If you’ve ever wanted to waste a few hours on a mind‑boggling challenge, try finding a single day in world history when no war was raging anywhere. It’s almost impossible, and most scholars agree that true global peace has never existed. So, while humanity has been embroiled in endless conflict, countless individuals—some of them wildly unexpected—have been formally enlisted into armed forces. Below are ten of the most astonishing formally enlisted soldiers you probably never imagined.
10 Formally Enlisted Oddities
10 Wojtek Was a Soldier in the Polish Army… and Also a Bear
Animals have been part of warfare since time immemorial—think of horses, war elephants, and modern‑day military dogs. Yet, most of these creatures never receive an actual service record. A few, however, climb the ranks and earn official titles.
A Syrian brown bear affectionately called Wojtek was granted the rank of private in the Polish army during the Second World War. The bear’s story began when a group of Polish POWs discovered the cub in Iran while trekking from Siberia toward Egypt. They adopted the bear, feeding and caring for it, and later escorted it to Italy where the unit fought alongside the Allies.
Wojtek grew up alongside the soldiers, picking up some decidedly human habits—he learned to puff on cigarettes and sip beer, though such vices are questionable for a bear. He also became adept at hauling ammunition boxes on the front lines, though later accounts suggest he was mostly moving spent shells rather than live rounds.
The bear mastered the basics of military life: he could salute, march in formation, and even joined in games of soccer and boxing matches. He unofficially served as the company’s morale officer, and the unit adopted a logo depicting a bear clutching an artillery shell. Wojtek’s dedication earned him a promotion to corporal.
After the war, the unit relocated to Scotland, and Wojtek settled onto a farm, continuing to frolic with his former comrades. He spent his remaining years in the Scottish countryside, enjoying the occasional cigarette and a pint of beer before passing away peacefully.
9 A Six‑Year‑Old Girl Was Enlisted in the Royal Navy in Australia
The armed forces of any nation are bound by an endless web of regulations, codes, and procedural red tape. Occasionally, the absurdity of these rules can be turned on its head.
In 1920, the Australian Navy enforced a strict policy barring women from setting foot on a warship. The regulations specified that “civilians” could not board, effectively excluding females. This rule was put to the test when six‑year‑old Nancy Bentley suffered a venomous snake bite.
Nancy’s father, desperate for medical help, rowed his daughter to the docked HMAS Sydney and pleaded for assistance. Captain Hayley recognized that while the regulations prohibited treating a civilian child on board, a sailor could receive medical aid.
To circumvent the rule, the captain formally enlisted Nancy into the Royal Navy, assigning her the rank of “mascot.” She received urgent first‑aid treatment and was soon transferred to a proper hospital in Hobart. After eight days of service, she was formally discharged, having survived the ordeal.
8 Just Nuisance Was an Official Sailor in the Royal Navy
Dogs have earned medals for bravery and saved countless lives during wartime, but few have been officially recognized as members of a navy.
Just Nuisance, a massive Great Dane from Simon’s Town, South Africa, spent his days lounging on the gangplank of HMS Neptune. Standing on his hind legs, he measured an impressive 6.6 feet, making him a literal nuisance to navigate around, which inspired his nickname.
The dog’s desire to accompany sailors on shore leave led to a conflict with railway officials who refused to transport him, even sending threatening letters to his owner. The sailors, unwilling to lose their beloved mascot, escalated the issue up the chain of command.
The Commander‑in‑Chief of the Royal Navy intervened, officially enlisting Just Nuisance. This clever move granted him free rail travel, sidestepping the fare dispute. His enlistment paperwork listed his first name as “Just” (since the field couldn’t be left blank), and he even signed his medical exam with a paw print. He entered service as an Ordinary Seaman and was later promoted to Able Seaman.
Tragically, at the age of seven, Nuisance suffered an accident that led the Navy to euthanize him. He received full military honors, including a firing party from the Royal Marines, cementing his place in naval history.
7 William Windsor Was a Goat in the British Army
While some animals climb the military ladder, not every four‑legged soldier enjoys a smooth promotion track.
William Windsor, affectionately known as Billy, served as a Lance Corporal with the First Battalion, Royal Welsh. During a 2006 parade honoring the Queen, Billy failed to keep step with the troops, a breach of ceremonial protocol.
