I am English, and I can tell you all Jimmy Stewart is held in the very highest esteem in Britain, thank you for coming here to help us, I as a little boy being bomb in London down in a shelter, thank him and all the others in the military from the USA.
Fantastic actor and truly a very brave man. He said one of the scenes in Its a Wonderful Life was so traumatic as he went back to thoughts of the war and he started crying for real, it's the scene on the bridge. Never publicly spoke of his flying career, complete hero. RIP Jimmy !
I have so much respect for this man. Flying combat missions over Germany when he wasn't required to. He volunteered. Not only that, but in the position of lead bomber, which was the most dangerous position in the formation. If the fighters could take out the lead bomber they had a good chance of breaking up the formation, therefore it was the prime target in the formation and it was almost always a head on attack with the cockpit being the target.
My father was a flight engineer on a B 24 in the 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron Second Air Division flying from Olde Buckenham UK. Jimmy Stewart was the Flight Ops Officer and a command pilot in the 453rd. Also, Walter Matthau was also in the 453rd.
My uncle also flew with Jimmy Stewart, and said that he was a wonderful person, just like his film persona often was. I miss the likes of him in Hollywood today. Too much junk and immoral stuff today, with notable exceptions.
I think Jimmy Stewart viewed his time in the military as something that needed to get done. It is the same attitude that I have seen in our National Guard and Reserves. Everyone has a primary civilian job, but all serve quietly in our military. It’s an impressive mix that we can’t execute without them. Plus it’s very cool to learn about what they do for a real living while serving in the military.
He was, and will always be, a true American treasure. It's to bad people, these days, don't have the same morals as he did. From the looks of the mentality of people these days, we will never see anyone to even come close to him.
Fun Fact. He was stationed at Old Buckenham in Norfolk. Close to where I live. He was stationed there with one Walter Matthau who was a Sargent at the same air base.
Matthau was was on the ground crew in the 453rd, and Stewart served 27 years in the air force reserve after leaving the air force, achieving the rank of Brigadier General WOW! That's some kind of commitment there! He was just as much a class act on his movie sets, I have never heard a single disparaging thing about his character.
I love Jimmy Stewart. So much the good man, good Christian, good patriot, and great actor. Loved the book "Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot". Love the story in the book about Jimmy (as a CO) overhearing some airmen griping about their not being paid on time as the young lieutenant paymaster blew them off saying he didn't have their records and couldn't pay them. Jimmy told the full-of-himself lieutenant that if the men weren't paid within the week he would be transferred out as a private. The men got their pay, not unsurprisingly. 😁
My uncle was a Lt in WWII. He stayed in the US Army Reserves and became a Colonel. My father was a Navy Lt in WWII. He did not stay in the Reserves after the war. My father said of Audie Murphy "He was the luckiest SOB. He was in the right place, at the right time, and was lucky he didn't get killed". Audie Murphy was a short, thin, light weight 17 yr old kid from Texas, who won every US Medal and Award (including the Medal of Honor), and every French Medal and Award during WWII. He was the most decorated soldier in WWII. He received a battlefield commission to 2nd Lt. He had aspirations of entering West Point after the war, but a war wound prevented that. Then he went into acting and movies.
General Stewart is my second favorite actor of all time. Just barely behind John Wayne. I have immense respect and appreciation for his accomplishments.
Wayne however was one of the big stars who never served in armed services. He explained it on a number of times, ( doing more for war effort as a film star). Wayne as I understand it always regretted his non service.
Wayne was hated by my father and uncles. He was a draft dodger and had an affair with a Mexican woman while he lived there during the war at a time when that was a big deal. Jimmy was a real American hero & didn't just act like one.
I recall in a book of aircraft nose art, that one of Jimmy's crew said he was always cool-headed, but when the shooting started, Jimmy got even more cool-headed. 👍
Because of his military service, Jimmy Stewart was the only celebrity to have ever stayed at Salt Lake City's Hotel Utah, which has a 'No Celebrities Allowed' policy.
A genuinely humble man. Proud of his achievements but without the ego and sense of entitlement that often goes with them. Oh, and a damned good actor too.
Jimmy liked his whiskey. Met and became a close friend of a real vet, 'Shorty LaPoint, a MUG with 425 Sqn RCAF, who told me a story about his relationship with Jimmy Stewart. Forgot how they met but it was via his own pilot who knew James somehow. Told me he & his crew would buy Scotch Whisky cheap in York, find a 'mechanical' excuse to land at Stewart's bomber base and pass it on to 'Jimmy and his gang' then spend an evening eating the much better 'Yankee' grub and partying before flying back to base the next day. Don't know how often they did it but it ended when 'Shorty's Halifax was shot down 24/25 May 1944. He was the only survivor and the only reason I know Jimmy Stewart like good Scotch whiskey.
