He was a decorated, if at times reckless, fighter pilot who conducted nearly two dozen bombing runs in Vietnam before being shot down, captured and tortured.
Some believed the July 1948 sighting revealed the presence of secret Soviet spy craft in American airspace.
There have always been daredevils. But never has there been such a variety of creative ways to defy death—and break a few world records along the way.
We've always been a nation of risk-takers, from the Yankee Leaper of the 1820s to the 1960s stuntman behind The Great Escape.
Some people even thought both parties should nominate him in the 1920 presidential race.
Aides reportedly counseled the GOP candidate against appearing on the goofy, left-leaning comedy show. But Nixon went ahead with his "sock it to me" moment.
Stamps have often invited debate—usually for reasons the post office never anticipated.
The 26th president found that simplifying the language was anything but simple.