The Military Service of Jimmy Stewart | Ancestral Findings Podcast 

Thanks very much🇺🇸

Nice video !

@@steveshoemaker6347 yyÿ

My uncle also flew with Jimmy Stewart, and said that he was a wonderful person, just like his film persona often was. I miss the likes of him in Hollywood today. Too much junk and immoral stuff today, with notable exceptions.

Matthau was was on the ground crew in the 453rd, and Stewart served 27 years in the air force reserve after leaving the air force, achieving the rank of Brigadier General WOW! That's some kind of commitment there! He was just as much a class act on his movie sets, I have never heard a single disparaging thing about his character.

I think it took more than luck to do what he did.

💚💜🇺🇸🙏🔥

Can't imagine too many regular men joing any branch of the service thats why we used to have the draft.

@@fred5399 We need to bring the draft back for both men and women. maybe two years for women, sign up for 4 but can get out in two. I signed up in 1963.

Whimps!!

@@janetceniza8091 and you're still there, right? Who was that old US Navy Admiral, that they couldn't get rid of? He was really old when he finally packed it in.

@@aspenrebel This is Dennis, Janet's husband, I was Air Force so can't tell you anything about the Navy, sorry.

I read "Mission." Very good book. He was never the same when he came back, like many others.

@@frankm2588 While not the same, his love of Country and the Air Force never diminished.

partly he became a leader, and a Colonel, cuz he didn't get shot down and killed.

he did a movie, I can't think of the Title, which was pretty much biographical. He was a Major League Baseball pitcher, that went into WWII, as a pilot. Came out, then later got called back in. Reported to SAC B-52 bombers. I can't recall in the movie if he got promoted to Lt. Col or Colonel. But one line in the movie, Jimmy said to 4 star General "how low in rank do you have to be to be expendable?". Then he flew a mission, got injured, and got out of Air Force. Either as a Lt. Col or Colonel. Then he couldn't pitch any more due to his injured shoulder/arm so he became a Manager.

Yup!! General Jimmy.

If you're interested in John Wayne's war service story, it's important to note that while he was a prominent figure in war films, John Wayne (born Marion Robert Morrison) did not actually serve in the military during World War II. Despite his iconic status in military roles on screen, Wayne spent the war years continuing his film career. However, if you're looking to learn more about his life during this period, including why he didn't serve, you might find biographies or documentaries about John Wayne insightful. Books like "John Wayne: The Life and Legend" by Scott Eyman offer detailed accounts of his life and career. For a more in-depth look, you can also explore film history and Hollywood during the wartime era, which often touches on John Wayne's career and his impact on American culture. Online resources, libraries, and streaming platforms might have documentaries or articles on this subject. It's a fascinating aspect of film and cultural history, exploring the contrast between the on-screen personas of actors like Wayne and their real-life stories. Happy researching!

You hit the nail right on the head. Jimmy Stewart is indeed the epitome of an everyday American hero. It's incredible how he went from the big screen to bravely serving in WWII, all while staying grounded and relatable. Just goes to show that true heroism isn't just in movies. It's in the selfless acts of people like Stewart, stepping up when it mattered most.

Bomb-A- Dear.

Bomb some deers?? 😆

Norden bomb sight.

No he did not leave the service as a 2 star, Major General. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Brigadier General (1 Star). Any mention of "2 stars" is POST everything. Which is absurd.

@@aspenrebel I watched Jimmy Stewart being interviewed on a late night talk show in I think 1990 & the interviewer said at the time that,"you were a 2 star General weren't you"? & Jimmy said something funny then, "yes". So someone's not right here.

@@aspenrebel Found it, it was a Jonny Carson interview, I'm going to watch it now & if I'm wrong I will say so.

@@aspenrebel O.K. I owe that guy an apology. He says he was introduced as a major general & didn't correct the guy as it sounded so good. I was wrong & as the guy in the video & you said. He left the military as a Brigadere

@@texgowing7359 I think there was talk of "post humorously" promoting Jimmy Stewart to Major General. Which is ridiculous. I don't know if "they" ever did it. If so, pointless and of no value.

Jimmy Stewart was for a brief time a Private. You need to do more history studies!