@number 6 It's a true story it did happen like that. Many battlefield commissions were given. Audie Murphy entered as an enlisted man and ended up as a major. He rose very quickly through the ranks because of his skill, leadership abilities, heroism, and fearlessness. He was first lieutenant at the end of the war but ended up being awared of the rank of major in the Texas national guard. He was also the most decorated soldier of world war II including winning the medal of Honor. He was decorated by most of our allies in the war as well.
No one wins the Medal of Honor, it is awarded, usually posthumously, no one is fearless in battle, it is the fear of death and failure that drove one to survive in combat...
I met Jimmy Stewart in 1967 while he was filming In Del Rio Tx....I had just gotten out of the hospital after having my first baby....he would dress up like a bum and go for his morning walks....he was the nicest gentleman a person could meet! I still have his autograph.
@@fred5399 We need to bring the draft back for both men and women. maybe two years for women, sign up for 4 but can get out in two. I signed up in 1963.
@@janetceniza8091 and you're still there, right? Who was that old US Navy Admiral, that they couldn't get rid of? He was really old when he finally packed it in.
He didn't 'win several awards for his service'. He was decorated for his courage ... there is a big difference most feather merchants don't know anything about. It is the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal not an award. He was not on active duty after WWII, he was in the Reserve. Also, 'bombardier' is not pronounced correctly. If you are going to post have the courtesy to respect these folks who served and do it right.
Jimmy Steward was a Brigadier General. There are 5 ranks of General. Brigadier being the sophmore rank. 1) Brigadier General --1 star 2) Major General --2 star 3) Lieutenant General --3 star 4) General --4 star 5) General of the Army --5 star
Jimmy is one of my beloved actors of Hollywood. The film I like most is " The rear window" hope the name is correct, acted as a lamed man on a wheelchair.❤
Very well done, it would be interesting if you would do the Military Service of David Niven. His first book The Moon is a Balloon gives an insight into his very interesting Service.
It says a lot about humanity, that Jimmy Stewart faced death in combat while John Wayne sit back safe in the United States. But the image of a tough guy for almost all of that generation was John Wayne and not Jimmy Stewart. We humans prefer image over reality. Which explains a lot, imho. This is an observation on humanity and not a complaint.
There are two important differences between them. Stewart was unmarried and Wayne was married with children. Wayne had medical issues that may have kept out of service. He lost his football scholarship because an injuring while surfing. Jimmy Stewart like most combat men of the error for his own reason choose to not use or speak of his experience. My father reason ( he survived more than 75 combat missions on a B 24) “the heroes didn’t’ come home”
@@bonnieparker9584 Not what I heard as a young kid in the early 1950's. After first getting an exemption, John Wayne was rated 1-A for service. But he feared his film blooming career would be over if he joined the service for even if he only did entertainment and not combat. The Studio's helped him avoid service. While later generations loved John and his tough guy image and talk, but all the World War II vets I talked to (3) and read about (many) thought John a coward. Like Carl Jung said decades ago, we humans far prefer our biases over reality.
For more information about BG Stweart's military service, I recommend two books. Mission Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe. Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot. I am retired military. From my reading, BG Stewart sure sounds like a leader that I and many more would gladly follow. My thought is BG Stewart was a better officer than actor. He was extremely good at both.
he did a movie, I can't think of the Title, which was pretty much biographical. He was a Major League Baseball pitcher, that went into WWII, as a pilot. Came out, then later got called back in. Reported to SAC B-52 bombers. I can't recall in the movie if he got promoted to Lt. Col or Colonel. But one line in the movie, Jimmy said to 4 star General "how low in rank do you have to be to be expendable?". Then he flew a mission, got injured, and got out of Air Force. Either as a Lt. Col or Colonel. Then he couldn't pitch any more due to his injured shoulder/arm so he became a Manager.
I recall an explanation that ran something like this: "Marion Morrison would rather play a reel ranking military character then be "Buck Private Morrison from East Nowhere, New Jersey."
Dad used to claim that Jimmy Stewart used to fire up the stove in his barracks during training before they were woke up. Don't know about that, sounds unlikely. He also said he would always vote for Ronald Reagan since he was the captain who signed him up to be in Combat Camera instead of a radioman. That one seems more likely, I have his scrapbook from his states side time, which includes copies of his orders and anywhere passes for filming. He also brought back a ton of photos from his time with the B29s in the Pacific and an Air Medal.
