Craziest WW2 Soldiers From Each Country

World War II saw incredibly unique and courageous soldiers, including a Medal of Honor recipient dentist, a Canadian who liberated a city solo, an infamous German commando, the deadliest sniper in history, a Japanese holdout who fought for decades, a sword-wielding British officer, and a bear that carried artillery shells.

• Captain Ben L. Solomon, a US Army dentist, earned the Medal of Honor for his heroic defense of an aid station.

• Sergeant Leo Major, a one-eyed Canadian, single-handedly liberated the Dutch city of Zwolle.

• Corporal Wojtek, a Polish Syrian brown bear, was officially enlisted and carried artillery shells during battle.

During World War II, a diverse group of soldiers earned reputations for extraordinary and often eccentric bravery. From Captain Ben L. Solomon, a US Army dentist who single-handedly defended an aid station against Japanese assault, to Corporal Wojtek, a Polish bear that served by carrying artillery shells, these individuals demonstrated remarkable courage and unique methods in combat. Their stories highlight personal dedication, strategic ingenuity, and sheer force of will that defined some of the war's most improbable heroes.

Captain Ben Solomon's Valor

• 00:00:31 Captain Benjamin Louis Solomon, a US Army dentist, volunteered to serve as a frontline surgeon during the Battle of Saipan. During a massive Japanese assault on July 7, 1944, he defended his aid station, personally killing multiple enemy soldiers with a rifle and bayonet to protect the wounded. Solomon then took over an M1917 machine gun, covering the evacuation of his comrades and single-handedly eliminating 98 enemy troops before succumbing to 76 bullet and bayonet wounds, earning him a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Sergeant Leo Major's Solo Liberation

• 00:03:19 Canadian Sergeant Leo Major, who lost an eye early in the war, became known for his scouting and sniping skills, claiming he only needed one eye to aim. During the Battle of Scheldt, Major single-handedly liberated the Dutch city of Zwolle after his comrade was killed. He tricked German forces into believing a larger Canadian assault was underway by creating noise and capturing enemy soldiers, ultimately leading to the German retreat and the city's freedom.

Otto Skorzeny's Commando Missions

• 00:06:04 Otto Skorzeny, Hitler's favorite paratrooper, led high-risk missions including the glider rescue of Benito Mussolini from Campo Imperatore Hotel without firing a shot. He was also involved in "Operation Long Jump," a plot to assassinate Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin at the 1943 Tehran Conference, which was thwarted by Soviet intelligence. Skorzeny later commanded "Operation Griffin" during the Battle of the Bulge, where English-speaking Germans in US uniforms caused chaos behind Allied lines, even sparking an all-out manhunt for Skorzeny by General Eisenhower.

Corporal Wojtek the Bear

• 00:18:00 Corporal Wojtek, a Syrian brown bear, was adopted by the Second Polish Corps in 1942. Initially fed condensed milk from a vodka bottle, he developed a taste for beer, coffee, and cigarettes, and became the unit's mascot, learning to salute and march. Officially enlisted as a private to bypass transport restrictions, Wojtek distinguished himself during the Battle of Monte Cassino by carrying hundreds of pounds of artillery shells to his unit, earning a promotion to corporal and inspiring the 22nd Artillery Supply Company's new emblem depicting a bear with a shell.