In the aftermath of the tragic events of 9-11, with the nation still grieving over thousands of lives senselessly lost, a lone warrior silently passed away. Colonel William Barber died on 19 April 2002. Known for his gallantry at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, Barber was a real American hero. Instead of leaving a hill for safety, then-Captain Barber, in defiance of orders, suffering from a bullet wound near his groin, chose to stay and fight, commanding his company from a stretcher, enabling the withdrawal of 8,000 nearby Marines.
The term "hero" now seems inadequate in describing Barber. Barber stood out during the ensuing days when the Marines, outnumbered five-to-one, overcame overwhelming odds with courage and gallantry a common occurrence. Even so, not all of the Marines who fought at the Chosin Reservoir were deemed "heroes." While all fought bravely, Barber did something different. He changed the outcome of the battle, with action above and beyond the call of duty, at his own personal risk.
To be sure, there were also many heroes on 11 September 2001. Firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel knowingly entered the World Trade Center at their own peril in an attempt to rescue those in need. A group of passengers on Flight 93 fought for control of the aircraft before tragically crashing in a Pennsylvania field. Large numbers of good Samaritans helped the needy evacuate the Trade Center. There were many other acts of courage we will never know about, lost in the rubble of the Pentagon and World Trade Center.
It is important that we maintain the integrity of what it means to be a hero. In recent times, the word "hero" is used more often to describe victims of senseless acts of violence. While it is right and altogether proper to remember those killed, labeling all as heroes diminishes those who act bravely, at their own peril, to help others. In our effort to memorialize victims, we actually may be dishonoring our heroes.
The dictionary describes a victim as "one who is injured, destroyed or sacrificed under any of various conditions." A hero, on the other hand, is defined as "one who shows great courage." While almost all heroes are victims in some sense, few victims rise to the stature of hero. The distinction between victim and a hero is an important one. Heroes act out of courage, willingly facing danger, fear, and great difficulty to accomplish great feats, usually involving helping others at risk to themselves.
In the military, we honor our heroes with medals and ceremonies. The highest award a military person can receive is the Medal of Honor. Regardless of his or her rank, all officers (including four-star generals and admirals) and enlisted personnel salute the wearer of the Medal of Honor. To receive the Medal of Honor, a military person must perform gallantly in combat, above and beyond the call of duty—so heroic is the valor to earn the medal, many are awarded posthumously. So esteemed are heroes in the military, that we name ships, weapon systems, buildings, and bases after them.
Let us not forget our heroes, and, just as importantly, what it takes to be one. Let us also maintain the distinction between hero and victim, remembering both, but maintaining a special category of honor for the former.
As I stated earlier, Colonel Barber was a real American hero. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor in Korea.