33 Celebrities Who Served in the Military

Posted on July 19, 2022

We all know a few celebrities who served in the Military for the United States. Even the USO compiles lists of them.

However, there are more than a few surprises. So we made a list of the 33 celebrities who have served in the military. Some old, some new.

Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart, USAF Reserve.
[Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Jimmy Stewart (Highest Ranking)

Jimmy Stewart is the highest-ranking actor in military history.

Stewart who was a pilot in WWII and was the first American actor to enlist in the war.

During WWII Stewart received the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Air Corps. He then enlisted in Vietnam rising to the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

Among the awards won by Stewart were, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals, a French Croix de Guerre with bronze palm, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Defense Service Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal.

Lt. Col. James T. Stewart & Major Clark Gable – RAF Polebrook, 1943 Source: USAAF [Photo Credit: The original uploader was Bwmoll3 at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Clark Gable

Clark Gable rose to the rank of Major in the Army Air Corps after enlisting to fight in World War II.

Gable wrote to then President Franklin D. Roosevelt asking to be enlisted after the death of his third wife in a plane crash.

He became a gunner and participated in numerous high-profile missions.

Gable was Hitler’s favorite actor and offered $5,000 to anyone who could bring Gable to him.

Paul Newman visiting Carnation, Washington in June 2007 [Photo Credit: TriviaKing at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Paul Newman

Initially wanting to be a pilot but color blindness kept him from achieving his dream. Newman became a gunner and a radioman in the Navy.

Newman was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, a ship that was destroyed by two kamikazes in the Battle of Okinawa causing more than 600 casualties.

By luck, his transport pilot was grounded because of an ear infection and he never made it to the ship.

6/15/1981 President Reagan with Charlton Heston at a meeting with the Presidential Task Force on the Arts and Humanities in cabinet room [Photo Credit: Series: Reagan White House Photographs, 1/20/1981 – 1/20/1989Collection: White House Photographic Collection, 1/20/1981 – 1/20/1989, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Charlton Heston

Before he became a famous actor and the President of the NRA Heston fought in WWII.

Heston never say combat after becoming an aerial gunner and radio operator on a B-25 stationed in the Aleutian Islands.

However, Heston got a chance to serve when after the war his celebrity caught the eye of the government.

He narrated highly classified military films about nuclear weapons for service members and employees of the Department of Energy.

[Photo Credit: Herald American, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and quickly found himself in danger.

Bronson became a tailgunner, the most dangerous job with the highest casualty rates in WWII.

Bronson survived and earned a Purple Heart after 25 missions.

[Photo Credit: Cees de Boer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Mr. T

Born Lawrence Turead, Mr. T was a squad leader in the Military Police before becoming a member of the A-Team.

[Photo Credit: Pamela Smith, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Willie Nelson

The country music superstar joined the Air Force but had to quickly resign following a back injury.

7-21-1987 President Reagan shaking hands with Clint Eastwood before the Take Pride in America event in the Oval Office

Clint Eastwood

Eastwood is a US Army veteran who was drafted into the Korean War and served as a lifeguard at Fort Ord in Northern California for his entire military tenure.

Elvis Presley poses for the camera during his military service at a US base in Germany.
[Photo Credit: Vittoriano Rastelli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Elvis

Elvis served after achieving stardom. Elvis was drafted in 1958 into the Army after several hits were released.

Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu while serving in Germany. She would later become his wife.

39th Emmy Awards – Governor’s Ball – Sept. 1987- Me with Bea Arthur – [Photo Credit: photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Bea Arthur

Before becoming a Golden Girl Arthur was a WWII Marine.

Arthur enlisted in the Marine Corps Women’s reserve and served in miscellaneous jobs before receiving an honorable discharge in 1945.

[Photo Cred: Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Ice-T

Ice-T was in the Army for four years. Earning the title of squad leader while stationed in Hawaii.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga [Photo Cred: Studio Sarah Lou from USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Tony Bennett

Bennett served in the United States Army near the end of World War II and was part of the unit instrumental in the liberation of Germany’s Landsburg convention camp.

[Photo Credit: Carl Lender, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Jerry Garcia

Garcia spent less than a year in the Army before being discharged.

080103-M-5276L-007.MIRAMAR, Calif. (Jan. 3, 2008) Col. Christopher E. O’Conner, commanding officer of the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, greets Randy “The Natural” Couture, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter during the UFC Affliction autograph signing at the MCAS Miramar Marine Corps Exchange. U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Lance Cpl. Dan T. Le (Released) [Photo Cred: U.S. Navy photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Randy Couture

Couture served 6 years in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division eventually leaving with the rank of sergeant.

Christmas day, US Air Force (USAF) Second Lieutenant (2LT) Christine Millette, with the 40th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW), Public Affairs Officer (PAO), helps Comedian Drew Carey as he signed autographs for personnel stationed at a forward-operating location in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. [Photo Credit: National Archives at College Park – Still Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Drew Carey

Carey, the host of The Price is Right, was surprisingly a United States Marine.

He served 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserves.

