These 11 Celebrity Veterans Are Some Stars Who Served Their Country Too
November 02, 2020

These celebrity veterans are instantly recognizable because of their Hollywood credits. But did you know each of these stars served in the military, too?
Most people recognize the names and faces of these stars immediately. However, it’s not just their fame that makes these folks stand out. These celebs also spent time serving their country.
RELATED: Gary Sinise Has An Incredible Passion For Helping Veterans But Do You Know Why?
And a few of these celebrity veterans might just surprise you!
Here are 11 celebrities that you might not have realized are also veterans:
1) Tom Selleck
Before he was sniffing out criminals as Magnum P.I., Tom Selleck received draft orders during the Vietnam War. So, he signed up for the 160th Infantry Regiment of the California National Guard. He served from 1967 to 1973, and was later featured in the National Guard recruiting posters.
RELATED: Hearing Tom Selleck’s Full Story Just Made Me Love Him More
2) Clint Eastwood
Before he was daring punks to make his day, the star of movies like Dirty Harry, Every Which Way But Loose, and American Sniper was drafted by the US Army during the Korean War. Clint Eastwood left behind his books at Seattle University and headed to Fort Ord for basic training. He was even aboard a Douglas Ad bomber that crashed into the ocean after running out of fuel. He and the pilot had to swim 3 miles to make it to safety.
Celebrity Veterans 3) Pat Sajak
Most recognize Pat from the 30 years he’s been hosting the popular game show, Wheel of Fortune. But before hashing out quips with the glamorous Vanna White, Pat joined the US Army. While in Vietnam, he served as a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio. He even confessed to making quite the blunder while working there. During President Nixon’s 1969 Christmas address to the troops, Pat accidentally cut the feed prematurely!
4) Elvis Presley
Just as Elvis’ music career hit fever pitch, he traded in his blue suede shoes for combat boots! In 1958, he was inducted into the US Army and sent to Friedberg, Germany. While there, he bought TV sets for the base, treated everyone in his outfit to an extra set of fatigues, and donated his Army pay to charity.
5) Morgan Freeman
Aside from popular movies like Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy and Dolphin Tale, this star is equally famous for his deep voice. But believe it or not, he actually turned down a partial drama scholarship to Jackson State University! Instead, he enlisted in the US Air Force. He started out as an Automatic Tracking Radar Repairman, but his determination and hard work eventually propelled him to the rank of Airman 1st Class.
Celebrity Veterans 6) Chuck Norris
If you thought his fight moves as Walker, Texas Ranger were convincing, that’s because he earned his tough guy status in the US Air Force first. Before roundhouse kicking bad guys into next week, Chuck served as an Air Policeman at the Osan Air Base in South Korea. While there, he got the nickname Chuck (his real name is Carlos). The service is also where Chuck discovered Tang Soo Do, a Korean fighting technique, which spurred his interest in martial arts.
7) Bea Arthur
Who could forget Bea’s bitingly sarcastic character Dorothy Zbornak? But before she was sassing her fellow Golden Girls, this strong woman was actually driving trucks for the Marine Corps! She served as one of the first members of the Women’s Reserve, and according to some of the reports from her enlistment interviews, she was described as “argumentative.” During her time, she was promoted from corporal to sergeant to staff sergeant. She was honorably discharged in 1945 when she then married fellow Marine, Private Robert Arthur.
8) Jimi Hendrix
This guitar legend stunned the world with his gritty yet beautiful version of the “Star Spangled Banner.” But before he ever strummed the opening chords to our national anthem, he received a firsthand glimpse of just how much discipline and hard work goes into serving this great country.
