Rosa Parks
John Wayne
Amelia Earhart
From the first page, the men and women profiled in this volume from the 20th century will inspire readers to greater success and contributions to our exceptional country. Their examples of the AmeriCAN-do spirit continue the celebration of timeless values and principles that bless us. They honored the gift of liberty earned by the sacrifice of our Founders, and perpetuated and expanded since by our forebears. Readers from young adults and up will stand and cheer these AmeriCANS' success and feel greater pride in our country and future. Their stories and examples of overcoming adversities like World Wars I and II, the Spanish flu pandemic, Great Depression, and other challenges will encourage and inspire you to repay their favor and pass that AmeriCAN-do spirit along to our descendants.
RICHARD V. BATTLE is the multi-award-winning author of thirteen books, including Made in America by AmeriCANS, not AmeriCANTS, and has been a public speaker on leadership, motivation, faith, sales, and volunteerism for over 30 years. He is an experienced corporate executive and non-profit leader who serves organizations in an advisory role.
20th Century – The American Century
Richard V. Battle
“He did it again! Not only does Richard Battle fill you up with motivation as you read his patriotic words, but he also sparks great hope for what’s to come in the future. Each detail written about the prominent leaders of our nation in the 20th century is interesting, inspiring, and really just makes you want to make a big difference in the world, too. It’s moving, it’s compelling, and it teaches us all to remember to keep fighting the good fight. Everyone needs to read this!” —BUCLEIGH KERNODLE, author of the I Would Love You Even if You Were a Pickle series
AmeriCANS Who Made America! • 20th Century
John F. Kennedy
AmeriCANS Who Made America!
Richard V. Battle
“This book is a history book, an inspirational book, a record book, a chronicle of multiple generations and a vital reminder of who we are! I am proud to be an AmeriCAN as described by Richard Battle. This book will make you proud as well. It is the kind of book you can read aloud with your kids. Keep this culture alive and pass it on. A vital reminder with insights beyond most people’s perspective.” —Jim Cathcart, Mentor to Professional Experts, Author and Proud Patriotic AmeriCAN. Founder of Cathcart.com
“Regardless of whether it’s his written or spoken word, what makes Richard Battle so unique is that he can find common sense and conservative ideas even in areas of our society in which few conservatives might exist. This group of AmeriCANS is a great example. As you flip through the pages, you may wonder how one person is connected to another. Look closely and you see how Richard sounds his web to catch each of them being AmeriCANS.” —Doug Wagner, host of The Doug Wagner Show- WMT/WOC-AM”
“This book is an easy-to-read collection of well-written stories highlighting ordinary Americans whose courage and resilience lead to extraordinary lives. Richard’s storytelling makes these accounts both inspirational and deeply encouraging. —David Gillian, Director of Development, Texas Baptist Children’s Home
“What a trip ...! Just finished your 20th Century edition of AmeriCANS who made America. From Armstrong to the Wright Brothers, you have captured the essence of what these people did for all of us . And you continue to educate me about so many unknown facts about ALL included in this work. Now I am going to get your 19th century Edition to complete the trilogy!!” —Tom Van Fossen, Dallas Sons of the American Revolution Vice President
“He did it again! Not only does Richard Battle fill you up with motivation as you read his patriotic words, but he also sparks great hope for what’s to come in the future. Each detail written about the prominent leaders of our nation in the 20th century is interesting, inspiring, and really just makes you want to make a big difference in the world, too. It’s moving, it’s compelling and it teaches us all to remember to keep fighting the good fight. Everyone needs to read this!” —Bucleigh Newton Kernodle, author of the I Would Love You Even if You Were a Pickle series.
AmeriCANS Who Made America! 20th Century – The American Century
Richard V. Battle
Headline Books, Inc. Terra Alta, WV
AmeriCANS Who Made America! 20th Century – The American Century by Richard V. Battle copyright ©2026 Richard V. Battle All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books, Inc. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version from www.biblegateway.com. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication was written by AI. All words other than quotations are those of the author. To order additional copies of this book or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Books, Inc. P.O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 www.HeadlineBooks.com mybook@headlinebooks.com ISBN 13: 9781882658435 Library of Congress Control Number: 2026939885
P R I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A
Yesterday’s Examples I humbly dedicate this book to our grandparents, greatgrandparents, and those of their generations. They overcame a pandemic, depression, multiple recessions, two world wars, the Cold War, and numerous other calamities to gift us liberty and the wonderful country that makes our daily lives better than those of past generations. Today’s Lessons My parents Bill and Martha Battle endured the challenges above to instill in me my love of God, family, and country. Their contributions honored their obligations, sustained freedom, and passed it on to my generation. Mentors Logan Cummings, my long-time pastor, who taught me: “The impact of a life is more important than its length.”
