I would think that any Jew would refer to any soldier who saved him as his hero. Moreover, American exceptionalism is an empiric fact. America is a nation of nations. In many ways it has been the Am Yisrael of the gentiles (e.g. seeking tikkun olam). IMHO, an America based on traditional American values would be the perfect partner for an Israel based on traditional Jewish values. It is for this reason that I share the view of David Brog and Yoram Hazony, as expressed on-line in “The Nationalist Spirit of 2016: A Conservative Spring?” that the rise of nationalism is good for the Jews.
In any case, I must agree with Joseph (difficult as it is for me to type these words – LOL) regarding hakarat hatov. A book, “At Home in Two Countries: The Past and Future of Dual Citizenship” by Peter J. Spiro, has even been published attesting to the benefits of dual identification (full disclosure: I have only read the review and I unfortunately do not receive a commission for mentioning it).