I met James Stewart at a second air division reunion in Palm Springs around 1986. My father was a pilot in the 445th BG, when Stewart was a squadron commander in that group. It was such a thrill to listen to my dad and Stewart discuss flying missions together, particularly the Nuremberg mission, which Stewart led, immediately following the disastrous Gotha mission, in which the group lost 16 airplanes and 160 men. Stewart was completely unpretentious and authentic with his former comrades in arms. My father became a B 24 commander at age 19, was shot down over Berlin at age 20, and spent 14 months in Starlag Luft 1.
I remember a long time ago when i was a kid watching hollywood movies, my father allways said: "look this guy was bomber pilot in ww2 over germany". My dad himself was Me109 pilot...
@@jasonsalazar9711 General Stewart doesn't need to be defended from pond scum, he accomplished more in one hour of his life than the pond scum Michael Whisman will in his entire miserable lifetime.
@@michaelwhisman7623Ok,well babies are gonna die regardless. Doesn’t matter if it’s from an invading force or a despotic regime. So then, which of these two things would you prefer to be killing babies? Consider the long term possibilities. Also, consider how much freedom is worth it to you. I find your remark to be egregiously naive and simple minded. Have a great day.
James Maitland Stewart probably my all time favorite actor, person, human, has stood the test of time, and I bet 8 out of 10 people still recognize his voice. In fact I remember all the fuss being made over a campbell's soup commercial where you got to see actors that we all knew having lunch, and at the head of the table sat Stewart with the camera behind him, and the fuss was about not having to see the main person on the commercial but everyone would know who it was by his voice, we did! Love the gentleman always have and always will!
There’s a story that he once called a florist to order flowers 💐 for his wife and asked them to hurry the delivery 🚚. The clerk replied that in the time he took to place the order with his drawl and all the times he said, “Well, yuh see” they could have delivered them. Probably apocryphal but almost believable.
Jimmy Stewart was a decent, humble guy. Without doubt he is my favorite actor, personality, pilot, leader. He didn't see himself as being any better or more privileged than anyone else.
Mr. Stewart has always been one of my favorite actors. His father owned a hardware store out east and when Jimmy won his first Oscar...he gave it to his father to display on a shelf in his store. He was quite a poet in his own right. Check out his poem about his dog which he read on the Johnny Carson program...if you are a dog lover, the tears may flow.
Beside the word "gentleman" in the Webster dictionary is a picture of Brig. General James Stewart. He conducted himself with class and dignity no matter the situation.
@@mizzyroro Did not know you could get promoted after you left the service. He was a one star when he retired from the Air Force Reserve. Thanks for letting me know this obscure fact.
Promoted in retirement by President Reagan to Major General. Stewart was a terrific actor and patriot who did his duty. He forbade studios post war to use his war service in publicity. I was unaware of it until the mid 1960s when he appeared as Brigadier General James Stewart in an episode of the TV show, My Three Sons with Fred Murray. I have since read James Stewart, Bomber Pilot, by one of his WW2 squadron fellow airmen. A truly great American and human being.
I didn’t even know he’s in the Air Force flying multiple missions in war zones and retired a general. Just simply his acting and positive energies are already extremely inspiring. He is truly a hero.
I heard he was originally 4F, meaning unfit for service, for being under-weight. He could have sat out the war but instead he decided to gain enough weight to qualify and he started out as a private until he could get into pilot training. You got to admire his dedication also the fact he remained in the reserves after the war and became a brigadier general in the Air Force.
One ice story about Stewart during his air force days was when he visited a barracks and the men welcomed him with a beer--a beer they had made, as they had a still. Stewart drank the beer, chit chatted with the men, and then said he knew they was going to be a raid soon on all the barracks as the brass wanted to root out the still they knew was around...he sipped his beer and said he hoped nobody would be found out producing illegal booze... it was his way of tipping off the men to get rid of the still...now that is a leader!
Julian Marsh.... Not sure where you heard That Story from.... but in my, over 70 years of living on this planet and having the opportunity to see the internal workings of numerous Brand name & private label breweries.... as well as some "home made" beers, I've never yet... seen, nor heard of beer being batched, using a "still" in any way, shape or form. Nice "story", though. ;-)
Hell yeah. I’d go to hell and back for a leader like that. BG Stewart was out there getting shot up with his men. “Do as I do!” This is the difference between real leaders and the rest!
Jimmy Stewart was a command pilot in the 453rd BG 732nd BS 2nd Air Division 8th Army Air Force. My father was a flight engineer on a B-24 in the 453rd. Walter Matthau was also the 453rd.
