Joe Hooper is a Total Bad Ass

Meet Army Staff Sgt Hooper, and by looking at him, you would never guess that this unassuming person is a total badass.

Joe Ronnie Hooper joined the United States Navy in 1956 and served as an Airman aboard the USS Wasp and USS Hancock. He left the Navy three years later and enlisted in the United States Army in May 1960. He volunteered for jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was assigned to Company C, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. In his first five years, he quickly moved through the ranks and was promoted to staff sergeant and was serving as a platoon sergeant in Panama.

He could not for some reason avoid trouble and was subjected to several Article 15 hearings, resulting in a reduction in rank to corporal by 1967. He was deployed to South Vietnam and in February of 1968, he was recommended for the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Huế. He returned home from South Vietnam and was discharged in June 1968. He re-enlisted in the Army the following September and was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon in March 1969 (Citation is here).

During his 18 years of service in the U.S. Army, he also awarded Hooper two Silver Stars, six Bronze Stars, eight Purple Hearts, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Medal with six campaign stars, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He is credited with 115 enemies killed in ground combat, 22 of which occurred on February 21, 1968. He became one of the most-decorated soldiers in the Vietnam War and was one of three soldiers wounded in action eight times in the war.

Tragically, he would pass away at the young age of 40 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.