What happened to the WWII Movie Stars

[Navy6064]

What happened to the WWII Movie Stars


With the advent of World War II many of our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country we all love.

They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men & women, many as simple "enlisted men".

This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70 medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honor.

Most of these brave men have since passed on.

Real Hollywood Heroes

Alec Guinness (Star Wars~Bridge over the River Kwai) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.

James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.

Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.

David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy.

James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel.
During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.
Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's Croix de Guerre,and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.
In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950's.

Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II
Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles.

He attended the Officers' Candidate School at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942. He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s.

Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.

Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.

Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.

Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star and awarded the Purple Heart.

Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan.

George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.

Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on the island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.

Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against the Japanese on Rabaul in the Pacific.

Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was wounded earning the Purple Heart.

John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at Guadalcanal.

Robert Ryan was a U.S. Marine who served with the OSS in Yugoslavia.

Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed) joined the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines out of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Audie Murphy, little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Bay City, Texas who played cowboy parts? Most decorated serviceman of WWII and earned: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with "V", 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.

[cplmpes30]

Spike Milligan - Ask Tash for info on who he was.

Artillery Gunner in North Africa and Italy with the British Army.

[Donald]

Sir Harry Secombe, served with Spike Milligan

[Batgirl]

Originally Posted by cplmpes30

Spike Milligan - Ask Tash for info on who he was.

Artillery Gunner in North Africa and Italy with the British Army.

Hello Bruno, good to see you on the forums again!

Not sure if The Goons was broadcast outside the UK but both Milligan and Secombe were two of the founding members of this radio comedy show. My grandfather was a big fan of The Goons and another show Milligan produced called Q. Milligan was also a talented writer and wrote several comedy and childrens books and poetry.

[Vulture6]

To be fair, Audie Murphy wasn't an actor before the war. He was a Soldier first and only went to Hollywood after the war.

[Donald]

Originally Posted by Vulture6

To be fair, Audie Murphy wasn't an actor before the war. He was a Soldier first and only went to Hollywood after the war.

Didn't know that!

[cplmpes30]

Remember seeing Harry Bumblebee Secombe in London in 1968 in a rendition of the Three Musketeers.

Was in the Xmas season sometime.

The year the yanks sent Apollo round the moon for the first time.

Hy Tash, sorry for absence but been busy trying to start own business.

Cheers for now

[Navy6064]

Originally Posted by cplmpes30

Spike Milligan - Ask Tash for info on who he was.

Artillery Gunner in North Africa and Italy with the British Army.

Tells about him here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1843963.stm

[Batgirl]

Hy Tash, sorry for absence but been busy trying to start own business.

Good luck getting your business going

[coloneldan]

A lot of celebrities alive today, served in the military... remember WWII was a world war and most were involved... many of the "Stars" weren't stars before WWII, also if you didn't join, your job & career suffered.
It was the thing to do... just as many people today that served, most of their Kids & grand kids didn't/won't..
Many of those WWII stars, never encouraged their children to serve...
seach any of names below AND bio, for more info. several new members of congress are gulf war members..more to come


James Earl Jones was a "Ranger" James Earl Jones' Bio

Drew Carey was in the USMC Reserve.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004804/bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Carey

Elvis was assigned duty as a jeep driver-the perfect assignment for a man who loved cars as much as he did. On June 14, he was rewarded for his dilligence by being promoted to Corporal.

R.Lee Ermy

Jimmy Hendrix

Quote:
After getting into trouble with the law over a stolen car, Hendrix traded a two-year jail sentence for enlistment in the U.S. Army, enlisting on May 31, 1961. After boot camp in Fort Ord, California, he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division and stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky as a trainee paratrooper. Other paratrooper divisions would later falsely (or mistakenly) claim that he was part of their unit.

Pat Tillman, former star football player

James Blunt, Captain roryal army reconassaince. led KFor forcesinto kosovo

Tom Selleck was in the National Guard.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000633/bio

Scott Glenn (Urban Cowboy, Silence of the Lambs, Silverado) USMC. Served in 1st Recon Bn.

Steve McQueen-USMC (amtracker)

Brian Dennehy-(Silverado) USMC

George C Scott (Patton, Islands in the Stream, Dr Strangelove)-USMC

Robert Ryan (The Wild Bunch, Dirty Dozen)-USMC

Sean Connery-Royal Navy

British actors Richard Attenborough, Richard Burton, Michael Caine, Royal Navy gunner Sean Connery, Alex Guinnes, Rex Harrison, Anthony Hopkins (who spent a year with the Royal Artillery during the Col War), Ray Milland, Roger Moore (a first lieutenant with the Royal Army in occupied West Germany after World War II), David Niven and Peter Ustinov. Those from Canada include Loren Greene, Walter Pidgeon, and Raymond Massey.

http://www.autry-museum.org/shop/det...roductid=10660

an honorable mention to Bruce Willis?

Quote:
Some reports from military officials suggest that Willis tried to enlist in the military to help fight the second Iraq war, but he was turned away because of his age. [1] He has offered $1 million to any civilian who turns in terrorist leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri or (now the late) Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.[2] Willis has said that he wants to "make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy." [3] The film will follow members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, who spent considerable time in Mosul and were decorated heavily for it. The film is to be based on the writings of blogger Michael Yon, a former United States Army Special Forces Green Beret who was embedded with Deuce Four and sent regular dispatches about their heroics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Willis





Montel Williams. Marines. Not really an actor, but close enough.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montel_Williams

Anthony Field from The Wiggles was in the Australian Army. . he was in the 5/7 Pipes and Drums

http://www.angelfire.com/nt/57pipesa...s/history.html

david robinson the basketball player.

