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Celebrities Who Served

Cpl Carl Reiner, U.S. Army Air Forces (1942–1946)

Cpl Carl Reiner, U.S. Army Air Forces (1942–1946)

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Carl Reiner was a multifaceted American entertainer, celebrated for his significant contributions to comedy, television, film, and literature. But did you know that Carl Reiner was also a veteran? Carl Reiner’s World War II service took him from a Signal Corps radio classroom to the Army’s Special Services entertainment units, where he used humor to boost morale across the Pacific instead of fighting on the front lines. That experience not only kept him out of some of the war’s deadliest battles, it launched a lifetime in comedy that TogetherWeServed proudly honors today. Carl Reiner’s Early Life Carl Reiner was born on March 20, 1922, in the Bronx, New York, to Jewish Austrian immigrant parents, growing up in a working-class home during the Great Depression. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a watchmaker and an inventor. When Carl Reiner was sixteen years old, he worked as a machinist’s helper, repairing sewing machines for eight dollars a week. He discovered acting in...

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А1С Kurt Russell, U.S. Air Force (1969–1975)

А1С Kurt Russell, U.S. Air Force (1969–1975)

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Kurt Russell is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, known for a career that spans action, drama and westerns. From Escape from New York to Tombstone and The Hateful Eight, he built a reputation for portraying resilient, grounded and disciplined characters. Long before becoming a screen icon, however, Russell served in the California Air National Guard, an experience that helped shape his work ethic and sense of responsibility. While his military service did not involve combat, it represented a formative chapter in his life. TogetherWeServed honors Kurt Russell by highlighting his time in uniform, his early years and the lasting legacy he built both on and off the screen. Kurt Russell’s Early Life and Roots Kurt Vogel Russell was born on March 17, 1951, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Louise Julia Russell, a dancer and Bing Russell, an actor and former professional baseball player. Raised in a household that blended creativity and athletics, Kurt developed interests in both...

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2LT Alan Alda, U.S. Army (1956-1956)

2LT Alan Alda, U.S. Army (1956-1956)

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Alan Alda is a name that instantly brings to mind the quick-witted, irreverent Army surgeon Hawkeye Pierce from the Emmy-winning series MASH. But there is more to Alda than Hollywood fame and clever one-liners. Long before he was making audiences laugh on television, Alda served in the United States Army Reserve, a chapter of his life that quietly shaped the authenticity he brought to one of TV’s most beloved characters. That combination of real-life experience and natural charisma helped MASH stand out, giving the show a depth that reached well beyond typical sitcom humor. Alan Alda Grew Up in Manhattan and Studied at Fordham Alan Alda was born Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo on January 28, 1936, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, New York. Creativity ran in his veins, his father, Robert Alda, was a performer who moved seamlessly between burlesque, theater and film, while his mother, Joan Browne, held the family together despite struggling with schizophrenia. Alda’s childhood was a mix of...

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GySgt R. Lee Ermey, USMC (1961-1972)

GySgt R. Lee Ermey, USMC (1961-1972)

Together We Served is among those remembering R. Lee Ermey, aka ‘Gunny’, famous Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant-turned-Hollywood star. Ermey passed away on April 15 2018, at the age of 74, as a result of complications that arose from pneumonia.  R. Lee Ermey Turned Rebellion into Marine and Film Success Ermey developed a reputation for being a strict authoritarian and was eventually typecast as the stern authority figure, but as a youth he was anything but. Born in 1944 in Kansas, Ermey and his family moved to Zillah in central Washington. Ermey was actually arrested twice for criminal mischief. The second time, the judge gave 17-year old Ermey the option of jail or joining the military. Ermey joined the Marine Corps in 1961, serving in aviation support before eventually becoming a drill instructor at the Recruit Depot in San Diego between 1965 and 1967. After this, he served in Okinawa, Japan, at Air Station Futenma. In 1968, Ermey was ordered to South Vietnam with MWSG-17. He...

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Lt. Henry Fonda, U.S. Navy (1942-1946)

Lt. Henry Fonda, U.S. Navy (1942-1946)

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Lt. Henry Fonda, of the US Navy between 1942 and 1946, interrupted a prominent career as a film actor in order to serve his country when it needed him most. Fonda’s commanding screen presence made him a favorite of theatergoers for five decades, culminating in an Oscar for his final performance. Henry Fonda Built His Hollywood Career on Stage and Screen Born in Grand Island, Nebraska, in 1905, Fonda was the son of a printer. Raised in Omaha, he witnessed and was profoundly affected by the horrors of the Omaha race riot of 1919. After high school he attended the University of Minnesota, but did not graduate. At the age of 20 he joined the Omaha Community Playhouse. He grew to be fascinated by the stage and learned many aspects of stagecraft, eventually growing to enjoy acting as taking on a role and speaking someone else’s words gave him respite from his shy personality.  In 1928 he moved to Massachusetts and met his future wife Margaret Sullavan while working for the University...

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AO2 Zachary Bryan, U.S. Navy (2013–2021)

AO2 Zachary Bryan, U.S. Navy (2013–2021)

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Zach Bryan is a name synonymous with raw authenticity in the country music world today. But before his rise as a celebrated singer-songwriter, Bryan served an honorable eight-year tenure in the United States Navy. His military service not only shaped his character and worldview but also deeply influenced his music, providing a unique texture and depth that resonates both with civilians and veterans alike. Here, we explore the details of Zach Bryan's military career, his transition to music, and the recognition he has earned as a civilian artist. Zach Bryan’s Early Life and Enlistment Zach Bryan was born into a family with a strong naval tradition. His birthplace was Okinawa, Japan, where his parents were stationed during their military service. He grew up surrounded by the values of duty and service, with his father, grandfather, and even great-grandfather all serving in the Navy. Zach spent the majority of his youth in the rural haven of Oolagh, Oklahoma, with the Grammy-nominee...

