20 celebrities you didn’t know were in the military – This will shock many! (With Pictures)

7. Jimmy Stewart

Before he was an actor (and shied away from following in his father’s footsteps in the hardware store business), Jimmy Stewart flew for more than 400 total hours while working as a pilot. During World War II, Stewart was sucked into the United States Armed Forces thanks to the draft. However, he was found to be underweight and was thrown out. So, he bulked up, enlisted in the Army and joined the Air Corps. He stayed at Moffett Field in California and trained there for nearly one year. In 1944, he started flying in combat missions and really putting his love of flying to the ultimate test. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1959.

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6. Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks was the child of two Jews from Europe. He was drafted into the Army, although he did want to pursue a psychology degree. Brooks was assigned to the 1104 Engineer Combat Battalion as a corporal. He also worked as a combat engineer in the 78^th Infantry Division. He worked at diffusing land mines, a very dangerous task. And the Battle of the Bulge? Mel Brooks was there. He was a funny guy, and used his directing chops in The Producers to allude to his disdain for Hitler. And did you know that Mel Brooks’ real name was Melvin Kaminsky?