Category: Real men

Tragic WWII Story of the Sullivan Brothers By Peter Suciu

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 26, 2026
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Steven Spielberg’s 1998 film Saving Private Ryan is pure Hollywood fiction, but it was inspired by the true — and all too tragic — story of the five Sullivan brothers. The siblings enlisted/re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and insisted they serve together on the same warship.

All were killed less than a year later when the Altanta-class light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52) was sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942.

Sullivan brothers — The “Fighting Sullivan” brothers onboard USS *Juneau* in early 1942. Image: Naval History and Heritage Command

In total, 687 officers and sailors lost their lives as a result of the ship’s sinking, with only 10 survivors rescued after eight days in the water.

Their story was the subject of a 1944 film, while two warships have been named for brothers, and last year, New York Governor Kathy Houchul announced that the Empire State would help fund the restoration of the first of those vessels, which is now preserved as a floating museum outside Buffalo.

The Fighting Sullivans

The Sullivan brothers became national heroes, with President Franklin Roosevelt sending a letter of condolence to their parents, while Pope Pius XII sent a rosary with his message of regret.

Their story was told in the film “The Fighting Sullivans.” The semi-fictionalized account of brothers George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al saw them from their upbringing in Waterloo, Iowa, to their enlisting in the Navy after learning of the death of their friend Bill Ball — also boyfriend of their sister Genevive — while aboard USS Arizona (BB-39) during the Pearl Harbor attack.

USS Juneau — The USS *Juneau* (CL-52) in New York Harbor, during February 1942. Image: Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives

The film didn’t get all the details right, but that didn’t matter. Their sacrifice was no less great.

As noted by the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, George and Francis (Frank) had previously enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served on the destroyer USS Hovey (DD-208) but were discharged before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Sullivans were also not the only brothers serving on the same ship, and according to The Medal of Honor Hall of Fame there may have been as many as 30 groups of siblings on the USS Juneau.

“The Fighting Sullivans” (spoilers) erroneously suggested that the brothers died together, likely for dramatic effect — although the film leaves the details vague. According to the survivors, Frank, Joe, and Matt were killed instantly when the USS Juneau was struck by a torpedo fired by the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Amatsukaze. The torpedo is believed to have hit the thinly armored light cruiser near its ammunition magazine, which caused the ship to blow in half and quickly sink.

USS The Sullivans patch — This emblem of USS *The Sullivans*, seen here as an embroidered patch, was in use in 1962. Note the motto, “we stick together,” and three-leaf clover. Image: Naval History and Heritage Command

Around 100 of the U.S. warship’s crew survived the explosion and were even spotted by a U.S. Army Air Force’s Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The aircraft was under strict orders not to break radio silence, and it wasn’t able to report the location of the survivors until after it landed several hours later.

Even worse, due to a mix-up with paperwork, a rescue operation was delayed by several days. Had the message been relayed earlier, it is possible that brother Al, the only one to be married and with a child, and brother George may have been saved.

Instead, Al drowned a day after the warship sank.

George Sullivan is reported to have survived for four or five days in the water, until he likely suffered from delirium from hypernatremia, and jumped out of a life raft and was never seen again. It has been suggested that he may have been “driven insane with grief” after the loss of his brothers and possibly the guilt of being the only one left.

Rogers Brothers — The four Rogers brothers also served on the USS *Juneau*. Weeks before the ship went down, Joseph and James transferred off, avoiding the sinking that claimed their brothers Patrick and Louis, and all five Sullivan brothers. Image: U.S. Navy

Due to wartime security, the U.S. Navy did not reveal the loss of USS Juneau — or other ships, for that matter so as not to provide information to the enemy. After several weeks of not hearing from them, in January 1943, Alleta Sullivan (mother of the five brothers) wrote to the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Soon after, on January 12, the family was told of their fate.

Three men in uniform went to the family house, and the naval officer told Tom Sullivan, “I have some news for you about your boys.”

“Which one,” Tom Sullivan asked.

“I’m sorry,” was the response. “All five.”

“We Stick Together”

Following the deaths of the five Sullivan brothers, the United States Navy announced it would honor their memory by naming a Fletcher-class destroyer in their honor. Originally laid down as Putnam just a month before the sinking of USS Juneau, the ship’s name was initially changed to Sullivan. At the behest of President Roosevelt, the name was changed to honor all five brothers.

USS The Sullivans (DD-537) became the first vessel commissioned by the United States Navy to honor more than one person. Alleta Sullivan was the ship’s sponsor, and the destroyer was given the most fitting of mottos: “We Stick Together.”

DD-537 was commissioned in September 1943 and, following a shakedown and training operations, joined Battleship Division (BatDiv) 9 in early 1944, where she was part of the U.S. Navy’s protective screen for the aircraft carriers USS Essex (CV-9), USS Intrepid (CV-11), and USS Cabot (CVL-22) as the flattops launched nearly continuous raids on the Japanese-held Kwajalein Atoll.

The warship went on to see action in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, engaging Japanese aircraft, and later supported the Leyte landings. The destroyer took part in the U.S. Navy’s invasion of Okinawa while then serving as an escort for USS Enterprise (CV-6).

Her last combat operations of World War II occurred in May 1945, after which USS The Sullivans returned to Mare Island, California, for an overhaul — missing the final combat activity of the war.

Sent to the Pacific Reserve Fleet after the end of World War II, USS The Sullivans was recalled to duty during the Korean War, serving in the screen of fast carriers that supported United Nations (UN) ground forces. As part of the U.S. Navy’s Cold War fleet, the destroyer took part in the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba in October 1962 and was among the vessels that played a role in the investigation following the loss of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) off the coast of Boston in April 1963.

