Air Base Honors Jimmy Stewart

The Washington Post ^ | August 13, 2007 | Steve Vogel

[RDTF]

A technology center at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington will be named today in honor of actor Jimmy Stewart, according to an Air Force news release.

-snip-

The center will be dedicated as the Brig. Gen. James Stewart Theater in honor of the actor's service and his efforts "to promote Air Force heritage and morale programs to benefit future generations of Airmen," the release said.

[Young Werther]

Snap! Hand Salute!

[jim_trent]

According to his biography, he enlisted in WW2 and led bombing missions over Europe (B-17, I believe). What was not said there (but was elsewhere) was that they were real bombing missions over real, defended targets and many of the people he commanded did not return. The missions were NOT a publicity stunt.

[2001convSVT]

Amen. A real American Hero!

[Tijeras_Slim]

[Cecily]

They sure don't make Hollywood stars like they used to. Even the uber-libbies of days gone by were still true stars.

[massgopguy]

What a man. The tag line says it all.

[abb]

Indeed. Attention to Orders!

[reagan_fanatic]

Jimmy Stewart will live on larger than life, not only because of his Hollywood career, but his outstanding service to his country.

Sigh - it seems all the good ones are gone...

[AFreeBird]

From IMDB:

"He was the first movie star to enter the service for World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed 5 pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He eventually became a Colonel, and earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre and 7 battle stars. In 1959, he served in the Air Force Reserve, before retiring as a brigadier general."

[calex59]

According to his biography, he enlisted in WW2 and led bombing missions over Europe (B-17, I believe). What was not said there (but was elsewhere) was that they were real bombing missions over real, defended targets and many of the people he commanded did not return. The missions were NOT a publicity stunt.

If I remember correctly he flew 26 combat missions, which was one more than the famed Memphis Belle crew flew. Jimmy served his country well, unlike most of the actors and actresses of today.

[Non-Sequitur]

According to his biography, he enlisted in WW2 and led bombing missions over Europe (B-17, I believe). What was not said there (but was elsewhere) was that they were real bombing missions over real, defended targets and many of the people he commanded did not return. The missions were NOT a publicity stunt.

Stewart originally qualified in the B-17 and trained pilots as an instructor. When he got to combat it was with B-24 units.

[Miss Didi]

Wonderful actor, wonderful man!

[CarryingOn]

General Stewart was indeed a unique individual, who was not only a great Hollywood star, but also a great patriot who served to defend the country that gave him the opportunity he enjoyed to succeed at his craft. I remember Gen. Stewart flew on a B52 mission over VN from our base in the Pacific. He will not be forgotten by those who also served.

[Snickersnee]

One of Stewart's more interesting assignments in WW2 was serving as the president of the GCM convened in the cases of the bomber crews that were brought up on charges for bombing Zurich (on more than one occasion, IIRC!) I think the accused got off for making the case that it was an understandable navigational error.

Nowadays the AF can put a bomb in a given window of a targeted building -- back then, they counted it a successful mission if all the bombs landed in the same time zone.

[Weeedley]

And a tremendous actor, who just played himself.

Its A Wonderful Life is one of his greatest achievements.

[Tanniker Smith]

Congratulations, James, wherever you are!
You deserve it. You earned it.

[Tanniker Smith]

A technology center at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington will be named today in honor of actor Jimmy Stewart,

A piece of trivia that I didn't know until Mr. Stewart died: although he's commonly refered to as Jimmy Stewart, he is billed in all his movies as James Stewart.

But he was just so much of a Jimmy.

[txroadkill]

I've got a lot of great stories about celebrities and other notable people from my years of driving Limos in the DFW area.

About 10 years ago Mr. Stewart was in Dallas just before his death. He was Staying at the Crescent Court and I happened to be there to take some people to the Airport. While I was waiting Mr. Stewart came out of the Hotel to get into his Limo (the driver told me he refused to ride in the back, always rode in the front seat); before he got into the car two Air Force Officers cut him off and asked him to swear them in for their re-enlistment.

Stewart snapped to attention, recited the oath from memory and then signed their papers. They both gushed about what an honor it was for them to be sworn in by him while he explained the honor was all his. I felt the honor was all mine from having witnessed the entire thing.

[RDTF]

wow great story!

