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Jimmy Stewart

I'd like to know what Bomb Group He flew in, as my Dad was there in a 24 also, same time frame...
Stewart was concerned that his celebrity status would relegate him to duties behind the lines.[117] After spending over a year training pilots at Kirtland Army Airfield in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[119] he appealed to his commander and was sent to England as part of the 445th Bombardment Group to pilot a B-24 Liberator, in November 1943, and was based initially at RAF Tibenham before moving to RAF Old Buckenham.[120]

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Colonel Stewart receiving the Croix de Guerre with Palm in 1944
Stewart was promoted to Major following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944.[121]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart#cite_note-124 He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2nd Bombardment Wing,[123] and the French Croix de Guerre with palm and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.[124] Stewart was promoted to full colonel on March 29, 1945,[125] becoming one of the few Americans to ever rise from private to colonel in only four years.[126] At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court martial of a pilot and navigator who accidentally bombed Zürich, Switzerland.[127]

Stewart returned to the United States in early fall 1945.[128] He continued to play a role in reserve of the Army Air Forces after the war,[129] and was also one of the 12 founders of the Air Force Association in October, 1945.[130] Stewart would eventually transfer to the reserves of the United States Air Force after the Army Air Forces split from the Army, in 1947. During active-duty periods he served with the Strategic Air Command and completed transition training as a pilot on the B-47 and B-52.[131]

Stewart was first nominated for promotion to brigadier general in February, 1957; however, his promotion was initially opposed by Senator Margaret Chase Smith.[131] At the time of the nomination, the Washington Daily News noted: "He trains actively with the Reserve every year. He's had 18 hours as first pilot of a B-52."[132] On July 23, 1959, Stewart was promoted to brigadier general, becoming the highest-ranking actor in American military history.[133] During the Vietnam War, he flew as a non-duty observer in a B-52 on an Arc Light bombing mission in February, 1966.[134] He served for 27 years, officially retiring from the Air Force on May 31, 1968, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60.[135] Upon his retirement, he was awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.[136] Stewart rarely spoke about his wartime service,[137] but did appear in an episode of the British television documentary series The World at War (1974), commenting on the disastrous 1943 mission against Schweinfurt, Germany.[138]
 
He just makes me smile!! I guess I just like those days years ago!! Thanks for sharing Mark!!
 
Back when men were men, and acted like it. Same for women.
 
I watched The Flight of the Phoenix two nights ago. I always liked Jimmy Stewart!!
I don't think I ever watched that but did enjoy, around 1970, reading the book by Elliston Trevor that it was based from.
 
I had this done a few years back... He is one of my favorites.

Chuck (snook)

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One of my favorite movies Jimmy was in is about Carbine, a prisoner who designed a revolutionary reloading mechanism for rifles. The M1 Carbine bears his name. Wish I could remember the name of the movie. It was based on Carbine's life and Jimmy did a hell of a job acting in it. The barrel was made out of a model A axle. All done as a prisoner in the penitentiary.
Thanks to the OP for starting this thread, I never knew all this about Mr. Stewart, I just knew I always liked him amd enjoyed his films. This is icing on the cake.
 
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One of my favorite movies Jimmy was in is about Carbine, a prisoner who designed a revolutionary reloading mechanism for rifles. The M1 Carbine bears his name. Wish I could remember the name of the movie. It was based on Carbine's life and Jimmy did a hell of a job acting in it. The barrel was mad out of a model A axle. All done as a prisoner in the penitentiary.
Thanks to the OP for starting this thread, I never knew all this about Mr. Stewart, I just knew I always liked him amd enjoyed his films. This is icing on the cake.
Carbine Williams
 
One of the most ironic movie scenes is in The Shootist.
Stewart plays the doc who tells John Wayne he is going to die a slow painful death, and that anybody as brave as he is should choose another way. (Paraphrasing)
Wayne was exempt from service in WW 2 as head of household.
 