USS The Sullivans was decommissioned on January 7, 1965 — but remained in the reserve fleet until she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in December 1974. The destroyer named for the five brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country received nine battle stars for World War II service and two more for Korean service.

Among the U.S. Navy sailors to serve on USS The Sullivans was James Sullivan, son of youngest brother Al.

Saved as a Museum Ship

In 1977, the retired destroyer — along with the cruiser USS Little Rock (CG-4) were sent to the city of Buffalo, New York, to serve as a floating museum. Today, USS The Sullivans is one of just four surviving Fletcher-class destroyers, along with USS Kidd (DD-661), which is now in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; USS Cassin Young (DD-793), in Boston; and the Greek Navy’s Velos (D16), the former USS Charrette (DD-581), in Palaio Faliro, Greece.

USS The Sullivans deployed on a Mediterranean cruise in 1960 — This photo of the USS *The Sullivans* was taken during a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in September 1960. Image: National Archives

However, the nearly five decades in the water, along with Buffalo’s harsh winters and hot summers, had taken their toll on the historic vessel. In April 2022, the situation became so bad that USS The Sullivans partially sank at her mooring at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park. Though the destroyer was eventually refloated and multiple holes in her hull were patched, it was clear more needed to be done.

At issue was the cost.

Last fall, Governor Hochul announced the Empire State would provide $10 million, helping the military park reach the estimated $21 million needed to send the ship and its Gato-class submarine USS Croaker (SS-246) to dry-dock for much-needed repairs.

Current plans call for the vessels to head to a repair facility in the fall of 2025, with the work expected to be completed by the spring of 2026. The efforts will ensure USS The Sullivans continues to pay homage to the brothers, as well as the other sailors who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Korea, and the Cold War.

The Second USS The Sullivans

Though USS The Sullivans was the first U.S. warship to be named for more than a single person, it wasn’t the last — and a second vessel honoring the brothers is now in service.

USS The Sullivans DDG-68 Arleigh Burker class guided missile destroyer — The *Arleigh Burke*-class guided-missile destroyer USS *The Sullivans* (DDG-68) departs Naval Station Mayport in 2024. Image: MC2 Alexa H. Trafton/U.S. Navy

The Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided-missile destroyer (DDG-68) was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and launched in 1995 with Kelly Ann Sullivan, granddaughter of Al Sullivan, as the ship’s sponsor. The vessel was among the escorts of the Royal Navy’s flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, during her 2021 deployment to the Indo-Pacific. USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) has been among the U.S. Navy warships sent to the Middle East to bolster the deterrence posture in the region.

battle flag of USS The Sullivans — The battle flag for the USS *The Sullivans* features five gold stars against a white background with a red border to honor the five brothers. Image: MC2 Alexa H. Trafton/U.S. Navy

As with the now-retired destroyer, the motto of the current USS The Sullivans remains “We Stick Together.”

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Looks sure can be deceiving huh?

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 19, 2026
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SM Mike Vining, a serious Badass!

Mike Roger Vining^[1] (born August 12, 1950) is a retired sergeant major in the United States Army, who was one of the first members of Delta Force. He joined the Army in 1968, and served until 1999.The man has been to the Vietnam War,
Operation Eagle Claw, Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Just Cause, Gulf War

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The Long March: The 9,000 Kilometer Retreat that Led to Mao’s Communist Victory

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 19, 2026
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Chesty Puller: The Marine Corps’ Greatest Warrior – Forgotten History Clips

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 16, 2026
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Aviation Icon and American Hero: Chuck Yeager By Friedrich Seiltgen

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 14, 2026
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Born into poverty in the woods of West Virginia, Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager was a World War II aircraft mechanic, fighter pilot, double ace, military commander, and a test pilot who broke the sound barrier. His journey from Army private to USAF Brigadier General is an inspiration to all.

Yeager began his Air Force career in September 1941 as a private in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving as an aircraft mechanic. While he wanted to be a pilot, that career path was initially closed to him due to his age and lack of education, as the Air Corps required two years of college and a minimum age of 20.

Chuck Yeager stands in front of Bell X-1 — Chuck Yeager stands in front of the Bell X-1 named *Glamorous Glennis*. He named all his assigned aircraft in some variation of his wife’s name. Image: NARA

After Pearl Harbor, however, the standards were revised due to the urgent need for pilots, and Yeager was accepted into the flight officer program. While Yeager had excellent eyesight and other attributes for flight training, his first few flights were memorable for another reason: Yeager vomiting in the cockpit.

With time, the queasiness went away, and Yeager excelled at flying. He graduated from pilot training at Luke A.F.B. in March 1943. He then transferred to the 363rd Fighter Squadron at Tonopah, NV, and was trained with the Bell P-39 Airacobra. Once while he was showboating, he clipped a farmer’s tree during a training mission and was grounded for a week.

Chuck Yeager P-51 Mustang — Chuck Yeager’s P-51D Mustang that he flew for the majority of his aerial combat victories during World War II. Image: National Museum of the U.S.A.F.

In November 1943, the unit shipped out to RAF Leiston and began training with the P-51 Mustang.

Shot Down

On his eighth mission, Yeager, who had one aerial victory so far when he took out a Me-109 on the way to Berlin, was shot down over occupied France. He bailed out and hit the ground running for the tree line, evading the Nazis.

Captain Charles E Yeager in 1943 — Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager in an official photograph from the U.S. Army Air Forces, circa 1943. Image: NARA

Initially, he trained the French Resistance (Maquis) in the use of explosives and timers, which he learned from his father, who worked in the gas fields. He escaped to Spain with the help of the resistance while helping another wounded aviator over the Pyrenees. He then spent time in Malta before returning to England.

