Korean American named one of greatest US war heroes

The late Col. Kim Young-ok, a second-generation Korean American who fought in World War II and was known as a humanist, has been chosen by msn.com as one of the greatest war heroes in American history.

MSN recently selected the 16 greatest war heroes in U.S. history, including Kim.

According to the portal site, the ethnic Korean was born in Los Angeles in 1919, adding that he enlisted to fight in World War II and also saw action in the Korean War. At the time, he joined an infantry troop instead of serving as an interpreter by pretending he did not speak Korean.

Kim proved its ability several times and became the first Asian battalion commander in American history.

The remaining 15 heroes are figures who gained fame in conflicts such as the Civil War and the Gulf War. They include George Washington, who went on to become the first president of the U.S.; Robert E. Lee, the Confederate Army`s most famous Civil War general; Ulysses S. Grant who led Union forces in the Civil War; and Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton, who were instrumental in the Allied victory in World War II.

Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam War hero, and Norman Schwarzkopf, commander-in-chief of U.S. forces in the 1991 Gulf War, were also selected.