I was only a gun captain on the battleship Alabama for 34 months. People have called me a hero for that, but I'll tell you this - heroes don't come home. Survivors come home.
Bob FellerRead
I'm no hero. Heroes don't come back. Survivors return home. Heroes never come home. If anyone thinks I'm a hero, I'm not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote distinguishes between heroes and survivors, emphasizing the resilience of those who return from hardship.
Bob Feller's quote reflects on the nature of heroism versus the experience of survival. He suggests that true heroes do not return from battle, while survivors endure and find their way back home. This statement humbly positions himself as a survivor rather than claiming heroic status, acknowledging that enduring struggles and returning from them carries its own kind of bravery.
Themes
HeroSurvivorCourageResilienceStruggleBattle
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a veterans' event, this quote could be used to honor returning soldiers.
More from Bob Feller
All quotes βThe soldiers that didn't come back were the heroes. It's a roll of the dice. If a bullet has your name on it, you're a hero. If you hear a bullet go by, you're a survivor.
Bob FellerRead
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