A Talk With Eisenhower

After his downing, Yeager’s days of combat were over. Or were they? At that time, there was a regulation that prohibited downed pilots (evaders) from flying over enemy territory again. This was to prevent the resistance groups from being compromised if the pilot was captured and interrogated.

Yeager’s desire to fly again was so intense that he spoke with Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower to request a return to combat status. Actually, Yeager wrote in his memoir that “I raised so much hell that General Eisenhower finally let me go back to my squadron.”

Flight Officer Yeager US Army Air Corps — An early photo of Flight Officer Charles Yeager in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The Army Air Corps was reorganized as the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1941 and then U.S. Air Force in 1947. Image: NARA

When they met, “Eisenhower said, ‘I’ve got guys shooting themselves in the foot to go home. What is the matter with you?” Yeager replied, “General, I haven’t done my job. I don’t want to leave my buddies after only eight missions. It just isn’t right. I’ve got a lot of fightin’ left to do.”

Eisenhower told him that it was the War Department’s policy, but he would ask for permission to send Yeager back. While waiting, Yeager was limited to short-range missions, but managed to bag a Junkers Ju-88 bomber flying over the English Channel for his second kill.

In August 1944, Yeager returned to combat status and was issued a P-51C Mustang with a Malcom Hood canopy and, almost immediately, a P-51D, which he christened Glamorous Glen III, after his future wife, Glennis Dickhouse. On Oct 12, 1944, Yeager made squadron history when he became their first “Ace in a Day” with five kills of Luftwaffe Me-109’s.

On November 27, 1944, Yeager continued his hot streak, downing four Fw-190 fighters. He would also score one of the first victories of a Me 262 jet fighter and end the war with 13 kills. On January 15, 1945, he flew his last mission and returned to the U.S., having completed 61 missions in total.

Chuck Yeager in NF-104 — Chuck Yeager prior to a test flight in the NF-104. The NF-104 was a rocket-powered F-104 Starfighter. Image: U.S.A.F.

Due to his status as an Evader, Yeager was given his choice of assignments and chose to be a functional test pilot of repaired aircraft at Wright Field.

Test Pilot

With the war now over, Yeager graduated from the Flight Performance School and landed a dream job as a test pilot at Muroc Army Airfield (Edwards A.F.B.)

After a Bell Aircraft Test pilot demanded $150,000 to break the sound barrier with their new rocket-powered X-1, Col. Albert Boyd, the chief of the Flight Test Division, successfully lobbied to get the X-1 project under his command. Boyd had already assembled a team of the best test pilots around. Now, Yeager was selected to be the first to break the sound barrier.

Chuck Yeager in Bell X-1 — Chuck Yeager in the X-1 *Glamorous Glennis*, which he flew to break the sound barrier. Image: NARA

Two days before the record-breaking flight attempt of the X-1, Yeager was out horseback riding with Glennis and broke two ribs. Yeager, certain the injury would get him scrubbed from the mission, found a civilian doctor in nearby Rosamond to patch him up.

Now comes the hard part. In order to close the hatch on the X-1, Yeager had to hold it down and slam down a lever to seal it. This was not going to happen with two broken ribs. He asked his pilot/flight engineer friend, Jack Ridley, to help him come up with a solution.

Ridley chopped off a section of broom handle, and the pair tested it on the ground. The next day, the broomstick hatch tool worked perfectly, and Yeager was on his way to the history books. Yeager broke the sound barrier with a speed of Mach 1.05 at an altitude of 45,000 feet.

The 50’s

Yeager was the first American pilot to fly a MIG-15 due to the defection of a North Korean Pilot. In 1953, Yeager was a part of the X-1A team in search of breaking the Mach 2 barrier. Yeager set a new speed record in December 1953 when he flew the X-1A to Mach 2.44, breaking a recent Navy record and spoiling their planned celebration of the event.

Major Yeager in the Cockpit of the Bell X1A — Maj. Chuck Yeager in the cockpit of the Bell X-1A. The X-1A was a larger, second-generation rocket-powered plane. Image: U.S.A.F.

The new flight record, however, almost killed Yeager. Just before reaching Mach 2.44, the X-1A became uncontrollable when it experienced “inertia coupling,” a condition that caused the aircraft to pitch, roll and yaw simultaneously. The X-1A dropped from 51,000 feet to 29,000 feet in less than a minute before Yeager regained control of the plane.

The 60’s

In 1962, Yeager, now a full colonel, became the first commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School. The school was the first stop for pilots wishing to become astronauts. While Yeager was arguably the best pilot at the time, his lack of a college degree kept him from serving as an astronaut.

rocket powered NF-104 — The 6,000-pound thrust rocket engine enabled the NF-104 Starfighter to reach an altitude of 100,000 feet. Pilots would experience up to 90 seconds of weightlessness before re-entry. Image: U.S.A.F.

In December 1963, Yeager began test flights of the M2F1 “Lifting body, also known as the “Bathtub”. You may recognize this aircraft from the opening crash scene of the “Six Million Dollar Man” television series. It was here that Yeager suffered his most serious injury.

Another program in the works at the time was the NF-104, which was a rocket-assisted Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. It was one of the first programs created to train pilots for astronaut duties.

Yeager took off and reached nearly 100,000 feet when the aircraft became unresponsive and entered a flat spin. The Starfighter lost approximately 95,000 feet of altitude with Yeager attempting to gain control all the way down. At one point, Yeager deployed the Starfighter’s drag chute in hopes of straightening the aircraft and restarting the engine.

Chuck Yeager and Gus Lindquist and James Fitzgerald 1947 photo — Chuck Yeager, Gus Lundquist and Jim Fitzgerald stand next to the Bell X-1 *Glamorous Glennis*. Image: U.S.A.F.

