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Hi,
Such a list might almost be endless. However, I've been intrigued by how many Hollywood types served in WWI, especially in aviation; two of the most famous:
Merian C. Cooper, most famous as co-writer and co-director of "King Kong", was a DH 4 pilot in the 20th Aero Squadron in WWI. On 26 September he was shot down in his flaming DH 4 by elements of JG II. He was taken PoW and despite burns, survived the war as a prisoner. After the war he helped form the famous "Kosciusko Squadron" of American volunteers fighting for Poland against Soviet Russia. He was again brought down and taken prisoner, this time spending almost 9 months in a Bolshevik prisoner camp. He escaped just before the end of the war, and walked the many miles to Latvia. He received many high decorations from Poland and the USA. In WW2 he again served in the US Army Air Corps, serving as chief of staff for Claire Chennault and rising to the rank of brigadier general.
William Wellman, of course - the Academy-Award-winning director of "Wings," "Battleground" and "The Ox-Bow Incident". He joined the Lafayette Flying Corps and enlisted in France's Service Aeronautique in June 1917. He flew at the front with Escadrille SPA 87 and received the Croix de Guerre with two Palms.
Greg
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Greg VanWyngarden
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