One of the few men to rise from Private to Colonel during the War. Highly thought of by his superiors, he was offered a regular commission but turned it down. He did stay in the Air Force reserves, retiring in 1966 as a Brigadier General. With zero publicity he flew on a B-52 strike in Vietnam in 1965. They don’t make ’em like Jimmy Stewart any more, and that is a great pity. Among other decorations he earned:
- Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters.
- Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.
- French Croix de Guerre with Palm.
Excellent article!
The photo reminds me of my favorite Norman Rockwell–moves me almost to tears. So much implied in it.
Jimmy Stewart’s father served as a captain of an artillery battery in World War I. His grandfather was a sergeant in the Union Army during the Civil War. On his mother’s side there were plenty of soldiers in the family tree including a general. Stewart said that with his family heritage there was no question that he would serve in combat during World War II.
Gosh, and I thought he was *acting* when he played George Bailey 😉
Seriously though, he was a great actor and, better yet, a good man. I remember that I was surprised but not surprised when I first heard he had been a combatant in WWII and not just an entertainer.
Yes. At one time in Hollywood, true gentleman crafted their art. God bless my favorite Baily. ” You just can’t keep those Baily’s down.”
His run with Alfred Hitchcock was and is phenomenal. Happy Birthday JS.
If I remember correctly, Jimmy Stewart lost his son to the war. No small sacrifice.
Not far from Jimmy Stewart’s hometown of Indiana, which is about 45 miles east of Pittsburgh, is the Prince Demetrius Gallitzin Shrine, in Loretto, PA. Father Gallitzin was a Russian prince who became a Catholic priest and ministered to the first Catholic settlers in the Allegheny Mountains in Western Pennsylvania.