Blake Stilwell is a writer for We Are the Mighty, a site by and for veterans.
He retired in 1904—but the Army wasn't done with him.
In 1852, at age 103, Revolutionary War veteran Conrad Heyer sat down to have his picture taken.
Diseases, brutal weather, and enemy fire all failed to take him down.
His crew tied a rope around his chest and he made his way onto the wing to extinguish the blaze.
The third-string catcher secretly served as a spy for American intelligence during WWII...
His captivity began with the infamous Bataan Death March and only ended with the surrender of Japan.
His exploits as an escapee may have earned him a spot in Hollywood lore.
Someone decided to take home a macabre souvenir.
The vessels met in open water, and a ferocious naval battle ensued.
Paul Whipkey left base one day and never returned...
The German soldier nodded in thanks, then disappeared.