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AFN Jamie Farr, U.S. Army (1957–1959)

AFN Jamie Farr, U.S. Army (1957–1959)

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Jamie Farr, best known for his iconic portrayal of Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger on the classic television series *M*A*S*H*, brought an irreplaceable sense of authenticity to the screen—largely inspired by his real-life service in the United States Army. While millions remember him for his comedic antics and cross-dressing attempts to secure a Section 8 discharge, Farr’s genuine military experiences were far removed from the character he played, rooted instead in duty, discipline, and personal growth. This article delves into Farr’s journey through the U.S. Army, exploring how his military service shaped not only his career, but his very outlook on life. Jamie Farr’s Early Life Born Jameel Joseph Farah on July 1, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Jamie Farr grew up in a tight-knit Lebanese-American community. His mother was a seamstress. His father was a grocer in north Toledo. He was raised in the Antiochian Orthodox religion. The son of immigrants, Farr’s upbringing instilled in him values of...

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PFC Oliver Stone, U.S. Army (1967-1968)

PFC Oliver Stone, U.S. Army (1967-1968)

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Oliver Stone, renowned for directing bold and unflinching films such as Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July and JFK, is much more than a celebrated filmmaker. He is also a decorated Army veteran who proudly served during the Vietnam War. While many know Stone for his searing critiques of power and politics, his commitment to truth began long before Hollywood on the battlefields of Southeast Asia. Oliver Stone's Early Life and Enlistment William Oliver Stone was born on September 15, 1946, in New York City. The son of a French mother and an American father, he grew up in a culturally diverse household that prized both education and ambition. His father, Louis Stone, was a stockbroker and a staunch Republican, while his mother, Jacqueline Goddet, brought a European sensibility into the family home. He attended the elite Trinity School in Manhattan and later The Hill School, a private boarding school in Pennsylvania. After high school, he enrolled at Yale University, but after just one...

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PFC Sixto Escobar, US Army (1941-1945)

PFC Sixto Escobar, US Army (1941-1945)

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Sixto Escobar, of the United States Army between 1941 and 1945, was Puerto Rico’s first world boxing champion, and International Boxing Hall of Fame member. Remembered today with the Estadio Sixto Escobar, the San Juan home of River Plate Puerto Rico, as well as many buildings, roads, and statues, he is a favored son of the island territory. Not as many people know, though, that he served in the military during the Second World War as an Army PFC.

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LCpl Orville Richard Burrell (aka Shaggy), U.S. Marine Corps (1988-1992)

LCpl Orville Richard Burrell (aka Shaggy), U.S. Marine Corps (1988-1992)

Orville Richard Burrell, also known as Shaggy, who served on the US Marine Corps between 1988 and 1992, came to live in Brooklyn as a teenager after leaving his home of Jamaica. While he showed early musical promise, he was in need of steady income, and the Marines were happy to take him. Born on October 22 1968 in Kingston, Jamaica, Orville took singing lessons as a teen and discovered a natural talent. He earned the nickname ‘Shaggy’ because of his untamed hair, after the Scooby-Doo character. After moving to New York, Shaggy began performing with a local Jamaican-style act called Gibraltar Musik. However, he wasn’t yet able to support himself with his music career alone. Shaggy military service: From Marine to Music Star Shaggy joined the 10th Marine Regiment, and obtained the MOS of Field Artillery Cannon Crewman. He served on active duty for over three years, including a five month deployment to Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1991. He spent much of his time stationed at Camp...

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LCdr John (Jackie) Cooper, U.S. Navy (1943-1982)

LCdr John (Jackie) Cooper, U.S. Navy (1943-1982)

Born in Los Angeles in 1922, Cooper was born into a family of entertainers and became a child actor while very young, accompanying his grandmother to her auditions. His first actual credit was in 1929, in the short film Boxing Gloves, part of the Our Gang series of comedic films directed by Hal Roach. Jackie’s stock rose and he took larger and larger roles in these shorts, leading in The First Seven Years (1930) and When The Wind Blows (1930). In 1931 Cooper’s uncle, director Norman Taurog, snapped him up to star in Skippy (1931), leasing the young actor’s contract from Hal Roach Studios. Cooper became the youngest performer to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, an achievement not equalled for another 82 years, when Quvenzhané Wallis received a Best Actress nomination for her work in Beasts of the Southern Wild (2013) at the age of 9. However, Cooper did not enjoy his role: for the crying scene, Taurog ordered a security guard to take away and pretend to shoot Cooper’s dog,...

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JD Vance (Cpl. James D. Hamel), U.S. Marine Corps (2003-2007)

JD Vance (Cpl. James D. Hamel), U.S. Marine Corps (2003-2007)

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JD Vance, the Vice President-elect of the United States in 2024, is widely recognized for his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and his role as a U.S. Senator from Ohio, has a lesser-known but significant chapter in his life: his service in the United States Marine Corps. This period was a pivotal time for Vance, providing him with discipline and a profound sense of purpose that shaped his future endeavors. JD Vance’s Early Life: From Middletown to the Marines James David Vance was born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, a town struggling with the decline of the American manufacturing industry. His early life was marked by significant challenges, including his parents' divorce and his mother's battles with drug and alcohol addiction. Eventually, his mother changed his middle name to David, and he took on his mother’s maiden name, Vance, as his surname.  Vance grew up primarily under the care of his maternal grandparents, who had moved to Middletown from eastern Kentucky's...

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