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¶ … Eagle: Sam Damon
Sam Damon may be the protagonist of "Once an Eagle" but you need to remind yourself of this fact when you notice how often this man is talked about and discussed in military training units. There is something so universal about Sam Damon's character, his values, his leadership and the principles he hold dear that we almost forget that he is after all a fictional character. Why has be become everyone's hero, you might wonder? But the answer doesn't exist in the book but it lies within our conscience. Don't we all admire a person who has some values and sticks to them regardless of his personal needs and fears. Isn't there something simply 'great' about a man who believes that "...if it comes to a choice between being a good soldier and a good human being -- try to be a good human being." (p. 998)
Sam Damon is every sane person's hero. He is the man you would want to become or at least look up to as a role model. But Damon is not an inspiration for the people serving in the Army but instead he is a source of real inspiration and encouragement for every person who truly wants to be a leader. In Damon's character, we find the moral compass that we would want to keep close to us in case we ever find ourselves at moral crossroads and have no idea which way to go. Damon's principles are universal in nature. He believes...
He may not be the writer of his destiny but he certainly holds the power to direct his life on the right path. This is what Myrer wants to tell us about Sam Damon early in the novel when he presents a quote by Aeschylus: "So in the Libyan Fable it is told that once an eagle, stricken with a dart, said when he saw the fashion of the shaft, with our own feathers, not by others' hands are we now smitten." (p.2)
Damon is not the officer you would expect especially without political connections or sophisticated upper-class upbringing. But it is his humble roots that have instilled true moral and ethical values in him and have made him a real man and a soldier everyone respects. His career is overshadowed by an antithesis of himself, Courtney Massengale. Massengale is the kind of person every soldier would hope not…
Damon's character gives us a picture of what American Army was like in the first seven decades of the 20th century. It was dedicated, stood for the right and defended the weak but by the time Vietnam War broke out, U.S. army had lost its focus and withered away. Not that Damon withered in any sense of the word but the fact that he died in Vietnam War hints that a good moral side of the Army came to an end with this war. Damon's values and leadership qualities can be summarized in his words when he says: "That's the whole challenge of life -- to act with honor and hope and generosity, no matter what you've drawn. You can't help when or what you were born, you may not be able to help how you die; but you can - and you should - try to pass the days between as a good man." (p. 997)
REFERENCE
Myrer, Anton, Once an Eagle (New York, 1968)
Myrer also encourages the reader to identify with Sam by giving the book's protagonist almost supernatural insight into world conditions. Sam had a hunch that America will help the Allies fight World War I, just as he foresees the Great Depression. To Sam, living a 'real' life means 'taking the bull by the horns,' obeying his commanding officer, and serving with absolute selflessness. Tommy tries to persuade her husband
Leadership Styles of Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale In the military setting, it is very common to hear statements like 'you are acting like a Courtney (Sam) on that issue'. Courtney Massengale and Sam Damon are the two main characters in the novel, Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer. The two are portrayed as significantly different army officers in a story that revolves around the key themes of unchecked ambition,