8 Celebrities You May Have Forgotten Were Veterans
There are a number of notable rockers and other celebrities that served in the military, but there are also a number of entertainers you may not remember also enlisted.
There are a number of notable rockers and other celebrities who served in the military. However, there are also a number of entertainers you may not remember also enlisted.
This Veterans Day, we take a look at some celebrities you may have forgotten were also veterans.
But First, Some Facts About Veterans Day!
Per the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Day is observed on November 11 to honor the end of World War I. While the Treaty of Versailles officially brought an end to WWI on June 28, 1919, fighting in "The Great War" ended seven months prior "on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month." Because of the end of the fighting, President Woodrow Wilson declared the occasion "Armistice Day" in November 1919.
It wasn't until 1968 that the United States officially made "Armistice Day" a legal holiday. At that time, the holiday was a way to honor WWI veterans. Following World War II and the Korean War, Congress changed the holiday's name to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all American war veterans.
However, there was a brief period of time when Veterans Day didn't fall on November 11. In 1968, the Uniform Holiday Bill was signed into law. This law ensured four national holidays -- Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day -- all fell on Mondays. The purpose of doing this was to encourage potential travel and other recreational activities due to a three-day weekend.
While the law was well-intentioned, the VA notes, "It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people."
Bob Ross
Zoe Cappello/Shutterstock.comThe first two words you think of when talking about Bob Ross is likely “Happy Trees” and not “Master Sergeant,” but that’s the highest rank the host of “The Joy Of Painting” held in his 20 years with the Air Force.
Bea Arthur
Frederick M. Brown/Getty ImagesBea Arthur was one of the first members of the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve. Arthur joined in 1943 and was honorably discharged in 1945 having achieved the rank of staff sergeant.
James Doohan
Robert Mora/Getty ImagesBefore he was Montgomery “Scotty” Scott on 'Star Trek,' Doohan served in the Canadian Army and fought at Normandy on D-Day where he was shot a number of times, including a shot to the chest that was stopped by a cigarette case.
Leonard Nimoy
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images'Star Trek’s' Mr. Spock joined the United States Army Reserves and earned the rank of sergeant before being discharged in 1955.
Maynard James Keenan
Michael Buckner/Getty ImagesThe Tool frontman joined the United States Army in 1981 and studied at West Point from 1983-1984.
Jimi Hendrix
Evening Standard/Getty ImagesHendrix enlisted in the United States Army in May 1961 as an ultimatum following getting busted for stealing cars. (It was either the Army or prison.) He was honorably discharged in June 1962 following a report filed by his platoon sergeant stating, "He has no interest whatsoever in the Army ... It is my opinion that Private Hendrix will never come up to the standards required of a soldier. I feel that the military service will benefit if he is discharged as soon as possible."
Mel Brooks
John Phillips/Getty ImagesThe famous filmmaker was drafted into the Army during World War II where he diffused land mines as a combat engineer.
Mr. T
Larry French/Getty ImagesBefore he stepped in the ring with Rocky or joined The A-Team, Mr. T joined the Army and served in the Military Police Corps.
