Have you heard of insult comedy? That’s when comedians create laughter at the expense of the participating audience. Most of the time it is associated with toilet humor (aka, one of the best ways to get a quick laugh). One person who has mastered this is Don Rickles, also known as “The Merchant of Venom.”
This droll comedian served in the navy from 1944 through to his honorable discharge in 1946 after the end of the Second World War. He sailed from Norfolk, Virginia to Papua New Guinea as a seaman first class aboard the USS Cyrene. He sailed where trouble loomed, including the Philippines, where he complained about the tropics being “so hot and humid, the crew rotted.”
Dan Rather
Dan Rather is a familiar face, appearing on the CBS Evening News as a long-time anchor, and he’s also well-known among journalist circles. He liked to brag about his military service to his colleagues, some stories appearing so colorful and extreme that Bernard Goldberg took a serious effort to dig for corroborating evidence.
Rather said that he joined the Marines twice, but records reveal that he joined the US Army reserve during the Korean War and signed up with the Marines after he finished college. No record exists of him making it to basic training.
Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda’s acting career spanned five decades. He made his debut in Hollywood in 1935, but he had sufficient experience as a Broadway actor. He appeared in popular films such as Tom Joad, and an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
During the Second World War, Henry Fonda enlisted in the US Navy as a seaman and got the first assignment in air combat intelligence. In his military career, he received a Bronze Star and a Presidential Citation. And before his discharge in 1945, he was awarded the rank of lieutenant.
Elvis Presley
One for the Money, Two for the Show! A lyric made popular by none other than the king of rock and roll himself, Elvis Presley. But he wasn’t always for the money or the show; he dedicated precious time to serve his country in the military, too.
From 1958 to 1960, Elvis Presley served in the US Army, deciding to enlist at a time when his career was already starting to pick up. Since there was a lot of outrage as a result of his sexual performances and provocative lyrics, joining the army removed heat from the public’s sentiments towards him. Many religious leaders were appeased, and even though he was given an option to join in special services, he chose to enroll as a normal soldier.
Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio is one of the best baseball players of all-time. But even if one is not a fan of the sport, men and women across generations would know him as the lucky stud who married the sexy blonde and famous actress, Marilyn Monroe.
This baseball legend served in the military during the Second World War, but despite him being drafted, he was never part of all the real action that held the world in shock. Instead, he was assigned as an athletics instructor in bases around America, thousands of miles away from the enemy.