With only a few seconds left, Yeager ejected from the Starfighter. During the ejection sequence, the ejection seat base struck him in the head, and the hot rocket motor broke his faceplate, which caused the oxygen supply to catch fire and severely burn his face. Yeager suffered through numerous operations for his facial burns. This was the end of his test flight career.

Vietnam, Retirement and Beyond

In 1966, Yeager assumed command of the 405th Fighter Wing at Clark Air Base, Philippines, which rotated throughout Southeast Asia and South Vietnam, flying 127 missions.

In the early 1970’s, Yeager was assigned as the air attaché to the Pakistani Air Force, assisting them with integrating the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile onto their fighter aircraft.

Chuck Yeager flight in F-15 Eagle — U.S.A.F. Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, retired, poses for photographers after returning from a flight aboard a 65th Aggressor Squadron F-15D Eagle in 2012. Image: DVIDS

In March 1975, Yeager finally retired with 34 years of service. Not one to sit around, Yeager kept busy with a variety of projects. He made a cameo appearance as Fred the bartender in the movie “The Right Stuff,” which, in part, told his story of breaking the sound barrier. He drove a Corvette pace car at the Indianapolis 500. He flew an F-15D Eagle in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his record-breaking flight. He was a spokesman for AC Delco auto parts and a consultant to Northrop Grumman for the F-20 Tigershark.

Yeager passed away on Pearl Harbor Day, 2020, at the age of 97.

Legacy

His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, and the Congressional Medal of Freedom.

Chuck Yeager retired at air show in 2018 — Chuck Yeager smiles at the crowd during the Yeager Airport 2018 Salute To Our Veterans and First Responders Air Show held in Charleston, West Virginia, Oct. 14, 2018. Image: DVIDS

Yeager was a command pilot and had flown more than 12,000 hours in 361 different makes and models of military aircraft in service to his country.

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What a real old sweat looks like

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 13, 2026
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Cimarron Tom Horn Winchester 1876 Review A Review of Cimarron’s 1876 Centennial “Tom Horn” Lever-Action Rifle in .45-60. Plus, an Interview with Actor and Friend of Steve McQueen, Mel Novak!

See Photo Gallery

The Cimarron 1876 Centennial “Tom Horn” Rifle chambered in .45-60 is the ultimate addition to any western gun collection. Cimarron, and their affiliate company Texas Jack (TexasJacks.com), also offer other western-style guns and accessories like this Remington 1890 replica revolver which is the same type that was carried by Tom Horn ($624.48), Tom Horn hat ($514.00), and replica ammunition box ($6.30). (Photo by Mike Anschuetz)

By Will Dabbs, MD

Spoiler alert — You know the deal. You’ve been warned. Tom Horn was Steve McQueen’s penultimate film. Based upon a true story, the movie’s eponymous central character is a brooding loner with a dark past whose sense of frontier morality puts him in conflict with the progressive social ideals of the day.

In many ways Tom Horn is actually Steve McQueen and vice versa. The two men experienced tremendous hardship and tragedy but ultimately faced the end at peace.

The film Tom Horn is as much about a rifle as a man. While not necessarily historically accurate, the film narrative orbits around Tom’s unique Winchester. A massive Model 1876 chambered in .45-60, the unusual particulars of this weapon ultimately condemn Horn to death.

Cimarron Tom Horn Winchester 1876 — The plot of the movie Tom Horn turns on the character’s Model 1876 Winchester. This unusual rifle and the rare cartridge it fired ultimately tied McQueen’s character to a murder he did not commit.

Most historians state that the real Tom Horn’s rifle of choice was a .30-30 Winchester, likely a Model 1892.

However, many historians claim that Horn did own a Winchester Model 1876 rifle and a recent discovery of a Winchester 1876 rifle, chambered in .45-60, which was acquired from a museum many decades ago, is now believed to have been owned by Tom Horn.

Some of the evidence includes a sling with “JC Coble, Bolser, Wyoming” carved on it — John Coble was the employer of Tom Horn.

Colbel also paid for Horn’s funereal costs and had a book published about Horn’s life. A cleaning rod found with the rifle was wrapped with an envelope which had the lyrics of Life’s Railway to Heaven written on it, a song sung at Tom Horn’s funeral.

The song was written by Glendolene M. Kimmell, a schoolteacher that Horn was romantically connected with. Did Horn stash the rifle with his girlfriend? Was it used in the murder Horn was convicted of? Did someone else use his rifle? There are still questions unanswered.

Adding more confusion to the riddle is the fact that Horn had three rounds of ammunition on him when he was arrested: a .38-40, a .30-40 Government, and a .45-60 (this was in addition to his .30-30 rifle and ammunition).

In any case, the Winchester 1876 used in the film has a great deal more character than a Model 1892. Cimarron offers a beautiful spot-on replica of this very rifle chambered in the quirky but powerful .45-60 cartridge.

The Gun

The Model 1876 Winchester was called the Centennial Model as it was released coincident with the American Centennial Exposition. Where the previous Models 1866 and 1873 were chambered for pistol cartridges, the beefed-up Model 1876 was designed to handle the big game rounds of the day.

See Photo Gallery

The Cimarron Model 1876 Winchester in .45-60 is shown along-side a vintage original 19th century Model 1873 chambered for the .44-40 pistol round. The differences between the two actions are obvious.

Winchester produced four versions of the 1876 in at least three different chamberings. The Carbine sported a 22-inch barrel, the Express Rifle had a 26-inch tube, and the Sporting Rifle reached out 28 inches. The Musket had a massive 32-inch barrel, before the Model 1886 supplanted it the production run totaled 63,871 copies.