RELATED: Veteran Waited On New Wheelchair For 2 Years, Then Lowe’s Employees Stepped In
After repeatedly getting into trouble with the law as a young man, Jimi was given the choice between prison or the military. Jimi chose the Army, and trained as a paratrooper. However, the young daydreamer wasn't really suited for the Army life. To the chagrin of his superiors, Jimi spent much of his time napping and strumming his guitar. Eventually, he was honorably discharged with the understanding that his particular set of talents would be better served elsewhere.
While Jimi wasn't cut out for the service, his days in the Army undoubtedly strengthened his pride in our country. In fact, when he surprised everyone at Woodstock by performing his unforgettable version of our national anthem, he was quoted as saying he did so to send the message of:
“We're all Americans. . . . It was like 'Go America!'"
Celebrity Veterans 9) Mr. T
After his role in the popular show, The A-Team, it’s not hard to picture Mr. T in fatigues. But well before he was telling fools to quit their “jibber-jabber,” he was serving his country as a real soldier in the US Army. He enlisted after being expelled from Prairie View A&M University and served in the Military Police Corps. He thrived in the structured environment, and earned the title of “Top Trainee of the Cycle” during training among 6,000 troops! Later on, he got promoted on to squad leader. No one can deny that Mr. T is one tough guy, but he’s always impressed us for a different reason -- the strength of his faith in God!
Bob Barker
Before this suave host was helping folks win new dining room sets, he was attending Drury College on a basketball scholarship. But when WWII broke out, Bob chose to leave school and enlist in the US Navy, where he became a fighter pilot. The war ended before he got assigned to a squadron. So, he headed back to school, where he graduated with a degree in economics.
Celebrity Veterans 11) James (Jimmy) Stewart
The It’s a Wonderful Life star came from a long line of military men. His father served in both WWI and the Spanish-American War, and both of his grandfathers fought in the Civil War. So as a young man, Jimmy was keen to follow in their footsteps.
He was rejected during his draft to the US Army and was turned down as well by the Air Corps for being underweight. But the determined actor worked hard to gain 10 pounds and was successfully enlisted. He became a pilot and eventually led 20 bombing missions. He received several honors during his service and was the first major American movie star to serve during WWII!
While these stars went on from their days in the service to gain notoriety for their roles in movies, TV, and game shows, there are thousands who serve and have served that never see the limelight for their heroic acts. These heroes may not walk the red carpet, but the sacrifice and service they give to their country deserves all the praise.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 10 Celebrities Who Are Also Christians
God bless our veterans and all of the brave men and women who protect our freedom!
LISTEN: Gary Sinise Bio Inspires Students As He Shares Story Of How Divine Intervention Changed His Life
h/t: Suggest.com
Featured Image: Facebook/mymilitarysavings.com
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Help Us Love One Another - Your Daily Prayer - April 27
As followers of Jesus Christ, our most important relationships begin with love, beginning with our salvation, where God loved us first and reached out to us with His love.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Help Us Love One Another - Your Daily Prayer - April 27
As followers of Jesus Christ, our most important relationships begin with love, beginning with our salvation, where God loved us first and reached out to us with His love.
Past Stories
- WWII Veteran Celebrates His 101st Birthday and 75 Years of Marriage to His Loving Wife
- 88-Year-Old Korean War Veteran and Great-Grandfather Graduates From College
- One Year After Losing Boys in a Fire, Parents Find Light in the Form of a Beautiful Blessing
- They Dress Up As Disney Princesses to Bring Joy and Hope to Sick Children, and it's Amazing
