WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WW II MOVIE STARS
In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's 'Hollywonks' the real actors of yester-year loved the United States .
They had both class and integrity. 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.
So remember; while the 'Entertainers of 2007-2008' have been in all of the news media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of 1943 were doing, (65 years ago).
Most of these brave men have since passed on.
'Real Hollywood Heros'
Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.
My favorite signer, Gene Autry, was a pilot flying C-47 in the China-Burma theater.
Christopher Lee was a RAF pilot. Was decorated by the Czech, Yugoslavian and Polish government.
James Doohan ('Scotty' on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.
Mel Brookes was a combat engineer whose duty was to deactivate mines. He took part in the Battle of the Bulge. The store was that when Germans try to unnerve the Americans by broadcasting Nazi propaganda over the loudspeaker, Brooks stood up and did a loud imitation of Al Jolson singing “Toot-Toot-Tootsie, Good-bye”.
, I can see him doing that.
Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down and held prisoner
David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy. He was one of only twenty-five from Britain to be awarded the U.S Legion of Merit.
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 1950s.
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.
Ernest 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 a warded the Purple Heart.
Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29's 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 US . Marine rear gunner in several actions against the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.
Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was
wounded earning the Purple He art.
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
Ed McMahon, a Marine Corps fighter pilot stationed aboard the carrier USS. Guadalcanal.
Henry Fonda, U.S Navy station on destroyer Saterlee. Was a Air Combat Intelligence in the Central Pacific. Awarded the Bronze Star.
Walter Matthau was a gunner and radio operator under James Stewart, won six battle stars.
Richard Burton was a navigator for the RAF.
Paul Newman was a gunner and radioman on a torpedo plane in the south pacific.
Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. 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 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 Fourr agere 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. WTFG MURPHY,
Strom Thurmond, U.S Senator before U.S got into the war, join the army in the 82nd airborne Div. and was wounded at Normandy. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star.
Oceanographer Jacques Consteau was a gunnery officer abroad the French cruiser Dupleix. When the German occupied France, he joined the French resistance where he developed the aqualung (scuba). He helped clear mines from the French coast along the Mediterranean Sea.
