New Heroic Comics #42

First Class Scout David Costa springs into action on an August morning in 1947 when a runaway horse threatens a baby in a carriage near his Rhode Island home. With quick thinking and fearless courage, he risks his own safety to push the carriage to safety—and pays the price when he falls beneath the horse's hooves. His bravery earns him the Gold Medal for Life Saving from the Boy Scouts of America, a true testament to the scout oath in action.

When a naval veteran plummets unconscious into a water-filled quarry near West Quincy, Massachusetts, John E. Cody, a sailor aboard the U.S.S. Button, doesn't hesitate—he dives one hundred feet into the treacherous depths to pull the man to safety. Navigating past jagged submerged rocks and working with rescuers who arrive to help, Cody fights to keep his fellow sailor afloat and haul them both back to solid ground.

Off-duty Police Sergeant James Bute of Brooklyn finds himself caught in a two-alarm fire when he stumbles upon a burning house with people trapped inside. Racing against time and choking smoke, Bute works to rescue four young children and their mother from the inferno, making multiple harrowing trips through the blaze. This 1947 true-life account captures an unforgettable day when duty called—badge or not.

When one of four Boy Scouts plunges through the thin ice of Long Lake near Littleton, Massachusetts on December 4, 1944, Leon Griffin and Richard Sawyer must put their Scout training to the test in a desperate race against the freezing water. Using logs and quick thinking, the two scouts work together to reach their drowning friend before the deteriorating ice gives way beneath them. Their bravery and resourcefulness earn them recognition from the Boy Scout National Court of Honor.

Fireman Mark West proves his bravery extends beyond the firehouse when he spots a knife-wielding robber fleeing a lunchroom holdup on the streets of Manhattan. Drawing on combat skills learned overseas, West takes on the desperate thug to stop him from escaping and bring him to justice. This 1947 tale celebrates a firefighter's courage both on and off the job.

When a young girl tumbles into the turbulent East River near New York, mate Albert Hinz of the tugboat Dalzellite doesn't hesitate—he dives overboard to pull her from the choppy water before it's too late. This 1947 true-life account celebrates an ordinary sailor's split-second courage and quick action in the face of tragedy.

During a heavy snowfall on the N.Y. Central Railroad, Conductor S. L. Rifkin of the Buffalo Division witnesses a yardmaster slip on ice directly in the path of an oncoming train whose brakes have failed. Rifkin springs into action in a desperate race against the locomotive's spinning wheels to pull the man to safety. This true-life account of quick thinking and bravery captures the moment that earned Rifkin the N.Y. Central Railroad's Valor Medal.

When a fire traps his family and neighbors, James Hines of Hudson, New York, jumps from a burning house—but breaks his leg in the fall. Despite excruciating pain and forced to stand on one leg, Hines manages to catch five children dropped from the blazing building and guide three women to safety, turning a desperate situation into an act of extraordinary courage.

When a mine explosion traps workers in Utah, Frank Markesek, the foreman at the Sunnyside site, makes a desperate decision to rush into the smoke-filled shaft without waiting for safety equipment to save the men trapped below. Risking his own life in the toxic gas and debris, Markesek navigates the treacherous conditions to locate survivors and pull them to safety. This is the true story of one man's courage in the face of tragedy.

When a fishing skiff capsizes in the churning Pacific off Santa Cruz, William R. Dietz springs into action with nothing but a makeshift rowboat and sheer determination to pull four people from the deadly waters. This true-life account captures one man's desperate race against the sea to bring drowning fishermen and a boy back to shore. Dietz's courage in the face of overwhelming odds proves that heroism isn't always about superpowers—sometimes it's about showing up when lives hang in the balance.

During a Boy Scout camping trip to Cowan's Gap, David Frank faces a life-or-death moment when a fellow scout begins to panic and drown in the lake. Drawing on his Scout training, David must make a difficult choice to save his companion's life—even if it means doing something that seems wrong in the moment. This true-life story shows what it really means to live up to the Scout pledge of bravery when it counts most.

When a devastating rainstorm swells Wigwam Brook into a dangerous torrent, a 15-year-old boy is swept downstream in a desperate fight for survival. George R. Britton hears the call for help and wades into the rain-swollen waters to attempt a daring rescue. Based on this true-life account, witness the struggle against the raging current and the heroic effort to save a life.

When a catastrophic fire tears through South Washington, Vermont, Mrs. Forrest Tucker springs into action—rushing into a blazing house to rescue trapped children, then organizing her neighbors to combat the spreading inferno before it claims the entire hamlet. Her quick thinking and steady resolve become crucial in the battle against the worst fire in the town's history.