Hero of the Week 31

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Ulrich Wegener

Ulrich Wegener (no relation to Armin Wegener) was born on August 22, 1929 in Jüterbog, Germany. While growing up he was forcefully conscripted into the German Army during the final days of World War II. After the end of the war, Wegener became a police officer in Western Germany. He eventually rose to the rank of colonel. In 1972 however, Wegener and the rest of the world watched as  a terrible tragedy unfolded during the Summer Olympics in the city of Munich. 

On September 5, 1972, 8 Palestinian terrorists infiltrated the olympic compounds and took 11 Israeli athletes and coaches hostage. After a day long standoff, German police attempted to rescue the hostages and kill the terrorists. However, the rescue was botched and all 11 hostages were killed (along with a German police officer). Wegener was among those who watched the horror unfold on International TV. 

Inquiries into the massacre concluded that the botched rescue happened due to a lack of coordination and a lack of training among the German police in handling terrorist situations. The German government concluded that the country needed to have an elite police force that was equipped and trained to deal with terrorists (especially hostage situations). Ulrich Wegener was asked to create and lead this elite unit. Wegener (who had been affected by the massacre) accepted the task. He then got in contact with special forces from Great Britain, Israel, and the United States. With their help, Wegener was able to create the elite police unit that could combat terrorists. This unit was officially established on April 17, 1973 and was named, "GSG-9". The creation of GSG-9 came not a moment too soon.

On October 12, 1977, a German airliner (Lufthansa Flight 181) took off with 86 passengers and 5 crew members on board. Minutes after takeoff the plane was hijacked by four Palestinian terrorists of the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine). The terrorists diverted the plane to five different airports before finally stopping at an airport in Mogadishu, Somalia after running low on fuel. Once there, the four terrorists demanded the release of 13 imprisoned terrorists and a ransom of $15 million. The situation became even more dire when the terrorists executed the pilot of the flight and threatened to begin executing more hostages if their demands were not met. To save the hostages and not give in to the terrorists's demands, German chancellor Helmut Schmidt gave the green light for Colonel Wegener to launch a rescue mission codenamed: Operation Feuerzauber (Fire Magic). 

Wegener led 30 commandos of GSG-9 to Mogadishu on October 18, 1977. They quietly landed at the airport and took positions around the hijacked aircraft. Wegener decided to launch the rescue from the aircraft's rear (this was its blind spot). While this was happening, a negotiator distracted the terrorist leader and Somali soldiers lit a bonfire in front of the aircraft which caused the remaining terrorists to rush to cockpit. This left the hostages unguarded and presented a window of opportunity for the rescue. Wegener and GSG-9 did not waste the opportunity. At 2:07 their assault began. They climbed onto the wings and blasted open the aircrafts emergency doors. The commandos then threw stun grenades which disoriented the terrorists and made them easy prey. Within seven minutes three of the terrorists were killed and the fourth was severely wounded and captured. 

As a result of the rescue all of the remaining 90 hostages on Lufthansa Flight 181 were saved. Operation Fire Magic was declared a major success and the GSG-9 commandos returned to a hero's welcome in Germany. Ulrich Wegener received the Federal Cross of Merit for his heroism in leading the rescue. He would continue to command GSG-9 until 1979 when he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of German Federal Police. He retired from the police force in 1988 and went on to train many countries in ways of countering terrorism. Ulrich Wegener died on December 28, 2017 at the age of 88.

To this day, thousands of people around the world have been victimized by acts of terrorism. Ranging from aircraft hijackings, hostage situations, mass shootings, and bombings, these acts of killed many people and left deep scars on the world. However, there are those who stand up to terrorists and find a way to fight back against them and deter future attacks. Ulrich Wegener was one of those people. He was a man who witnessed a terrible act of terrorism and resolved to find a way to prevent future attacks from happening. Because of this, the hostages of Flight 181 all survived their ordeal and many other people have been rescued from similar situations. I believe that Ulrich Wegener is one of the greatest heroes in history.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/obituaries/ulrich-wegener-dead-german-commando-ended-hijacking.html

http://www.dw.com/en/ulrich-wegener-german-hero-of-mogadishu-dies-aged-88/a-42018291

https://special-ops.org/sof/mission/hijacking-of-lufthansa-737-airplane/

Hero of the Week 30

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Adolph Kiefer

Adolph Kiefer was born on June 27, 1918. During his early childhood, he fell into a Chicago drainage canal during winter. Despite having a near-death experience, his accident prompted Kiefer to learn how to swim. While he attended high school, he joined the swim team and quickly established himself as being very skilled. When Kiefer was 16 years old, he became the first athlete to ever break the one-minute mark in 100-yard backstroke. His skill and talent at backstroke led to his recruitment by the United States's 1936 Olympic team. 