After the war, Stewart served in the Air Force Reserve... and while he had many periods of active duty...he was not a "Regular"... Had he been such, he never would have had time to have had a film career... YP
If you're interested in John Wayne's war service story, it's important to note that while he was a prominent figure in war films, John Wayne (born Marion Robert Morrison) did not actually serve in the military during World War II. Despite his iconic status in military roles on screen, Wayne spent the war years continuing his film career. However, if you're looking to learn more about his life during this period, including why he didn't serve, you might find biographies or documentaries about John Wayne insightful. Books like "John Wayne: The Life and Legend" by Scott Eyman offer detailed accounts of his life and career. For a more in-depth look, you can also explore film history and Hollywood during the wartime era, which often touches on John Wayne's career and his impact on American culture. Online resources, libraries, and streaming platforms might have documentaries or articles on this subject. It's a fascinating aspect of film and cultural history, exploring the contrast between the on-screen personas of actors like Wayne and their real-life stories. Happy researching!
If you are going to do a video on Jimmy Stewart, please get it right. First, you mentioned that he had a modest movie career prior to WWII, yes it did start slow, however, he had received accolades for his performances in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Destry Rides Again, and finished with an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1940, for his role in The Philadelphia Story. You also said he "won" several medals for his service. War is not a game and no one wins medals they are awarded for, bravery in combat, you also didn't directly point out that he enlisted a year prior to Pearl Harbor. Jimmy was a great man, husband, father, actor, and patriot.
Louis B. Mayer of MGM sent Jimmy to. Brothel and had the girl report back because he thought he was gay. Fun fact. Another fun fact John Wayne of a similar age never went to war.
You hit the nail right on the head. Jimmy Stewart is indeed the epitome of an everyday American hero. It's incredible how he went from the big screen to bravely serving in WWII, all while staying grounded and relatable. Just goes to show that true heroism isn't just in movies. It's in the selfless acts of people like Stewart, stepping up when it mattered most.
The crews that bombed in Europe for the most part had a navigator. And on these birds was norton bomb sight which in all was supposed to put bomb on target but that's not how it turned out as targets where missed often by miles as following squadrons didn't have the norton sight and where keying on lead bombers who dropped early or late putting bombs miles off target. But to bomb Zurich the two pilots and the navigator would have little or no room for explanation
This was one of the items of contention between Stewart and Henry Fonda. Fonda was a far, left-wing nutjob (akin to his children) and Stewart was conservative. They respected each other as professionals but disagreed politically.
You missed off the fact that he left the service as a 2* general & didn't give the year America adopted the air cor as a seperate body known as the American airforce.
No he did not leave the service as a 2 star, Major General. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Brigadier General (1 Star). Any mention of "2 stars" is POST everything. Which is absurd.
@@aspenrebel I watched Jimmy Stewart being interviewed on a late night talk show in I think 1990 & the interviewer said at the time that,"you were a 2 star General weren't you"? & Jimmy said something funny then, "yes". So someone's not right here.
@@aspenrebel O.K. I owe that guy an apology. He says he was introduced as a major general & didn't correct the guy as it sounded so good. I was wrong & as the guy in the video & you said. He left the military as a Brigadere
@@texgowing7359 I think there was talk of "post humorously" promoting Jimmy Stewart to Major General. Which is ridiculous. I don't know if "they" ever did it. If so, pointless and of no value.
Interesting scenario...Mr Stewart is in the cockpit of a B-24,, over germany, on a regular basis....his agent in Hollywood is sitting in a bar cornering the market on Bourbon....and chewing all of his fingernails off...
he was never a private. officers are not enlisted. you skipped a lot of ranks. this is a very choppy video to make a false claim that he went from private to general in a hand full of year.
Actually since he enlisted well before the US even entered WWII (Dec 7, 1941), he went thru US Army Boot Camp, as a recruit, despite that he was already a licensed and experienced Commercial Pilot. The U.S Army had yet to set up training for new Pilots. So he completed boot camp and was a Private. Then he waited around. I believe that he had actually gotten promoted to Corporal, before the US Army set up Pilot training camps. Then he went to US Army Pilot Training, upon completion he was Commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the US Army Air Corps. Then thru service, during WWII, he was promoted up to Full Colonel by the end of WWII. After the war, his first movie was "It's A Wonderful Life (1946). He stayed in the Reserves, which became the US Air Force Reserves. He was promoted to Brigadier General in July 1959. In February 1966 he flew as an "observer" on a B-52 bombing mission over North Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force Reserves on May 31, 1968 as a Brigadier General when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. Crap!! I'm older than that now, and I still think I'm 22, and live my life like I'm still 22.
Americans bombed Zurich by mistake !!! You're gonna need a bigger pickle barrel, son. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 (For the benefit of Americans, Zurich is in Switzerland which was a neutral country)
@@aspenrebel By being an American . My old French teacher at school was RAF bomber crew and told us that his airfield was shared with newly-arrived Americans. Their first mission was a short, easy one to bomb a German navy harbour on the French coast. They all came back cock-a-hoop that they had destroyed it, but aerial photos showed that the target was untouched and a fishing village miles away had been devastated.