Actually since he enlisted well before the US even entered WWII (Dec 7, 1941), he went thru US Army Boot Camp, as a recruit, despite that he was already a licensed and experienced Commercial Pilot. The U.S Army had yet to set up training for new Pilots. So he completed boot camp and was a Private. Then he waited around. I believe that he had actually gotten promoted to Corporal, before the US Army set up Pilot training camps. Then he went to US Army Pilot Training, upon completion he was Commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the US Army Air Corps. Then thru service, during WWII, he was promoted up to Full Colonel by the end of WWII. After the war, his first movie was "It's A Wonderful Life (1946). He stayed in the Reserves, which became the US Air Force Reserves. He was promoted to Brigadier General in July 1959. In February 1966 he flew as an "observer" on a B-52 bombing mission over North Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force Reserves on May 31, 1968 as a Brigadier General when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. Crap!! I'm older than that now, and I still think I'm 22, and live my life like I'm still 22.

@@klsc8510 he said himself that he want to enlist as a private not that he was one. You need to get a life and shape up those listening skills.

Commander in Chief is a CIVILIAN position, not a military rank. Get your facts straight...

Commander in Chief is a Civilian position and not a military rank. So you are wrong.

Reagan was active duty in the Army during WWII. His rank carries over. So I'm going to say you are incorrect.

@@hughes500pilot1 President Reagan was a Major. His rank was more honorary as he did not serve in a lower rank. He was just given the rank. All services are headed by a civilian secretary. Plus you have the civilian Secretary of Defense. The office of President is a civilian office. There is NO military rank for being President. This is done so the military is never the head of the nation. Eisenhower had to retire from the Army to become President. So did Washington. I served 21 years in the military. So I should know these things.

@@klsc8510 . Correct . Agree . I am at age 75 this year . A former volunteer in the US military . Was once being drafted in 1969 but not served at that time due to under weight . ( 5 lbs under ). 👨🏻‍🦳 ☕️ 🇺🇸🇮🇹🇬🇧

When you make such a statement, defend it!

Was it John Ford

@@gijane9375 Now John Ford ............ that's another story!!

There are two important differences between them. Stewart was unmarried and Wayne was married with children. Wayne had medical issues that may have kept out of service. He lost his football scholarship because an injuring while surfing. Jimmy Stewart like most combat men of the error for his own reason choose to not use or speak of his experience. My father reason ( he survived more than 75 combat missions on a B 24) “the heroes didn’t’ come home”

@@bonnieparker9584 Not what I heard as a young kid in the early 1950's. After first getting an exemption, John Wayne was rated 1-A for service. But he feared his film blooming career would be over if he joined the service for even if he only did entertainment and not combat. The Studio's helped him avoid service. While later generations loved John and his tough guy image and talk, but all the World War II vets I talked to (3) and read about (many) thought John a coward. Like Carl Jung said decades ago, we humans far prefer our biases over reality.

Bill of Rights? Ask Southern state negroes of the time(s).

Unfortunately David Nivens' mind went. He slurred his speech.

@@aspenrebel No , his speech was slurred (no intent.)

I thank you for pointing out the mispronunciation of Bombardier. Mr. Stewart truly was a gentleman and a very brave one at that.

@@pszczepanski1 Yes & he appears in interview about Axis fighter attacks, in the 1974? series The World at War - episode on bombing campaign.

No one wins the Medal of Honor, it is awarded, usually posthumously, no one is fearless in battle, it is the fear of death and failure that drove one to survive in combat...

yeah, every US award and every French award.

What a great example of humbleness, such a giving man of integrity and honor, thank you James Maitland Stewart!

His aircraft was named "9Yanks and a Jerk".

​@@rickklein7792Another was "Male Call".

@@carolnelson9269 Yes. You are correct.

My favorite is Harvey

Good film - Raymond Burr was the villain as I recall.

With the ravishing Grace Kelly. A Hitchcock masterpiece.

Wayne however was one of the big stars who never served in armed services. He explained it on a number of times, ( doing more for war effort as a film star). Wayne as I understand it always regretted his non service.

Wayne was hated by my father and uncles. He was a draft dodger and had an affair with a Mexican woman while he lived there during the war at a time when that was a big deal. Jimmy was a real American hero & didn't just act like one.

I recall an explanation that ran something like this: "Marion Morrison would rather play a reel ranking military character then be "Buck Private Morrison from East Nowhere, New Jersey."

You must have an awesome dad!! 👍🙏🇺🇲

@@patriot692 THANK YOU HE WAS

How do you bomb Zurich by mistake?

@@aspenrebel By being an American . My old French teacher at school was RAF bomber crew and told us that his airfield was shared with newly-arrived Americans. Their first mission was a short, easy one to bomb a German navy harbour on the French coast. They all came back cock-a-hoop that they had destroyed it, but aerial photos showed that the target was untouched and a fishing village miles away had been devastated.