[AFreeBird]

There were a lot of better established, older Hollywood actors who threw their careers to the wind (read about Robert Montegomery some time) and laid their lives on the line for the flag that you want to wrap around Wayne. He stayed home.

And if the War Department felt he could better serve by staying home playing the hero in the movies? Do you seriously think the Duke was a coward?

[wtc911]

And if the War Department felt he could better serve by staying home playing the hero in the movies? Do you seriously think the Duke was a coward?

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Wayne was not a star when the war began, he was still getting second and third billing except for Satuday matinee type westerns at a third rate studio. Gable, Montegomery, Power, Fonda, Stewart and others were much bigger than Wayne at that time. They all served in combat theaters. Dasvid Niven was bigger and for a top studio he left Hollywood and served in England as a Commando. Leslie Howard was bigger, and a WW1 combat vet. He was killed in service in WW2.

During the war years Wayne made 13 films, only three were war films.

I don't remember writing that Wayne was a coward. I do remember writing that he was certainly no hero although he was pretty good at playing one for the camera.

The facts are the facts, Wayne was an actor, that's it.