I never knew he saw combat what a great man he was he could have sat out the war easily but instead he put his life on the line for his country what a guy they don't make many like him
I believe he really had to fight to get in. He was underweight and got knoocked back and went off and force fed himself for weeks and went back - and only just got in. That in itself leaves me struggling. A man naturally so slim, he has to force feed himself for weeks to get into the military! Those genes would again have made him the husband of choice for most women. A genuine military hero and with any luck, passing on genes to be tall and knife thin, for any possible daughters! I shouldn't be so light hearted, but he really is on the list of absolutely exceptional men. We could have done with a million of him.
Jimmy Stewart came back to Hollywood after the war in much the same shape as veterans do now. He flew several missions after his 'official' tour and seized every chance to go he could. His health was so bad at the end the one of the only foods he could keep down was ice cream. He shared a house in H'wood with Henry Fonda who served in the US Navy in the Pacific. They both were suffering from their war service and Jimmy thought he might be finished as an actor. The part that got him back was playing George Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life' which if you know that movie was the perfect part for a PTSD suffering vet. He even flew in a B-52 in the Viet Nam War
@ed p Many of the airmen in the Army Air Corp flew even more. My late uncle had his B-24 shot down on his 30th mission, lived to tell about it even though he was almost killed by the villages, towns and cities they just bombed, was captured by some German soldiers, who actually save his life and taken to a prisoner of war camp, rescued by General George Patton'e 3rd army skinny as a rail. He told me that they were given very little to eat and less and less each day, he said he thought they were planning on starving the prisoners to death!
@@truthmarshal6627 You got that right, for the record Captain James M. Stewart USAAflew 20 missions over war torn Germany, and I know for a fact that my uncle was shot down on their 30th mission, lived to tell about it, and along with millions of other Americans were/are very heroic, in fact they are called "the greatest generation" and I agree.
Jimmy Stewart........Walked the walk and talked the talk. Served his country and Britain's in real life and on screen , real life gent and hero. No BS with him.
A true, honest, very humble gentleman. One of many real men that answered the call. Yet we saw time and again Wayne held up as the great American. A man that to further his career refused to serve. From childhood I admired Stewart as an actor, a gentleman and a true man.
I live in Norwich, UK, a few miles from both Tibenham and 'Old Buck'. A friend of mine, a member of the Norfolk Gliding Club, met Mr. Stewart on one of his visits to Tibenham, and found him to be a lovely bloke. He asked to be left alone while he went into the control tower (now demolished) and after a while he came back down, a little emotional. Who can blame him ? This part of Britain is still dotted with the airfields of the 8th AF - some still in use for light aviation, others covered in weeds and the sound of the wind.
From what I heard, Jimmy suffered from PTSD after the war, though they didn't call it that back then. "It's a Wonderful Life" was the first movie he made when he came back, but he was still dealing with the consequences of it. He was one of my favorite actors, and a great American.
Frank Capra who directed that movie went ashore on D-Day and the film he shot is haunting. He knew what war did to people and the scene in IAWL where Stewart starts to lose his grip.......there wasn't much acting. Stewart was channeling his PTSD into that scene.
It would be difficult to overstate what a great American Jimmy Stewart was. Lots of actors played heroic roles on film, but Stewart was the real deal. The men of the 8th Air Force took terrible losses in the air campaigns over Europe in 1943-1945, and he was right in the thick of it, leading men into combat and asking for no special celebrity accommodations. He stayed in the Air Force Reserve after the war and continued to serve with distinction for many more years. I have the greatest admiration for this leader of men.
He also stay in to reach Brigadier General, his last bomber mission was in Vietnam as an observer pilot. Truly remarkable man, you might not agreed with his politics but he was a gentleman.
Stewart was respected by his men because as an officer, he actually waited until every plane that was sent out, returned...this might mean waiting for hours until the last crippled bomber appeared...he was the type of conservative I can respect and be humbled by his example.
General Stewart is a great example of a life well lived, neither a Biography, nor Movie of his life could adequately portray this life, I am fortunate to have grown up amongst such men. Doc Mike USN
He suffered greatly after the war with PTSD and flashbacks, even while he was promoted to brigadier general in the United States Airforce Reserve. He is truly one of the finest men ever to have graced the silver screen, and to have served our nation. Bless his memory.
Beautiful archive...great respect for honor, dignity, and brave for Mr Jimmy Stewart 🇺🇸 Air Force.Very interesting and strong character. BOWS for Elite 🇵🇱🕊️🤝
I dont feel qualified to comment on this great man, but would say this, A hero yes, a real American Yes A gentleman yes a true friend Yes a real man Yes, he risked his life for our Freedom Yes, we dont have many around today like him.
He was credited with 20 combat missions during WWII but he actually flew 33. He wasn’t supposed to fly the last 13. A true patriot. Whether he admitted it or not, he was a hero too.