[Robe]

Strategic Air Command, Great Movie, Great Stars

[BipolarBob]

One of my most favorite actors of all time. A patriot and a great actor. Thanks for posting.

[agrace]

My absolute favorite. Can't wait to meet him in heaven.

With Frank Capra. More here.

[txroadkill]

Its A Wonderful Life is one of his greatest achievements.

Got to say that "Shop Around the Corner" comes in second for Christmas movies. Of course "The Good Ol' Summertime" with Judy Garland and Van Johnson was a much better remake than "You Got Mail". However, the best Jimmy Stewart movies ever were "The Glenn Miller Story" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance".

[Joe 6-pack]

Jimmy Stewart and I share the same hometown (Indiana, PA), and that’s the county courthouse in the background of the Life Magazine cover. On Stewart’s 75th Birthday, he came back home and the county fathers put the “V” back on top of the courthouse for the days he was in town. He took a phone call from (then) President Reagan which was played over the PA system. Mr. Reagan, as CinC gave Stewart (a mere brigadier general) an order to look directly to his west, at which time he (and the crowd did) and a flight of A7s came screaming over at very low altitude...It was incredible.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

I say, does anyone know anything about this Gabe Horn fellow?

[Weeedley]

The magnificent B-36... four burning, six turning~~!

[q_an_a]

my cousin, who flew 56 missions in IndoChina, was the pilot on this movie - he said Jimmy was a fine guy.

[Don Corleone]

A Great American!

[GraceCoolidge]

I have read as well that he adamantly refused to allow his military service to be used for publicity after the war. I think he might have had that written into his contracts.

[rbosque]

Cool.

Well deserved.

[agincourt1415]

Why wouldn't the Air Force Name an entire Air Force Base after Jimmy?

Stewart Air Force Base, has a ring to it.

[SkyPilot]

The Hollywood of yesteryear.

Hollywood today......

[colorado tanker]

A great American and one of the absolute best actors of all time.

[VOA]

“They sure don’t make Hollywood stars like they used to.”

No kidding. The recent biography (by Neal Gabler?) is a good read
about the day when good product came out of Hollywood more than once
every blue moon.

James Stewart filmography:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/

[Mannaggia l'America]

A guy I know served in Viet Nam and he said when his tour of duty was over and he flew back to the US, his plane landed in California. There was no fanfare or anything for the returning soldiers, but there was one guy waiting to greet them when they got off the plane - Jimmy Stewart. He was there by himself - no people or press. He came because of them.

Apparently he often did that, and this guy said it was something that has always stuck with him.

[DM1]

here he is with my fav president to boot

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, Jimmy Stewart, for your service to our country.

[4yearlurker]

After reading all these mini bios and stories all I can say is: “Damn..I miss the old days!”

[SamuraiScot]

Hollywood today......

It's funny. The Hollywood Left of today, who claim to be attuned to youth and the future, are such a lot of crinkly-faced senior citizens. Their ideas are so out of date, they're not even ideas. They're attitudes.

They went from being whining pot-smokers to whining Geritol sippers in a twinkling.

[CaptRon]

‘Strategic Air Command’ is on TCM tonight, 8PM EDT.

[CaptRon]

Oops, make that 10PM

[CaptRon]

There was a Stewart Air Force base in Newburgh, NY, though I don’t think it was named for Jimmy. My uncle worked there as a crash crewman. It’s now an international airport

[agincourt1415]

Didn’t know that. The other problem is they aren’t building any new Air Force Bases.

[Christopher Lincoln]

There is a sequel to the James Stewart story. His stepson, Ronald Walsh McLean, became an officer in the Marine Corps. 1st Lieutenant McLean was killed in action in Vietnam. Semper fidelis.

[good old days]

Bump

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

...before he got into the car two Air Force Officers cut him off and asked him to swear them in for their re-enlistment.

Interesting story, but officers don't re-enlist. They do, however, swear an oath with each promotion.

[Vision]

Steward was amazing. Watched him in the “Glen Miller Story” last night- another American hero.

[txroadkill]

His stepson, Ronald Walsh McLean, became an officer in the Marine Corps. 1st Lieutenant McLean was killed in action in Vietnam. Semper fidelis.

Which almost killed Stewart. There is a book about Stewart( sorry I don't recall the name) that made a convincing argument that had his stepson survived Stewart would have taken the political path that Reagan took. Would have been interesting.