As a result, the goat was demoted to the rank of Fusilier. Despite this setback, Billy remains part of a long tradition of regimental goats, a custom dating back to Queen Victoria’s era, when a goat allegedly led Welsh soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill. In 2022, a new goat named Lance Corporal Shenkin stood beside the proclamation of King Charles, continuing the storied lineage.
6 Donald Duck Was an Army Sergeant
Animals in the armed forces aren’t unheard of, but an animated character taking a formal commission is a whole new level of quirky.
Donald Duck, famously depicted in sailor attire since 1934, was officially drafted into the United States Army in 1941. By 1942, he starred in a series of military cartoons produced by Disney as part of the U.S. propaganda effort during World War II, helping fund the war effort and boost morale.
Beyond his cartoon appearances, Donald received honorary memberships in the Navy and Marine Corps, and his likeness even adorned the side of several aircraft. In 1984, fifty years after his initial enlistment, the Army’s director of staff presented him with formal discharge papers, officially releasing him from service after a final promotion to Sergeant.
5 Calvin Graham Joined the US Navy at Age Twelve
Calvin Graham holds the distinction of being the youngest veteran in United States history, enlisting in the Navy at just twelve years old.
After leaving home at eleven, Calvin survived on newspaper sales and became obsessed with wartime news. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he shaved his face, faked a deeper voice, and forged a set of documents—including a notarized signature from his mother—to appear old enough for enlistment.
He was assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota as an anti‑aircraft gunner, where he helped shoot down twenty‑six Japanese planes during the Guadalcanal campaign. The ship later sustained heavy damage, and Calvin suffered shrapnel injuries but survived and continued to aid his crewmates.
When his mother saw footage of the ship’s return, she contacted the Navy to inquire about her son’s service. The Navy responded by stripping Calvin of his medals, issuing a dishonorable discharge, and placing him in the brig. It wasn’t until 1977, after years of hardship and additional service, that President Jimmy Carter overturned the discharge and restored his honors.
4 Momcilo Gavric Was a Soldier at Age Eight
Child soldiers are a grim reality of many conflicts, but few stories are as astonishing as that of Momcilo Gavric, who joined the Serbian army at the tender age of eight.
When World War I erupted, Momcilo’s entire village was overrun, and his family was slaughtered. Orphaned and alone, he trekked to the nearest Serbian military unit. Moved by his tragic tale, the army officially accepted him into their ranks.
He was tasked with firing a cannon three times a day to avenge his family’s loss. Throughout the war, Momcilo endured numerous battles, sustained injuries, and rose to the rank of Corporal. At twelve, when hostilities ceased, his commanding officer instructed him to travel to London to complete his education.
3 Jean Thurel Was a French Soldier for Nearly a Century
Most people picture soldiers as young, vigorous individuals, but some defy that stereotype by serving well into their golden years.
Jean Thurel, a French infantryman, earned the Médallion des Deux Épées three times—a distinction awarded for twenty‑four years of exemplary service. He enlisted in 1716 at age eighteen and fought in four separate wars. Remarkably, he remained on active duty until 1804, when he was a spry 106 years old.
2 Monte Gould Was America’s Oldest Basic Training Graduate
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Boot camp is typically the domain of fresh‑out‑of‑high‑school recruits, but Monte Gould proved age is just a number.
A veteran of both the Marine Corps and Army Reserve, Monte finally tackled the modern Basic Combat Training (BCT) course in 2020 at the age of fifty‑nine. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class, demonstrating that experience and discipline can outshine youthful vigor. Gould noted that while he breezed through the training, attempting the same regimen today would be far beyond his capabilities.
1 The Mormon Battalion Was the Only Faith‑Based Regiment
Faith and military service have often intersected, but usually in a pragmatic, non‑sectarian fashion. The United States, however, fielded a uniquely religious unit during the mid‑nineteenth century.
In 1846, a group of migrating Mormons appealed directly to President James K. Polk, offering to assist in defending and fortifying the western frontier in exchange for governmental aid. Polk approved the proposal, authorizing the formation of a five‑hundred‑man battalion to fight in the Mexican–American War.
Although the Mormon Battalion never saw direct combat, its members endured one of the longest and most grueling forced marches in U.S. military history, covering roughly two thousand miles across harsh terrain. Their sole “battle” involved driving a herd of wild cattle, a fittingly unconventional climax to an extraordinary chapter of faith‑driven military service.