"Achieved the highest rank of any actor." WRONG! Ronald Reagan made it to COMMANDER IN CHIEF of all the branches of the US military. Get your facts straight...
@@hughes500pilot1 President Reagan was a Major. His rank was more honorary as he did not serve in a lower rank. He was just given the rank. All services are headed by a civilian secretary. Plus you have the civilian Secretary of Defense. The office of President is a civilian office. There is NO military rank for being President. This is done so the military is never the head of the nation. Eisenhower had to retire from the Army to become President. So did Washington. I served 21 years in the military. So I should know these things.
@@klsc8510 . Correct . Agree . I am at age 75 this year . A former volunteer in the US military . Was once being drafted in 1969 but not served at that time due to under weight . ( 5 lbs under ). 👨🏻🦳 ☕️ 🇺🇸🇮🇹🇬🇧
If he was such a gentleman then why did he flattend my hometown and killed my people iforgave him i liked him as an actor i hope god forgave him for what he did
hello can you do a video on ancestral finding of RODRIGUEZ, son of Roderick. and stop lying to people, Jimmy Steward is not an AMERICAN, no one on this planet is a national of AMERICA ❤😂. You can prove me erroneous if you can 🎉. saludos Iberoamericanos
This’d be like George Clooney volunteering after 9/11. Only “celebrity” I know who volunteered was Pat Tillman. Regardless of circumstances, he answered with his life as an enlisted Army Ranger
Thank you for listening to the podcast and subscribing... I really appreciate it.
Thanks very much🇺🇸
Nice video !
@@steveshoemaker6347 yyÿ
I am English, and I can tell you all Jimmy Stewart is held in the very highest esteem in Britain, thank you for coming here to help us, I as a little boy being bomb in London down in a shelter, thank him and all the others in the military from the USA.
Fantastic actor and truly a very brave man. He said one of the scenes in Its a Wonderful Life was so traumatic as he went back to thoughts of the war and he started crying for real, it's the scene on the bridge. Never publicly spoke of his flying career, complete hero. RIP Jimmy !
Jimmy Stewart was a great man on many levels. An outstanding member of the "Greatest Generation"!
There will NEVER be another Jimmy Stewart
I have so much respect for this man.
Flying combat missions over Germany when he wasn't required to. He volunteered.
Not only that, but in the position of lead bomber, which was the most dangerous position in the formation.
If the fighters could take out the lead bomber they had a good chance of breaking up the formation, therefore it was the prime target in the formation and it was almost always a head on attack with the cockpit being the target.
My father was a flight engineer on a B 24 in the 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron Second Air Division flying from Olde Buckenham UK. Jimmy Stewart was the Flight Ops Officer and a command pilot in the 453rd. Also, Walter Matthau was also in the 453rd.
My uncle also flew with Jimmy Stewart, and said that he was a wonderful person, just like his film persona often was. I miss the likes of him in Hollywood today. Too much junk and immoral stuff today, with notable exceptions.
I think Jimmy Stewart viewed his time in the military as something that needed to get done. It is the same attitude that I have seen in our National Guard and Reserves. Everyone has a primary civilian job, but all serve quietly in our military. It’s an impressive mix that we can’t execute without them. Plus it’s very cool to learn about what they do for a real living while serving in the military.
He was, and will always be, a true American treasure. It's to bad people, these days, don't have the same morals as he did. From the looks of the mentality of people these days, we will never see anyone to even come close to him.
💚💜🇺🇸🙏🔥
Fun Fact. He was stationed at Old Buckenham in Norfolk. Close to where I live. He was stationed there with one Walter Matthau who was a Sargent at the same air base.
Matthau was was on the ground crew in the 453rd, and Stewart served 27 years in the air force reserve after leaving the air force, achieving the rank of Brigadier General WOW! That's some kind of commitment there!
He was just as much a class act on his movie sets, I have never heard a single disparaging thing about his character.
Jimmy Stewart, my all time iconic actor.
I love Jimmy Stewart. So much the good man, good Christian, good patriot, and great actor. Loved the book "Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot". Love the story in the book about Jimmy (as a CO) overhearing some airmen griping about their not being paid on time as the young lieutenant paymaster blew them off saying he didn't have their records and couldn't pay them. Jimmy told the full-of-himself lieutenant that if the men weren't paid within the week he would be transferred out as a private. The men got their pay, not unsurprisingly. 😁
My uncle was a Lt in WWII. He stayed in the US Army Reserves and became a Colonel. My father was a Navy Lt in WWII. He did not stay in the Reserves after the war. My father said of Audie Murphy "He was the luckiest SOB. He was in the right place, at the right time, and was lucky he didn't get killed". Audie Murphy was a short, thin, light weight 17 yr old kid from Texas, who won every US Medal and Award (including the Medal of Honor), and every French Medal and Award during WWII. He was the most decorated soldier in WWII. He received a battlefield commission to 2nd Lt. He had aspirations of entering West Point after the war, but a war wound prevented that. Then he went into acting and movies.
