Just wish to share something that was sent to me and too good to keep in my computer files - - it makes you recall that there was a time when you had no Streisands, Baldwins, Fondas, Dixie Chicks, Madonna, Sarandons, Robbins. On The Flip Side of Hollywood In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk" the real actors of yesteryear 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 Heroes 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 yesteryear saying they hate our flag, making antiwar speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president? I thought not, neither did I!
Charles Durning was the only member of his company that landed at Normandy on D-Day to survive the war. Most of the rest of his fellow soldiers were taken prisoner and murdered in a snowy field by the SS at Malmedy during the Battle of the Bulge. Durning somehow managed to escape the massacre.
Here are some more: Neville Brand enlisted at 16 and emerged the 4th most decorated GI in WWII. He participated in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central European campaigns, and received the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Stars for gallantry in combat. Sergeant Brand was wounded in action by the Weser River, felled by a gunshot to his upper right arm. His other awards and decorations are two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Ribbon, the European/African/Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three Battle Stars, one Overseas Service Bar, one Service Stripe, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. Jackie Coogan: (Uncle Fester, Adams Family tv show) US Army Air Corps. glider pilot Flight Officer. Volunteered for hazardous duty with the 1st Air Commando Group. In Dec. 1943, the unit was sent to India where, by using CG-4A gliders, it airlifted crack British troops under Gen. Wingate during the night aerial invasion of Burma (Mar. 5, 1944), landing them in a small jungle clearing 100 miles behind Japanese lines. Jack Palance was in the U.S. Army Air Corps. 455th bomb group. He required facial reconstruction from terrible injuries received in 1943 when his B-17 crash landed in Britain. James Best (Sheriff Rosco P. Coletrane, The Dukes of Hazard) served honorably in the Army Air Force as a gunner on a B-17 bomber during World War II. Jason Robards, Jr. : US Navy. He was a radioman on duty at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack. He wrote about his experiences in "A Hell of a War". Joseph Wapner (The People's Court) was saved from a sniper's bullet when it lodged in a can of tuna he was carrying while an Army officer in the Pacific. Don Adams (Maxwell Smart) honorably served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He contracted malaria on Guadalcanal. Humphrey Bogart served in the U.S. Navy during World War I and was wounded. He tried to enlist in WWII but was turned down because of his age. James Whitmore served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps as an officer. WWII interrupted his pre-law studies at Yale. He received his degree while at boot camp. Andy Rooney Sergeant, US Army. Early in the war, he served with an artillery regiment assigned to England. He joined Stars And Stripes in London. In 1943, Rooney is among first correspondents allowed aboard B-17 bombers attacking Germany. He wrote of his war experiences in the book "My War." Don Rickles US Navy. Destroyer duty. He has said of one deployment, "It was so hot and humid, the crew rotted."
