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Celebrities Who Served

Sgt Drew Carey, U.S. Marine Corps (1980-1986)

Sgt Drew Carey, U.S. Marine Corps (1980-1986)

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Drew Carey, who served in the US Marine Corps between 1980 and 1986, may be better recognized as the host of the game show The Price is Right, or for his previous work as host of improv comedy show Whose Line is it Anyway? It might surprise some to learn, however, that his distinctive haircut and glasses are artifacts from his years of service as a Marine.Born the youngest of three sons to the Carey family of Old Brooklyn in Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of eight Carey lost his father Lewis to a brain tumor. Due to this, and sexual abuse from a member of his extended family, Carey battled depression throughout his youth. He took up marching band in high school, playing the cornet and trumpet. When he graduated from high school he attended Kent State University, yet he was expelled twice for poor academic performance. He twice attempted suicide by sleeping pills before the age of 25. Leaving college without a degree, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1980. He served for six...

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Cpl William (Bill) Ralph Blass, U.S. Army (1943-1945)

Cpl William (Bill) Ralph Blass, U.S. Army (1943-1945)

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William (or Bill) Ralph Blass who served in the US Army between 1943 and 1945 is better known for his contributions to the fashion industry. However, his efforts during World War II are as remarkable as they are unusual. William Ralph Blass was born on June 22 1922, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His father was a traveling salesman, his mother a dressmaker. Sadly, Blass’ father committed suicide when Bill was 5. Bill took after his mother, sketching Hollywood-inspired fashions in the margins of his schoolbooks. At the young age of fifteen, he sewed and sold evening gowns to a New York manufacturer for $25 a pop. At seventeen, he had enough money to move to Manhattan and study fashion at Parson’s School of Design. One year later, he was the first man to win Mademoiselle’s Design for Living award. In 1942, he enlisted in the US Army. Bill Blass's Military Career Bill Blass’s talents were recognized by the Army and he was assigned to the 603rd Camouflage Division, a top-secret division that...

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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’s Military History 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 Lejeune in North Carolina,...

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EM2 Nick Adams, U.S. Coast Guard (1952-1954)

EM2 Nick Adams, U.S. Coast Guard (1952-1954)

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Nick Adams, who served in the US Coast Guard between 1952 and 1954, came from humble beginnings to try and make a Hollywood star of himself. Cohort of James Dean and Elvis Presley, Adams also came to an unfortunate end chasing their caliber of fame. Nevertheless, he was a dutiful member of the Coast Guard during the Korean War and following. Nick Adams’ Early Life Nick Adams was born Nicholas Aloysius Adamshock in 1931 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, a company town for coal mining. Abjectly poor in the heart of the Depression, the Adamshocks left the town after Nick’s coal miner uncle was killed in a mining accident. The family drove until they could drive no more, ending up in Jersey City, NJ. The family was still poor but had better prospects. Unlike his brother Andy, who went into medical school, Nick was a dreamer with plans of revolutionizing his family’s fortunes with a big break, be it as an athlete or a star. He was a capable high school athlete but spurned a job offer in the...

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SSgt Desi Arnaz, U.S. Army (1942-1945)

SSgt Desi Arnaz, U.S. Army (1942-1945)

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Desi Arnaz who served in the US Army between 1942 and 1945 is perhaps most famous for his starring role as Ricky Ricardo opposite his real-life spouse Lucille Ball in the foundational modern TV sitcom I Love Lucy. Desi was already on his way to becoming a star when he was drafted into the US Army, but his time as a soldier gave him plenty of opportunities to hone his skills not only as a performer, but as a producer. Desi Arnaz’ Military Service Born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III in 1917, Desi was a child of privilege, his father the mayor of Santiago, his grandfather an exec at Bacardi. However, his family’s fortunes changed with the Cuban Revolution of 1933. Narrowly avoiding a sticky end, the Arnaz family fled to Miami with their lives, if not their seized property. Desi went to high school and then prep school to improve his English, and formed a band, the Siboney Septet. The band was successful in Miami and gained the attention of Xavier Cugat, who hired Arnaz for his...

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Sgt Paul Arizin, U.S. Marine Corps (1952-1954)

Sgt Paul Arizin, U.S. Marine Corps (1952-1954)

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Paul Arizin, who served in the US Marine Corps between 1952 and 1954, is more commonly known as ‘Pitchin’ Paul’, NBA Hall of Fame member and star player of the Philadelphia Warriors during the 50s. There are no shortage of basketball stars who have built an athletic career after a stint in the military: David Robinson and Mike Silliman are two such men. However, Arizin is notable for not only being one of the first, after the NBA was established in the aftermath of World War II, but also for selflessly serving in the prime of his career. Paul Arizin’s Military Career Paul Arizin was born in Philadelphia in 1928, and despite reaching a height of 6 foot 4 inches, failed to make his high school basketball team when he tried out as a senior. He went to La Salle College High School, the same school fellow Hall of Famer Tom Gola went to. Arizin attended Villanova University, studying chemistry, and played Catholic Youth Organization basketball. It was here that the Villanova basketball...

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Michael Caine’s Service In The Korean War (1952-1954)

Michael Caine’s Service In The Korean War (1952-1954)

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Michael Caine is one of the most well-known and highly-regarded British actors of the 20th and 21st centuries. He is famous for roles in movies like Zulu, Get Carter, The Eagle Has Landed, The Italian Job, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Christopher Nolan's Batman films, and a host of others spanning an acting career of 70 years. While he has become a household name across the globe, many people don't know about Michael Caine because he served in the British Army and saw combat in the Korean War. It was a harrowing experience for the actor and one that would scar him for many years. Caine's birth name was Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, and he was born in 1933 in South London to a working-class family. Caine's father fought in the Second World War. His family, including the young Maurice (Michael), was evacuated from London due to the risk of bombing by the Luftwaffe. Did Michael Caine Served In Korea? After gaining his School Certificate at the age of sixteen, he worked for a time as a...

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