He was born in 1915 to a Norwegian-Scots family in South Dakota. Though he grew up poor, Joe Foss was able to scrape together $65 for flying lessons, and from then on he was hooked. After joining the Marines, Foss fought in WWII, racked up 26 aerial victories, and was awarded the Medal of Honor. After the war, this intrepid Marine helped organize the South Dakota Air National Guard, fought in the Air Force during the Korean War, was elected Governor of South Dakota, and even became the first American Football League Commissioner.