life:
Lewis Timberlake, who taught me how to get the BREAK in • • • • •
Burning Desire Reverisco (I flourish in adversity) Enthusiasm Attitude Knowledge
John Ben Shepperd, former Texas Secretary of State and Attorney General, said: “To be born free is an accident, to live free is a responsibility, but to die free is an obligation.”
Tomorrow’s Success Our responsibility is to return their favor and preserve, protect, and proclaim their gift for future generations, equal to or broader than what we inherited beyond our lives, so they can succeed and continue gifting future generations.
Also by Richard V. Battle AmeriCANS Who Made America – 19th Century – Growth, Division, Reunification AmeriCANS Who Made America – 18th Century – Birth of The Republic The Unopened Present Made in America by AmeriCANS not AmeriCANTS Life’s Daily Treasure – 366 Doses of Hope, Optimism, Personal Growth, and Encouragement Navigating Life’s Journey – Common Sense in Uncommon Times Conquering Life’s Course – Common Sense in Chaotic Times Unwelcome Opportunity – Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges Surviving Grief by God’s Grace The Master’s Sales Secrets The Four-Letter Word That Builds Character The Volunteer Handbook – How to Organize and Manage A Successful Organization
Table of Contents Preface............................................................................................... 10 About this Book............................................................................... 13 Acknowledgments........................................................................... 16 Cover Photo Story........................................................................... 18 The AmeriCAN Century................................................................ 21 Patriots................................................................................... 24 Neil Armstrong.............................................................................. 26 George M. Cohan.......................................................................... 30 Jimmy Doolittle.............................................................................. 34 Desmond Doss .............................................................................. 39 John Ford........................................................................................ 43 Audie Murphy................................................................................ 48 Richard “Dick” Winters................................................................ 53 John Wayne..................................................................................... 58 Leaders.................................................................................... 64 President Calvin Coolidge ........................................................... 65 President Harry Truman .............................................................. 71 Helen Keller.................................................................................... 77 President Dwight Eisenhower...................................................... 81 Billy Graham.................................................................................. 88 Martin Luther King Jr.................................................................... 93 President Ronald Reagan.............................................................. 99 John Wooden................................................................................ 107
Innovators............................................................................. 113 The Wright Brothers.................................................................... 114 Jim Thorpe.................................................................................... 120 L. Frank Baum.............................................................................. 125 Henry Ford................................................................................... 130 Will Rogers................................................................................... 135 Will and Ariel Durant................................................................. 141 Gutzon Borglum.......................................................................... 145 Mary Kay Ash .............................................................................. 149 William D. Boyce and Juliette Gordon Low............................. 154 Charles Lindbergh....................................................................... 159 Amelia Earhart ............................................................................ 165 David Marshall “Carbine” Williams.......................................... 170 James Cash (JC) Penney ............................................................ 174 Hedy Lamarr................................................................................ 179 Laura Ingalls Wilder.................................................................... 184 Walt Disney.................................................................................. 189 Lt. General Leslie Groves and J. Robert Oppenheimer.......... 195 Father Edward Flanagan............................................................. 203 Rosa Parks..................................................................................... 207 (Col.) Harland Sanders............................................................... 211 Milton Friedman.......................................................................... 216 Norman Rockwell........................................................................ 221 Sam Walton................................................................................... 225 Bill Porter...................................................................................... 231 A Note from the Author............................................................... 236 Bibliography................................................................................... 238 Index............................................................................................... 242 About the Author.......................................................................... 249 Richard V. Battle Books................................................................ 251
Preface This volume covers the final period in the AmeriCANS series because it is the last complete century to date, and one of my selfimposed rules is to profile only people who have completed their journey in this world. This passion to share the profiles of people who have made America great began with my frustration with our culture, media, and some leaders, telling us that our best days are over. They told our children that they were the first generation to live in a time where it was impossible to experience better lives than their parents. In other words, they told us what we can’t do. As my irritation with the negative messages grew, I searched for a positive alternative, which was hard to find. Then, one day, it happened. I remembered that our ancestors succeeded in creating our wonderful country out of the wilderness because they possessed a uniquely AmeriCAN-do spirit. This spirit enabled them to overcome their challenges, often without support, and pursue their dreams regardless of their circumstances. The AmeriCAN-do spirit that has blessed the United States since before its creation does not belong to one generation, race, gender, age group, or geographic area of our blessed country. It is rather an attitude of confidence in our capabilities and the desire to solve a need or achieve a dream.