Oliver Winchester was a master marketer. His standard rifles had a blued finish, while the deluxe variants were casehardened. Winchester also offered his famous One of One Hundred and One of One Thousand grades, seven of the former and fifty-four of the latter. The Model 1876 chambered for .50-95 Express was the only lever action rifle to see widespread service among buffalo hunters.

The Canadian North-West Mounted Police bought 750 Model 1876 guns in .45-75 in 1883. The Texas Rangers used the same rifle. President Theodore Roosevelt used a Model 1876 on some of his hunting forays out West and raved about it. Teddy’s copy sported a pistol-gripped stock, a half-length magazine, and extensive engraving. When the famed Apache chief Geronimo was captured in 1886 he was carrying a Model 1876 Winchester.

The Cimarron Tom Horn Rifle

The Model 1876 from Cimarron is a splendid rendition of the gun used in the movie. Featuring a 28-inch octagonal barrel and a 49-inch overall length, this massive lever action tips the scales at just over ten pounds. The steel is blued, and the stocks are a deep stained walnut.

Tom Horn’s name is engraved across the receiver. In addition, a removable Marble tang rear sight affixes behind the action and perfectly replicates the setup in the movie.

While the actual hero gun used in the film was an original 1882 vintage Model 1876 firing .45-75 WCF — some sources state that this caliber was chosen by the movie production due to availability of .45-70 blanks which would work in the rifle. The Cimarron rifle runs .45-60 in keeping with the movie’s narrative.

The removable Marble tang sight is a spot-on replica of the one used in the film and gives the big gun plenty of character.

The Cimarron replica is absolutely gorgeous. The fit and finish are flawless, and the action runs like greased glass. At more than four feet long this gun projects authority. For anyone with an interest in period Western firearms the Tom Horn Centennial Model 1876 from Cimarron pegs the awesometer.

How Does She Run?

The Tom Horn Model 1876 Centennial is a monster of a firearm. Just hefting the thing will bounce a guy’s serum testosterone up a few notches. The rounds are as big as your index finger, and the elegant angles exude a near-sensual vibe.

Lifting the rifle to your shoulder settles it in place like an old friend. The graceful curved buttplate locks into the human form, while the gentle drop orients the sights right where they should be. The big action runs smoothly and comfortably. However, it did take a few rounds before the action loosened up, and it must be run authoritatively. Lube the firing pin a bit for optimal reliability.

The massive action is designed to accommodate large-bore cartridges like the .45-60.

The rear sight is an adjustable ramp, but that’s not the one you’ll use. The Marble tang sight incorporates an aperture for precision and a vernier adjustment for range. The mechanism folds out of the way when it isn’t needed and slides free for storage.

The sight adjusts to compensate for the drop of those big fat lead bullets, but there are no graduations. A man running a rifle this awesome knows his iron well enough not to need them.

.45-60 ammunition is available, but be prepared to pay $50 – $80 for a box of 20.

The rounds are big, but the gun is bigger. That means the shooting experience remains recreational. This portly rifle rocks back under recoil and cycles as fast as the operator’s rheumatism might allow. The long heavy barrel keeps those big slugs nicely under control.

The Cimarron Model 1876 Winchester Tom Horn rifle hits like a freight train downrange. This fifty-yard group could likely be tighter with some younger eyes behind the gun.

Ancillary Iron

Sundry other characters wield Model 1892 Winchester rifles that are period correct for a movie set in 1903. Actor Slim Pickens’ character carries a long-barreled side-by-side 12-bore with exposed hammers. McQueen uses a similar coach gun liberated from a cattle rustler to put paid to another ne’er-do-well.

A variety of rustlers pack the obligatory Colt Single Action Army in several different configurations. Colonel Colt’s Peacemaker is the archetypal Western revolver. Cimarron offers a wide array of these iconic wheelguns.

Horn loses his favorite horse to a brigand armed with a heavy .44-caliber Colt Walker revolver. The Colt Walker was designed in 1846 as a collaborative effort between Texas Ranger Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker and Sam Colt. There were only 1,100 original guns produced, 1,000 of which went to the military. Sam Walker died wielding a brace of his eponymous revolvers while fighting in the Mexican-American War in 1847.

The .44-caliber Walker Colt was the most powerful handgun in the world in its day. (Wikipedia)

One of Horn’s adversaries wields a Smith and Wesson Model 3 Schofield revolver. This single action top-break wheelgun debuted in 1870 and was the first cartridge-firing handgun adopted by the US Army. Bob Ford used a Schofield Model 3 to kill Jesse James in 1882.

Déjà vu

Tom Horn bears a strange resemblance to my personal favorite Western, Quigley Down Under. In fact, Steve McQueen was initially approached about starring in Quigley in the 1970’s. The exigencies of show business intervened, and the movie was not made until 1990 with Tom Selleck and his Shiloh Sharps .45-110 rifle in the lead roles.

There is a pervasive melancholia about Tom Horn. McQueen’s character does some bad things, but he has a good heart. The viewer wants him to prevail.

However, the Cattleman’s Association, a timeless personification of faceless greed, ultimately takes his life unjustly. A special gallows was constructed that was activated by Horn’s own weight, no one in attendance being willing to throw the lever.

Tom Horn seems oddly similar to the Tom Selleck classic Quigley Down Under. (Moviestillsdb.com)

Tom Horn hit theaters in March of 1980. Steve McQueen died of malignant mesothelioma eight months later at age fifty. The cumulative effects of a terminal disease and McQueen’s Hollywood lifestyle were beginning to take a toll during the making of the film. This toxic combination likely contributed to the movie’s gritty edge.

Denouement

The historical Tom Horn, like the character in the movie, was a frontier Renaissance Man. He served as a civilian scout for the US Cavalry, a ranch owner, a Pinkerton detective, a deputy sheriff, and a “Range Detective.” In the latter role he was essentially a paid assassin who meted out frontier justice to cattle rustlers in exchange for a stipend for every dead outlaw he could produce.