I think it took more than luck to do what he did.
General Stewart is my second favorite actor of all time. Just barely behind John Wayne.
I have immense respect and appreciation for his accomplishments.
Wayne however was one of the big stars who never served in armed services. He explained it on a number of times, ( doing more for war effort as a film star). Wayne as I understand it always regretted his non service.
Wayne was hated by my father and uncles. He was a draft dodger and had an affair with a Mexican woman while he lived there during the war at a time when that was a big deal. Jimmy was a real American hero & didn't just act like one.
I recall in a book of aircraft nose art, that one of Jimmy's crew said he was always cool-headed, but when the shooting started, Jimmy got even more cool-headed. 👍
His aircraft was named "9Yanks and a Jerk".
@@rickklein7792Another was "Male Call".
@@carolnelson9269 Yes. You are correct.
Real man, patriot and just happened to be a great actor.Quite a man and gentleman too
He retired as a Brigadier. So many great movies, but one of my absolute favorites, was his turn as Charles Lindbergh in 'The Spirit of St. Louis'
I loved jimmy’s movies he was a great actor and patriot.
A real hero and patriot 😊
Because of his military service, Jimmy Stewart was the only celebrity to have ever stayed at Salt Lake City's Hotel Utah, which has a 'No Celebrities Allowed' policy.
A genuinely humble man. Proud of his achievements but without the ego and sense of entitlement that often goes with them. Oh, and a damned good actor too.
Jimmy liked his whiskey. Met and became a close friend of a real vet, 'Shorty LaPoint, a MUG with 425 Sqn RCAF, who told me a story about his relationship with Jimmy Stewart. Forgot how they met but it was via his own pilot who knew James somehow. Told me he & his crew would buy Scotch Whisky cheap in York, find a 'mechanical' excuse to land at Stewart's bomber base and pass it on to 'Jimmy and his gang' then spend an evening eating the much better 'Yankee' grub and partying before flying back to base the next day. Don't know how often they did it but it ended when 'Shorty's Halifax was shot down 24/25 May 1944. He was the only survivor and the only reason I know Jimmy Stewart like good Scotch whiskey.
Jimmy Stewart was a courageous competent guy and yet he could portray to perfection someone bumbling, stammering, confused, and overwhelmed.
He was and still an amazing person.
@number 6
It's a true story it did happen like that. Many battlefield commissions were given.
Audie Murphy entered as an enlisted man and ended up as a major. He rose very quickly through the ranks because of his skill, leadership abilities, heroism, and fearlessness. He was first lieutenant at the end of the war but ended up being awared of the rank of major in the Texas national guard. He was also the most decorated soldier of world war II including winning the medal of Honor. He was decorated by most of our allies in the war as well.
No one wins the Medal of Honor, it is awarded, usually posthumously, no one is fearless in battle, it is the fear of death and failure that drove one to survive in combat...
yeah, every US award and every French award.
I met Jimmy Stewart in 1967 while he was filming In Del Rio Tx....I had just gotten out of the hospital after having my first baby....he would dress up like a bum and go for his morning walks....he was the nicest gentleman a person could meet! I still have his autograph.
What a great example of humbleness, such a giving man of integrity and honor, thank you James Maitland Stewart!
I always respected him, all the Airforce movies he did made me want to be a pilot!
Jimmy was one of many that served in the military in an active role Some were portrayed as military heroes, but really weren’t.
Very good video. Very informative. Thanks
Can you imagine ANY actors today even going any branch of the service.
Can't imagine too many regular men joing any branch of the service thats why we used to have the draft.
@@fred5399 We need to bring the draft
back for both men and women. maybe
two years for women, sign up for 4 but
can get out in two. I signed up in 1963.
Whimps!!
@@janetceniza8091 and you're still there, right? Who was that old US Navy Admiral, that they couldn't get rid of? He was really old when he finally packed it in.
@@aspenrebel This is Dennis, Janet's husband, I was Air Force so can't tell you anything about the Navy, sorry.
AWESOME. A true AMERICAN.
Wow! I had no idea! Thank you for sharing!
His movie' Harvey'is awesome-great humor
For those of us in the AF, Gen. Stewart was saluted in public, and worshipped in private.
A wonderful man A true American legend
Back in the day when Hollywood was populated with patriots.
