He continued his service in the Air Force reserve, flying missions in B-52 bombers. He was stationed in Europe through the end of the war, receiving two Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals, a Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre.Īlthough World War II might have ended, Stewart stayed in the Army, and later the Air Force when it became an independent branch in 1947. At a time when air crews were expected to be killed between eight and 12 missions, Stewart had flown 20. Still, he demanded to fight in the war.Īfter a year training new pilots in New Mexico, he finally was sent overseas to fly B-24 Liberator bombers over Nazi-occupied Europe. He applied for an Air Corps commission based on his education and flight experience and was promoted to 2nd lieutenant in 1942. When a producer asked him why he would give up his screen career for the military, he said: "This country's conscience is bigger than all the studios in Hollywood put together, and the time will come when we'll have to fight."Īt first, Stewart was relegated to doing newsreels and public relations stunts in the Motion Picture Division, but at 33, he was too old for aviation cadet training. It was the start of a 27-year career in the Army and then the Air Force. He was the first Hollywood actor to join up. He was rejected by the Army at first for being underweight, but with the help of a Hollywood friend, he was able to literally tip the scales in his favor, entering the Army in 1940. Smith Goes to Washington" and "The Philadelphia Story."ĭespite having a degree from Princeton and hundreds of hours behind the stick of an aircraft, Stewart was so ready to serve in World War II, he enlisted as a private before the United States entered the war. He also made some of his most famous movies in the years before World War II, including "You Can't Take It with You," "Mr.
As he made movies, he also logged 400 flight hours over eight years in show business. After struggling to be a star on the stage, he moved to Hollywood and started acting for the screen.