President George H. W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush present the Medal of Arts to James Earl Jones. [Photo Credit: Credit: George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones was an ROTC cadet who went on to serve in the Army during the Korean War.

[Photo Credit: Hans Peters / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Gene Wilder

Willy Wonka was a warrior. Kind of. He served in the Army’s Medical Corps for a year before focusing on acting.

Photo of (from left) Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis from the 1977 Johnny Cash Christmas Special television program. [Photo Credit: CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Johnny Cash

The man in black used to be the man in green. Cash joined the Air Force and served in Texas and Germany.

Mugshot taken following arrest of actor Steve McQueen in Anchorage, Alaska, 1972. [Photo Credit: SCRCI, a state correctional facility in Anchorage, Alaska [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Steve McQueen

McQueen went AWOL while serving in the United States Marine Corps.

He eventually finished his time in the Marines Honor Guard standing watch over President Harry Truman’s yacht.

Leonard Nimoy at the Phoenix Comicon in Phoenix, Arizona. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Leonard Nimoy

Dr. Spock served in the United States Army Reserve becoming a sergeant.

Morgan Freeman with wife Myrna Colley-Lee, left, and his mother. [Photo Credit: photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Morgan Freeman

Airman 1st Class Morgan Freeman spent four years of his live in the Air Force, specializing in radar repair.

Max and Mel Brooks attending a ceremony for Mel to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [Photo Credit: Angela George, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Mel Brooks

Brooks was drafted into WWII during his first year of college. He achieved the rank of corporal before becoming an iconic director.

MC Hammer and Miiko Mentz. (CC) Brian Solis [Photo Credit: Brian Solis, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

MC Hammer

Hammer may have discovered that “you can’t touch this,” while serving in the Navy for 3 years.

[Photo Credit: Rodney Wright, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Adam Driver

Driver is one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But before becoming a major player in Hollywood, Driver served in the United States Marine Corps.

He was medically discharged due to an injury.

Beverly Hills, California — Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General John W. Handy, presents actor Chuck Norris with the “Veteran of the Year” award at the American Veteran awards show December 12. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lou Hernandez). [Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons]

Chuck Norris

Norris, served in the Air Force and was a member of the military police. While serving in Korea his passion for martial arts was ignited.

061205-N-8148A-028 – North Arabian Gulf (Dec. 5, 2006) – Montel Williams interviews Cmdr. James Morgan, commanding officer of guided missle destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83). Williams, a talk show host and a former U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, traveled to the 5th Fleet area of operations to collect footage for a holiday special dedicated to U.S. service members. “I’d like to take time during this holiday to remind America that young men and women are out here putting their lives on the line for us,” Williams said. [Photo Credit: U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kitt Amaritnant, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Montel Williams

Williams became a Lieutenant Commander while serving for 15 years in the Navy and Marines.

[Photo Credit: Unknown U.S. Army personnel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix was an Army Paratrooper in 1961 and 1962.

Oliver Stone and Hugo Chavez [Photo Credit: nicolas genin from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Oliver Stone

Stone is one of the foremost experts on the Kennedy assassination and the government corruption surrounding it. But before that he received a Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam while part of the United States Army.

040722-N-4776G-326 Pacific Ocean (July 22, 2004) – Actor Tom Selleck greets USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Sailors during a short visit to the ship before it pulls into its new homeport of Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, on July 23. [Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Kathleen Gorby., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Tom Selleck

Selleck was a member of the Army National Guard’s 160th Infantry Regiment. He was a star even before his time in service with a few commercials and television roles under his belt.

Well known comedian, Sinbad, visited lodgement area Lisa in Bosnia. As part of a USO tour he entertained troops from the 2nd Brigade, 1ST Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany [Photo Credit: National Archives at College Park – Still Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Sinbad

Sinbad was bad. The comedian was booted from the Air Force after a string of behavior related incidents.

[Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/people/adamj4282/, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons]

Shaggy

Shaggy was a member of the United States Marine Corps achieving the rank of Lance Corporal and serving in the Persian Gulf War.

Comedian Rob Riggle performs in a USO at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 9, 2014. (DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen/Released) [Photo Credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Rob Riggle

Riggle served in the United States Marine Corps for 9 years and the Marine Corps Reserves for 14 years.

He eventually obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after serving in Liberia, Kosovo, Albania, and Afghanistan.

Riggle also worked on a budget brigade at ground zero immediately following the 9/11 attacks.

Photo of Marlene Dietrich from the NBC Radio network program Monitor. Dietrich was one of the regular contributors to the weekend radio program. She is not seen here in Monitor’s “Radio Central”, but in one of the NBC production studios recording her segments. [Photo Credit: NBC Radio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

SPECIAL MENTION: Marlene Dietrich

Dietrich did not serve as a member of the U.S. armed forces.

However, Dietrich, who was originally a German citizen served in the U.S. Offfice of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) which preceded the CIA.

She served in efforts to undermine Nazi morale as well as sold war bonds to help Jewish refugees escape to the US.

She also entertained the troops during WWII on USO tours to North Africa and Italy.