Jimmy Stewart was a proper man. Twenty missions over Occupied Europe would have been a terrifying experience at best. No doubt it marked him for the rest of his life. The loss of his son, on top of all of that, must have been a dreadfully debilitating blow. And yet he carried on, after all of that, with great dignity and poise. He remains an example to us all.
The essence of the best a man should be. He served his country and set an example of great humility, courage and selflessness. As an actor he remains a legend and there has been no-one else like him nor ever will. A patriot and man of deep principals......
Many stars served in WW2, but most served in Entertainment and were not combatants. Of those that served in combat, many gained their fame after the war. Jimmy Stewart was very famous and rich, some say the equivalent to Tom Hanks today. The fact that he not only joined several months before Pearl Harbor and the fact that he lobbied and pulled strings for over a year to get assigned to a combat command is a testimony to him as a patriot, a soldier, and a true American hero. No, I don't see anybody in today's entertainment industry with anything approaching the equivalent of his fame and fortune volunteering to risk everything they have for their country. You have to look to the Ukraine for that.
One of the biggest stars in Hollywood history, and he leads his bomber group in 20 missions over Germany, that is crazy, he was the real deal , but he just thought he was a regular guy , and he was
Pat Tillman... and we also haven't had a global conflict since 1945, so it's impossible to know. This is no knock on Jimmy Stewart, he's a true hero.. but the greatest generation had the highest per Capita amount of draft dodgers for any war.
Well I didn’t know that , wow I always liked him as an actor but that man’s a hero just like so many of the greatest generation, I tip my hat in a sign of ultimate respect
My uncle, who passed a few years ago at 99 years old, also in the army. Jimmy was always his pilot. He had such respect for him. My uncle, and all others who flew with him, got a Christmas card every year until Mr Stewart died. Always hand signed! My uncle kept them all. My cousins will sell them one day, or leave them to their children.
I can think of no American who was a better role model than Jimmy Stewart. To this day I recall how proud I was to be an American after watching "Strategic Air Command" as a young boy. He was a wonderful actor, a wonderful man, a wonderful human being.
No false modesty there, only true humility. Though he was wise enough to understand the value/usefulness of that. And pls don't take that negatively - it only shows he was not quite as simple as he made himself out to be; and one doesn't accomplish all that he did by being simple.
It's the people that claim not to be brave, clever or anything out of the ordinary that usually are. James Stewart referring to himself as a "plodder" illustrates your point perfectly.
Quiet, unassuming and a gentleman. He didn't need to brag about anything, instead, he'd just calmly walk down the street carrying his gonads in a wheelbarrow and look smart whilst he did it.
I remember watching It’s A Wonderful Life as a kid 30 years ago thinking the actors were probably just at home while everyone was off fighting the war. Boy was I so wrong!
Shortly before he passed away, I sent him a copy of my script of “It’s A Wonderful Life” along with a note asking him to sign it, along with a $5 bill for return postage. We graduated from the same high school (almost 60 years apart) and I had his home address, so I thought there was a chance. Two weeks later, the script came back to me in the mail - signed, with the $5 attached.
What a shining example he showed. He put his career on hold to be a real hero unlike John Wayne who used every excuse not to serve but every opportunity to "play" the hero.
Wayne didn't try to avoid the draft, the board originally rated him 3A Family Obligations which was later changed to Special 2A “support of national interest.” much like Reagan because their movies were worth more for national moral than their fighting ability. Some actors had to be removed from the ability to enter combat like Clark Gable because the Army was afraid of his being captured and he insisted on leading bombing raids even though ordered not to.
David Niven, the British actor working in Hollywood, had been an Army officer in the 30's, and 'faked' his 'Callup' ((he got a pal in Britain to telegram an Order to Return To Barracks) to get out of his Hollywood contracts.
@@doctormcboy5009 Wayne initially had a 3c Family commitments which was later changed to 2 9something) needs of the nation. Like many other actors the government thought he would do more for the country by continuing to act. He could have volunteered as a 3 but not as a 2 so even if he made it to a battle zone he probably would have been yanked back.
@@thomasb1889 wayne was a older man when the war started and i do not blame him for not volunteering. but he did not step up big like jimmy Stewart of many other hollywood stars either.
He was extremely lucky, my Dad flew Mustang III’s for the RAF, sometimes he escorted them into Germany in the morning & again in the afternoon. I know it affected him seeing them come back.
Listening to him speak in that newsreel, he looks/sounds so much like Audie Murphy. Although they were a good bit different in age, it's easy to see, when Jimmy was young, the similarities between he and Audie, who played his brother in Night Passage (1957).
if l only get to pick ONE hollywood celeb to unhesitatingly admire its Jimmy. and he always had funny stories on the other Johnny's show, Carson. legendary.
