Were you a fan of Green Eggs and Ham growing up? Or The Cat in the Hat? This all time favorite author was actually a military man. Dr. Seuss enlisted in the US Army voluntarily, leaving behind his rising career as an illustrator and children’s book writer.
He concentrated working on politically-charged cartoons instead, satirically aimed at American Isolationists like Charles Lindbergh, who tried to keep the US out of war, and the infamous Adolf Hitler. “While Paris was being occupied by the clanking tanks of the Nazis, and I was listening on my radio, I found that I could no longer keep my mind on drawing pictures of ‘Horton the Elephant.’ I found myself drawing pictures of ‘“Lindbergh the Ostrich.’” he said.
Carl Reiner
In his prime, let’s just say Carl Reiner was the guy who had it all. He’s got good looks, a wonderful sense of humor, and intelligence to boot. He’s known to us as the producer, writer, and actor of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and has been awarded nine Emmy Awards and a Grammy throughout his career.
Carl Reiner’s foray into the military was not out of his own will, although he did not feel forced to do it either. He was drafted into the US Army air force back in 1943, under an all-hands-on-deck policy. He performed his tasks diligently and was promoted to the rank of corporal.
Johnny Cash
The age of rock ’n’ roll was left with an unfillable void when this rock star departed. Johnny Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, author, and guitarist. Having sold over 90 million records worldwide, he was primarily known for his unique country music; classic tunes that turned him into a music icon.
We bet you didn’t know he served time in the military, being the star that he was. It gets even crazier when you learn that he also became a spy, working dangerously to collect sensitive information for the government. In 1950, enlisted in the US Air Force, he was a Morse Code Interceptor for the 6910th Security Group in West Germany. His primary job was to intercept Russian military radio transmissions, and he was likely among the first to hear about the death of Joseph Stalin, well before it reached the rest of the world.
Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon will always be linked with the phrase “Here’s Johnny” of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson; a show that gave us such fond memories that it borders near the fantastic to think that McMahon had actually served in the military for 25 years prior to taking on his iconic new role. Yup! Ed McMahon was in the Marines. In 1941, he enlisted and became a flight instructor.
He failed to see action with the Pacific Fleet after two atomic bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, ending the war; but he was reinstated when the Korean War erupted. He retired with the rank of colonel in 1966.
Morgan Freeman
American actor, Morgan Freeman, is known for his roles in films like Million Dollar Baby, and Street Smart... and, of course, for his calming voice that many now indelibly associate with the voice of God. What very few know, though, is how he voluntarily joined the USAF after high school and very quickly regretted that decision!
In 1955, Freeman enlisted because he loved war films and the idea of becoming a fighter pilot. He was so very passionate about it that he even turned down a scholarship to go to Jackson State University to study drama. He eventually became a radar technician, which he gratefully accepted after realizing that he was only in love with the idea of becoming a fighter pilot, but dreaded the job in reality.