OFFICE OF ARMY RESERVE HISTORY

 

 

 

 

 

FAMOUS WARRIOR CITIZENS
The U.S. Army Reserve has always been comprised of men and women with great talents and abilities. Those abilities manifest themselves through leadership, bravery and strong ambition.

Among those who have answered the call to serve, some famous names have emerged.These men and women not only proved themselves to be great Soldiers but great citizens as well. From politicians to entertainers to presidents of the United States, here are some Citizen Soldiers you may well recognize…
DANIEL INOUYE: WORLD WAR II

Daniel Inouye served as a captain in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,upgraded in 2000 to the Medal of Honor, for his actions fighting Germans in Italy. After the war, Inouye entered public service and became a United States Senator representing Hawaii.

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HARRY S. TRUMAN: WORLD WAR I

Harry Truman served as a captain commanding Battery D,129th Field Artillery. After the war, he entered public service and served in the Army Reserve attaining the rank of colonel. He later became the 33rd President.In 1948, President Truman signed Executive Order 9981 desegregating the armed forces.

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CHARLES DURNING: WORLD WAR II

Charles Durning served as a rifleman in the 398th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division. He participated in D-Day and was one of the first Soldiers to land at Omaha Beach. After the war, Durning became an actor and appeared in more than 200 movies,television shows and plays.

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"Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory." — Alan Alda
Malcolm Forbes: WORLD WAR II

Malcolm Forbes was assigned to a heavy machine gun section of the 334th Infantry Regiment,84th Infantry Division. He was wounded in the Battle of Aachen in Germany and spent ten months recovering before being discharged in August 1945and receiving the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He later became a famous publisher and entrepreneur.

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Alan Alda: KOREA

Alan Alda enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)while in college and went to Fort Benning, Georgia for a year after graduation. As an Army Reserve artillery officer, Alda served a six month tour during the Korean War.He later became a famous actor,well known for his portrayal of Hawkeye, the witty field surgeon in the hit television series “M.A.S.H.”

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Charles W. Whittlesey: WORLD WAR I

Charles Whittlesey was awarded the Medal of Honor for commanding the famous “Lost Battalion” of the 77th Infantry Division. Whittlesey served as one of six honorary pallbearers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dedication on Nov. 11, 1921, in Arlington National Cemetery.


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Mel Brooks: WORLD WAR II

Mel Brooks served as a corporal and combat engineer in the 78th Infantry Division with the 1104thEngineer Combat Battalion. The unit built bridges, cleared blocked roads, and deactivated land mines ahead of advancing Allied forces.He is one of few entertainers that have won an Emmy, an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Tony award. In 2013, he received the 41st American Film Institute Life Achievement.

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John Fogerty:  VIETNAM ERA

John Fogerty served briefly in the Army Reserve. During his one year term from 1966 to 1967, Fogerty served at Fort Bragg, Fort Knox,and Fort Lee. He later became the famous front man for Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR).


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Henry Kissinger: WORLD WAR II

Henry Kissinger served in the 84th Infantry Division. As a Jewish immigrant from Germany,Kissinger was assigned to the military intelligence section of the 84th and volunteered for hazardous duty during the Battle of the Bulge. Due to his fluency in German, he was reassigned to the Counter Intelligence Corps as a sergeant and was involved in establishing civilian administration and tracking down Nazis. He later became the 56th Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

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"One doesn’t become a Soldier in a week—it takes training, study and discipline. There is no question that the finest Army in the world is found in the United States."— Daniel Inouye
William J. Donovan: WORLD WAR I and II

William J. Donovan was awarded the Medal of Honor in World War I and became the first commander of the 301st Cavalry Regiment,61st Cavalry Division, Organized Reserve in the interwar years. He formed the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which later became the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), during World War II.

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Ronald Reagan: PRE-WORLD WAR II

Ronald Reagan enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve on Apr. 29, 1937, as a Private assigned to Troop B, 322nd Cavalry at Des Moines, Iowa. He was appointed second lieutenant in the Officers’ Reserve Corps of the Cavalry on May 25, 1937. In April 1942, Reagan was ordered to active duty and transferred to the Army Air Forces.By 1943, he was promoted to captain and served stateside in the 1st Motion Picture Unit, making training films for the war effort. The unit produced over400 training films during the war.He became the 40th President.

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Leonard Nimoy: COLD WAR ERA

Leonard Nimoy enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1953 and served a total of 18 months. He spent most of his time at Ft. McPherson,Georgia, and was discharged in1955 having earned the rank of sergeant. He became famous for his role in the television series,“Star Trek,” portraying half-Vulcan, half-human science officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Spock.He was also prominent in stage and major motion pictures as well as a respected photographer.

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Eddie Rickenbacker: WORLD WAR I

Eddie Rickenbacker is the highest-scoring American fighter ace of World War I with 26 confirmed victories, retiring with the rank of major. He earned the Medal of Honor for attacking seven enemy planes on his own, resulting in one going down. Rickenbacker served as a military consultant for the U.S. Government during World War II. He was a man of many talents; a racecar driver, an automotive designer, and pioneer in air transportation.

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