I just had to look this up. In my earlier post in this thread I mentioned Ted Williams also served three years 1943 - 1946 in the Big One WWII as a Marine Corps Aviator. He flew F4U Corsairs. Williams was 7 years later called back to serve in the Korean War w/the Third Marine Air Wing 223rd Squadron. He flew 39 combat missions from from 1953 - 1955. Mr. Ted was promoted to Captain and was awarded numerous and various medals and commendations - including The Presidential Medal of Freedom. Upon returning to Major League Baseball in 1946 he won the American League MVP and played in his only World Series. The following year - 1947 Ted won the Triple Crown. If you recall Ted Williams was also the last MLB player to hit over .400.

Wow when you think of an iconic athlete such as Ted Williams and his MLB career - What would it have been had he not gone to serve his country during those prime years? The greats Joe DiMaggio and Bobby Feller also served in WWII during their prime playing years. The Greatest Generation is not so called for nothing. RIP to them all and to all who have ever served.
 
Stewart was concerned that his celebrity status would relegate him to duties behind the lines.[117] After spending over a year training pilots at Kirtland Army Airfield in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[119] he appealed to his commander and was sent to England as part of the 445th Bombardment Group to pilot a B-24 Liberator, in November 1943, and was based initially at RAF Tibenham before moving to RAF Old Buckenham.[120]

View attachment 1381994
Colonel Stewart receiving the Croix de Guerre with Palm in 1944
Stewart was promoted to Major following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944.[121]James Stewart - Wikipedia He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2nd Bombardment Wing,[123] and the French Croix de Guerre with palm and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.[124] Stewart was promoted to full colonel on March 29, 1945,[125] becoming one of the few Americans to ever rise from private to colonel in only four years.[126] At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court martial of a pilot and navigator who accidentally bombed Zürich, Switzerland.[127]

Stewart returned to the United States in early fall 1945.[128] He continued to play a role in reserve of the Army Air Forces after the war,[129] and was also one of the 12 founders of the Air Force Association in October, 1945.[130] Stewart would eventually transfer to the reserves of the United States Air Force after the Army Air Forces split from the Army, in 1947. During active-duty periods he served with the Strategic Air Command and completed transition training as a pilot on the B-47 and B-52.[131]

Stewart was first nominated for promotion to brigadier general in February, 1957; however, his promotion was initially opposed by Senator Margaret Chase Smith.[131] At the time of the nomination, the Washington Daily News noted: "He trains actively with the Reserve every year. He's had 18 hours as first pilot of a B-52."[132] On July 23, 1959, Stewart was promoted to brigadier general, becoming the highest-ranking actor in American military history.[133] During the Vietnam War, he flew as a non-duty observer in a B-52 on an Arc Light bombing mission in February, 1966.[134] He served for 27 years, officially retiring from the Air Force on May 31, 1968, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60.[135] Upon his retirement, he was awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.[136] Stewart rarely spoke about his wartime service,[137] but did appear in an episode of the British television documentary series The World at War (1974), commenting on the disastrous 1943 mission against Schweinfurt, Germany.[138]
I just scored the World at War series, and have started watching it.
 
I have always enjoyed Jimmy Stewards acting and movies. Those actors of that era all had such definitive speek, ations looks, it all.

Personl note. My dad retird form the USMC in 1955 when I was 7. 20 odds years and WW11 and Korea. Two years later after retiring from the Marines, he had what was called a "nervous breakdown", what I would assume to be extreme PTSD. Thank God he pulled out of it eventually.
He talked of the War and Korea 3 times. He did say on day, he flew in those bombers in S. Pacific recon.
 
Jimmy Stewart was a great actor and patriot. He played the roll perfectly in Its a Wonderful Life, based on a book by Philip Van Doren the inspiration for the town is where I live Califon NJ.
 
So many of the 'old timer' actors and athletes saw service during the World Wars...

Now that we've established Stewart's hero status, we can look back with a laugh-
 
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