Jimmy Stewart Was Also an Air Force General
On December 13th, 1943, Jimmy Stewart flew his first combat mission. He piloted the lead B-24 of the group’s high squadron as they bombed U-boat facilities in Kiel, Germany. A few days later, he flew lead bomber for the entire group as they bombed Bremen. By February, 1944, Stewart had been promoted to major, and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. The following month, he led an entire Bomb Wing in a raid on Berlin, and by the end of March, was assigned as operations officer for a newly formed bomb group. Stewart’s assignment meant he was not required to fly combat missions. However, he sought to inspire and encourage his new unit by personally piloting the lead B-24 on a number of raids deep into the Third Reich.
Stewart also served as a crewman on other missions. His actions earned him a second Distinguished Flying Cross, a French Croix de Guerre, an Air Medal with three oakleaf clusters, and other decorations. After the war, Stewart returned to Hollywood, but continued to serve with the US Air Force Reserves. He kept current with new bombers, and was certified to pilot B-36 Peacemakers, B-47 Stratojets, and B-52 Stratofortresses. Stewart was promoted to colonel in 1953 and given reserve command of Dobbins Air Force base in Georgia. By 1959, he had been promoted to brigadier general, and continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves until he retired in 1968.
_________________
Where Did We Find This Stuff? Some Sources and Further Reading:
American Air Museum in Britain – Clark Gable
Atlantic, The, December, 2017 – How John Wayne Became a Hollow Masculine Icon
Bassinger, Jeanine – The Star Machine (2007)
BBC – Fatty Arbuckle and Hollywood’s First Scandal
Coe, Jonathan – Jimmy Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1994)
Cracked – 15 Ways Classic Hollywood Sucked Big Time
Daily Beast – When Lana Turner’s Abusive, Gangster Boyfriend Was Killed by Her Daughter
Defense Media Network – Actor Clark Gable Served in Uniform, Flew Combat Missions in WWII
Eliot, Marc – Jimmy Stewart: A Biography (2006)
Forbes – Site of Rudolph Valentino’s Falcon Lair Sells for $15 Million
Golden Globes – Forgotten Hollywood: Old Hollywood Estates
History Collection – Celebrities in the Ancient World
House Digest – The Fabulous Estates of Old Hollywood
New Yorker, September 18th, 2015 – Charlie Chaplin’s Scandalous Life and Boundless Artistry
Smithsonian Magazine, November 8th, 2011 – The Skinny on the Fatty Arbuckle Trial
Tereba, Tere – Mickey Cohen: The Life and Crimes of LA’s Notorious Mobster (2012)
Vice – Charlie Chaplin Was a Sadistic Tyrant Who Fucked Teenage Girls