during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979.  This operation involved successfully sneaking six American diplomats out of Iran by disguising them as a Canadian film crew.  Mendez was the mastermind behind this risky rescue.

Here is the backdrop to the heroic tale.  On November 4th, 1979, Iranian militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran.  Six American diplomats were working in a separate building on the embassy compound when they noticed Iranian students swarming over the wall.  They made a quick decision to flee into the streets of Tehran in search of refuge.  For the next six days they went from house to house, and finally sought the help of a Canadian ambassador.  For the next 79 days, the group hid in Canadian ambassador John Sheardown’s personal residence.  They lived in fear that the Iranians would somehow discover they had escaped, a discovery that would no doubt lead to their execution.

Working together, the Canadian and U.S. governments decided to smuggle the six out of the country using Canadian passports, but needed a plausible story and a plan to do so.  Thus, they enlisted Tony Mendez to develop a cover story, documents, and materials to change the fugitives’ appearances. Mendez came up with an elaborate scheme requiring that the six diplomats pose as a Hollywood science fiction film crew scouting movie locations in Tehran.  The plan was an enormous risk and if caught, Mendez would join the other six in the hands of the Iranians.

Despite the inherent dangers, Mendez entered Iran and implemented his plan to perfection. On January 27, 1980, the refugees, now traveling with their forged Canadian passports, boarded a flight for Sweden, and arrived there safely.  The full involvement of the CIA, and more specifically of Mendez, in the rescue was not made public until 1997 when Bill Clinton declassified secret documents. While Canada was publicly credited for the escape, Tony Mendez was but an anonymous ghost, not receiving any recognition for his valiant efforts in his incredible escape plot.

Mendez’s rescue plan was audacious and outrageous, yet he risked his own life to help the six American come home safely.  He devised a meticulous plan that many believed was reckless and doomed to failure, but Mendez stuck to it. Although luck had much to do with the plan’s success, the six Americans most likely would have died a violent death without Mendez’s relentless efforts and bravery. In our opinion, the fact that he accomplished this amazing feat and went home without acknowledgement from the public while continuing to work for the CIA is heroic in itself. For decades he was a transparent hero who did not need recognition or public fanfare.  To the Iranians, Mendez may be considered a villain, but to the American people and to the six lives he saved, he was a true and brave hero.

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Mallory Krause, Olivia Peros, and Lizzie Ruggieri are undergraduate students at the University of Richmond.  They are enrolled in Scott Allison’s Social Psychology course and composed this essay as part of their course requirement.  

Doctors Without Borders: Heroes Who Heal Others

Unsung Heroes

By Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals

The most heroic people are often those who do their selfless work anonymously. They seek neither credit nor publicity. Guided by humanitarian motives only, these heroes genuinely want to make the world a better place, and they don’t think twice about invisibly making great sacrifices – sometimes even giving their lives – to help save others.

Doctors Without Borders is an organization composed of such heroic people. In doing our research for this blog post, we tried our best to identify the names of the doctors and journalists who founded Doctors Without Borders back in 1971. There is no historical account that we could find. Moreover, there is no listing of the current group of physicians who work without pay, often at great risk, to treat others. All of these heroic individuals prefer to remain anonymous.

Doctors Without Borders is known throughout most of the world by its French name, Médecins Sans Frontières. The organization is composed of doctors worldwide who are committed to bringing quality medical care to people in crisis. Doctors Without Borders was founded on the humanitarian principles of medical ethics and impartiality. The organization is completely neutral and provides medical treatment to people regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation. It never takes sides in armed conflicts and provides care on the basis of need alone.

“We find out where the conditions are the worst – the places where others are not going – and that’s where we want to be,” says Nicolas de Torrente, Executive Director of the group. Doctors Without Borders is currently active in more than 60 countries, helping people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. The volunteer physicians face supreme challenges in treating maladies resulting from malnutrition, epidemics, natural disasters, armed conflict, or exclusions from health care.