He didn't 'win several awards for his service'. He was decorated for his courage ... there is a big difference most feather merchants don't know anything about. It is the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal not an award. He was not on active duty after WWII, he was in the Reserve. Also, 'bombardier' is not pronounced correctly. If you are going to post have the courtesy to respect these folks who served and do it right.
Jimmy Steward was a Brigadier General.
There are 5 ranks of General.
Brigadier being the sophmore rank.
1) Brigadier General --1 star
2) Major General --2 star
3) Lieutenant General --3 star
4) General --4 star
5) General of the Army --5 star
Jimmy is one of my beloved actors of Hollywood. The film I like most is " The rear window" hope the name is correct, acted as a lamed man on a wheelchair.❤
My favorite is Harvey
Good film - Raymond Burr was the villain as I recall.
With the ravishing Grace Kelly. A Hitchcock masterpiece.
Very well done, it would be interesting if you would do the Military Service of David Niven. His first book The Moon is a Balloon gives an insight into his very interesting Service.
It says a lot about humanity, that Jimmy Stewart faced death in combat while John Wayne sit back safe in the United States. But the image of a tough guy for almost all of that generation was John Wayne and not Jimmy Stewart. We humans prefer image over reality. Which explains a lot, imho. This is an observation on humanity and not a complaint.
There are two important differences between them. Stewart was unmarried and Wayne was married with children. Wayne had medical issues that may have kept out of service. He lost his football scholarship because an injuring while surfing. Jimmy Stewart like most combat men of the error for his own reason choose to not use or speak of his experience. My father reason ( he survived more than 75 combat missions on a B 24) “the heroes didn’t’ come home”
@@bonnieparker9584 Not what I heard as a young kid in the early 1950's. After first getting an exemption, John Wayne was rated 1-A for service. But he feared his film blooming career would be over if he joined the service for even if he only did entertainment and not combat. The Studio's helped him avoid service.
While later generations loved John and his tough guy image and talk, but all the World War II vets I talked to (3) and read about (many) thought John a coward.
Like Carl Jung said decades ago, we humans far prefer our biases over reality.
Outstanding !!
My favourite actor , a real man
His stepson was a force recon marine killed on the dmz in Vietnam
For more information about BG Stweart's military service, I recommend two books.
Mission Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe.
Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot.
I am retired military. From my reading, BG Stewart sure sounds like a leader that I and many more would gladly follow.
My thought is BG Stewart was a better officer than actor. He was extremely good at both.
I read "Mission." Very good book. He was never the same when he came back, like many others.
@@frankm2588 While not the same, his love of Country and the Air Force never diminished.
partly he became a leader, and a Colonel, cuz he didn't get shot down and killed.
He is real war hero.
Air Force Brigadier General.
he did a movie, I can't think of the Title, which was pretty much biographical. He was a Major League Baseball pitcher, that went into WWII, as a pilot. Came out, then later got called back in. Reported to SAC B-52 bombers. I can't recall in the movie if he got promoted to Lt. Col or Colonel. But one line in the movie, Jimmy said to 4 star General "how low in rank do you have to be to be expendable?". Then he flew a mission, got injured, and got out of Air Force. Either as a Lt. Col or Colonel. Then he couldn't pitch any more due to his injured shoulder/arm so he became a Manager.
Yup!! General Jimmy.
Slow and steady wins the race.
A great man deserves a better biography, and a much more in depth combat record .
Well that Draft Dodger John Wayne could not hold a candle to James Stewart, SALUTE!!
I recall an explanation that ran something like this: "Marion Morrison would rather play a reel ranking military character then be "Buck Private Morrison from East Nowhere, New Jersey."
Dad used to claim that Jimmy Stewart used to fire up the stove in his barracks during training before they were woke up. Don't know about that, sounds unlikely.
He also said he would always vote for Ronald Reagan since he was the captain who signed him up to be in Combat Camera instead of a radioman. That one seems more likely, I have his scrapbook from his states side time, which includes copies of his orders and anywhere passes for filming. He also brought back a ton of photos from his time with the B29s in the Pacific and an Air Medal.
"Moderate success" before the war? He won an Oscar for Philadelphia Story". That qualifies as more than "moderate ".
John Wayne, how do you like these apples? A Real Hero!
After the war, Stewart served in the Air Force Reserve... and while he had many periods of active duty...he was not a "Regular"... Had he been such, he never would have had time to have had a film career... YP
Barry Goldwater or Au H2O also was a flier and did a great many things also
Bombbardeia. No !. It’s Pronounced , Bombardier thank you. Mr J Stewart was a true gentleman, just like Mr D Niven.
Bill of Rights? Ask Southern state negroes of the time(s).
Unfortunately David Nivens' mind went. He slurred his speech.
@@aspenrebel No , his speech was slurred (no intent.)