Tom Horn is a Hollywood classic coming at the end of the golden age of Western films. The movie is avail-able to stream for free on Vudu. (Moviestillsdb.com) (Moviestillsdb.com)

Unlike the film’s title character, the real Horn was more morally complex. He likely killed at least seventeen men, the first in a duel over a prostitute.

It was his conviction for the murder of a 14-year-old boy named Willie Nickell near Iron Mountain, Wyoming, for which he was hanged the day before his 43rd birthday.

The film was inspired by his autobiography The Life of Tom Horn: Government Scout and Interpreter as told by Himself that he wrote while in jail while awaiting execution.

Steve McQueen was in his time the highest paid actor in Hollywood, and he carries a gravitas to which other lesser actors still aspire. The tale of Tom Horn has all the elements of ruggedness, passion, and justice ill-served that make for a compelling Western. Tolerate a few commercials and you can catch it for free on Vudu.

Group size is best four of five rounds fired from a simple rest at fifty yards. Velocity is the average of three rounds fired across a Caldwell Ballistic Chronograph oriented ten feet from the muzzle.

Cimarron Tom Horn Winchester 1876

Caliber: .45-60
Barrel Length: 28-inch octagon
Frame: Blued
Stocks: Walnut
Magazine Capacity: 11+1
Overall Length: 49 inches
Weight: 10.05 pounds
MSRP: $1,864.17
Contact: Cimarron Firearms, (877)-SIXGUN1, Cimarron-Firearms.com

An Interview with Actor Mel Novak

Firearms News Editor, Vincent DeNiro, asked me to reach out to his friend Mel Novak as he acted in the movie Tom Horn.

Mel Novak is the veteran of fifty-four movies. A legendary martial artist, he’s died twenty-three times on screen and worked alongside the likes of Yul Brynner, Isaac Hayes, Sybil Danning, and Chuck Norris. He fought Bruce Lee’s character to the death in Game of Death as “Stick” and lived to tell the tale. He was also a friend and spiritual mentor to Steve McQueen.

Mel’s real calling is to serve those society finds the most unlovely. An ordained minister, Mel has for more than thirty-six years led services in prisons and skid row areas reaching the homeless and the incarcerated for Christ.

Starting out with a stint playing professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates, that was cut short by a severe shoulder injury, he has gone on to a long career in movies and along the way reached countless souls for Jesus.

A perennial villain in dozens of familiar action movies, martial arts legend Mel Novak has devoted his life to Christian ministry. (Wikipedia)

WD: Tell me something memorable about Steve McQueen. What was he really like up close?

MN: Steve was a real down-to-earth kind of guy. One day I was out trap shooting with Stephen Spielberg, Ken Hyman, and John Milius when up walks this guy with really long hair and a full beard.

Once I saw those bright blue eyes I realized it was Steve. This was maybe seven months before he died. I had first met Steve McQueen, through his karate instructor Pat Johnson, years before at a birthday party.

Coppola and Milius were making Apocalypse Now, and they wanted Steve to play the part of LTC Kilgore. They offered him $2 million on the spot for one week’s work in the Philippines, and he turned him down cold.

Steve didn’t have anything else going on at the time, but he just didn’t feel like leaving the country.

WD: Hard to imagine “Charlie don’t surf!” and “I love the smell of napalm in the morning!” coming from anybody but Robert Duvall, but apparently that was almost Steve McQueen. Share with us a memory about making the movie Tom Horn.

MN: The movie was already cast, but Steve fired the director Steve Guercia right after filming began. He got rid of several of the cast members and said he wanted me in the film. I got a call from the producer Fred Weintraub at 3pm telling me I needed to be on a plane for Arizona at six.

The next morning, I went through wardrobe and makeup but still had not seen a script. On the drive out to the set, they told me I was getting a different role with a lot of dialogue, and I still hadn’t seen any of it. As soon as I got there they were ready to shoot.

I said a quick prayer for help, and the new director announced unexpectedly that it was time for a lunch break. I skipped lunch and went back to my trailer to learn my lines. When it was all over Steve was happy with it.

Mel Novak was a friend and spiritual mentor to Steve McQueen. Here is seen on the movie set of Tom Horn. (Photo courtesy of Mel Novak)

WD: Tell us about Steve’s last months.

MN: He had a horrible cancer, but I know Steve McQueen is in glory with the Lord. Billy Graham went down to Mexico to meet with him. I was once giving him some scriptures and he told me,

“Mel, you sound just like my pastor.” We both laughed, and I said, “Well, Steve, we read the same book.” I was blessed to know him and to minister to him. He’s someone that you never forget.

Leadership of the highest kind Real men Soldiering This great Nation & Its People War

Step Into Ulysses S. Grant’s Council of War Civil War Then & Now

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 8, 2026
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All About Guns Manly Stuff Real men Soldiering This great Nation & Its People War

Gary Wetzel: The One-Armed M60 Stand in Vietnam by Will Dabbs

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 5, 2026
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Shot down in a hostile landing zone, blasted apart, and stabbed through the leg, Gary Wetzel still fought his way back to an M60 machine gun. What happened next earned him the Medal of Honor and made his Vietnam story almost impossible to believe.

Gary Wetzel’s Medal of Honor Fight Began in a Huey

Gary Wetzel after surviving catastrophic wounds during his Vietnam Medal of Honor action — This is Gary Wetzel after he was shot, stabbed, and blown up in Vietnam. This guy is a freaking beast.

Gary Wetzel was born in 1947 in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1965, he was an 18-year-old soldier working in ordnance. He enlisted for three more years to serve as a door gunner on UH1 Huey helicopters in Vietnam. Wetzel was assigned to the 173d Assault Helicopter Company near Ap Dong An.

