Stars Who Served Our Country
Since 1954, we have celebrated Veterans Day, to honor all of our brave men and women who fought, were wounded, or gave their lives to protect the freedom of our country and people.
It is commemorated as a day dedicated to world peace - a cause which feels even more needed now than ever before during these turbulent times.
While we honor all of the men and women who have served the United States in uniform, for Veteran's Day this year, I wanted to highlight some of our favorite old time radio stars, who abandoned show business to defend the red, white, and blue.
Jimmy Stewart
Jimmy Stewart was one of the most beloved actors in show business, (especially by Joy!) and was an accomplished pilot before the war even broke out, so when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941, it was no surprise that he began pilot training immediately. When he finally retired in 1968, he was the highest-ranked entertainer in the American military.
Clark Gable
After his third wife, Carole Lombard, died in a 1942 plane crash while returning from a war bond rally in Indiana, Clark Gable insisted on enlisting and ended up serving in five high-profile combat missions. He was honorably discharged as Captain Clark Gable after D-Day and awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Gene Autry
During a live broadcast of his radio show on July 26, 1942, Gene Autry was inducted into the Army Air Forces as a technical sergeant. While running the radio show remained a part of his Army duties, he also set out to upgrade his private pilot's license to Flight Officer credentials.
Henry Fonda
The actor famously enlisted in the Navy with the quote, 'I don't want to be in a fake war in a studio'. Henry Fonda served for three years, first as a seaman and then rising to a Lieutenant. He received a Presidential Citation and the Bronze Star.
Douglas Fairbanks Jr
Perhaps the most decorated of our stars, Douglas Fairbanks Jr was assigned to Lord Mountbatten's staff in England where he became extremely proficient in military deception skills, and he used those skills to form the Beach Jumpers. The mission of the Beach Jumpers was to land on beaches and lure the enemy into believing they were the force to be worried about, when in fact the real attacking unit was landing elsewhere.
Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller really wanted to serve his country, but because he was 38 years old, he was considered too old and the Navy turned down his services. The noted band leader and composer actually had to convince the Army Air Forces to accept him, by saying he wanted to lead a modernized army band. And it worked. He and his band would go on to do a weekly radio broadcast that was so successful, he was upgraded to a special 50-piece band that traveled all over the world playing for troops.
Finally, I wanted to remember one of the first heroes of World War II, Dorie Miller, who was a Texan born mess attendant. Although he wasn't an old time radio star, Autobiography of a Hero tells the story of this humble seaman's extraordinary courage during the surprise attack from Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor. It's an incredible tale, and inspires me every year.
Just a reminder that there is also the World at War Radio Station available on RUSC, which is a poignant selection of old time radio shows to remind us of the courage and bravery of the fighting men and women who have served in the conflicts of the past century.
Do you have a favorite star who served in the military who you'd like adding to our list? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below.
Happy listening my friends,