I thank you for pointing out the mispronunciation of Bombardier. Mr. Stewart truly was a gentleman and a very brave one at that.
@@pszczepanski1 Yes & he appears in interview about Axis fighter attacks, in the 1974? series The World at War - episode on bombing campaign.
Moderate success? Academy award, Mr. Smith goes to Washington, the Philadelphia Story
A true American Hero, unlike, say, Marion Morrison, who hid behind his wife's skirt in order to not fight in the War.
Where can I find John Wayne's war service story?
If you're interested in John Wayne's war service story, it's important to note that while he was a prominent figure in war films, John Wayne (born Marion Robert Morrison) did not actually serve in the military during World War II. Despite his iconic status in military roles on screen, Wayne spent the war years continuing his film career.
However, if you're looking to learn more about his life during this period, including why he didn't serve, you might find biographies or documentaries about John Wayne insightful. Books like "John Wayne: The Life and Legend" by Scott Eyman offer detailed accounts of his life and career.
For a more in-depth look, you can also explore film history and Hollywood during the wartime era, which often touches on John Wayne's career and his impact on American culture. Online resources, libraries, and streaming platforms might have documentaries or articles on this subject.
It's a fascinating aspect of film and cultural history, exploring the contrast between the on-screen personas of actors like Wayne and their real-life stories. Happy researching!
Moderate success as an actor...
Huh! Friggen won the Academy Award for best actor for The Philadelphia Story a month before enlisting.
If you are going to do a video on Jimmy Stewart, please get it right. First, you mentioned that he had a modest movie career prior to WWII, yes it did start slow, however, he had received accolades for his performances in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Destry Rides Again, and finished with an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1940, for his role in The Philadelphia Story. You also said he "won" several medals for his service. War is not a game and no one wins medals they are awarded for, bravery in combat, you also didn't directly point out that he enlisted a year prior to Pearl Harbor. Jimmy was a great man, husband, father, actor, and patriot.
Louis B. Mayer of MGM sent Jimmy to. Brothel and had the girl report back because he thought he was gay. Fun fact. Another fun fact John Wayne of a similar age never went to war.
Actually, in the US it is pronounced BOMBADEER
Bomb-A- Dear.
Bomb some deers?? 😆
Jimmy Stewart was a hero.
John Wayne was a draft dodger.
More mission detail.
An everyday American hero of the average common man
You hit the nail right on the head. Jimmy Stewart is indeed the epitome of an everyday American hero. It's incredible how he went from the big screen to bravely serving in WWII, all while staying grounded and relatable. Just goes to show that true heroism isn't just in movies. It's in the selfless acts of people like Stewart, stepping up when it mattered most.
Another good western Pennsylvanian boy.
A patriot
So for actors with the highest rank you are not including Reagan as Commander-in-Chief of the military...
The crews that bombed in Europe for the most part had a navigator. And on these birds was norton bomb sight which in all was supposed to put bomb on target but that's not how it turned out as targets where missed often by miles as following squadrons didn't have the norton sight and where keying on lead bombers who dropped early or late putting bombs miles off target.
But to bomb Zurich the two pilots and the navigator would have little or no room for explanation
Norden bomb sight.
"General Jimmy".
Yah know Commander in Chief is actually the highest military rank
His faith in God led him to be a pilot.
This was one of the items of contention between Stewart and Henry Fonda. Fonda was a far, left-wing nutjob (akin to his children) and Stewart was conservative. They respected each other as professionals but disagreed politically.
LITTERAL EXACT DUPLICATE OF MY DAD EVEN HIS CANDOR
You must have an awesome dad!! 👍🙏🇺🇲
@@patriot692 THANK YOU HE WAS
You missed off the fact that he left the service as a 2* general & didn't give the year America adopted the air cor as a seperate body known as the American airforce.
No he did not leave the service as a 2 star, Major General. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Brigadier General (1 Star). Any mention of "2 stars" is POST everything. Which is absurd.
@@aspenrebel I watched Jimmy Stewart being interviewed on a late night talk show in I think 1990 & the interviewer said at the time that,"you were a 2 star General weren't you"? & Jimmy said something funny then, "yes". So someone's not right here.
@@aspenrebel Found it, it was a Jonny Carson interview, I'm going to watch it now & if I'm wrong I will say so.
@@aspenrebel O.K. I owe that guy an apology. He says he was introduced as a major general & didn't correct the guy as it sounded so good. I was wrong & as the guy in the video & you said. He left the military as a Brigadere
@@texgowing7359 I think there was talk of "post humorously" promoting Jimmy Stewart to Major General. Which is ridiculous. I don't know if "they" ever did it. If so, pointless and of no value.
Whats ironic is that a WW 2 draft dodger like John Wayne gets an airport named after him. CA and Hollywood is so screwed up.
