Hollywood War Hero's

POINTER94 · Jan 23, 2004

This was sent to me at work and being somewhat new to the board I don't know and couldn't find it in my quick search so I hope this is not a repeat. Thought you might enjoy. Times have changed, huh? > > > > > 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 (for it seems News Paper, > Television and Radio has been more than ready to put them and their > anti-American, anti-Bush message before the public) 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.Hollywonk! 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!

JGREGORY · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

It makes you wonder.

If maybe they (the current Hollywonk) forgot how and why the came to be. And where their success acutually derives from.

Carphunter · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Great post Pointer!!! Amazing how much things have changed.

If you really think about it, why would anyone care what todays "stars" have to say anyway. Their "job" is to pretend to be someone else, and really, how knowledgeable do you think these people really are. Because they are "stars", that means they all of a sudden know how to solve world problems.

Gimme a break, these are the absolute last people I would listen to. I'm ashamed that people like the Dixie Chicks, or Alec Baldwin, or Rosie O'Donnell, or Susan Sarandon, or, ect, ect, have made so much money here in the United States.................the same country that they bash, is where they continue to live and "work". I would have to say that Mars looks pretty hospitable for all of 'em.

I agree 110% Pointer, they could definetly take some advice from the stars from the past.

Bondo · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

WOW, POINTER94, Very Excellent Post......

One that you missed,+ Really Blew Me Away..... The Mild Mannered, Sweater wearing, Wimpy looking man who entertained,+ Educated Young Children for Many Many Years(recently passed away)... Mr.Rogers...... Recieved the Congressional Medal of Honor....... I Agree 1000%... The Biggest Problem I have with the Liberals is, They'll Argue with Emotion, But when presented with Facts..... They No Longer want to Argue... They'll just Continue to Spout Emotion,+ Ignore the FACTS.....

JoeW · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

What gets me is how these actors/actresses attempt to come off as highly intellegent and educated people when, in fact you can count the number of actors/actresses with college degrees on one hand. Susan Suranwrap (Michael Savage term) has a degree. She has a BA in drama from University of Arizona I think.

She's the one who characterizes Bush and his administration as dumb backwood hicks. I believe G.W. attended Yale University and was nowhere near the bottom of his class. His grades were much better than Al Gore's (Harvard). Has anyone ever seen Condoleeza Rice's credentials? This woman must be a genius. She was taking university courses at 15.

It puzzles me how these actors/actresses believe they know how best to run this country.

Ralph 123 · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

If you want to learn more about Audie Murphy, he stared as himself in the biographical film "To Hell and Back" He is the most decorated combat soldier of WWII. He was turned down by every branch of the service except the Army. The Army even tried to move him out of combat for his own good while in training...

Xcusme · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Bondo, You said: "Mr.Rogers...... Received the Congressional Medal of Honor......." Metal Of Honor???? Fred Rogers was born in 1928, he would have been 13 years old at the beginning of WW2... In 1968 , he would have been 40 years old....Vietnam era.... Now if you mean he received the Medal of Freedom (nation's highest civilian honor) which he DID receive from President George W. Bush in 2002, thats different. A very big difference indeed.... Dodging a bowl of oatmeal and dodging bullets is quite different

Ralph 123 · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

joew94th - GW also graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA.

gaugeguy · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

I don't know if Fred Rogers won any medals, but I think I do remember reading that he was a Navy SEAL, and the reason he wore sweaters was because his arms are tattoo'd. Just looked it up, Fred Rogers never served in the military according to his own biography.

JB · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

There was another WWII hero. . .second most decorated American soldier. He was a movie "star" who always played supporting roles. Who was he?

Xcusme · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

WHO ME ???

Carphunter · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

JB, this is just strictly a guess, was it Glenn Ford?

Carphunter · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Guess I was wrong.

Jack Shellac · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Very good post. The athletes of this era followed much the same pattern, giving up their most productive years to serve their country. Two that come to mind : Ted Williams-a Marine fighter pilot in WW2 and Korea [John Glenn's wingman]; Yogi Berra- a Navy enlisted man in WW2; and many others. Somehow, I can't imagine this happening among our current crop.

JB · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

I don't know the details, guys, but was told by Murphy himself that Neville Brand was more of a hero than he was.

Ralph 123 · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

JB - You met him? Did you know him well? It seems just like the man that he would praise others and place their accomplishments above his own...

Link · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Back in 72 there were four of us who had just finished jump school and we were at 3rd Ranger training school waiting for our class to start. One night while watching Late Night with Johnny one of his guests was Kris Kristofferson. Well during the conversation Kris mentioned about those crazy guys in Ranger Training. Well we just said like h3ll. But Tim worked in admin and said they had all of the records on file so the next day he looked it up and sure enough.

A former Rhodes Scholar and tenure-track professor at West Point, this unlikely hipster began making history in the 1970s by writing hit after blazing hit, including Mornin' Comin' Down (for Johnny Cash, 1970) and Me and Bobby McGee (for Janis Joplin, 1971).

I saw a PBS special on him last year and he was in route from west point to go fly or take pilot traing (I'm not sure which) when he stopped in Nashville and Resigned his Commision with the Military (Much to his parents dismay) and bussed tables by day and wrote songs by night. I believe he was born in 1936 so he would have grown up during the right time period also.

Ralph 123 · Jan 23, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

The oldest child of an itinerant bridge builder, actor Neville Brand intended to make the military his career, and indeed spent ten years in uniform. During World War II, he became America's fourth most decorated soldier when he wiped out a German 50-caliber machine gun nest. He also decided that he'd seek out another line of work as soon as his hitch was up.

Bondo · Jan 24, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Xcusme, I could have sworn that about the time he passed away, Charles Osgood did a story on him,+ said he'd been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor........ I Could be Wrong.... I Know when I heard it, It Blew me Out of the Water...... Korea(the truely Forgotten War) would have been His War...

JB · Jan 24, 2004

Re: Hollywood War Hero's

Only met him once, Ralph, at a business meeting. A shy and modest man. I guess I misunderstood what he said about Neville Brand. . .about him being the second most decorated GI in WWII. Maybe he was referring only to foot soldiers. He said that he got more attention because he looked like a boy. . .Brand looked like a tough, hero type. The book, "To Hell and Back" is more revealing than the film, in my opinion. I think his modesty prevented full character development in the film. It is a very good read for anyone who imagines himself stuck in an underdog role in life.

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