Jimmy Stewart was a pilot before the war. He volunteered for service, got into the USAAF, and was a flight instructor for a couple of years. He was frequently arguing for combat assignment, which he eventually got. He was assigned to the 445th BG as a B-24 pilot.
Overall, he flew 20 missions in the 445th BG and the 453rd BG. Missions included ones to Kiel, Berlin, Brunswick, Bremen, Frankfurt, and Schweinfurt. On his 10th mission, his B-24 was hit by 88mm flak that went through the cockpit between the pilot and copilot.
After the war, he stayed in the US Air Force Reserves, eventually becoming a Brigadier General.
He flew one combat mission in Vietnam as an observer on a B-52.