A group of four Australian helos flew into Wetzel’s firebase and got badly shot up for their trouble. Most of the hostile ground fire they had taken originated a mere kilometer from the perimeter.

Realizing the imminent threat this represented, Wetzel’s commander put together a quick reaction mission to seek out the local VC force and eliminate it. On January 8, 1968, PFC Wetzel climbed aboard his Huey and charged his M60 machine gun. They took off as a flight of fourteen aircraft. Ten were American UH1s. The four Australian helicopters took part as well.

The Guns Gary Wetzel Carried Into a Vietnamese Killing Zone

Early M16 rifle representative of Vietnam-era helicopter crew weapons — Early M16s like this one had some well-publicized teething troubles. However, the rifle evolved into an effective combat tool.

By 1968, Vietnam was a mature war zone. That meant weapons were absolutely everywhere. The M16 was and is a solid combat rifle. However, at 39 inches overall, it is a bit bulky for the confines of a tactical helicopter.

XM177E2 CAR-15 compact carbine used by select American troops during the Vietnam War — The XM177E2 was known as the CAR-15 in theater. These compact little rifles were forever in short supply.

The XM177E2 was the stubby carbine version of the M16 that was just seeing widespread issue to Special Forces troops. It would yet be a while before there were enough carbines to filter down to aviation units. In the meantime, Wetzel and his mates scrounged whatever they could find.

The US gifted untold tons of WW2-surplus ordnance to the South Vietnamese. Among these weapons were huge numbers of vintage M3 Grease Guns as well as M2 carbines and Thompson SMGs. Many of these weapons ended up available for barter among American troops.

M79 40mm grenade launcher used by American forces during the Vietnam War — Known as the Bloop Tube, the Platoon Leader’s Artillery, or simply Big Ed, the M79 40mm grenade launcher offered serious indirect fire capabilities in a handy package.

Among aircrews, folding stock Kalashnikovs were prized but hen’s-teeth rare. I have heard of captured cut-down RPD belt-fed machine guns being used as well, but they were about as common as Bigfoot or fiscally responsible Congressmen.

Flight crews not infrequently tucked an M79 40mm grenade launcher into their birds for a little serious thump. However, WW2-vintage .45ACP submachine guns were not uncommon. Wetzel packed a Tommy Gun himself.

M1928A1 and M1A1 Thompson submachine guns like the Tommy Gun carried by Gary Wetzel in Vietnam — Here we see an M1928A1 Thompson on top alongside a later M1A1 version. The M1A1 was the most common variant in Vietnam.

The Thompson really was a niche tool. Those big, fat .45ACP rounds lost energy quickly at long ranges, and the thing was heavier than Aunt Edna’s prize Christmas fruit cake.

Additionally, the ergonomics were all wrong, so it took some attention to technique to run the gun accurately and well. However, for a generation raised on Saturday afternoon gangster movies, the Thompson carried some undeniable sex appeal.

RPG Impact: Gary Wetzel’s Huey Falls Into a Kill Zone

RPG-2 launcher and rocket similar to the antitank weapon encountered by American helicopter crews in Vietnam — The RPG-2 was a direct development of a WW2 German design. It was a fairly common finding among VC and NVA forces in Vietnam. Public domain.

Standard Operating Procedure had Huey gunships in the lead to sterilize the landing zone with machine gun fire and rockets.

However, in this case, the gunships inexplicably fell behind. Wetzel’s slick was one of the first aircraft into the LZ. As they were on final approach, VC streamed out of the jungle like ants and opened fire. Wetzel noticed the RPG-2 rocket just before it impacted his aircraft.

I used to fly Army helicopters myself. They are amazingly capable machines. However, they were never designed to withstand hits from anti-tank weapons. The RPG struck the Huey solidly in the left front. Wetzel’s pilots got the stricken bird to the ground more or less intact, but they were in a world of hurt.

One of the pilots had his legs shot to pieces. Wetzel and his crew chief wrestled the stricken officer out of the aircraft and took cover behind the disabled machine. At that moment, one of the VC threw a Combloc grenade that exploded among them.

The blast liberally peppered Wetzel with shrapnel and shattered his left arm, leaving it dangling uselessly at an unnatural angle.

One Arm Ruined, Thompson Roaring: Wetzel Fights Back

Destroyed Vietnam-era American helicopter illustrating the danger faced by Gary Wetzel and other Huey crews — Of 11,846 American helicopters deployed to the combat theater in Vietnam, some 5,607 were destroyed or written off in accidents. That means nearly half of all combat helicopters in Vietnam were lost. That is a staggering number. Public domain.

So, imagine the scene. One moment, you’re making a low-level approach into a hostile LZ. Next, your aircraft is shot to pieces, and your pilot is bleeding to death. Then the VC blows your arm off. Most normal guys would have just rolled over and quit. However, Gary Wetzel was no normal guy.

The VC soldier who threw the first grenade was now readying a second. Firing his Thompson one-handed, Wetzel stitched the man up, causing him to drop his primed grenade. The little sputtering bomb exploded among the attacking VC and caused a brief lull in the incoming fire.

Wetzel and his crew chief took advantage of the respite to get tourniquets on the legs of the grievously wounded pilot. Then Wetzel noticed half a dozen VC struggling to remove his M60 from its pedestal mount on the side of the crashed helicopter. Once again, taking his Tommy Gun in his one remaining good hand, the badly wounded gunner took out all six with a long full-auto burst.

Despite their best efforts, the young pilot bled out and died. This was more than Gary Wetzel had signed up for this day. Now simply angry, he stuffed his useless left hand into his pistol belt so it wouldn’t flop around while he ran, stood up, and charged back over to the smoldering aircraft.