At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Kiefer won the gold medal for the men's 100 m backstroke. He also set an Olympic record at 1:05.9. His record would not be broken for 20 years (he also became good friends with Jesse Owens). From the years 1934 to 1942, he would win more than 200 races and set at least 17 world records at distances of 100 to 1,500 yards. However, his proudest personal achievement was what he did while serving in the US Navy during WWII.

In the summer of 1942, Kiefer put his athletic career on hold and entered the US Navy. To his astonishment he found out that nearly all of the American sailors (even the officers) did NOT know how to swim (some records show that more sailors died from drowning than gunfire). Although the navy did have a Swim Training Program it was quite inadequate in teaching the sailors how to swim for long periods of time. 

Kiefer immediately set about running swimming and lifesaving instructions for the entire American navy. He convinced the commanders of the navy to make swimming lessons compulsory for all members of the navy (enlisted men and officers). As a result, no man was allowed to board a ship without taking a 21 hour course in swimming. One of the strokes that he taught was the, "victory backstroke", where both arms were extended over the head to form a V. This stroke was credited with saving the lives of thousands of American sailors from drowning after their ships were sunk in battle. 

Throughout World War II, as many as 2 million American recruits learned to swim at 6 different bases. Even after the end of WWII, the US Navy still uses the programs and strokes that Kiefer introduced in 1942. Many years later, Kiefer remarked that teaching the navy to swim was the biggest thing that he had ever done in his life (much more valuable than his gold medal).

After the end of World War II, Kiefer became an innovator and entrepreneur for swimming. His innovations included the first nylon swimsuit, a commercial line of floating kick boards, and the PVC rescue tube that lifeguards now use. These along with many other innovations helped to revolutionize the sport of swimming around the world. In 1965, Adolph Kiefer was in inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. In 2013, USA Swimming named him, "the father of American swimming". Kiefer lived to age of 98 (even then he was still swimming) before passing away on May 5, 2017. At the time of his death he was the last surviving gold medalist from the 1936 Summer Olympics.

For more than 100 years, the world has watched millions of athletes compete in the sporting events of the Summer and Winter Olympics. What many of us usually forget about is what these athletes do when they are not competing. We don't realize many of them use their talent and skills to do much more than break records. Many of them also use them to help the world around them. Adolph Kiefer was one of those people. He was an impressive athlete who used his gift to help people and revolutionize the sport of swimming. I believe that he is a great example of what it takes to be a true champion and a major inspiration to the whole world. 

https://www.kiefer.com/history-pages-188.php

https://www.kiefer.com/adolph-kiefer---our-founder-pages-317.php

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/adolph-kiefer-olympic-champion-who-taught-the-navy-to-swim-dies-at-98/2017/05/06/c92be39c-326a-11e7-8674-437ddb6e813e_story.html?utm_term=.fb3d7a7400f3

https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/06/us/olympic-swimmer-adolph-kiefer-dies/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/05/sports/olympics/adolph-kiefer-dead-olympic-swimming-champion.html

Hero of the Week 29

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Henrietta Bell Wells

Henrietta Wells (born Henrietta Bell) was born on October 11, 1912 in Houston, Texas. She grew up in a neighborhood that was very segregated and very racist at the time. She attended Phyllis Wheatley High School and graduated in 1929. After that she enrolled in Wiley College (a segregated school) with a scholarship. There she met an English professor named Melvin Tolson who invited her to join the college's debated team. Tolson was a well-known poet who believed that argumentation was good way to improve mental alertness.

Wells was the only female member of the debate team, but she quickly established herself as being able to deliver a very effective argument. She and her team went on to have debate challenges with numerous other black colleges, and won them all. However, a defining moment for the Wiley debate team wass when Professor Tolson chose to challenge the debate team of the University of Michigan (an all-white college). To everyone's surprise, the debate team from UM accepted the challenge. At the debate itself, neither team was declared a winner. Never the less, it was recorded as the first ever interracial debate between colleges. Professor Tolson and Henrietta Wells later considered it a step forward for civil rights. The team from Wiley College later won the most well known victory when it defeated the National Debate Champion, University of Southern California. Wells herself was instrumental in this victory.

Henrietta Wells had to eventually leave the team after just over a year due to financial problems. She went on to marry and become a teacher and social worker. She later served as the Dean of Women at Dillard University. She eventually retired after teaching for many decades. Henrietta Wells died on February 27, 2008 at the age of 95.

Today Henrietta Wells is considered to be a pioneering debater. She was a woman who grew up in a harsh world at a very harsh time. Yet she made the best of it and used her wits to live her life in the best way she could. Her actions took part in helping to end segregation and step forward for equality. I believe that she is definitely someone to be held in high regard.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/us/12wells.html

http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2008/03/17/henrietta_bell_wells_96_was_on_great_debate_team/

Hero of the Week 28

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Jose Calugas!

