Jimmy stewart biography military service
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Famous Veteran: Jimmy Stewart
It might be surprising to many that a famous actor like James Stewart had a different vision for his life than being a silver-screen star. He wanted to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and become a naval aviator. His Navy career wasn't to be, but Stewart would get another shot at military service -- in the Army Air Force.
Stewart came from a long line of military service. Both grandfathers fought in the Civil War, and his father was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and World War I. Then a hardware store owner, he instead convinced his son to attend Princeton, which is still a pretty good school, all things considered.
It was there that Stewart became involved with acting and pursued it as a career.
After struggling to be a star on the stage, he moved to Hollywood and started acting for the screen. As he made movies, he also logged 400 flight hours over eight years in show business. He also made some of his most famous movies in the years before
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James Stewart
American actor (1908–1997)
"Jimmy Stewart" and "Jimmy Stuart" redirect here. For other uses, see Jimmy Stewart (disambiguation), Jimmy Stuart (disambiguation), and James Stewart (disambiguation).
James Stewart | |
|---|---|
Studio publicity photograph, 1948 | |
| Born | James Maitland Stewart (1908-05-20)May 20, 1908 Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 1997(1997-07-02) (aged 89) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Burial place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University (AB) |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | |
| Works | Filmography |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service / branch | |
| Years of service | 1941–1947 (Army) 1947–1968 (Air Force) |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Unit | 2nd Bombardment Wing Air Force Reserve |
| Commands | 703d Bombardment Squadron |
| Battles / wars | |
James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – J
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James Stewart: Hollywood Star Turned War Hero
While James Stewart was building his career as an actor, the world was on the brink of war. In response to German occupation of multiple countries in early 1940, Congress passed the Selective Service Act on September 16, 1940, initiating the first peacetime draft in U.S. history. The lag required 900,000 men between the ages of 20 and 36 to be drafted each year.
Overcoming Rejection to Serve
Stewart’s draft number was 310, and when he was called to appear before Draft Board No. 245 in West Los Angeles in February 1941, the 6’3” actor weighed only 138 pounds—five pounds below the minimum requirement. As a result, he was rejected for service.
Determined to serve his country, Stewart took matters into his own hands. Knowing he was nearing the age limit for flight school, he returned home and consumed as much high-calorie food as possible. When he re-enlisted in the Army Air Corps shortly after, he had gained just enough weight to pa