I could write about this, but it'll be better if I just put the link here. Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill
Anyone who tells reality to go fuck itself and gets away with it, is a hero in my book. Unless of course, they were a psychotic monster.
Thanks go to whoever posted the link to the Unusual Articles page on Wiki, because that's where I found this man.
since we're on the subject of bad-asses, i nominate Michael Malloy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Malloy). Yes there are a lot of citations needed, so who knows to what extent the story is actually true. but i like the story nonetheless.
Yes, Jack Churchill was a LEGEND.
Colonel Van T. Barfoot pretty much counts as a badass: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_T._Barfoot