Posted on 05/11/2012 5:01:45 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack
In an off line conversation with my FReeper lady friend, floralamiss, she mentioned to me that Joe Dimaggio had been her father's PT instructor during WWII. I indicated that my dad had served with Lt. George Steinbrenner at Lockbourne AFB in the 50's. When I was an ROTC Cadet, I did my advanced camp at Ft. Bragg, and then went on CTLT in Germany with Shawn Mullins.
Just curious how many other FReepers got to meet/know/serve with folks that later achieved some degree of fame (or notoriety) while in the military. Thought it might be a fun conversation topic for a Friday evening....
I ran into a guy who’s sister baby sat The Cowsills when they were calves.....
Well, when my dad was a young guy in the Marines, he drove Chesty Puller around. He had a few stories to tell about those days.
I went through basic at Lackland with Joe McCooey.
That sumbitch talked in his sleep all night long.
I also worked with Robin Hamilton at Plattsburgh AFB.
SMOKIN !
As close as I can get is that I worked for a fellow that was in the film Operation Petticoat with Cary Grant.
Larry Gilliand.
He was a bubblehead like me and he had one scene in the film.
He called in the air raid from the sail during the topside luau.
He is listed 2nd to last in the film credits LOL
That’s cool...When I was in 10th Grade, I was a member of my high school speech/debate club. We participated in a “Mock UN” and our school drew Grenada. This was the year right after the invasion, and our forensics coach, had a young Major named John Abizaid come give us a presentation on the miitary/politics of the island. He had participated in the invasion. Years later, he was my division commander at First ID.
My dad gassed up Glenn Miller’s plane before its last flight.
Neat, lol. I also had a friend a few years ahead of me in ROTC, who had gone to Valley Forge Military Academy for high school. He was there for the filming of “Taps” and met a number of the brat pack. Said most of them were sh!theads.
Wow...Interesting. I’m also from Jimmy Stewart’s hometown (who of course later played Glenn Miller).
Larry said Grant was the same off screen as on screen.
He said the guy was genuine.
Beans?
Good to hear. I think a lot of that generation probably were. It's hard for me to watch movies after I've found out the protagonist is a dirt bag in real life.
Nah, it was those deviled eggs.....
Edward Babe Gomez
My father flew the hump over Burma.
I served in the Army Security Agency in Japan with country crooner Don Williams when stardom, the Grand Ol’ Opry, C&W Entertainer of the Year, etc. were only a wild dream in his heart. But he made it. BIGTIME!
I know Chesty Puller’s son in law.
My father-in-law was a lieutenant in the navy in WWII. First on the Arizona in Pearl but later in the Atlantic. His aide was Craig Claibourne, the late New York Times food critic.
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