I recently watched James Stewart playing the defence attorney in Otto Preminger's 'Anatomy of a Murder' - he was a terrific actor and a great human being.
The days when people were famous for a very good reason. What a class act he was, and one hell of a brave man. The time when we had men like this to look up to, and look at the the Hollywood actors we have today, I rest my case.
One of Jimmy Stewart's good friends, Henry Fonda also volunteered but served in the Navy. However Fonda ended up in a backwater posting and never saw any action, very much like the play and movie Mr Roberts. Many years later I heard Stewart say on Johnny Carson that "Hank and I are still great friends and enjoy each other's company, but they have learned to avoid talking politics because" as he said "there's just no point to it.'
James Stewart. WW2 Hero. Joined USAAF as a private after many bombing missions and at the end, bomb group commander. Left as a Colonel. Stayed in USAF Reserve. Promoted Brigadier General. Flew one B52 mission over Vietnam. Promoted Major General by President Reagan. An example to the world of quiet achievement and dedication. Truly great. Deeply missed.
![เปิด อาณาจักร หมื่นล้าน "สาระตั้ม" l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3XE0nPF4YkQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I met James Stewart at a second air division reunion in Palm Springs around 1986. My father was a pilot in the 445th BG, when Stewart was a squadron commander in that group. It was such a thrill to listen to my dad and Stewart discuss flying missions together, particularly the Nuremberg mission, which Stewart led, immediately following the disastrous Gotha mission, in which the group lost 16 airplanes and 160 men. Stewart was completely unpretentious and authentic with his former comrades in arms. My father became a B 24 commander at age 19, was shot down over Berlin at age 20, and spent 14 months in Starlag Luft 1.
Greatest generation not like gen,z now wokesters cancel LGBT hate all everyone not on their marxist side USA no1
Thank you for your father's service.
If you get a chance watch stalag17
I remember a long time ago when i was a kid watching hollywood movies, my father allways said: "look this guy was bomber pilot in ww2 over germany". My dad himself was Me109 pilot...
Cool story
A legend that can't be repeated in our lifetime. What a classy gentleman he was.
It CAN be repeated, but....
@@ronaldjohnson1474 Not with today’s generation,the closest I can think of is Adam driver
@@Alexander-Craig0530The closest there ever was to Stewart was a WWII Royal Air Force soldier named Chris Lee.
We could always follow in his footsteps.
He flew 20+ combat missions over Germany, and retired a Brigadier General, staying in the Air Force Reserve after the war. A tremendous human being.
He also flew a B52 mission in Vietnam..... he had to be sneaky to do it because he was a general and
they did not want to risk a general
Human beings don't kill babies.
He was about a thousand times more the human being than you could ever dream of being.
@@jasonsalazar9711 General Stewart doesn't need to be defended from pond scum, he accomplished more in one hour of his life than the pond scum Michael Whisman will in his entire miserable lifetime.
@@michaelwhisman7623Ok,well babies are gonna die regardless. Doesn’t matter if it’s from an invading force or a despotic regime. So then, which of these two things would you prefer to be killing babies? Consider the long term possibilities. Also, consider how much freedom is worth it to you. I find your remark to be egregiously naive and simple minded. Have a great day.
Truly one of the great people of the 20th century. Just wish there more like him in the 21st century. RIP you earned it.
We can start with ourselves.
Jimmy Stewart and David Niven (Commandos) were both great gentlemen and great actors. Both greatly missed.
James Maitland Stewart probably my all time favorite actor, person, human, has stood the test of time, and I bet 8 out of 10 people still recognize his voice. In fact I remember all the fuss being made over a campbell's soup commercial where you got to see actors that we all knew having lunch, and at the head of the table sat Stewart with the camera behind him, and the fuss was about not having to see the main person on the commercial but everyone would know who it was by his voice, we did! Love the gentleman always have and always will!
There’s a story that he once called a florist to order flowers 💐 for his wife and asked them to hurry the delivery 🚚. The clerk replied that in the time he took to place the order with his drawl and all the times he said, “Well, yuh see” they could have delivered them. Probably apocryphal but almost believable.
Jimmy Stewart was a decent, humble guy.
Without doubt he is my favorite actor, personality, pilot, leader.
He didn't see himself as being any better or more privileged than anyone else.
I would be humble too if I killed children.
Mr. Stewart has always been one of my favorite actors. His father owned a hardware store out east and when Jimmy won his first Oscar...he gave it to his father to display on a shelf in his store. He was quite a poet in his own right. Check out his poem about his dog which he read on the Johnny Carson program...if you are a dog lover, the tears may flow.
RIP General....Well Done!