What exactly are these challenges? Volunteers for the organization have been hit by stray bullets, stepped on mines, and caught epidemic diseases. Sometimes they are attacked or kidnapped for political reasons. In some countries afflicted by warfare, humanitarian aid organizations are judged to be assisting the enemy, especially if an aid mission has been set up exclusively for victims on one side of a conflict.

More than 40 years after being founded, Doctors Without Borders continues to save lives across the globe. Most recently, in Ethiopian refugee camps, volunteers for the organization appear to be turning the tide against severe famine and disease. “When Doctors Without Borders opened the Hilaweyn clinic in August, children were dying of malnutrition at the rate of more than one a day,” said a Voice of America news source. “Two months later, the clinic’s emergency coordinator Aria Danika said they treat 1,000 cases a day, and only one child has died in the past two weeks.”

In 1999, Doctors Without Borders won the Nobel Peace Prize. We can think of no more deserving group of people. In accepting the award, then-president Dr. James Orbinski thanked the Nobel committee for affirming Doctors Without Borders’ pledge “to remain committed to its core principles of volunteerism, impartiality and its belief that every person must be recognized in his or her humanity.”

Below is a youtube clip that describes the heroic work of Doctors Without Borders in greater detail.

Caregivers: Heroes with a Different Kind of Courage

Unsung Heroes

By Linda Brendle

A hero is defined as a person who is admired for courage or noble qualities or is the main character in a book, play or movie who is typically identified with good qualities. A caregiver is defined as a family member or paid helper who regularly takes care of a child or a sick, elderly, or disabled person.  In many cases, the hero and the caregiver are the same person.

Heroism often involves acts of courage. Facing a life of caring for a child with cerebral palsy who will never walk or talk or learn to care for himself takes a different kind of courage than facing the bullets of an enemy, a kind of courage that puts careers, relationships, plans, privacy, and personal lives on hold. Caring for a parent facing the ravages of Alzheimer’s and old age requires the courage to watch helplessly as a loved one slips away, one ability at a time, one memory at a time.

Aunt Fay is a courageous woman. At a time when her five children were grown and gone, and she and Uncle Dean were beginning to enjoy the benefits of an empty nest, she took in her widowed mother and spent the next decade or so caring for the woman who gave her life. Like all heroes, she didn’t count the cost of sleepless nights, cold meals, or missed vacations but rather did what needed to be done for someone who could not help herself. When Aunt Fay could no longer care for Granny Hagan in her home, she chose a suitable care facility and continued to fight for her through the web of red tape and the bureaucracy of aging in our modern society.

After Granny died, Aunt Fay and Uncle Dean enjoyed several years of special time together. Then came the brain tumor. Uncle Dean was incapacitated, and Aunt Fay became a caregiver again. Once more she dealt with doctors, wheelchairs, baths, medications, insurance, facing it all with grace and nobility.

Jim is my older brother, and one of the things he loves about being older is being a grandpa. He has eight grandchildren, and loves them all dearly, but Kyle is special. Jim was at the hospital when Kyle was born, when he began having seizures, when the doctors examined and tested and announced that he had cerebral palsy. Kyle is now 15, and through the years, Jim has been one of his caregivers, spending as much time with him as possible. There have been times when circumstances separated them by miles, but there has always been a heart connection. Jim has never been afraid of or put off by the messiness of loving Kyle. He dresses him, bathes him, moves him from car to wheelchair to bed, feeds him, always with a good deal of teasing, but also with gentleness and caring.

Becoming a hero or a caregiver is not something a person plans to do. Heroism is often thrust on a person, but caregiving sometimes creeps up on you. Mom began showing signs of memory loss more than 15 years ago. At first it was more a source of irritation than anything else, but after several years, it began causing problems, especially when Dad started exhibiting some of the same symptoms. I lived close and dropped in often for a visit, so it seemed natural to check on the freshness of the food in their refrigerator or the cleanliness of their bathrooms. Gradually I began accompanying them on doctors’ visits and supervising their daily medications, and eventually they moved in with me. That’s when Aunt Fay and Jim became my personal heroes. She offered wise advice from her own experiences, cried and prayed with me through many crises, and reassured me when I second guessed my decisions. And when I reached critical mass and called Jim to say I can’t do this anymore, he picked up the reins and stepped in as Mom and Dad’s primary caregiver.

