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When the U.S. entered World War II, Stewart was drafted into the Army but was rejected because he was underweight for his height. He worked with colleagues to put on the necessary pounds, and successfully enlisted with the Air Corps. He was stationed at Moffett Field, California as an enlisted man. During his nine months of training at that base, he also took extension courses with the idea of obtaining a commission. His college degree and extensive flight time played to his favor, and he received his commission after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Because he had logged over 400 hours as a civilian, he was permitted to take basic flight training at Moffett and earned his pilot wings. During the next nine months, he instructed in AT-6, AT-9, and B-17 aircraft and flew bombardiers in the training school at Albuquerque, N.M. In the fall of 1943, Stewart went to England as Commanding Officer of the 703d Bomb Squadron, equipped with B-24s.

After several weeks of training missions, in which Stewart flew with most of his combat crews, the group flew its first combat mission on December 13, 1943, to bomb the U-boat facilities at Kiel, Germany, followed three days later by a mission to Bremen. Stewart led the high squadron of the group formation on the first mission, and the entire group on the second. Following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944, Stewart was promoted to major. Stewart was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing on the first day of "Big Week" operations in February and flew two other missions that week.
On March 22, 1944, Stewart flew his 12th combat mission, leading the 2nd Bomb Wing in an attack on Berlin. On March 30, 1944, he was sent to RAF Old Buckenham to become group operations officer of the 453rd Bombardment Group, a new B-24 unit that had just lost both its commander and operations officer on missions. To inspire the unit, Stewart flew as command pilot in the lead B-24 on several missions deep into Nazi-occupied Europe.

Stewart continued to go on missions uncredited, flying with the pathfinder squadron of the 389th Bombardment Group, with his two former groups and with groups of the 20th Combat Bomb Wing. He received a second award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in combat and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. He also was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.
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Subsequently he became Chief of Staff of the 2nd Combat wing, 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force. Stewart ended the war with 20 combat missions. He remained in the USAF Reserve and was promoted to brigadier general on July 23, 1959. He retired on May 31, 1968.
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Mr. Steward sure earn his wings!! Great story of never quitting on his dreams and desire to serve his country. Like all our service men and woman do every day; WE SALUTE YOU ALL!

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Elvis Presley was drafted for a two year stint on December 20, 1957, completed basic training on September 17, 1958, and then served in Friedberg, Germany (where he met Colin Powell) from October 1, 1958 through March 2, 1960. He was eligible for the "Special Services," which basically would have allowed him to receive special treatment because he was Elvis. But he preferred to serve just like everyone else, and the guys who served with him have said that he just wanted to be one of the guys. He was honorably discharged as Sergeant Elvis Presley.
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Jimi hendrix

Audie murphy

wow

Mongo wrote: Jimi hendrix

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He may have been one of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock 'n' roll, known for playing his signature left-handed Stratocaster with his teeth before setting it on fire, but the man who would become known the world over as Jimi Hendrix first cut his teeth as a Soldier in the Army -- and didn't exactly set the world on fire.
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Brought up in a broken home in Seattle, young James Marshall Hendrix's stint in the Army wasn't necessarily voluntary: he was already honing his guitar skills in 1961 when a run-in with the law over stolen cars led to a choice: he could either spend two years in prison or join the Army. He enlisted on May 31, 1961 and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, where he was stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