Beside the word "gentleman" in the Webster dictionary is a picture of Brig. General James Stewart. He conducted himself with class and dignity no matter the situation.
Jimmy Stewart...
Never Acted...!
He acting
Normal 4 """""""" 👍 men
Of his Time!
You robbed him one star. He was a major general.
@@mizzyroro Did not know you could get promoted after you left the service. He was a one star when he retired from the Air Force Reserve. Thanks for letting me know this obscure fact.
He showed lots of class killing those babies didn't he??
Promoted in retirement by President Reagan to Major General. Stewart was a terrific actor and patriot who did his duty. He forbade studios post war to use his war service in publicity. I was unaware of it until the mid 1960s when he appeared as Brigadier General James Stewart in an episode of the TV show, My Three Sons with Fred Murray. I have since read James Stewart, Bomber Pilot, by one of his WW2 squadron fellow airmen. A truly great American and human being.
I didn’t even know he’s in the Air Force flying multiple missions in war zones and retired a general. Just simply his acting and positive energies are already extremely inspiring. He is truly a hero.
I heard he was originally 4F, meaning unfit for service, for being under-weight. He could have sat out the war but instead he decided to gain enough weight to qualify and he started out as a private until he could get into pilot training. You got to admire his dedication also the fact he remained in the reserves after the war and became a brigadier general in the Air Force.
He was a tall , lean man
He was already a pilot. But you're right about the weight.
True hero in every respect.
One ice story about Stewart during his air force days was when he visited a barracks and the men welcomed him with a beer--a beer they had made, as they had a still. Stewart drank the beer, chit chatted with the men, and then said he knew they was going to be a raid soon on all the barracks as the brass wanted to root out the still they knew was around...he sipped his beer and said he hoped nobody would be found out producing illegal booze... it was his way of tipping off the men to get rid of the still...now that is a leader!
That's how a "STAR" acts, imagine the pigs today calling themselves "celebrities"!
Beer is not made with a still dummy.
Julian Marsh.... Not sure where you heard That Story from.... but in my, over 70 years of living on this planet and having the opportunity to see the internal workings of numerous Brand name & private label breweries.... as well as some "home made" beers, I've never yet... seen, nor heard of beer being batched, using a "still" in any way, shape or form. Nice "story", though. ;-)
Hell yeah. I’d go to hell and back for a leader like that. BG Stewart was out there getting shot up with his men. “Do as I do!” This is the difference between real leaders and the rest!
A humble American hero and Patriot. Great example of the Greatest generation.
Jimmy Stewart was a command pilot in the 453rd BG 732nd BS 2nd Air Division 8th Army Air Force. My father was a flight engineer on a B-24 in the 453rd. Walter Matthau was also the 453rd.
I never knew he saw combat what a great man he was he could have sat out the war easily but instead he put his life on the line for his country what a guy they don't make many like him
He saw a lot.
Oh yeah. He was known for not shirking dangerous missions just because he was famous.
I believe he really had to fight to get in. He was underweight and got knoocked back and went off and force fed himself for weeks and went back - and only just got in. That in itself leaves me struggling. A man naturally so slim, he has to force feed himself for weeks to get into the military!
Those genes would again have made him the husband of choice for most women. A genuine military hero and with any luck, passing on genes to be tall and knife thin, for any possible daughters!
I shouldn't be so light hearted, but he really is on the list of absolutely exceptional men.
We could have done with a million of him.
I agree. Most Hollywood actors now are bleeding heart far left liberal communists who hate America.
It took its toll on him
Not only was this guy an Academy Award Winner, he graduated form Princeton AND was an air force General. Now that is achievement.
Every time I think of Jimmy, and Clark, and others during this period, I want to throw a rock at modern Hollywood.
Absolutely, they don't make actors like that anymore.
Agreed most of modern Hollywood is pure crap compared to the Greatest Generation.
@@jimjohnston526 Don't have to be WW2. Look at Elvis.
He is one of my favorite actors and Americans. Hollywood and our country could use more 'Jimmy Stewarts'.
Jimmy Stewart came back to Hollywood after the war in much the same shape as veterans do now. He flew several missions after his 'official' tour and seized every chance to go he could. His health was so bad at the end the one of the only foods he could keep down was ice cream. He shared a house in H'wood with Henry Fonda who served in the US Navy in the Pacific. They both were suffering from their war service and Jimmy thought he might be finished as an actor. The part that got him back was playing George Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life' which if you know that movie was the perfect part for a PTSD suffering vet. He even flew in a B-52 in the Viet Nam War
A magnificent human being, we need so many more like him.
Incredible man. A born leader and actor of highest status.
20 missions. Amazing. What a great American. 80 years later, at this time, in AWE of his courage.
