Air Base Honors Jimmy Stewart

The Washington Post ^ | August 13, 2007 | Steve Vogel

[RDTF]

A technology center at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington will be named today in honor of actor Jimmy Stewart, according to an Air Force news release.

-snip-

The center will be dedicated as the Brig. Gen. James Stewart Theater in honor of the actor's service and his efforts "to promote Air Force heritage and morale programs to benefit future generations of Airmen," the release said.

[Young Werther]

Snap! Hand Salute!

[jim_trent]

According to his biography, he enlisted in WW2 and led bombing missions over Europe (B-17, I believe). What was not said there (but was elsewhere) was that they were real bombing missions over real, defended targets and many of the people he commanded did not return. The missions were NOT a publicity stunt.

[2001convSVT]

Amen. A real American Hero!

[Tijeras_Slim]

[Cecily]

They sure don't make Hollywood stars like they used to. Even the uber-libbies of days gone by were still true stars.

[massgopguy]

What a man. The tag line says it all.

[abb]

Indeed. Attention to Orders!

[reagan_fanatic]

Jimmy Stewart will live on larger than life, not only because of his Hollywood career, but his outstanding service to his country.

Sigh - it seems all the good ones are gone...

[AFreeBird]

From IMDB:

"He was the first movie star to enter the service for World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed 5 pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He eventually became a Colonel, and earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre and 7 battle stars. In 1959, he served in the Air Force Reserve, before retiring as a brigadier general."

[calex59]

According to his biography, he enlisted in WW2 and led bombing missions over Europe (B-17, I believe). What was not said there (but was elsewhere) was that they were real bombing missions over real, defended targets and many of the people he commanded did not return. The missions were NOT a publicity stunt.

If I remember correctly he flew 26 combat missions, which was one more than the famed Memphis Belle crew flew. Jimmy served his country well, unlike most of the actors and actresses of today.

[Non-Sequitur]

According to his biography, he enlisted in WW2 and led bombing missions over Europe (B-17, I believe). What was not said there (but was elsewhere) was that they were real bombing missions over real, defended targets and many of the people he commanded did not return. The missions were NOT a publicity stunt.

Stewart originally qualified in the B-17 and trained pilots as an instructor. When he got to combat it was with B-24 units.

[Miss Didi]

Wonderful actor, wonderful man!

[CarryingOn]

General Stewart was indeed a unique individual, who was not only a great Hollywood star, but also a great patriot who served to defend the country that gave him the opportunity he enjoyed to succeed at his craft. I remember Gen. Stewart flew on a B52 mission over VN from our base in the Pacific. He will not be forgotten by those who also served.

[Snickersnee]

One of Stewart's more interesting assignments in WW2 was serving as the president of the GCM convened in the cases of the bomber crews that were brought up on charges for bombing Zurich (on more than one occasion, IIRC!) I think the accused got off for making the case that it was an understandable navigational error.

Nowadays the AF can put a bomb in a given window of a targeted building -- back then, they counted it a successful mission if all the bombs landed in the same time zone.

[Weeedley]

And a tremendous actor, who just played himself.

Its A Wonderful Life is one of his greatest achievements.

[Tanniker Smith]

Congratulations, James, wherever you are!
You deserve it. You earned it.

[Tanniker Smith]

A technology center at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington will be named today in honor of actor Jimmy Stewart,

A piece of trivia that I didn't know until Mr. Stewart died: although he's commonly refered to as Jimmy Stewart, he is billed in all his movies as James Stewart.

But he was just so much of a Jimmy.

[txroadkill]

I've got a lot of great stories about celebrities and other notable people from my years of driving Limos in the DFW area.

About 10 years ago Mr. Stewart was in Dallas just before his death. He was Staying at the Crescent Court and I happened to be there to take some people to the Airport. While I was waiting Mr. Stewart came out of the Hotel to get into his Limo (the driver told me he refused to ride in the back, always rode in the front seat); before he got into the car two Air Force Officers cut him off and asked him to swear them in for their re-enlistment.

Stewart snapped to attention, recited the oath from memory and then signed their papers. They both gushed about what an honor it was for them to be sworn in by him while he explained the honor was all his. I felt the honor was all mine from having witnessed the entire thing.

[RDTF]

wow great story!