- This Couple Parents Triplets and Foster Sons from Wheelchairs, and It’ll Leave You Inspired
- Two-Year-Old is Found By Rancher's Dog After Walking 7 Miles From Home
- Couple Reunites 15-Year-Old Blind Dog With Owners After Finding Her in the Wilderness
- He Saved Her Life in a Pool Accident Five Years Ago, Now They Are Engaged
- Actress Chrissy Metz Left Hollywood For Nashville and She Couldn't Be Happier
- Stranger Helps 81-Year-Old Waitress Who Couldn't Afford to Retire, Now Her Prayers Have Been Answered
- 49-Year-Old Melanie Barratt Becomes First Blind Woman to Swim the English Channel
- 9-Year-Old Boy Remembered By Teacher and Community After Being Swept Away By Flood Waters
- 16-Year-Old Heard a Family's Cries and Saved Them From a House Fire
- Family Grows From 4 to 8 Overnight After Welcoming Identical Quadruplet Daughters
- Little Girl With Autism Reminds Others of Snow White and Her Connection to Animals
- Candace Cameron Bure Shares Fantastic News That Former Co-star, Dave Coulier, is Cancer-Free
- Soldier is Reunited With the Dog She Served With While Deployed
- Her Grandfather Kept a Log of Every Memory He Had With Her Grandmother, and It's Precious
- This 30-Year-Old Feline Might Just Be the World's Oldest Cat
- Special Messages About Love From Kindergarten Class Displayed at Teacher's Wedding
- A Sneaky Brown Tree Snake Slithers Into An Oven in Australia, and Luckily Doesn't Get Cooked
- Florida Man Meets the Son Who Had Been Searching For Him For Almost 40 Years
- Four-Year-Old Sends Out a Message in a Bottle, Receives Reply Less Than Two Weeks Later
- Delivery Driver Saves Woman's Life After Double Checking When Something Didn't Seem Right
- Woman in Heels Stops Robbery at Convenience Store With Her Impressive Martial Arts Skills
- Man That Survived More Than 90 Days at Sea Thought About His Mother Every Single Day
- Quick Thinking 9-Year-Old Saves Choking Friend During Snack Time Emergency
- Video Store Owner Creates 'Christina's Corner' For a Long-Time Customer
- Texas Man Gets Married in the Hospital After Kidney Transplant
- A Bride to Be and Her Best Friend Have Plane to Themselves and Enjoy Every Minute of it
- Dogs Come to School to Help Comfort Young Students Affected by the Eaton Fire
- Toddler Braves the Dark to Save His Great-Grandma
- All Four of These Best Friends Now Live On the Same Street and It's Amazing
- Woman Finds the Most Precious Message Inside Her Thrift Store Purchase
- Mom is Hit By a Piece of Power Tool On Her Way to Walt Disney World
- Veteran Who Loved Burger King Honored With His Own Chair
- Toddler Using Old Phone Calls 911 For Donuts and Gets a Sweet Surprise
- Hospital Hosts Special Father-Daughter Dance for Young Girl Who Missed the One at Her School
- Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly Parton's Husband of Almost 60 Years, Passes Away at 82
- Woman Donates Her Kidney to Help Save Prom Date From 35 Years Ago
- Couple Thank and Befriend Man Who Saved Their House From a Wildfire
- After 84 Years of Marriage, This Couple Just Broke a Record, and Share Some Great Advice
- Woman Gives Birth On Plane With the Help of a Flight Attendant
- Married For 68 Years, This Husband Does This Simple Sweet Thing For His Wife Every Night
- A Couple in Their 90s Spent 73 Years Apart, Now They Are Engaged
- Woman Reunites With Toddler She Saved From Drowning Back in 1961
- Three Superhero Teens Saved Man on Railroad Tracks After Spotting Him From Their Classroom
- Father and Son Are Able to Survive Night in the Utah Wilderness After Finding a Backpack
- Top Resurrection Sunday Songs You Must Listen To This Year
- Grumpy Grey Seal Takes Over Hotel Room in the Netherlands, To Take a Nap
Top Music Videos

Danny Gokey Official Music Video For Uplifting ‘I Got You’ Danny Gokey

Jeremy Camp Jeremy Camp Lyric Video for Powerful ‘Again’

Crowder Crowder's Powerful 'Somebody Prayed' Lyric Video

Brooke Ligertwood Brooke Ligertwood Moving 'Calvary's Enough' Live Performance

GodTube Music Billie Jo Jones | 'How Great Thou Art' (acoustic)
Blog
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.