@ed p Many of the airmen in the Army Air Corp flew even more. My late uncle had his B-24 shot down on his 30th mission, lived to tell about it even though he was almost killed by the villages, towns and cities they just bombed, was captured by some German soldiers, who actually save his life and taken to a prisoner of war camp, rescued by General George Patton'e 3rd army skinny as a rail. He told me that they were given very little to eat and less and less each day, he said he thought they were planning on starving the prisoners to death!
He LED 20 missions, but flew many more than that as a standard combat pilot.
I admired the man. But all those boys were heroic. All of them.
@@truthmarshal6627 You got that right, for the record Captain James M. Stewart USAAflew 20 missions over war torn Germany, and I know for a fact that my uncle was shot down on their 30th mission, lived to tell about it, and along with millions of other Americans were/are very heroic, in fact they are called "the greatest generation" and I agree.
@@velikovskysghost wow, thank you for the response and the personal touch. I wish I had been part of that generation. They were great people.
Jimmy Stewart........Walked the walk and talked the talk. Served his country and Britain's in real life and on screen , real life gent and hero. No BS with him.
A true, honest, very humble gentleman. One of many real men that answered the call. Yet we saw time and again Wayne held up as the great American. A man that to further his career refused to serve. From childhood I admired Stewart as an actor, a gentleman and a true man.
John Wayne volunteered, but was refused by the military. Look it up!
@@ronaldjohnson1474 wrong again look it up
@@ronaldjohnson1474 bullshit. A racist git,, no hero.
I live in Norwich, UK, a few miles from both Tibenham and 'Old Buck'. A friend of mine, a member of the Norfolk Gliding Club, met Mr. Stewart on one of his visits to Tibenham, and found him to be a lovely bloke. He asked to be left alone while he went into the control tower (now demolished) and after a while he came back down, a little emotional. Who can blame him ? This part of Britain is still dotted with the airfields of the 8th AF - some still in use for light aviation, others covered in weeds and the sound of the wind.
From what I heard, Jimmy suffered from PTSD after the war, though they didn't call it that back then. "It's a Wonderful Life" was the first movie he made when he came back, but he was still dealing with the consequences of it.
He was one of my favorite actors, and a great American.
Frank Capra who directed that movie went ashore on D-Day and the film he shot is haunting. He knew what war did to people and the scene in IAWL where Stewart starts to lose his grip.......there wasn't much acting. Stewart was channeling his PTSD into that scene.
One of the millions of 'The Greatest Generation' who answered our Nation's call. RIP, General!
Jimmy Stewart - an American hero and a class act. RIP Mr. Stewart and thank you!
I admire this man.
It would be difficult to overstate what a great American Jimmy Stewart was. Lots of actors played heroic roles on film, but Stewart was the real deal. The men of the 8th Air Force took terrible losses in the air campaigns over Europe in 1943-1945, and he was right in the thick of it, leading men into combat and asking for no special celebrity accommodations. He stayed in the Air Force Reserve after the war and continued to serve with distinction for many more years. I have the greatest admiration for this leader of men.
Jimmy Stewart was a great American patriot. A very modest man and unfortunately Hollywood no longer has his kind.
A man who put his life on the line for his principles. You have to respect that.
A true hero in so many ways!
He also stay in to reach Brigadier General, his last bomber mission was in Vietnam as an observer pilot. Truly remarkable man, you might not agreed with his politics but he was a gentleman.
More of a man than any other actor like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. A true quiet professional
Stewart was respected by his men because as an officer, he actually waited until every plane that was sent out, returned...this might mean waiting for hours until the last crippled bomber appeared...he was the type of conservative I can respect and be humbled by his example.
General Stewart is a great example of a life well lived, neither a Biography, nor Movie of his life could adequately portray this life, I am fortunate to have grown up amongst such men. Doc Mike USN
A Quiet Hero. ...... And a First Class American.
He suffered greatly after the war with PTSD and flashbacks, even while he was promoted to brigadier general in the United States Airforce Reserve. He is truly one of the finest men ever to have graced the silver screen, and to have served our nation. Bless his memory.
I wish all Soldiers 🪖 who return from war and mission health 💚 and strength...great respect 🕊️🤝
The character and humility at its finest. I miss that.
Beautiful archive...great respect for honor, dignity, and brave for Mr Jimmy Stewart 🇺🇸 Air Force.Very interesting and strong character.
BOWS for Elite
🇵🇱🕊️🤝
I dont feel qualified to comment on this great man, but would say this, A hero yes, a real American Yes A gentleman yes a true friend Yes a real man Yes, he risked his life for our Freedom Yes, we dont have many around today like him.
