cptwright 1 Posted December 12, 2003 i just read this email from my aunt and i felt compelled to share with all of you the real hollywood heros not what they have today. Be sure and scroll to the very bottom. In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk" the real actors of yester-year loved the United States. They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War 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 2003" have been in all of the news media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of 1943 were doing, (60 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. 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 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. 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 Rabal 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 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 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. So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when compared to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite the hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yester-year saying they hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president? I thought not, neither did I! If you enjoyed the story send it on so what do you think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VaBeachGuy 12 Posted December 12, 2003 i just read this email from my aunt and i felt compelled to share with all of you the real hollywood heros not what they have today. Be sure and scroll to the very bottom. In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk" the real actors of yester-year loved the United States. They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War 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 2003" have been in all of the news media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of 1943 were doing, (60 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. 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 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. 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 Rabal 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 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 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. So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when compared to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite the hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yester-year saying they hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president? I thought not, neither did I! If you enjoyed the story send it on so what do you think? Good story, I knew about most if not all of their records. One error I noticed though is James Doohan. He was actually in the Canadian Air Force. It's there that he lost his finger. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mj 7 Posted December 12, 2003 I had heard about Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable before, but was not aware of a whole list. Even more modern actors served. Didn't Elvis serve? And of course many, like Bob Hope, entertained the troops or raised morale with patriotic music like George M. Cohan. Still, I am not bothered by actors getting on the soap box. It's their right to speak their mind. Far more real to me are the ROTC students I teach, mostly 18 to 20 years olds, who when I ask them about their willingness to go to Iraq or where ever they are sent are mostly willing. They are not griping. They are concerned but most feel they have made a committment. I mentioned in another thread that one of my best freshmen students last year, left after getting A's in my honors class both semesters to go into some kind of training that would prepare him to get into the army sooner than finishing college ( he was ROTC). In asking him why, I learned that both parents had served in Desert Storm, both supported his decision to leave school...he was just raised with this self-sacrificial perspective. My heart aches when I think of this young man in harm's way. But his choice, and the choice of many of the young people I see, say more to me than some of the things I hear in the media. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VaBeachGuy 12 Posted December 12, 2003 Didn't Elvis serve? Yes, he was drafted in 1958 into the Army. They offered him a job in the Special Services (Singers and actors etc.) but he refused. He insisted that he was just a man and refused special treatment. Here he was a millionaire sleeping in foxholes out in the show and rain. He entered as a private and made it to the rank of sergeant. He was in Tanks stationed at Fort Hood Texas (Where I was) and then in Germany. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
removed 0 Posted December 12, 2003 One error I noticed though is James Doohan. He was actually in the Canadian Air Force. It's there that he lost his finger. Yay! Lol. At least he wasn't in the Canadian army in WWI. There were a few battalions whose uniforms had kilts instead of pants. After realizing how bad that is on the battlefield, they changed the uniforms. Lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ddillard 2 Posted December 13, 2003 One error I noticed though is James Doohan. He was actually in the Canadian Air Force. It's there that he lost his finger. Yay! Lol. At least he wasn't in the Canadian army in WWI. There were a few battalions whose uniforms had kilts instead of pants. After realizing how bad that is on the battlefield, they changed the uniforms. Lol. James Doohan in a kilt. Now that I would not want to see. LOL But I find it wonderful that we have had so many stars that have served their countries to insure the freedom and sovereignty of the citizens of those nations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abakai2003 0 Posted December 13, 2003 I allways thought that Audie Murphy was the Most Decorated serviceman in history not just WWII Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
removed 0 Posted December 13, 2003 OOOOOOOH! Donald Pleasance! I love him! He's great in 'You Only Live Twice' and 'The Great Escape'. He's even good in a remake to 'All Quiet on the Western Front". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites