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Who Are The Celebrities Who Were Veterans Of The Great War


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Here's another NAVY vet Pat O'Brien.

 

Could not find a Service Photo.

 

 

O'Brien, he and Spencer Tracy knew each other and joined up together.

 

 

I should have remembered Mr. O'Brien! He is one of my favorites and I have his book, even. Here is a picture of him and some Navy buddies (he has no hat on). Also, here is what he says about his Navy time:

 

" . . . Spence and myself and some others left school one afternoon and went downtown to the enlistment headquarters of the Navy. We were told:

You have to obtain your parents' consent because of your age.' (We had mostly just turned seventeen.) . . . My parents capitulated, and we all were off to war as if it were just another football game - and the risks only a little higher.

 

With all of the real, fearful drama of war that followed, none of us ever got to sea. We fought the Battle of the Great Lakes, and worked very hard as gunners, gunner's mate, and other tasks over a thousand miles from any real deep salt water, at the Great Lakes Naval Station.

 

. . . I could see the Navy wasn't going to use me in any actual sea battles. The Army was winning the war - and there were signs the end was near. November 11, 1918, my birthday, came along cold, crisp, the lade waters an icy blue - and the war was over in a clatter of bells, cheers and the sound of breaking regulations. We were all released from the Navy with neat honorable-discharge papers. We returned home and the decision was to finish high school . . . "

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another one for the list. Actor and singer John Boles. He started in silents and became a leading actor as films moved to talkies. He starred opposite Shirley Temple in "Curly Top" and "The Littlest Rebel".

 

My movie stars encyclopedia says he was involved in espionage in Germany and Turkey. Couldn't find a picture of him in uniform (his real uniform, that is!).

 

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GITom1944

 

Walter Brennan, the great American character actor won three Academy Awards for best supporting actor in 1936, 1938 and 1940. Prior to his success in Hollywood, when America declared war on Imperial Germany in 1917, Brennan

quit his job as a bank clerk and joined the U.S. Army. He served as a private in the 101st Artillery Regiment, 26th Infantry Division.

 

 

 

Here's a photo of Walter Andrew Brennan in his World War I uniform. The photo ID's him as W.A. Brennan of the 102nd Field Artillery.

 

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The original photo can be seen on the Massachusetts State Library website here: http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/215262

 

 

 

And here's a comparison with other Walter Brennan photos:

 

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Tom

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GITom1944

I did find information which stated that he served in the Army during WW I.

 

 

I found a few details on Shemp Howard. Samuel "Shemp" Horwitz, DOB: March 18. 1895 was inducted at Columbia County, New York on October 25, 1918. He had been living on a farm in Chatham, NY at the time. He was assigned to Nov Aut Repl Draft Camp Wheeler, Ga. He was honorably discharged on November 27, 1918.

 

Tom

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  • 3 weeks later...

MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN GO OUT IN THE MIDDAY SUN!

 

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Noel Coward served for a bit, like 9 months in 1918 in the Artists Rifles, got discharged on a medical.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artists_Rifles

 

 

Here's his more familiar roles, as the Skipper of a Destroyer in the WWII Wartime Royal Navy classic In Which We Serve (one of the great ones), and my favorite in the 1969 comedy The Italian Job.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I always thought comedian Harold Lloyd served in the Army in the Great War. But he apparently didn't. he got a draft deferment, and here's his sheet.

 

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  • 6 months later...

Warren William Broadway stage and Hollywood actor.

 

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William, real name Warren William Krech, served, I think as a officer, goes Over There in October 1918.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_William

 

 

One of William's movie roles was The Gold Diggers of 1933 (Just got it off amazon last week on DVD). The grand finale of the movie is a piece called Remember My Forgotten Man, a number about the American Great War Veteran and the current Depression.

 

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I admit that I didnt go page by page to confirm if this is a duplicate. Apologies if it is but one I didnt know of.

 

Mel Brooks

 

 

World War II - 1104th Engineer Combat Group

Years served: 1944-1946

Mel Brooks also worked on the frontlines as a combat engineer specializing in landmine deactivation. He credits his sense of humor to this intense job because it “required a sense of humor.”

“War isn’t hell," Brooks once said, “War is loud. Much too noisy. All those shells and bombs going off all around you. Never mind death. A man could lose his hearing.”

 

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I admit that I didnt go page by page to confirm if this is a duplicate. Apologies if it is but one I didnt know of.

 

Mel Brooks

 

 

World War II - 1104th Engineer Combat Group

Years served: 1944-1946

Mel Brooks also worked on the frontlines as a combat engineer specializing in landmine deactivation. He credits his sense of humor to this intense job because it “required a sense of humor.”

“War isn’t hell," Brooks once said, “War is loud. Much too noisy. All those shells and bombs going off all around you. Never mind death. A man could lose his hearing.”

 

As yes Mel Brooks, unfortunately you posted this in the wrong topic :lol:

 

This this topic is exclusively for celebrities and other notables who where in the Great War :D

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Eddie Albert Heimberger, better known as Eddie Albert. Joined the US Coast Guard, then the US Naval Reserve. Received the Bronze Star at Tarawa for rescuing 47 stranded Marines and supervised the rescue of 30 others. He was the pilot of a Coast Guard landing craft. Quite the man.

 

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David Niven. A product of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. Took part in the Allied invasion of Normandy and was a Commando. He was an officer and a gentleman.

A quote by Niven about the war:

"I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastonge. I found it where they told me I would, but it was among 27,000 others, and I told myself that here, Niven, were 27,000 reasons why you should keep your mouth shut after the war."

 

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Fiorello LaGuardia, later U.S. Congressman, NYC mayor, and first director of the Office of Civilian Defense, served as a bomber pilot on the Italian front.

 

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Eddie Albert Heimberger, better known as Eddie Albert. Joined the US Coast Guard, then the US Naval Reserve. Received the Bronze Star at Tarawa for rescuing 47 stranded Marines and supervised the rescue of 30 others. He was the pilot of a Coast Guard landing craft. Quite the man.

 

 

I think, though, that Mr. Albert and Mr. Niven are from WWII. Love both of them and was just watching a "Green Acres" episode last night! However, they both would have been rather young for the Great War. ;)

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I think, though, that Mr. Albert and Mr. Niven are from WWII. Love both of them and was just watching a "Green Acres" episode last night! However, they both would have been rather young for the Great War. ;)

Yeah sorry, I asked the mods to delete my two posts once I realised it was about folks from The Great War, but they didn't.

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Then, of course, there's another American poet, Joyce Kilmer who served and died in the "Fighting 69th".

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His Rouge Bouquet poem was read at memorial services in Iraq by our Battalion Commander in 2004-2005.

 

In a wood they call the Rouge Bouquet There is a new-made grave to-day, Built by never a spade nor pick Yet covered with earth ten metres thick. There lie many fighting men, Dead in their youthful prime, Never to laugh nor love again Nor taste the Summertime.

 

 

For Death came flying through the air And stopped his flight at the dugout stair, Touched his prey and left them there, Clay to clay. He hid their bodies stealthily In the soil of the land they fought to free And fled away. Now over the grave abrupt and clear Three volleys ring; And perhaps their brave young spirits hear The bugle sing: “Go to sleep! Go to sleep! Slumber well where the shell screamed and fell. Let your rifles rest on the muddy floor, You will not need them any more. Danger’s past; Now at last, Go to sleep!”

 

 

There is on earth no worthier grave To hold the bodies of the brave Than this place of pain and pride Where they nobly fought and nobly died. Never fear but in the skies Saints and angels stand Smiling with their holy eyes On this new-come band. St. Michael’s sword darts through the air And touches the aureole on his hair As he sees them stand saluting there, His stalwart sons; And Patrick, Brigid, Columkill Rejoice that in veins of warriors still The Gael’s blood runs.

 

 

And up to Heaven’s doorway floats, From the wood called Rouge Bouquet A delicate cloud of bugle notes That softly say: “Farewell! Farewell! Comrades true, born anew, peace to you! Your souls shall be where the heroes are And your memory shine like the morning-star. Brave and dear, Shield us here. Farewell!”

 

 

The Soldier(s) who were KIA had their names added after this line-

 

His stalwart sons; And Patrick, Brigid, Columkill, Engeldrum, Urbina, Irizzary, Comeaux, Babin, Fassbender, Frickey, Vonronn, Bergeron, Murphy, Baptiste, Kalmovathin, Obaji, Lwin, Ali, Hetzel, Hahn, Kalladeen & Rios

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Bill Bojangles Robinson

 

Stage & film actor/dancer of the 1920s -1940s. He appeared in a number of film musicals alongside Shirley Temple during the 1930s and was an acclaimed singer and dancer on the stage. Regarded by many as the greatest Tap-Dancer of all time, he was immortalised in the popular 1968 folk-song Mr Bojangles.