Roger Stauback Football Star


Dick Butkus, National Guard

Christopher Lee (guy who played Saruman in Lord of the Rings and Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun) served in the RAF and Special Operations Executive (SOE

<DIV><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=093572617-06042008>Donald James Adams "Don Adams", Brian Dennehy, Dale Dye, Scott Glenn, Gene Hackman, Harvey Keitel, Brian Keith, Mills Lane, Jim Lehrer, Lee Marvin, Ed McMahon, Steve McQueen, Tyrone Power, Robert Remus aka Sgt Slaughter, George C. Scott, Bernard Shaw, Leon Spinks, James Whitmore, and Jonathan Winters. These actors are US MARINES I included a few athetes and left out a few actors that where already mentioned these are taken from this web site it lists other more or less fomous Marines http://www.usmchangout.com/famous_marines_from_a_z.htm

Ice-T
After leaving high school, he joined the US Army, becoming an Army Ranger in the 25th Infantry until 1981.

Oliver North - USMC

Dan Rather - USMC

Pat Robertson - USMC

Gene Hackman - USMC, He joined the Marine Corps at the age of 16, lying about his age in order to get in. He was posted to a variety of places including Shaghai, Japan and Hawaii.

Harvey Keitel - USMC , At the age of 16, Keitel decided to join the United States Marine Corps,

Mills Lane - USMC

Dale Dye He graduated as a cadet officer from Missouri Military Academy but there was no money for college, so he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1964. He served in Vietnam in 1965 and 1967 through 1970, surviving 31 major combat operations. He emerged from Southeast Asia with numerous decorations, including a Bronze Star for valor and three Purple Heart medals for wounds suffered in combat. He spent 13 years as an enlisted Marine, rising to the rank of master sergeant. He was chosen to attend officer candidate school and was appointed a warrant officer in 1976. He later converted his commission and was a captain when he was sent to Beirut with the multinational peacekeeping force in 1982-83. He served in a variety of assignments around the world and along the way managed to graduate with a BA degree in English from the University of Maryland. Dye worked for a year at Soldier of Fortune magazine after his retirement in 1984. He spent time in Central America, reporting and training troops in guerrilla warfare techniques in both El Salvador and Nicaragua before leaving the magazine in 1985 and heading for Hollywood. He is the founder and principal of Warriors, Inc., which provides technical advisory services to the entertainment industry worldwide. Services included performer training, research, planning, staging and on-set advisory for directors and other key production personnel.

Bill Cosby - US Navy

Clint Eastwood , Wikipedia
Eastwood was drafted into the Army, apparently in 1951, during the Korean War. He was sent to Fort Ord on the Monterey Bay, California for basic training. He was supposed to be sent to the war in Korea, but on a trip home to Seattle to visit his parents and girlfriend, Eastwood caught a ride aboard a Navy plane at Moffett Field. On the ride back aboard a Navy torpedo bomber, the plane developed engine trouble and was forced to make a water landing off San Francisco. He was forced to swim over a mile through the tide to shore. Because of this, instead of being sent to Korea, he was assigned a job as a swimming instructor and remained at Ft. Ord. He worked nights and weekends as a bouncer at the NCO club. It was while on duty at Ft. Ord that Eastwood met fellow soldiers and actors Martin Milner ("Route 66"), David Janssen ("The Fugitive"), and Richard Long ("The Big Valley").
After his discharge in 1953, Eastwood moved to Southern California and attended Los Angeles City College, studying drama and business administration under the G.I. Bill.

George H.W. Bush was a Naval Aviator in WWII - he flew Avengers and was shot down in the Pacific and was rescued by a submarine.
George W. Bush. Air National Guard
John Glenn was a USMC pilot in Korea, prior to his career as an astronaut and senator.
John McCain was a Navy A-4 pilot shot down in Vietnam. He spent a few years at the Hanoi Hilton.
Ross Perot was in the U.S. Navy in the mid 1950s.
Charlie Wilson, U.S. Congressman (read Charlie Wilson's War) was in the USN in the late 50's and early 60's.
John Kerry was a Naval Officer in Vietnam. Pfft.

<DIV><SPAN class=093572617-06042008>Michael Reale, an actual italian TV actor, was in Italian Navy special forces (COMSUBIN)
http://www.spettacolo.net/foto/g-1082d.jpg

Johnny Cash was in the Air Force and served in Germany in the 50´s.

<DIV>rapper, Shaggy served in the USMC in Gulf War 1

Michael Caine served as a National Serviceman with the Royal Fusilers in the Korean War.

Ted Williams was as good a Marine as he was a ballplayer.

There's also a great article in this month's Flight Journal about his service in Korea. Like Pat Tillman, Williams actually took time out from a lucrative career to serve his country in two wars. One of them (Korea) being relatively obscure and unpopular. Not that Afghanistan was either obscure or unpopular, but Iraq certainly is and I'm sure guy's like Tillman & Williams would've been there.

<DIV>Kris Kristofferson<SPAN class=093572617-06042008>, Kristofferson joined the United States Army in 1960. He served as a helicopter pilot in