Gary O'Neal was chief warrant officer in the Army Special Forces and has been called one of the greatest warriors the United States has ever known — but you won't hear him say that.
"I'm kind of humble about it. I just did my job. It was a great pleasure. I had some of the best instructors and mentors and heroes that this country has ever produced, and I just took it a couple of steps further," O'Neal said Tuesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
Newsmax TV.
Story continues below video.
Note: Watch Newsmax TV now on DIRECTV Ch. 349 and DISH Ch. 223
Get Newsmax TV on your cable system – Click Here Now
O'Neal — who is part American Indian and a member of the Ranger Hall of Fame — is author of the new book
"American Warrior: The True Story of a Legendary Ranger," co-written with David Fisher and published by St. Martin's Griffin.
It's the epic story of one of the nation's greatest soldiers, who served his country for 40 years — trained in both military combat and the ways of his native people.
He fought in Vietnam at the age of 17, as well as in both Persian Gulf wars, and earned numerous military honors as a member of the elite Army Rangers corps.
He is also a founding member of the Department of Defense antiterrorist team and a member of the Golden Knights Parachuting Team, and now devotes his life to training the next generation of soldiers.
O'Neal's motivation, he told host Steve Malzberg, "broke down to my family heritage on my dad's side.
"My fifth-great grandfather was in the Frontier Rangers and fought in the Revolutionary War along with his two sons, and they signed the Oath of Allegiance to America.
"My family has fought in pretty much every war down to me. I didn't have a choice but to carry on the O'Neal tradition."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.