Joe Foss. Probably very few left-wingers know who this man is. His passing on January 1, 2003 left a legacy of being a war hero, TV host, politician and gun proponent.
Born 1915 in South Dakota. Joe learned marksmanship and hunting at a young age. After being inspired by Charles Lindbergh, Joe decided at a young age to become a fighter pilot. After his graduation in 1940, he joined the Marines as an aviation cadet. In the battle for Guadalcanal, in World War II, Joe shot down an amazing 26 enemy fighters. This record was only equal to that of Eddie Rickenbacker, the ace of World War I. He earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for his great deeds in the war and was dubbed the ace pilot of World War II
After the war Joe decided to go into politics. He served as the governor of South Dakota for two terms. Joe was an advocate for the NRA and served on the NRA board for 40 years. Joe made numerous appearances on TV and Radio. He served as commissioner for the American Football League and was also the host of a an outdoor sports show.
No matter what your opinion is of the NRA or any other kind of right-wing organization, there is no denying that Joe Foss is a national hero.