tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50651698518155984.post7280072748995239953..comments2024-01-21T03:20:50.351-07:00Comments on World War II in Pictures: John Wayne and World War IIUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50651698518155984.post-40066914829689030002019-12-16T22:57:17.171-07:002019-12-16T22:57:17.171-07:00Okay, he wasn't drafted per se and he apparent...Okay, he wasn't drafted per se and he apparently didn't try to remedy his status for what ever reason, but the truth is he felt personally ashamed by his lack of military service for most of his life. <br />His mentor John Ford dispised Wayne's hippocracy and when he [Ford]got mad at Wayne when filming their many movies, he would remind Wayne of his lack of military service in front of the crew and cast, not to mention his [Wayne's] racial bigotry and lack of humility [honor] for treating his wives and women in general like trash. Ford considered Wayne to be a "big blow hard", but a good actor. <br />For years after the war ended, when Wayne was on set filming and when an 'actual' veteran or veterans would conversate about their war time experiences Wayne would always break out in a cold sweat and excuse himself from the set to drink. <br />By the way you forgot to mention the 'service' of some other notable stars of that era, who actually deserve some credit. Some never wore the uniform, some became famous after the war, and some were famous before the war. <br />When comparing them to Wayne, well the argument of his patriotism becomes moot. <br />Here are a few, Joe Lewis, Charles Bronson, Charleston Heston, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Jackey Coogan, Tony Curtis, Lee Marvin, Eddie Albert, James Arness, Mel Brooks, Art Carney, Charles Durnning, Douglass Fairbanks Jr.,Russel Johnson, Audie Murphy, let's not forget Benny Goodman. Cludette Colbert, Robert Ryan, Joan Blondell, Marion Davies, Wally Cox and the list goes on. <br />Some willingly went into combat zones at the risk of their lives as civilians. Some were actual participants in combat [veterans]. Some were employed as spies for the allies, like Josephine Baker and Sterling Haden! Or secret allied inventors like Hedy Lamarr. <br />You also mentioned Bob Hope's many USO tours but failed to mention "Colonel" Martha Raye, who received an Honorary "Green Beret". She also received an honoary rank of Colonel in the USMC and Lt. Colonel in the US Army. She also received Presidential Medal for Freedom. Upon her request, she is buried at Fort Bragg even though she was given special dispensation to be buried at Arlington. She is the only civilian to receive FULL military honors during veterans day. "Why" you may ask? Instead of performing for troops during USO tours, she would volunteer her skills in combat hospitals because she was in reality a LPN. She did this in WW2, Korea, and Vietnam at great person risk to herself. <br />No matter what spin is used, Wayne's 'service' was pitiful. <br /> charleslennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18211775687097413332noreply@blogger.com