[fight_truth_decay]

NAME: Brigadier General James M. Stewart, USAFR (RET)
BORN: 20/05/1908
BIRTH PLACE: Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
DIED: 02/07/1997

Actor Jimmy Stewart, a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and a combat veteran of World War II flying, leaves
a B-52F bomber after a mission over North Vietnam in the late 1960s. Stewart requested the mission during his required weeks
of active duty because his stepson, Ronald McLean, was KIA. Stewart had qualified in many Bombers.

The film, Strategic Air Command, circa 1955 with June Allyson; was based loosely on Stewart's life, as well as the lives of several close friends serving with him. The movie covers the historical build-up of SAC under the leadership of Curtis Lemay. Time frame: Post WWII "when liberals had stripped the country of its' defenses, traitors had given the a-bomb to the reds and China had been sold out. This film will especially resonate even though it was made so long ago to those guarding the new frontier of freedom in Iraq," wrote a reviewer.

He began flying combat missions and on Mar. 31, 1944 was appointed Operations Officer of the 453d Bomb Group and, subsequently, Chief of Staff of the 2d Combat wing, 2d Air Division of the 8th Air Force. Stewart ended the war with 20 combat missions. He remained in the USAF Reserve and was promoted to Brigadier General on Jul. 23, 1959. He retired on May 31, 1968.

Lt. Gen. Valin, Chief of Staff, French Air Force,
Awarding Croix De Guerre with palm to Col. Stewart for exceptional services in the liberation.
Maj. Jimmy Stewart confers with a B-24 crew member.
Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart, USAF Reserve.
Talking over the final details of a mission prior to takeoff.

Source

[GVnana]

Not that was a Cool Guy!

[ProudVet77]

Wonder who of the current crop of metrosexuals in Hollywierd would be man enough to do what Stewart did.

[Bossy Gillis]

Jimmy Stewart is my all time favorite actor, what a man, they don't make them like him anymore.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Thanks for posting that. I had no idea the Jimmy Stewart actually flew in the Vietnam War.

[Issaquahking]

Great Ping!

[Vor Lady]

My husband was in B-52's. We loved Jimmy Stewart. Some of my husband's crew mates got to meet him while he walking his dog in the late 80's (in LA). They told him they were AF B-52 guys and he stood and talked with them for most of an hour. They said he was as gracious in real life as he appeared on screen. I doubt there is anyone in Hollywood to compare to him today.

[sport]

Bump

[Old Sarge]

I am so glad you posted this for us. I'm PING'ing a bunch of good folks for interest.

I knew of COL James Stewart, but hadn't realized he made flag rank before passing on. Noe did I know he flew missions in 'Nam.

I long ago gave up hope that anyone in the entertainment industry might ever be like this man, or others like him: Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Bob Hope, Rosie Clooney, Mickey Rooney, Audie Murphy, and so many others who either wore the uniform, or backed us to the hilt.

Their generation is gone. And I grieve at what we're left with today. I hate and distrust Hollywood and the entertainment industry.

[Frank_Discussion]

Thank You.

A BUMP to Heaven for Mr. Stewart! I thank him, too.

[RightWingAtheist]

Hollywood hero ping.

[SevenofNine]

OMG I didn't know ole Jimmy Stewart serve during Vietnam war
Guys that generation dying off

All we getting rif raff of the 1960 generation in Hollywood

[Texas Deb]

Jimmy Stewart has always been one of my favorite actors - what a great man and wonderful actor, and "It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my favorite movies.

And here is another little tidbit about him from WWII.

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj00/sum00/helmreich1.htm

"Editorial Abstract: Accidental bombings are not new, but court-martialing crews for such “fog-of-war” incidents is rare. On 4 March 1945, six B-24s dropped 12 tons of incendiaries and 12.5 tons of high-explosive bombs on Zurich, Switzerland—a neutral country. This is an account of how navigation errors, poor weather, and crew aggressiveness caused that to happen and how the officers of the lead B-24 fared when they were court-martialed. Interestingly, the presiding officer in the court-martial proceedings was Col James M. Stewart (of Hollywood fame). To more fully appreciate this study, we suggest you read Dr. Helmreich’s earlier piece, “The Diplomacy of Apology: US Bombings of Switzerland during World War II,” published in the May–June 1977 issue of Air University Review and also available at http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj00/sum00/helmreich.html There he provides a comprehensive account of World War II bombing of Switzerland, which began with a scattering of incidents in 1943 and eventually led to increasingly heavy attacks until the 4 March bombing of both Zurich and Basel. Both articles show how conflicts can arise between airmen and diplomats over issues of crew safety and mission accomplishment to win a war."

[Vineyard]

In Charlton Heston's autobiography "In the Arena", Heston relates to a time when he was in Spain, making a movie.

He ran into Jimmy Stewart at a posh hotel that was a bit "uppity." It seems that the hotel refused to allow actors to stay in the hotel. As Heston and Stewart conversed, the hotel staff realized that Stewart was also an actor, and the manager at the desk started to tell Stewart that he couldn't stay and asked for the room key back.

Stewart calmly told the manager that for the next two weeks, he wasn't an actor, he was Brigadier General Stewart of the Air Force, working with the USAF at a near by location ... picked up his registration slip and kept the key, and walked off.

Both excellent men .... even more so considering that they remained unaffected by the cesspool of Hollywood.

R/ Mike

[Finalapproach29er]

Glenn Ford is still alive. You should see his service record. He served in WW II and Vietnam.

He was a heartthrob from Reagan's time in the late thirties. Ford and M. Rooney are the only ones from that era I know who are alive.

I wish he were honored by Hollywood before he passes.

BTW: I hear he watches Fox News!

[kms61]

Not only that, at 6-4 and about 135 pounds, Stewart was initially rejected as being underweight. He had to bulk up and try again before he was accepted.

Another star who volunteered when he could legitimately have stayed on the sidelines: Tyrone Power
http://www.militarymuseum.org/Tower.html

[Meldrim]

Pictures look good. Back in the days without the Day Care Centers and "Consideration of Others" training. Back when the average young male in America who attended college served in the military in one capacity or another.