How you single out one movie is beyond me. It belittles the great actor as if he only made one good film. He made several brilliant films.
bom-ba -deer
Croix pronounced Cwah not Croy !! 😂😂🥴
Please have someone who knows written English do the captions. Please have a living, breathing native-English speaker serve as the narrator.
Interesting scenario...Mr Stewart is in the cockpit of a B-24,, over germany, on a regular basis....his agent in Hollywood is sitting in a bar cornering the market on Bourbon....and chewing all of his fingernails off...
he was never a private. officers are not enlisted. you skipped a lot of ranks. this is a very choppy video to make a false claim that he went from private to general in a hand full of year.
Jimmy Stewart was for a brief time a Private. You need to do more history studies!
Actually since he enlisted well before the US even entered WWII (Dec 7, 1941), he went thru US Army Boot Camp, as a recruit, despite that he was already a licensed and experienced Commercial Pilot. The U.S Army had yet to set up training for new Pilots. So he completed boot camp and was a Private. Then he waited around. I believe that he had actually gotten promoted to Corporal, before the US Army set up Pilot training camps. Then he went to US Army Pilot Training, upon completion he was Commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the US Army Air Corps. Then thru service, during WWII, he was promoted up to Full Colonel by the end of WWII. After the war, his first movie was "It's A Wonderful Life (1946). He stayed in the Reserves, which became the US Air Force Reserves. He was promoted to Brigadier General in July 1959. In February 1966 he flew as an "observer" on a B-52 bombing mission over North Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force Reserves on May 31, 1968 as a Brigadier General when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. Crap!! I'm older than that now, and I still think I'm 22, and live my life like I'm still 22.
@@klsc8510 he said himself that he want to enlist as a private not that he was one. You need to get a life and shape up those listening skills.
Use the word " awarded " and not " won " regarding medals received.
I see you simply summarized what was on wikipedia. Line by line.
"19 Sixty 5th"????? You mean 1965.
Donate to the "Wounded Warrior Project"
🫡🇺🇸
Btw, it’s Bomb-ba-deer phonetically.
Americans bombed Zurich by mistake !!!
You're gonna need a bigger pickle barrel, son. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
(For the benefit of Americans, Zurich is in Switzerland which was a neutral country)
How do you bomb Zurich by mistake?
@@aspenrebel By being an American .
My old French teacher at school was RAF bomber crew and told us that his airfield was shared with newly-arrived Americans. Their first mission was a short, easy one to bomb a German navy harbour on the French coast. They all came back cock-a-hoop that they had destroyed it, but aerial photos showed that the target was untouched and a fishing village miles away had been devastated.
how did the announcer pronounce "bombardier"??? God...if you're going to do the job, DO IT RIGHT!...lol
His B-24 was named "9 Yanks and a Jerk".
"Achieved the highest rank of any actor." WRONG! Ronald Reagan made it to COMMANDER IN CHIEF of all the branches of the US military. Get your facts straight...
Commander in Chief is a CIVILIAN position, not a military rank. Get your facts straight...
Commander in Chief is a Civilian position and not a military rank. So you are wrong.
Reagan was active duty in the Army during WWII. His rank carries over. So I'm going to say you are incorrect.
@@hughes500pilot1 President Reagan was a Major. His rank was more honorary as he did not serve in a lower rank. He was just given the rank.
All services are headed by a civilian secretary. Plus you have the civilian Secretary of Defense. The office of President is a civilian office. There is NO military rank for being President.
This is done so the military is never the head of the nation. Eisenhower had to retire from the Army to become President. So did Washington.
I served 21 years in the military. So I should know these things.
@@klsc8510 . Correct . Agree . I am at age 75 this year . A former volunteer in the US military . Was once being drafted in 1969 but not served at that time due to under weight . ( 5 lbs under ). 👨🏻🦳 ☕️ 🇺🇸🇮🇹🇬🇧
You pronounce it BOM-a-deer.
Boo hoo had to gain weight!😂
If he was such a gentleman then why did he flattend my hometown and killed my people iforgave him i liked him as an actor i hope god forgave him for what he did
hello can you do a video on ancestral finding of RODRIGUEZ, son of Roderick. and stop lying to people, Jimmy Steward is not an AMERICAN, no one on this planet is a national of AMERICA ❤😂. You can prove me erroneous if you can 🎉. saludos Iberoamericanos
Zou Zous Petals.
he was racist and damaged from war
When you make such a statement, defend it!
Was it John Ford
@@gijane9375 Now John Ford ............ that's another story!!
My all time favorite actor.
This’d be like George Clooney volunteering after 9/11. Only “celebrity” I know who volunteered was Pat Tillman. Regardless of circumstances, he answered with his life as an enlisted Army Ranger