To: Knighty Tin who wrote (234037 ) 4/7/2003 1:20:30 PM From: Tommaso Read Replies (1) | Respond to At the conclusion of his basic training Douglas (fifty years old) was named most distinguished recruit of his group. He had been training on his own to bring himself up to Marine standards. I guess if affirmative action means arranging for yourself to be shot in battle, that's what it was. As you know, he did become the Senator from Illinois.In 1941 Wayne was 34, placing him easily within draft age, and was never classified as IV-F; he was briefly classified as I-A toward the end of the war, but his studio objected, and he was reclassified as II-A, “deferred in the national interest,” and allowed to continue making movies. As far as Wayne’s attempting to enlist in the Marine Corps, the Army, or the Navy, we could find no evidence of this. It’s worth noting that during World War II, other major stars did serve, often with distinction. These include Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Henry Fonda, Clark Gable, Glenn Ford, James Stewart, and Tyrone Power. Gable is especially worthy of note because, despite being overage, he became an officer in the Army Air Corps and insisted on flying combat missions.
