Real Heroes #16

In "G.I.'s Best Friend," Ernie Pyle’s heartfelt, no-frills reporting captures the everyday courage of soldiers during WWII, bringing their struggles and humanity to life for readers at home. Written with the quiet dignity that defined his work, the story stands as a tribute to the men who fought—and the journalist who truly listened.

In the winter of 1925, the isolated town of Nome, Alaska faces a diphtheria epidemic with only one chance of survival: a 665-mile dog-sled relay race to deliver life-saving serum from Nenana through brutal blizzard conditions. Champion musher Gunnar Kasson and his lead dog Balto take on the final, most treacherous leg of the journey, where instinct and determination become their only compass in a whiteout storm. This is the true story of how a dog and a man raced against time and nature to save an entire town.

"Up From Slavery" in Real Heroes #16 (1946) tells the powerful true story of Booker T. Washington, born into slavery and rising to become a pioneering educator. Through perseverance and a steadfast belief in the power of education and mutual understanding, he forged a path that still inspires today.

Nancy Hart, a Georgia patriot, uses quick thinking and courage to outwit British soldiers occupying her home during the Revolutionary War. When Tory troops demand she cook them dinner, she devises a clever plan to disarm them and signal for help from her neighbors. Her bold actions turn the tables on the invaders and secure weapons for the rebel cause.

As America's frontier pushed westward in the 1800s, John Chapman—better known as Johnny Appleseed—began a remarkable journey through Ohio and Indiana, planting apple seeds to bring orchards and hope to settlers struggling on harsh new land. Walking barefoot across dangerous territory, he encountered rattlesnakes, wild rivers, and conflict between settlers and Native Americans, using his knowledge of medicine to help anyone in need. His tireless dedication to tending his orchards and aiding others made him a legend whose legacy would endure long after his death in 1847.

During the spring of 1942, when Malta's survival hung in the balance, the British submarine Porpoise and Lieutenant Bennington undertook a dangerous supply mission from Egypt—loaded with food, ammunition, and medical supplies instead of torpedoes. Hunted by Nazi destroyers, bombers, and U-boats across 900 miles of hostile waters, the Porpoise must fight through relentless enemy attacks to reach the starving island before its defenders run out of hope.

In 1680, young runaway tailor's apprentice Thomas Hopson joins the British Navy and finds himself in a stalemated naval battle where a bold stroke—cutting the enemy's flag from the mast—turns the tide and earns him a promotion on the spot. His daring act of initiative sets him on a path that leads to a distinguished naval career spanning four decades and countless engagements. This is the true story of how one determined young man's quick thinking helped secure victory for England.

Around 1905, young New York City patrolman Joseph A. Faurot becomes convinced that fingerprinting—a technique he studied from Scotland Yard's methods—could transform criminal investigation in America, but faces skepticism from his superiors who doubt both the science and whether courts would ever accept it as evidence. After successfully using fingerprints to identify a suspect in a hotel robbery case, Faurot pursues a bold courtroom demonstration in the Galla burglary trial that could prove fingerprinting's validity once and for all. This is the story of how one detective's determination to modernize police work challenged the legal system and helped establish a revolutionary tool in American law enforcement.

Nikola Tesla begins as a gifted boy in Croatia who shows an instinctive talent for fixing problems, then pursues engineering across Europe despite skepticism from those around him. After arriving in America with nearly nothing, Tesla works his way into Thomas Edison's laboratory, where he champions the promise of alternating current—a theory Edison refuses to accept. With backing from a believer in his vision, Tesla establishes his own laboratory and goes on to make groundbreaking discoveries in electrical engineering, wireless transmission, and phenomena that science would only confirm decades later, though personal setbacks and financial struggles shadow his path to recognition.