Like heroes, caregivers are admired for their courage in the face of adversity and their noble character that causes them to handle ignoble tasks with grace and love. Caregivers may never be the main character in a book, play or movie, but they are definitely the main characters in the lives of those in their care. Yes, caregivers are heroes, too.

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Linda Brendle is retired and lives with her husband David in Emory, Texas. She writes about caregiving, faith, and family at http://www.LifeAfterCaregiving.WordPress.com. You can also find her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/linda.brendle) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/LindaBrendle).

Why Our Mothers are Our Heroes

Unsung Heroes

clip_image006.jpgBy Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals

Each year we celebrate Mother’s Day, and this reminds us of the results of a study we conducted recently that underscored the importance of family members as heroes.  In the study, people of all ages and from all walks of life were asked to list their heroes.  We were surprised, yet pleased, to see that family members were listed about a third of the time.  Most importantly, one fourth of all people listed their mothers as their hero.  Mothers were mentioned more than any other person, including fathers.

Mother’s Day became a nationally recognized holiday in 1914 because of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, a West Virginian who campaigned to honor mothers after her own beloved mother passed away in 1905.  Ironically, by the 1920s Jarvis became disenchanted with the commercialization of Mother’s Day and began campaigning against the holiday.  Anna JarvisStill, we believe her initial sentiment was on target and we applaud the opportunity to recognize the heroic qualities of mothers everywhere.

Many highly accomplished individuals are quick to attribute their success to their mothers.  American presidents are especially likely to do so.  Abraham Lincoln once noted that “all that I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother.”  George Washington also observed that “all I am I owe to my mother.  I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”  Andrew Jackson claimed that “there never was a woman like my mother.  She was as gentle as a dove and as brave as a lioness.”

Other celebrities also express their indebtedness to their mothers.  Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong once said, “My mother gave me more than any teacher or father figure ever had.”  With these words, Armstrong identified the precise reason why so many of us view our mothers as heroes.  It’s all about the loving generosity of mothers.  When the participants in our study were asked why their mothers were heroic, they generated three main reasons:  generosity with time, money, and love.

There are many ways that mothers gave their time to us.  According to survey respondents, mothers tended to us when we were sick, accompanied us to school and soccer practice, made us dinner, and read stories to us.  Our mothers made financial sacrifices, too.  They wore old clothes so that we could wear new clothes; they took on part-time jobs to buy us gifts; they saved money for us to attend college; mothers_day_cake.jpgthey gave us our weekly allowance; and they made sure we had food on the table.

But the most important quality that distinguishes mothers from other heroes, including fathers, is the free offering of love that mothers give us.  Mothers were there for us when we needed emotional support.  Mothers hugged us.  They comforted us and let us sit on their laps.  They kissed us on our cheeks before school and at bedtime at night.

Why are mothers viewed as so heroically loving?  There are at least two reasons.  First, research has shown that women tend to be more likely than men to possess communal traits such as lovingness, affection, warmth, and nurturance.  These communal traits are highly valued in the context of raising children and are associated with morality and goodness.  Second, it is well known that during childhood, mothers are our primary attachment figures.  They are more likely than fathers to interact with, and bond with, infants.  Our society is no doubt evolving toward fathers having more communal traits and showing more attachment behaviors, but mothers still hold the edge.

And so on this Mother’s Day, we’d like to acknowledge and thank Anna Jarvis and all the women who have given so much to us all.  We wish everyone the happiest of Mother’s Days!

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Do you have a hero that you would like us to profile?  Please send your suggestions to Scott T. Allison (sallison@richmond.edu) or to George R. Goethals (ggoethal@richmond.edu).