Everybody wants to be a hero. As a boy I certainly did and often imagined myself innocently riding my bike when sudden tragedy called on me to save the day. My time never came and I have no idea how I would have actually reacted, but I like to think I was ready, despite absolutely no training.

My Boy Scout friends, on the other hand, presumably did receive some basic emergency training and so had a slightly higher standard to live by. But keeping a calm head in the midst of chaos or drama is no easy task for anyone, so even the Boy Scouts give special recognition to those scouts who demonstrate heroism in the face of adversity. Today's images are from a comic strip that appeared in the Boy Scout publication Boy's Life, which featured a true case study of heroic scouts in action every month. Click on any image for a larger version.

Tragedy, we learn, strikes in many ways. Sometimes a tragic event literally starts with a bang: a car crash, plane crash, or gun blast.

Other times tragedy sneaks up on you: a missing child, unexplained behavior, or a little girl playing on railroad tracks.

But soon it's clear that quick action is called for.

And then the moment of truth—the actual rescue or intervention.

It's hard to say what many of us would do in similar situations. These days, most people would probably pull out their cell phones and call 911, which might actually be the best thing. But these boys took action and saved the day.

Then comes a tremendous sense of relief as we realize the young man was successful in his efforts.

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And of course the rescue is followed by gratitude.

I was glad to read that the Boy Scouts still give out medals of honor. There are several levels, depending on the degree of risk taken by the scout or scout leader. The highest level is the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms, which is given for "unusual heroism and extraordinary skill or resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save a life at extreme risk to self." Sixteen of these awards were bestowed in 2009.

The term "hero" is sometimes applied a bit too loosely in my mind. But in the case of "Scouts in Action," the term seems well-deserved.

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