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It was born from the twin individual freedoms of economic and political liberty crafted by our Founders from their study of past civilizations. Generations cherishing their heritage, like the Founders, continued to perpetuate the AmeriCAN-do spirit in their descendants. Now it is our turn. It is up to us who stand on the free ground of the United States to protect the gift of freedom we received for those who come after we depart. They may not know us any more than we know our predecessors, but they will enjoy the gift. It is crucial we instill in our children an appreciation for this gift and a love of country, inspiring them to continue passing our liberty and heritage into the future. The AmeriCAN spirit is unique in history and possible only through our Creator and His blessings. *** Some wise words from our Founders continue to apply to protecting our freedom if we are wise to accept and follow them. Virtue: “We shall succeed if we are virtuous. I am infinitely more apprehensive of the Contagion of Vice than the power of all other enemies. It is the disgrace of human nature that in most countries the people are so debauched, as to be utterly unable to defend or enjoy liberty.” —Samuel Adams Education: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” —Thomas Jefferson
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AmeriCANS Who Made America! | 20th Century
Citizenship: “The people in general ought to have regard to the moral character of those whom they invest with authority either in the legislative, executive, or judicial branches.” —John Witherspoon Responsibility: “On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.” —Dr. Joseph Warren
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About this Book Beginning with the generation following the Founders, 19th-century AmeriCANS spoke and lived the AmeriCAN-do culture, which they passed along. This continues to resonate and influence us of the 20th and 21st centuries and will in generations to come. Like those who came before them, in making the best life for themselves, they made a better life for us. The 20th century began with America in a growth mode that exploded in January of 1901 with the oil strike at Spindletop in Beaumont, Texas, and then with the assassination of President William McKinley in September of 1901. The century ended after two presidential assassinations, the Spanish flu pandemic, two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Y2K technology scare, interspersed throughout one of the greatest centuries of growth and achievement by any country in history. *** People acclaim the generation that survived the Spanish flu and the Great Depression and overcame the last mortal threat to America by winning World War II, the Greatest Generation. They saw 16 million men and women serve in uniform during World War II, Rosie the Riveter representing women joining the workforce, children collecting and recycling aluminum, tires, 13
AmeriCANS Who Made America! | 20th Century
and other materials, and farmers increasing their output to feed the country and the war effort. Even the media was pro-America. President Franklin Roosevelt’s dollar-a-year men were CEOs who put aside business to contribute to winning the war. Factories converted from making cars and washing machines into producing weapons, ammunition, and supplies for the war effort. *** Despite all of the challenges, the 20th century saw the United States ascend as the leading world power. *** This volume highlights profiles or scouting reports of 43 patriots, leaders, and innovators. After reviewing an initial list of more than 200 worthy candidates, I selected these 43. I’ve included more than 400 quotes to enable those AmeriCANS to speak with their own voices, complementing their profiles. Those included are those who walked on the moon, changing our relationship with our planet; President Ronald Reagan, who reignited the AmeriCAN-do spirit after decades of discouragement and decline; war heroes; cultural icons; and individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds who positively influenced our country and culture. Despite internal and external challenges to America’s sovereignty and culture, the AmeriCANS of the 20th century fulfilled their duty to embrace, preserve, expand, and perpetuate the AmeriCAN-do spirit into the 21st century. ***
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It takes all of us striving for our dreams every day to contribute to our wonderful country’s prosperity, with what economist Adam Smith described as “the invisible hand” in his 1776 book, “An Enquiry into the Nature and Causes of Wealth of Nations.” Our responsibility in the 21st century is to do likewise for those who follow us. My late friend and mentor, former Texas Attorney General John Ben Shepperd, said it best: “To be born free is an accident, to live free is a responsibility, but to die free is an obligation.” *** I hope that at least one of the ideas presented in this volume will inspire and encourage you to exercise your AmeriCAN-do spirit and live your best life. This spirit is not political, partisan, or financial, but instead is patriotic. Armed with the AmeriCAN-do spirit, we can influence others until our last breath, benefiting our fellow citizens and America beyond our lifetimes. *** “The greatest wealth a man may acquire is the wisdom that he gains from living. And sometimes out of small beginnings, come the forces that shape a whole life.” —John Tucker Battle, Screenwriter, So Dear to My Heart