He was credited with 20 combat missions during WWII but he actually flew 33. He wasn’t supposed to fly the last 13. A true patriot. Whether he admitted it or not, he was a hero too.
I believe one of those missions was flown in a 'lead ship' with no guns and big yellow squares painted over the fuselage and wings!
A real American hero, we sure could use some now...
His book 'Jimmy Stewart - Bomber Pilot' about his time during WW2, written by Starr Smith, well worth a read.
Yes. I have read it.
TYVM for that hint
Jimmy Stewart was a proper man. Twenty missions over Occupied Europe would have been a terrifying experience at best. No doubt it marked him for the rest of his life. The loss of his son, on top of all of that, must have been a dreadfully debilitating blow. And yet he carried on, after all of that, with great dignity and poise. He remains an example to us all.
33, counting the unofficial missions he wasn’t supposed to fly.
The essence of the best a man should be. He served his country and set an example of great humility, courage and selflessness. As an actor he remains a legend and there has been no-one else like him nor ever will. A patriot and man of deep principals......
They dont make men like that anymore he was one of my favorites . God bless all those guys true grit and two ton set of balls!
Can you Imagine War breaking out Today and ANY one from Hollywood signing up to fight? A lot of Stars stars fought in WW2. Thanks to All, RIP
You would be lucky to find one today that would do that today
@@nate61 Scott Glenn would because he did.
@@Outlier999 I agree 💯
Many stars served in WW2, but most served in Entertainment and were not combatants. Of those that served in combat, many gained their fame after the war. Jimmy Stewart was very famous and rich, some say the equivalent to Tom Hanks today. The fact that he not only joined several months before Pearl Harbor and the fact that he lobbied and pulled strings for over a year to get assigned to a combat command is a testimony to him as a patriot, a soldier, and a true American hero. No, I don't see anybody in today's entertainment industry with anything approaching the equivalent of his fame and fortune volunteering to risk everything they have for their country. You have to look to the Ukraine for that.
Stewart's story is far more emotional tha most people realize.
Back when Hollywood stood for class.
A true hero & real person unlike too many in Hollywood.
A brilliant actor, and an even better man....
One of the biggest stars in Hollywood history, and he leads his bomber group in 20 missions over Germany, that is crazy, he was the real deal , but he just thought he was a regular guy , and he was
33 missions. Thirteen unofficial.
Thanks Hattie! I was aware of Jimmy but had forgotten. Holywood needs a thousand more just like Jimmy. Keep it up!
One of my dad (B24 pilot & POW) mom (SGT Women’s Air Corps) FAVORITES!
What an AWESOME human being!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️❤️
Very admirable
The real deal
True american hero an icon I agree we need more people like jimmy Stewart in the world
hero
A quiet, humble, and true American Hero.
Jimmy Stewart was a class act all the way around. I'm glad to have found your video! Thanks!
Thank you, Jimmy. I'm glad you made it out of that hell and lived to entertain me with all those wonderful movies . Again, thank you .
It´s a cliche but it´s true: they don´t make men like Jimmy Stewart anymore.
Agreed 100%. Most of today’s Hollywood “men” are completely useless cowards when compared to the Greatest Generation.
I am not American but I agree with your comment fully!
Pat Tillman... and we also haven't had a global conflict since 1945, so it's impossible to know. This is no knock on Jimmy Stewart, he's a true hero.. but the greatest generation had the highest per Capita amount of draft dodgers for any war.
What a gentle man. I miss him.
I wish the world had millions more like this fellow, just not all movie stars.... some can be bums like me!
Well I didn’t know that , wow I always liked him as an actor but that man’s a hero just like so many of the greatest generation, I tip my hat in a sign of ultimate respect
One of my altime favorite actors, but also a brave and good man , love him and his films.
God Bless you Jimmy Stewart.
Thank you for your service Jimmy.
On one talk show in the nineties he mentioned his family line saw military service all the way back before the Civil war.
A great man and real American. Humble, an honest and classy gentleman. Truly missed today in our time.
My uncle, who passed a few years ago at 99 years old, also in the army. Jimmy was always his pilot. He had such respect for him. My uncle, and all others who flew with him, got a Christmas card every year until Mr Stewart died. Always hand signed! My uncle kept them all. My cousins will sell them one day, or leave them to their children.
Good video. Great actor. Was a retired Brigadier General. Air National Guard.
Got to tip your hat to him because he could have easily stood this one out, but he stepped and flew through the valleys of darkness.
I had a crush on Jimmy back in the day!
Class act all the way.
Goosebumps alert. Courage and quiet dignity in a single packet. He told one of the funniest jokes I've ever heard.
I can think of no American who was a better role model than Jimmy Stewart. To this day I recall how proud I was to be an American after watching "Strategic Air Command" as a young boy. He was a wonderful actor, a wonderful man, a wonderful human being.
