CELEBRITIES THAT SERVED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
Added on: 2nd Jan 2015
ELVIS PRESLEY
Shortly after Elvis Presley was hailed as the King of Rock and Roll,
he was inducted into the Fort Chaffee U.S. Army as a private and
was assigned near Ford Smith in Arkansas. After his basic training at
Fort Hood, he became part of the 3rd Armoured Division in Friedberg,
Germany and was paid ordinary wages. He donated most of his
earnings to charity.
TONY BENNETT
Italian American singer Anthony Dominick Benedetto,
more popularly known as Tony Bennett, was drafted into the
United States Army during World War II and underwent special
training at Fort Dix and Fort Robinson to be promoted as an
infantry rifleman. Sometime in 1945, he was also assigned as
a replacement to the 255th Infantry Regiment of the
63rd Infantry Division.
ALAN ALDA
Born on January 28, 1936, American actor and director
Alan Alda finished his studies in Paris and was an active
Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) member.
Shortly after he graduated college, he decided to join the
US Army Reserve and underwent basic training as a
gunnery officer within a period of six months.
He also served for a year at Fort Benning in Georgia.
CHARLTON HESTON
Film, theatre, and television actor Charlton Heston has always
been a political activist. In 1944, he enlisted in the United States
Army Air Forces and became a radio operator and an aerial
gunner at B-25 Mitchell, which was then stationed around the
Alaskan Aleutian Islands with the Eleventh Air Force. He served
the military for two years and became a Staff Sergeant before
he rose to fame as an actor.
TOM SELLECK
Best known for his private investigator role in the television series
Magnum P.I., Tom Selleck was once part of the 160th Infantry
Regiment of the California Army National Guard where he served as a
soldier. In the course of his stay in the military, his unit was
stationed in Los Angeles in order to control the historical
six-day L.A. riot known as Watts Riots.
ERNEST BORGNINE
Italian immigrant and multi-awarded actor Ernest Borgnine
joined the United States Navy sometime in 1935, shortly after
he graduated high school from James Hill House High School in
Connecticut. After he was discharged in 1941, he enlisted again to
serve the military, particularly the United States Navy. Following
the bombing of the Pearl Harbour, he was promoted as the
gunner’s mate 1st class rank and held several other positions.
SIR SIDNEY POITIER
Sir Sidney Poitier is a Bahamian-American actor who was
named as one of the Greatest Male Stars of All Time in 1999.
At age 15, he moved to New York City and worked as a
dishwasher and waiter. His desire to serve the United States Army
during his late adolescence came after reading a newspaper and
learning about the need for more military volunteers in the
United States.
STEVE MCQUEEN
Born Terence Stephen McQueen, Steve McQueen is an
American actor best known for his role in The King of Cool.
In 1947, he joined the United States Marine Corps where he was
immediately promoted as Private First Class. He was also assigned
to serve an armoured unit but was demoted because of his
rebellious behaviour. After 41 days in military prison, he
was assigned as the security honour guard of the private
yacht of President Harry Truman.
CLARK GABLE
American actor William Clark Gable joined the U.S. Army Air
Corps in 1942 as a gunner on an aircrew, following the death
of his wife. He underwent several trainings and entered the
USAAF OCS Class 42-E months after, where he was commissioned
as 2nd Lieutenant. In 1943, he also headed a six-man team at
RAF Polebrook 351st in the United Kingdom.
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