A. H. Morgendorffer

"Dad swung the belt-guy around and HE got sliced, then got him with the flame-thrower," Jake continued. "Now, here's where it gets weird - because Dad swore he didn't remember any of this - but the guys in Dad's unit suddenly see the jungle where the shooters are just explode into flames like a Roman candle! The Japanese soldiers just start throwing their guns down and running - in total fear of something coming behind them… and that's when they see Dad charging after the soldiers, literally foaming at the mouth and yelling incoherently at the top of his voice! He actually ran through the flames, with the flame-thrower in one hand, the sword in the other - and the belt still tight around his neck, looking for all the world like a broken leash!" "That would scare anybody." "It really bothered the platoon CO - he had Dad checked out for mental problems. Meanwhile, the big-shots are looking over the combat area: it turns out that the bad guys had the firepower to wipe out the entire unit and then move in to do serious damage to the landing craft on the beach about five miles away. If that wasn't enough to make them go nice with Dad, checking his flame-thrower and finding his makeshift repairs -" "Makeshift repairs?" "Chewing gum and duct tape. They gave him the Medal of Honor three weeks later," Jake said. "The nickname 'Mad Dog' stuck almost immediately… and then they stuck him behind a desk for the next three years - except for promotional tours.