Actors who served in WWI & WWII

[Walt's Daughter]

Sent to me by Papa Art

 

Actors who served in WWI & WWII

 

James Stewart flew with the 453 Bomber Group over Europe and completed 20 successful combat missions, flying B-24's He was awarded the Croix De Guerre with palm leaves for exceptional service .When he retired from the USAF reserve in 1968 it was with the rank of Brigadier General.

 

David Niven, at the outbreak of W.W.II, joined the British rifle brigade which was a detachment of the Light infantry and he saw service in Malta and also in Normandy 1944. he quickly worked his way up the ranks to achieve the title of Lieutenant Colonel and served quite notably with the Commandos. It is known that his service was one of valor and that his conduct was exemplary. Mr. Niven never spoke about the war and didn't like being mentioned about his implications in it. Very little is known about his army career or exploits. It is said that he saw a grave containing a fallen comrade, it was amongst 27,000 other victims of the war and he was recorded as saying " This is 27,000 reasons not to talk about the war." He was awarded The Order of the Legion of Merit by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, amongst other distinctions.

 

Clark Gable was awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) and Air Medal for services rendered.

 

Humphrey Bogart served in the US Navy in the First World War. The ship that he served on was the Leviathan. He saw active service aboard her in 1918.

 

Richard Todd was in the paratroopers during W.W.II and he fought with great distinction with them, more notably he fought at Arnhem in Holland in 1944, it was a military failure and cost the lives of many allied soldiers it has been depicted as "The bridge too far."

 

Lee Marvin enlisted as a private 1st class with the Marine corps in 1941. He fought at the battle of Saipan in June 1944, and was wounded in the back-side by Japanese fire which severed his sciatic nerve. He was invalided home shortly afterwards.

 

Basil Rathbone served in World War I with the London Scottish & Liverpool Scottish regiments. He was awarded the Military Cross on 1918.

 

Rod Steiger Joined the US Navy and fought in the Pacific Fleet in W.W.II. Information is a little sketchy about his exploits except to say that he was a torpedo operator and that he fought in the Battle of Midway.

 

Maurice Chevalier served in W.W.I. He was wounded and captured and repatriated in 1916 when he used his skills as an actor to con the Germans into believing that he was a medic. In W.W.II he lived in France and because he had a Jewish girlfriend the Nazis threatened to send her to a concentration camp if he did not entertain the troops. He did this whilst spying for the French resistance and after the war was called a collaborator for his work for the Germans, but has recently been cleared of all charges when his secret work came to light.

 

Dirk Bogarde served in the 2nd British Paratroop regiment during W.W.II and served with some distinction. He served with General Frederick Browning and was discharged with the full rank of Major at the wars end.

 

James Arness (Marshal Matt Dillon of Gunsmoke and brother of Peter Graves, the "Mission Impossible" guy) was involved in the landings at Anzio and was wounded there.

 

Richard Boone served as a tail gunner in Navy Torpedo planes and saw action during W.W.II.

 

Ernest Borgnine served in the US navy from 1935 right up to the end of the war in 1945 and became a chief gunners mate.

 

Sabu "The Elephant Boy." It may surprise you to learn Sabu "The Elephant boy" (Sabu Dastagir) actually flew 42 missions in bombers during W.W.II and was heavily decorated for his bravery, receiving the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), the Five Air Medal and a high Presidential Unit Citation for exemplary service.

 

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was in the Navy until 1928 and after leaving he went in to acting where he made his name as a fine actor, When W.W.II began he again enlisted in to the Navy and worked within Mountbatten's Staff to devise secret gadgets to fool the Germans in different devilish ways. He later joined a Commando unit and went on 4 missions. Later in the war he commanded a flotilla of PT boats that helped to fool the Germans into thinking that the Normandy invasion was a diversion. He was decorated with the American Silver Star, The British DSC and the French Croix De Guerre.

 

Trevor Howard served in the British Airborne Division and saw action in W.W.II. He was medically discharged after he received the Military Cross for Valour in the field.

 

Mel Brooks (Yes, Mel Brooks) was in the Combat Engineers and saw action in the Ardennes in the "Battle of the Bulge" He deactivated mines and helped to clear mine fields. He used to answer German propaganda that was broadcast at regular intervals with a oudspeaker shouting "Toot Toot Tootsie goodbye!" I guess Mel Brooks was Mel Brooks even back then.

 

Neville Brand fought in the European theatre of operations in W.W.II from December 16th 1944 onwards, he fought in the Ardennes aka "The Battle Of the Bulge," also in the Rhineland and Central Europe. He received the Silver Star for Gallantry while in hospital for his actions in combat. Also he was awarded the Purple Heart, The Good Conduct Medal, the American defense Ribbon, the European/African/Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon with three Battle Stars, one Overseas Service Bar, one Service Stripe, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

 

In 1966 Neville Brand was interviewed about his wartime career, Brand recalled how he earned his Silver Star when his unit came under intense fire from German machine guns located within a hunting lodge. "I must have flipped my lid," he said, for "I decided to go into that lodge." Disregarding his own safety, he worked his way around to the rear of the lodge/command post, burst in through the back and single-handedly dispatched the enemy within.

 

Later, on April 7th, 1945, exactly one month and a day before the official German surrender, Sergeant Brand was wounded in action by the Weser River. Felled by a gunshot to his upper right arm, and pinned down by withering enemy ground fire, Brand lay there slowly bleeding to death. "I knew I was dying," he said, "It was a lovely feeling, like being half-loaded." Rescued and treated, Brand was evacuated to a military hospital and, on September 17th, 1945, he departed for the United States. Less than a month later, Staff Sergeant Brand was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

 

Glenn Ford was the director of a film crew that landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-day. He also filmed at Dachau Concentration camp and this was seen all over the world.

 

John Ford filmed at the battle of Midway, he was wounded during filming due to the atrocious amount of enemy fire. He got 2 Oscars for his film work.

 

Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in B17 bombers.

 

Richard Attenborough served for 3 years in the RAF during W.W.II.

 

Gene Audrey was a pilot in the USAAF.

 

Pat Brady, Roy Rogers partner, was awarded 2 purple Hearts while in combat in France.

 

Raymond Burr served in the US navy.

 

Robery Clary who played ' Lebeau' in Hogan's Heroes spent 3 years in a concentration camp and still had the tattoo on his arm.

 

E. Clifton played Montgomery's double. He used to drink Monty didn't.

 

Merian Copper who Co-produced the film ' King Kong' was a W.W.I fighter pilot.

 

Jackie Coogan was a glider pilot and served in the Pacific.

 

Tony Curtis served in Submarines aboard the USS Dragonette.

 

Denham Elliot, British actor spent 3 years as a POW after being captured in France 1942.

 

George Kennedy served under General Patton.

 

Walter Mathau was a gunner and radio operator over the skies of Europe and he was awarded 6 battle stars.

 

John Howard served in the navy and was awarded the Navy Cross and the Crois de Guerre.

 

Even the conscientious objectors of the Hollywood of the time were honorable:

 

Lew Ayres, husband of Ginger Rogers was a conscientious objector and like most of these type's he served in the Army Medical Corps and served well under combat conditions.