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Acknowledgments I’m repeating the paragraph below because I believe it is important for us to recognize those known and unknown individuals who preceded us. I like the term “return the favor” better than “pay it forward” because I believe it more comprehensively encompasses all those who came before us and made and gifted us the most wonderful country in history. I’m grateful for our forebears and hope to contribute my share in protecting, preserving, and perpetuating that gift for future generations. *** My daughter, Elizabeth, and any future children she may have are the primary audience of my efforts, and I cherish her love and support. *** When one writes several books, one finds many of the same people contribute to one’s efforts on multiple volumes. I’m grateful for their continued support and encouragement of my efforts, without which I would not have created the offerings I have to date. If you benefit from this or previous publications, please recognize their essential contributions. 16
Richard V. Battle
I’m blessed to have Logan Cummings as my mentor. His willingness to share his West Texas, Texas Tech basketball, and pastoral experience provides down-to-earth feedback and thoughts that add value to my mission. Thank you to Burke Allen, Shaili Priya, and the Allen Media Strategies team, who represent me professionally but have also become great friends and cheerleaders of my work. Your advice and counsel are invaluable. Thank you, Cathy Teets and your team at Headline Books, for your faith in me and this project. Your expertise and contributions to this work are essential to its impact and success. Thank you, Alane Pearce, for your invaluable contributions and editing prowess in helping me communicate my message more effectively.
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Cover Photo Story
Buzz Aldrin salutes the U.S. Flag on the moon, July 20, 1969
Few 20th-century images rival the photo of AmeriCAN astronaut Buzz Aldrin saluting the United States Flag on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Ask any of us who saw the image on television that day, and we will remember not only viewing the epic event but where we were at that very moment. Stepping outside and raising my eyes to the waxing crescent Moon that evening strained my belief that AmeriCAN astronauts had landed on that distant rock. Generations from the beginning of time eyed the Moon with wonder and dreams of travel to it and beyond. Now, these astronauts and their team, filled with the AmeriCAN-do spirit, achieved what many believed impossible.
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*** After an earlier speech to Congress, President John F. Kennedy raised the public’s consciousness on September 12, 1962, in a speech at Rice University that we know today as “We Choose to Go to The Moon.” Kennedy set a goal of landing AmeriCANS on the Moon by the end of the decade. The public’s instantaneous response embracing the audacious goal fueled action in all corners of the country. AmeriCANS of all demographic groups joined together in a politically bi-partisan endeavor unseen since World War II. For almost seven years, work proceeded at a rapid pace to achieve the goal. Unfortunately, President Kennedy did not live to see the end of the decade, the end of his presidency, or the monumental achievement he ignited. His administration prematurely ended on November 22, 1963, with his assassination in Dallas, Texas. President Lyndon Johnson continued the quest to a conclusion. *** On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 blasted off with the objective of landing astronauts on the Moon after several successful and unsuccessful missions in preparation for the event. Michael Collins flew the Command Module while Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong flew the Lunar Module Eagle to the Moon. No one who witnessed the event will ever forget Neil Armstrong descending the ladder and stepping onto the Moon, proclaiming the immortal words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” They did it! We AmeriCANS did it! 19
AmeriCANS Who Made America! | 20th Century
AmeriCAN pride was as high as the distance from Earth to the Moon! The image of Buzz Aldrin saluting the U. S. Flag illustrates the 20th century as the AmeriCAN century better than any image I can imagine, and the reason it graces the cover of this volume.
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The AmeriCAN Century
Five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raise the flag on February 23, 1945, on Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima. (Photo by Joe Rosenthal of AP)
Like those who came before them, in making the best life for themselves, they made a better life for me and others. There are so many candidates of great AmeriCANS to include in a volume like this. I began with a list of more than 200 and spent several hours prioritizing the 43 individuals across the 40 profiles in this volume. *** As the twentieth century dawned in the United States, the AmeriCAN-do spirit was thoroughly ingrained in the American culture and individually in most Americans. Despite having 21