Posted on 06/03/2007 11:40:29 AM PDT by lowbridge
this past Memorial Day weekend, was loaded with John Wayne movies, Wayne being the symbol of American stand-up-and-fight courage, especially in the most bloody and noble of U.S. military endeavors.
But when you tell people, especially lovers of John Wayne and all he ostensibly stood for and still stands for, that Wayne assiduously avoided military service during World War II, well, they either don't believe it or don't take it well.
At the outbreak of WW II, Wayne was 34, the father of four and his movie career was on the grow. He didn't have to enlist. And he didn't.
But many other "older" Hollywood leading men heard the call and answered it. Clark Gable was past 40 when he flew combat missions. Jimmy Stewart, who in four years rose from Pvt. Stewart to Col. Stewart, was 34 when he joined the Air Corps, gaining weight to meet the minimum standard.
But John Wayne, the fellow who starred in so many World War II action movies, never served.
Yet, TV programmers have seen to it that Wayne, more than any other American, is synonymous with Memorial Day, a day to honor those who did serve
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I read the book by Pillar [his widow] and she stated that he wanted to but the Studio would not let him go, because of the money that he was bringing in. The head of the studio yelled at him that if he did enlist that they would sue him into bankrupcy, and with 1 girlfriend/wife, 2 ex-wives & 4 kids to support & not to enclude all of the extended family that he supported, that was a very real threat.
So during that time he became a super Patriot, there was also a story that he had worked with the old OSS, John Wayne had even stated that he had done some things for them while working overseas, but never stated just what they were.
Phil Mushnick? — enough said!
Nope. He was a mere corporal. He should have went to prison for impersonating an officer.
Doctor Hook did not have a medical degree
Of course not. Who said he did? He had a PHD in Psychology.
;-)
Hear the Duke in his own words:
Pledge of Allegiance
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/john-wayne-pledge.mp3
Story of Taps
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/john-wayne-taps.mp3
America, Why I Love Her
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/john-wayne-love.mp3
America, The Good Things
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/john-wayne-good.mp3
Face the Flag, Son
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/john-wayne-face-flag.mp3
An American Boy Grows Up
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/john-wayne-boy.mp3
This is old, old news. The most interesting thing is that the director, John Ford, never let Wayne forget he didn’t serve.
“In 1944 Wayne was reclassified as 1-A. His studio appealed and got him reclassified to 2-A until the war ended.”
I didn’t know that. Do you have a source?
“I think you’re missing the point of the criticism, which appears to be that anybody who didn’t struggle desperately to fight has no right to suggest that anybody else should.”
No, I understand that. However, flying to DC to ask for a waiver would seem to meet that standard.
“It’s a variant of the chicken-hawk argument. If you haven’t personally served in Iraq you have no moral right to support the war. Anybody, of course, has the right to oppose it.”
Which logic, of course, stinks badly enough to knock a buzzard off a manure wagon.
phil.mushnick@nypost.com
http://www.reelclassics.com/Actors/Wayne/wayne.htm
Ineligible for military service due to an ear problem, Wayne spent World War II in Hollywood appearing in a variety of roles, but among his biggest box-office successes of the early 1940s were such war films as FLYING TIGERS (1942), THE FIGHTING SEABEES (1944), BACK TO BATAAN (1945) and Ford's THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945). After the war, he earned his first Academy Award nomination as Best Actor for his portrayal of Sergeant Striker (at right) in SANDS OF IWO JIMA (1949).
YOu do not mess with mom,apple pie and John Wayne . Maybe he did not go ,but he did a lot more for the war effort at home then any other actor I know.Most of the actors who all went loved to paly in a movie with the duke and respected him. We all do and always will love John Wayne!
YOu do not mess with mom,apple pie and John Wayne . Maybe he did not go ,but he did a lot more for the war effort at home then any other actor I know.Most of the actors who all went loved to paly in a movie with the duke and respected him. We all do and always will love John Wayne!
Nearly 30 years since we lost John Wayne. The MSM is pathetic.
Phil couldn’t carry the Duke’s jockstrap.
If you are interest in this, Garry Wills wrote an excellent book on Wayne.
interest= interested
I’m a great fan of John Wayne. I found it quite refreshing that a member of an industry that produces such a disproportionate share of those devoted to treason and sedition could be pro American. Beyond that he was an actor.
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