As you'd expect, young Private Hendrix's rebellious attitude didn't especially wow his commanding officers -- among his many faults, he slept while on duty, required constant supervision, and wasn't a particularly good marksman. According to reports, he was a "habitual offender" when it came to missing midnight bed checks and was unable to "carry on an intelligent conversation." True to his calling, he continued playing guitar while off-duty, which didn't endear him with the other men in the barracks, who just wanted a good night's sleep. His constant noodling led one of his commanding officers to comment, "This is one of his faults, because his mind apparently cannot function while performing duties and thinking about his guitar."
Although Hendrix had signed up for three years of service, Captain Gilbert Batchman had had enough after one year, and made the case for Hendrix to be discharged, as his problems were judged to not be treatable by "hospitalization or counseling." An alleged ankle injury during a parachute jump gave Young Hendrix the opportunity to bow out of active duty with an honorable discharge, and he was happy to oblige.
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Hendrix might not have been a great fit in the U.S. Army, but the military's loss was rock music's gain, as a few years after his discharge he exploded onto the London music scene with his band, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, unleashing his first hit single, "Hey Joe." The rest is history, and three years and three landmark albums later, Jimi was dead after an alleged overdose of sleeping pills left him choking on his own vomit -- a death that is still partially unexplained even today, with several of Jimi's old associates claiming foul play -- but his fiery creativity and groundbreaking axe work have stood up to the test of time.

Looks like Peace,Love and Music were stronger!\
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Wish i could post pics, they never come through.
How about lee marvin?

Moi c'est pareil. Impossible de poster des photos...

Mongo wrote: Audie murphy

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Wow Mongo never heard of this story and of this incredible brave veteran.
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It's little wonder Audie Murphy wound up in Hollywood. His Medal of Honor citation reads like a clip from a fast-paced action movie. The scene: Holtzwihr, France, Jan. 26, 1945. The actors: 2nd Lt. Audie Murphy, the men of Company B, and a host of hostile Germans.
The action: After ordering his men to withdraw, Murphy took his command post and prepared to give fire directions by telephone. One of the company's tank destroyers took a direct hit, and Murphy climbed onto the burning vehicle, using its machine gun to kill dozens of the enemy. Although the destroyer could have exploded at any minute, Murphy held his position for an hour, mowing down Germans attacking from three sides. When his ammunition was exhausted, Murphy made his way to his company. Refusing medical attention for a leg wound, he organized his men in a counterattack that forced the remaining enemy troops to withdraw.
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Audie Murphy's real-life "indomitable courage" made his performance in the movie "To Hell and Back" so compelling that it held box-office records for two decades. He honed his courage and shooting skills growing up as the eldest son of poor Texas sharecroppers, using the first to survive and the latter to put food on the table. Murphy joined the Army because it offered advancement opportunities. He took advantage of these, rising quickly from private to staff sergeant and then receiving a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant.
Murphy's Medal of Honor shared space with 33 other awards and decorations, making him the most decorated U.S. combat soldier of World War II. He received every decoration for valor the United States had to offer — some more than once — and received five decorations from the governments of France and Belgium. The U.S. Army once declared that "there will never be another Audie Murphy."
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Mongo wrote: Wish i could post pics, they never come through.
How about lee marvin?

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Marvin left school to enlist in the United States Marine Corps in August 1942, serving in the 4th Marine Division. He was wounded in action during the WWII Battle of Saipan, in the assault on Mount Tapochau, during which most of his company ("I" Company, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division) were killed.Zec, Donald. Marvin: The Story of Lee Marvin. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980, ISBN 0-312-51780-7, p. 38 Marvin's wound (in the buttocks) was from machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was given a medical discharge with the rank of Private First Class in 1945 at Philadelphia. Contrary to rumors, Marvin did not serve with producer and actor Bob Keeshan during World War II.
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Acegirl wrote:

Mongo wrote: Wish i could post pics, they never come through.
How about lee marvin?

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Marvin left school to enlist in the United States Marine Corps in August 1942, serving in the 4th Marine Division. He was wounded in action during the WWII Battle of Saipan, in the assault on Mount Tapochau, during which most of his company ("I" Company, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division) were killed.Zec, Donald. Marvin: The Story of Lee Marvin. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980, ISBN 0-312-51780-7, p. 38 Marvin's wound (in the buttocks) was from machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was given a medical discharge with the rank of Private First Class in 1945 at Philadelphia. Contrary to rumors, Marvin did not serve with producer and actor Bob Keeshan during World War II.
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And if i recall correctly, the Bob Keeshan mentioned was televisions lng running Captain Kangaroo.