 

When the USA entered WW1 in 1917, Robinson joined the US Army and served as a rifleman in the 15th New York Infantry Regiment. When the unit reached France and was attached to the 4th Army, it was renamed the 369th Infantry with the nickname of Harlems Hellfighters and he remained on the Western Front until the end of the war. Robinson was given the honour of being the regimental bands Drum-Major for the Victory parade along Fifth-Avenue, New York.

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I'll get it right this time....The Great War.

 

Arnold Ridley played Godfrey the medic in Dad's Army, a very famous 1960/70's TV comedy about the Home Guard in WW2 England.

He was in the Battle of the Somme. He was bayoneted in the left hand & groin, his legs were riddled with shrapnel and he took a rifle butt blow to the head which cracked his skull. He was medically discharged with the rank of captain.

He rejoined in WW2 with the rank of 2nd Lt in the British Expeditionary Force and was part of the Phoney War. He was on the last British ship to depart the harbour during the Battle of Boulogne. He was discharged on health grounds once again and joined the Home Guard.

He was also the Great-Uncle of Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

 

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Salvage Sailor

American sculptor Lawrence Tenney Stevens, (1896-1972) Volunteered for WWI service but I've never figured out where he served. He was quite a patriotic yet independent, private individual despite his international awards and fame in the 1920's and 30's. Many of his largest bronze sculptures in public parks and spaces he had melted down for the war effort and then again volunteered for the secret mission Project 19 sent to support the British and Commonwealth forces in North Africa, 1941. This is a bronze commemorative plaque made by Stevens for his fellow members of the Project 19 mission to Eritrea. It is made by Medallic Art co., a foundry which Stevens had knowledge of being a bronze sculptor and client.

 

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I'll get it right this time....The Great War.

 

Arnold Ridley played Godfrey the medic in Dad's Army, a very famous 1960/70's TV comedy about the Home Guard in WW2 England.

He was in the Battle of the Somme. He was bayoneted in the left hand & groin, his legs were riddled with shrapnel and he took a rifle butt blow to the head which cracked his skull. He was medically discharged with the rank of captain.

He rejoined in WW2 with the rank of 2nd Lt in the British Expeditionary Force and was part of the Phoney War. He was on the last British ship to depart the harbour during the Battle of Boulogne. He was discharged on health grounds once again and joined the Home Guard.

He was also the Great-Uncle of Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

 

Now you got the range Me Ole Mucker :D

 

Excellent addition.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Ridley#Military_service

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That Cap Badge Ridley's wearing will be for the Prince Albert's (Somerset Light infantry), the one depicted here in this image I posted will be for the Standing Army Battalions, there was another one, an Identical one for the Territorials, here the bandeau reads SOUTH AFRICA 1900-01 instead of JELLALABAD.

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Ernst Junger wrote "Storm of Steel" about his four years of combat on the Western Front and continued writing many other books. He served in one of the Gibraltar regiments and was the last living holder of the Pour le Merite. He was said to have never shown any signs of PTSD, possibly because he kept a daily diary which may have helped his mind to process what he was going through.

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  • 7 months later...

Oskar Homolka

 

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Homolka, a Viennese, as you'll see was another one in the KuK Armee, no further info, I gather he entered the army in around 1916, might of been on the Alps Front against the Italians.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Homolka

 

Homolka famously played Field Marshal Micheal Kutuzov in the 1956 film with Fonda and Audrey Hepburn, War and Peace.

 

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  • 4 months later...

Found another one Sidney Blackmer, came across his service by accident really, so, I rather recently found on a stoop on my block a bunch of DVDs, some people do this in NYC, they leave books, VHS's, DVD's etc that they don't want no more, with the idea, others might like to take them, one DVDs was Rosemary's Baby, the other stuff was of no interest to me, this one was. I started watching it last night, and as my habit, I usually WIKI it to see more on it, the actors and actresses etc. and the one, Sidney Blackmer who plays the evil Satanist Roman Castevet in the movie was in the Army, I assume the Army, his IMDB says he was an Officer, like his Wiki, gives unfortunately and typically, no unit info.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Blackmer

 

 

 

 

And no luck in finding a service photo of him either.

 

But here he is in the 1968 released film Rosemary's Baby.

 

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