Jose Calugas was born on December 29, 1907 in the Philippine Islands. He grew up as a farmer in the Filipino province of Iloilo. On March 15, 1930, Jose enlisted in the Philippine Scouts. The Scouts were a branch of the United States Army that was stationed in the Philippines (the nation had been occupied by American forces since 1904). The Scouts mostly consisted of young Filipino men serving under the command of American officers. For the next ten years Jose served and trained with the Scouts. He eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant and was assigned to the 88th Field Artillery Regiment. In the year 1941, Sgt. Calugas's training and courage would be put to the ultimate test.

On December 7th, 1941, the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese Navy. Much of the American Navy was either sunk or severely damaged in the attack. Just days after, the Japanese Army launched a full scale invasion of the Philippines. The American and Filipino forces under General Douglas MacArthur were quickly overwhelmed. By January of 1942, they had pulled back to the Bataan peninsula. There they began a fighting retreat.

On January 16, 1942, Sgt. Calugas was stationed with a small unit near the village of Culis. His job at the time was to prepare the day's meals for the men along the front line. It was called KP (kitchen patrol). However, just after noon, the American and Filipino soldiers came under heavy fire from the Japanese. Calugas quickly organized his unit and began to return fire with their few artillery guns at the Japanese. For the next hour men of the 88th held their ground against the attackers. However just after 2 PM, one of the guns went silent. Fearing the worst, Calugas himself went over to the gun and found that its crew had all been killed by a bomb hit (the gun itself was knocked over but could still fire). 

Sgt. Calugas quickly organized a small group of men to pull the gun up. With his small group of men, Calugas began to personally load, aim, and fire the artillery piece. For the next few hours, Calugas fired the artillery gun at the Japanese and inflicted numerous casualties at them. At one point during the battle, he spotted a small group of Japanese soldiers attempting to cross a footbridge over a creek. He quickly aimed his gun at the bridge and fired. His shot completely obliterated the bridge along with dozens of enemy soldiers. The effect caused the Japanese to momentarily halt their attack on the main line of defense. They then redirected their attack on Sgt. Calugas's position. Calugas quickly ordered his remaining men to pull back while he continued to fire at the Japanese, inflicting even more casualties. It was only when he ran out of ammunition that Sgt. Calugas finally vacated his position and fell back. By sheer luck, he came upon an empty truck which he used to load his gun (and his field kitchen). He eventually reached his unit later that evening. 

Despite the heroism of Jose Calugas, the Japanese Army eventually broke through the American and Filipino lines. For the next two months fierce fighting continued on the Bataan peninsula until it became clear the Americans and Filipinos could no longer hold out. General Douglas MacArthur was ordered to escape from the Philippines to Australia by President Roosevelt. MacArthur reluctantly did so, but upon his arrival he vowed to return to the Philippines. The replacement general of the American and Filipino forces (Gen. Edward King) surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942. As a result more than 60,000 American and Filipino soldiers became prisoners of war. 

It was then that they began to endure brutal captivity by the victorious Japanese. Calugas along with his fellow prisoners were taken on a long and very brutal march that is now called, the Bataan Death March. As many 18,000 prisoners (mostly Filipinos) were murdered on the road. Calugas and the rest of the POWs eventually arrived at Camp O'Donnell where he would remain for the next year and a half. Calugas was repeatedly beaten while he was being held the prison camp. He also contracted both malaria and dysentery. Despite this, Jose Calugas never gave up. In October 1943, he escaped from the camp and joined a Filipino guerrilla unit. He continued to fight with them until the Liberation of the Philippines by General MacArthur (who fulfilled his promise to return).

About a month after he had left the Philippines, MacArthur had heard of Calugas's heroism during the battle of Bataan and recommended him for the Medal of Honor on February 24, 1942. Sergeant Jose Calugas officially received the medal from General Richard Marshall on April 30, 1945. Calugas would serve in the American Army for another twelve years and became an American citizen. Jose retired from the military in 1957 and moved with his family to Tacoma, Washington where he became a businessman. He lived in the United States for the rest of his life until his death on January 19, 1998. He was 90 years old.

Ever since the United States came to be thousands of brave men and women have served in the military. And many of them were not born in the United States nor were they citizens. And yet they risked their lives to fight for the country they chose to be part of. These are people who represent the best of humanity. Jose Calugas was one of those people. He was undoubtedly one of the bravest men to ever serve in the American military during WWII. He was not a citizen and yet he fought with great courage and intrepidity above and beyond the all of duty. I believe that he should be regarded as a great hero.

http://www.historylink.org/File/10939

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/the-first-filipino-medal-of-honor-cpt-jose-cabalfin-calugas-u-s-army-1907-1998/

https://www.army.mil/article/39797/the_us_armys_philippine_scouts

http://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/Calugas.htm