Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)
Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, served in the military during World War II. He volunteered for the U.S. Army, leaving behind his budding career as a children’s author and illustrator. When the war hit, Geisel felt pulled to put his projects for younger readers on the back shelf and work on political cartoons instead. He created satirical cartoons aimed at Adolf Hitler and American isolationists such as Charles Lindbergh who was trying to keep the U.S. out of war. Geisel stated, “While Paris was being occupied by the clanking tanks of the Nazis, and I was listening on my radio, I found that I could no longer keep my mind on drawing pictures of ‘Horton the Elephant.’ I found myself drawing pictures of ‘Lindbergh the Ostrich.’”
Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon’s famous quote “Here’s Johnny!” from the opening of “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” is a line forever etched in our memories. McMahon enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941 and started flight training in Dallas. He then completed fighter training in Pensacola and obtained his landing qualification. For the next two years, he was a flight instructor until he received his orders to report to the Pacific Fleet. However, his transfer didn’t happen due to the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war had ended, but McMahon continued his service as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. When the Korean War broke out, he was reinstated to active duty and flew a Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, an unarmed spotter plane. His military career spanned 25 years, and McMahon received six air medals and retired in 1966 with the rank of colonel.
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman has always loved acting but had dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. He even decided to turn down a drama scholarship to join the U.S. Air Force after high school. He ended up spending over three years in the service, but once he was in the cockpit of a fighter plane, he realized it was not what he wanted. Of his experience he told the AARP: “I had a distinct feeling I was sitting in the nose of a bomb. I had this very clear epiphany, ‘You are not in love with this; you are in love with the idea of this.’” He decided to leave the Air Force and pursue acting.
J.D. Salinger
The famous American novelist, known best for “Catcher in the Rye,” says his novel was heavily influenced by his experiences serving during World War II. As a U.S. Army sergeant, J.D. Salinger stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and marched through concentration camps, and the character of Holden Caulfield drew on these experiences. Salinger said the war changed him and Caulfield alike. Salinger has said that his 11 months in combat had an impact on every aspect of his life including his writing. Salinger’s daughter said that he spoke of Normandy often but never provided details.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson joined the U.S. Air Force straight out of high school. His military career didn’t last long, however, as he was medically discharged after just nine short months due to back problems. He did take away a bit of wisdom from his months served: “I was in the Air Force a while, and they had what they call ‘policing the area.’ I think that’s a pretty good thing to go by. If everyone just takes care of their own area, then we won’t have any problems. Be here. Be present. Wherever you are, be there. And look around you and see what needs to be changed.”