Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. & Robert Bleier
Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.
Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. was a U.S. army general. While serving as the Commander of U.S. Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Schwarzkopf grew up in the States and later in Iran. He was accepted by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1956.
Schwarzkopf had a stint as an academy teacher and served in the Vietnam War, first as an adviser to the South Vietnamese Army and later as a battalion commander.
Schwarzkopf was highly decorated in Vietnam, being awarded three Silver Star Medals, two Purple Hearts, and the Legion of Merit. Rising through the ranks after the conflict, he later commanded the U.S. 24th Infantry Division and was one of the Commanders of the Invasion of Grenada in 1983.
Assuming Command of U.S. Central Command in 1988, Schwarzkopf was called to respond to the Invasion of Kuwait in 1990 by the forces of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Initially tasked with defending Saudi Arabia from Iraqi aggression, Schwarzkopf's Command eventually grew to an international force of over 750,000 troops. After diplomatic relations broke down, he planned and led Operation Desert Storm, an extended air campaign followed by a highly successful 100-hour ground offensive which defeated the Iraqi Army and liberated Kuwait in early 1991.
Schwarzkopf was presented with military honors. Schwarzkopf retired shortly after the end of the war and undertook a number of philanthropic ventures, only occasionally stepping into the political spotlight before his death from complications of pneumonia in late 2012.
Robert Bleier
Robert "Rocky" Bleier is a former professional American U.S. Army veteran and football player. He was an NFL halfback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968 and from 1970 to 1980. After his rookie season with the Steelers, Bleier was drafted into the U.S. Army December 4, 1968, during the Vietnam War. He was deployed to South Vietnam as a squad grenadier, operating a 40mm M79 grenade launcher.
On August 20, Bleier was wounded in the left thigh by an enemy rifle bullet when his platoon was ambushed in a rice field. While he was down, an enemy grenade landed nearby after bouncing off a fellow soldier, sending shrapnel into his lower right leg. He lost part of his right foot in the blast, as well. He was later awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
(Image via Wikipedia; Facebook)
Did you know...
- After her role as First Lady came to an end, Jackie Kennedy went into the publishing business. She became an associate editor at Doubleday and worked mostly on autobiographies. In fact, she was one of two original editors for Michael Jackson's 2009 autobiography Moonwalk, a #1 New York Times bestseller.
- In the summer of 2007, Joh Hamm became a household name when Mad Men premiered to critical acclaim and strong ratings. Just over a year and a half later, Ellie Kemper stole America's hearts (and Dwight's and Andy's) when she became the new receptionist on The Office. Before they were famous, Hamm was Kemper's high school drama teacher!
- While attending the Grammys in February 2000, Jennifer Lopez stepped out in a green Versace dress that instantly became a phenomenon. The barely-there ensemble had a dramatically low cut that came below JLo’s belly button. It became such a talking point that it was Google’s most popular search query up to that point, and it spurred the company to include images into search results. It became the motivation for Google Images.
- Björk created a media sensation when she wore her iconic white swan dress to the 2001 Oscars. At the time, many derided it as hideous and a publicity stunt, but it has since gone down as one of the most memorable dresses of all time—even if it isn't exactly beloved. She says David Bowie was the inspiration behind the dress.
- In February 2020, Jeff Bezos bought the most expensive property in California: a $165 million mansion. It was designed for Jack Warner (the former president of Warner Bros. entertainment company). It took a decade to construct (spanning the 1930s and 40s). It comes complete with 9 acres of Beverly Hills land, a main house, a guest house, a tennis court, a golf course, and terraces.