No false modesty there, only true humility. Though he was wise enough to understand the value/usefulness of that. And pls don't take that negatively - it only shows he was not quite as simple as he made himself out to be; and one doesn't accomplish all that he did by being simple.
It's the people that claim not to be brave, clever or anything out of the ordinary that usually are. James Stewart referring to himself as a "plodder" illustrates your point perfectly.
Quiet, unassuming and a gentleman. He didn't need to brag about anything, instead, he'd just calmly walk down the street carrying his gonads in a wheelbarrow and look smart whilst he did it.
I remember watching It’s A Wonderful Life as a kid 30 years ago thinking the actors were probably just at home while everyone was off fighting the war. Boy was I so wrong!
Thank you for this interesting video. : )
I respect the freedom fighters.
Shortly before he passed away, I sent him a copy of my script of “It’s A Wonderful Life” along with a note asking him to sign it, along with a $5 bill for return postage. We graduated from the same high school (almost 60 years apart) and I had his home address, so I thought there was a chance. Two weeks later, the script came back to me in the mail - signed, with the $5 attached.
What a shining example he showed. He put his career on hold to be a real hero unlike John Wayne who used every excuse not to serve but every opportunity to "play" the hero.
Wayne didn't try to avoid the draft, the board originally rated him 3A Family Obligations which was later changed to Special 2A “support of national interest.” much like Reagan because their movies were worth more for national moral than their fighting ability. Some actors had to be removed from the ability to enter combat like Clark Gable because the Army was afraid of his being captured and he insisted on leading bombing raids even though ordered not to.
David Niven, the British actor working in Hollywood, had been an Army officer in the 30's, and 'faked' his 'Callup' ((he got a pal in Britain to telegram an Order to Return To Barracks) to get out of his Hollywood contracts.
@@thomasb1889 Wayne chickened out and did NOT join like jimmy
@@doctormcboy5009 Wayne initially had a 3c Family commitments which was later changed to 2 9something) needs of the nation. Like many other actors the government thought he would do more for the country by continuing to act. He could have volunteered as a 3 but not as a 2 so even if he made it to a battle zone he probably would have been yanked back.
@@thomasb1889 wayne was a older man when the war started and i do not blame him for not volunteering. but he did not step up big like jimmy Stewart of many other hollywood stars either.
Great man!!! RIP James Stewart.
He was extremely lucky, my Dad flew Mustang III’s for the RAF, sometimes he escorted them into Germany in the morning & again in the afternoon. I know it affected him seeing them come back.
Truly one of the last great Actors, Gentleman, Soldier.
My greatest respect for the actors that put their careers in hold to serve our country in the military during ww2
The man interviewed discussing jimmy Stewart is my grandfather Patrick Connolly. Thank you for posting this video.
Wow, that's awesome! Your grandfather was an incredibly brave man.
Listening to him speak in that newsreel, he looks/sounds so much like Audie Murphy. Although they were a good bit different in age, it's easy to see, when Jimmy was young, the similarities between he and Audie, who played his brother in Night Passage (1957).
A great American and a great actor. He served in the Air Force reserve long after World War 2 and reached the rank of Brigadier General.
if l only get to pick ONE hollywood celeb to unhesitatingly admire its Jimmy.
and he always had funny stories on the other Johnny's show, Carson. legendary.
I recently watched James Stewart playing the defence attorney in Otto Preminger's 'Anatomy of a Murder' - he was a terrific actor and a great human being.
The days when people were famous for a very good reason.
What a class act he was, and one hell of a brave man.
The time when we had men like this to look up to, and look at the the Hollywood actors we have today, I rest my case.
Enjoy watching him in Strategic Air Command..
Don't make em like that anymore, the complete all round American hero, fantastic actor and a complete gentleman. Miss his likes today !!
One of Jimmy Stewart's good friends, Henry Fonda also volunteered but served in the Navy. However Fonda ended up in a backwater posting and never saw any action, very much like the play and movie Mr Roberts. Many years later I heard Stewart say on Johnny Carson that "Hank and I are still great friends and enjoy each other's company, but they have learned to avoid talking politics because" as he said "there's just no point to it.'
My uncle flew with Jimmy Stewart and my understanding with Clark Gable as well. Finally settling in Canada instructing Canadian fighter pilots!
James Stewart. WW2 Hero. Joined USAAF as a private after many bombing missions and at the end, bomb group commander. Left as a Colonel. Stayed in USAF Reserve. Promoted Brigadier General. Flew one B52 mission over Vietnam. Promoted Major General by President Reagan. An example to the world of quiet achievement and dedication. Truly great. Deeply missed.
Just finished "masters of the air" what an incredible person