Back to the M60: Gary Wetzel Charges Through Enemy Fire

F-4C Phantom II over Vietnam representing the close air support surrounding Gary Wetzel's battlefield — American close air support sets the world’s standard. However, it is an area weapon system. To survive as an attacker in this environment, you had to get in close. Public domain.

The VC had not been idle throughout all of this. They marshalled in the treeline and prepared for a massed attack.

The enemy well appreciated that the greatest strength of the American military was its essentially unlimited close air support. If they had any hope of defeating the American assault, they had to get in close, too close for helicopter gunships and fast mover jets to lay down effective supporting fires. What happened next would determine whether Wetzel and his buddies lived or died.

Under suffocating enemy fire, Gary Wetzel charged across the open rice paddy toward his pedestal-mounted machine gun. Communist bullets sleeted across the space by the hundreds. Then one of the charging VC stabbed him through the leg with a bayonet, knocking him to the ground.

I saw an interview with Gary Wetzel where he related what happened next in his own words. His left arm was essentially shot off, and he had just taken a bayonet to his leg.

His chest was thoroughly ventilated with shrapnel, as was his remaining good arm. He claimed he had no idea how he cleared the distance to the downed helicopter. He just said that the bayonet wound knocked him to the ground and that the next conscious memory he had was behind his gun.

Gary Wetzel with pedestal-mounted M60 machine gun during his Vietnam Medal of Honor action — Gary Wetzel and his pedestal-mounted M60 machinegun are what kept the VC from overrunning the LZ on this fateful day back in 1968. Public domain.

The aircraft was dead, but Wetzel’s pig was just fine. He also had access to plenty of ammunition and was savvy enough to run his gun one-handed. Despite multiple horrific wounds, PFC Wetzel poured fire into the enemy emplacements. He eventually suppressed and then destroyed the VC gunners that had taken them under fire.

Bleeding Out, Wetzel Still Dragged His Buddies to Cover

PFC Gary Wetzel after surviving a ferocious Viet Cong assault in Vietnam — PFC Gary Wetzel prevailed in the face of a ferocious VC assault.

With the major threat eliminated, there was still plenty to do. The VC kept shooting into the LZ, and there were scads of American wounded. Despite having his arm blown to pieces and having taken a stab wound through the leg, PFC Wetzel dragged injured American troops across the slippery mud of the rice paddy so that the medic could work to stabilize them. He lost consciousness several times due to his own bleeding, but refused to stop until his fellow soldiers were behind cover.

PFC Wetzel was eventually medevac’d. He lost his left arm but saved an LZ full of GIs. Here is his Medal of Honor citation:

Gary Wetzel’s Official Medal of Honor Citation

“Sp4c. Wetzel, 173d Assault Helicopter Company, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Wetzel was serving as door gunner aboard a helicopter which was part of an insertion force trapped in a landing zone by intense and deadly hostile fire. Sp4c. Wetzel was going to the aid of his aircraft commander when he was blown into a rice paddy and critically wounded by two enemy rockets that exploded just inches from his location. Although bleeding profusely due to the loss of his left arm and severe wounds in his right arm, chest, and left leg, Sp4c. Wetzel staggered back to his original position in his gun-well and took the enemy forces under fire. His machine gun was the only weapon placing effective fire on the enemy at that time. Through a resolve that overcame the shock and intolerable pain of his injuries, Sp4c. Wetzel remained at his position until he had eliminated the automatic-weapons emplacement that had been inflicting heavy casualties on the American troops and preventing them from moving against this strong enemy force. Refusing to attend his own extensive wounds, he attempted to return to the aid of his aircraft commander but passed out from loss of blood. Regaining consciousness, he persisted in his efforts to drag himself to the aid of his fellow crewman. After an agonizing effort, he came to the side of the crew chief who was attempting to drag the wounded aircraft commander to the safety of a nearby dike. Unswerving in his devotion to his fellow man, Sp4c. Wetzel assisted his crew chief even though he lost consciousness once again during this action. Sp4c. Wetzel displayed extraordinary heroism in his efforts to aid his fellow crewmen. His gallant actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.”

Source: Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Gary George Wetzel recipient record and official citation.

Gary Wetzel Comes Home: A Medal of Honor Legacy

Medal of Honor recipient Gary Wetzel photographed after his Vietnam War service — War does horrible things to young men. However, it can also bring out the very best in us. Public domain.

Gary Wetzel returned home to Milwaukee after he recovered to take a job as a heavy equipment operator. This guy is a freaking animal, the kind of amazing American hero who made America what it is today. This one-armed military machine would not quit when quitting was the only reasonable thing to do. In so doing, he showed us all what it truly means to be a man.

Will Dabbs

Will is still trying to figure out what he really wants to be when he grows up. However, shooting guns and claiming it was work seemed like a pretty sweet hustle. As a result, Will serendipitously transformed an avocation into a vocation.

Raised in the Mississippi Delta, Will flew UH1H, OH58A/C, CH47D and AH1S helicopters operationally as an Army Aviator. He is SCUBA-qualified and has parachuted out of perfectly good airplanes at 3 o’clock in the morning. Will has summited Mount McKinley, Alaska, six times…always at the controls of an Army helicopter, which is the only way sensible folk climb mountains.

Will has delivered sixty babies and occasionally wrung human blood out of his socks. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has three awesome adult children. Turn-ons include vintage German machineguns, flying his sexy-cool RV6A airplane, Count Chocula cereal and the movie “Aliens.”

www.word-monkey.com

Experience:

-Professional Writer-thousands of publishing credits for dozens of titles

-Mechanical Engineer/Practicing Physician

-Instrument-rated Commercial Pilot

-Sunday School Teacher