WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WW II MOVIE STARS?
Hope you find this as informative and interesting as I did.
In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's 'Hollywonk,' the
real actors of yesteryear loved the United Kingdom and The United States . They
had both class and integrity.
With the advent of World War II 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 lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men, came over 70 medals
in honour of their valour, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars,
Distinguish Service Cross?Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honour.
So remember; while the 'Entertainers of 2005-2006' have been in all of the news
media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of 1943
were doing, (64 years ago).
Most of these brave men have since passed on.
'RealHollywoodHeroes'
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 BattleStars 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.
Ernest 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-29's 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 US . 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 valour 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 Harbour 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 Honour, 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 Colours of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion
of Honour, 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 of today?
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