The Resume

(May 8, 1918-August 25, 1945)
Born in Landour, India
Christian missionary in China
American Military Intelligence officer in China during World War II
Killed by Chinese Communists ten days after World War II ended
Described as 'the first casualty of the Cold War'

Why he might be annoying:

During his senior year at Mercer University, he organized a student group to identify examples of 'heresy' by professors, such as the teaching of evolution.
A classmate said, 'He was always an angry young man, always a zealot.'
Major Gustave Krause, the commanding officer of his OSS base, said, 'Birch is a good officer, but is too brash and may run into trouble.'
Krause also concluded, 'Militarily, John Birch brought about his own death.'
Robert Welch, Jr., named the ultra-right wing John Birch Society after him.

Why he might not be annoying:

He eluded Japanese forces sent to arrest him after Pearl Harbor.
He helped Jimmy Doolittle and other crewmen from the raid on Tokyo reach safety.
He organized an extensive intelligence network of Chinese informants.
At the time of his death, he was leading a mission to reach Allied personnel in a Japanese prison camp.
He was shot, bayonetted 15 times and thrown on a garbage dump.
He received a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 06]
• Cold War Participants
• I Am Not Chinese But I Speak It
• I Died Before My 30th Birthday (Ranked: 27)
• I Died in 1945 (Ranked: 27)
• I Took a Bullet
• I was Murdered
• I was Stabbed
• People with John or Mary in their Names
• Profiles 21001-21250 (Ranked: 21122)
• Served in World War II
• Tree Names

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 19 Votes: 47.37% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 21.43% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 19 Votes: 36.84% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 30 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 42 Votes: 59.52% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 39 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 70 Votes: 62.86% Annoying