List of World War II veterans
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This list may coincide with Category:World War II veterans.
Contents |
[edit] Australia
- Bruce Ruxton
- John Gorton, served in RAAF, became Prime Minister of Australia in later life
- Gough Whitlam, served in RAAF, became Prime Minister of Australia in later life
- Leo McKern, actor, Australian Army
[edit] Canada
- James Doohan, actor, Canadian Army
- Leslie Nielsen, comic actor, RCAF
- Gordon Dailley, hockey player, Canadian Army
- Gerald Kent, actor, Canadian Army, captured during the Dieppe Raid and later died in a German POW camp.
- Paul Martineau, politician, lawyer, and judge, RCAF
[edit] China
- Mao Tse Tung, Creator of Peoples Republic of China.
- Zhou Enlai, Important figure for the Ping-Pong diplomacy during the Sino-Soviet Split
- Deng Xiaoping, China head of state in 1980, embraced open door policy.
- Chiang Kai-Shek, Chinese Generalismo later become the founder of Republic of China Taiwan after Chinese civil war
[edit] Finland
- Mauno Koivisto, President of Finland 1982-1994
- Väinö Linna, Author of The Unknown Soldier and Under the North Star among the others.
[edit] France
- Pierre Boulle, author Bridge on the River Kwai
- Bernard Fall, author Street Without Joy
- Jacques Chaban-Delmas, Prime Minister of France, 1969-1972
- Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of France 1974-1981
- Pierre Messmer, Prime Minister of France, 1972-1974
- François Mitterrand, President of France 1981-1995
- Georges Pompidou, President of France 1969-1974
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, aviator, author Le Petit Prince
[edit] Germany
- Pope Benedict XVI, current pope
- Karl Dönitz
- Erich Hartmann, top German fighter ace
- Ernst Jünger, author
- Helmut Kohl, politician, fought as teenaged soldier
- Guy Sajer, author, The Forgotten Soldier
- Helmut Schmidt, politician
- Percy Ernst Schramm, historian
- Kurt Waldheim, Austrian politician
[edit] Japan
- Hiroo Onoda one of the last Japanese soldiers to surrender (1976)
- Toshiro Mifune actor
- Akio Morita founder of SONY
- Yasuhiro Nakasone former prime minister
- Saburo Sakai top Japanese fighter ace
- Sakae Oba leader of last organized force of Imperial Japanese Army; surrendered on December 1, 1945.
[edit] The Netherlands
- Prince Bernhard of Lippe prince-consort
- Piet de Jong Former Dutch prime minister, submarine commander in WWII
[edit] New Zealand
- Charles Upham, two time winner of the Victoria Cross
- Bernard Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg
[edit] Norway
- Jo Benkow, politician
- Willy Brandt, politician
- Trygve Bratteli, politician
- Einar Gerhardsen, politician
- Olav V, king
[edit] Poland
- Wojciech Jaruzelski, post-war Polish Prime Minister and President
- Stanisław Lem, science fiction writer
- General Stanislaw Maczek
- General Stanisław Sosabowski
[edit] Soviet Union
- Leonid Brezhnev, Cold War Soviet leader.
- Alexander Isayevich Solzhenitsyn, author, Nobel Prize for Literature, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.
- Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev, top Soviet sniper, around 400 kills.
[edit] United Kingdom
- Dirk Bogarde, actor, British Army, Captain, primarily an intelligence officer, was one of the first Allied officers to reach the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp which left him with a life-long hostility towards Germany
- Arthur C. Clarke, author 2001: A Space Odyssey, RAF
- James Clavell, author Shogun
- Noel Coward, actor, writer, composer, wit, Secret Intelligence Service, MI5
- Roald Dahl, author, RAF
- Denholm Elliott, actor, Royal Air Force, shot down over Germany in 1942 and spent rest of the war as a P.O.W..
- Ian Fleming, James Bond creator, Royal Naval Intelligence
- George MacDonald Fraser, author/screenwriter
- John Gardner, author, Royal Marines
- Alec Guinness, actor, Royal Navy
- Douglas Bader, World War II hero, fighter pilot, Group Captain, fought in Battle of Britain despite having lost both legs in a pre-war flying accident
- James Herriot, pen name of James Alfred Wight, veterinarian and author, RAF
- Bertram Ramsay, Admiral, Royal Navy Commander, responsible for the Dunkirk evacuation and played a major part in planning the D-Day invasion
- Christopher Lee, actor, RAF, Intelligence Officer
- Spike Milligan, comedian, writer, artist, musician, humanitarian, poet, 56th Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery, D Battery.
- Harry Secombe, comedian, actor, singer, British Army, served in North Africa
- Johnnie Johnson, Air Vice Marshal, fighter pilot, Royal Air Force, was the British flying ace with the most "kills" during the war.
- James Harry Lacy, Squadron Leader, fighter pilot, Royal Air Force, was top scoring RAF pilot during the Battle of Britain
- Robert Stanford Tuck, Wing Commander, fighter pilot Foyal Air Force, was one of the British flying aces of the war
- Patrick Moore, RAF, astronomer.
- Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
- Hugh Dowding, Air Chief Marshal, RAF Commander during Battle of Britain
- David Niven, actor, Royal Commandos, Lieutenant-Colonel, Landed at Normandy beaches on D-Day
- Clyde Pangborn, pioneer aviator, RAF transport
- Donald Pleasance, actor, Royal Air Force, shot down and tortured by the S.S.
- Peter Sellers, comedian and actor, RAF gained the rank of Corporal
- Bill Slim, Field Marshal
- Richard Todd, actor, British Army, paratrooper dropped in Normandy, fought in engagement for Pegasus Bridge
- Peter Ustinov, actor
- Orde Wingate, Commando
- Sir Laurence Olivier, actor, director, Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm, pilot stationed in Scotland
- Ralph Richardson, actor, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Lieutenant-Commander
- John Gielgud, actor, London Fire Watch Warden, he expected to serve in regular forces, but an exemption from military service was obtained for him by his theatrical agency without his consent or knowledge, therefore could not serve in the regular forces
- Richard Attenborough, actor, director, RAF
- Richard Burton, actor, Royal Air Force Officer, served as a Navigator
- John Mills, actor, Lieutenant in Royal Artilliery
- Rex Harrison, actor, Royal Air Force Officer
- Anthony Quayle, Army Officer, Later join the Special Operations Executive
- Stewart Granger, actor, British Army
- Trevor Howard, actor, British Army
- Tony Benn, politician, pilot, Royal Air Force
- Arthur Lowe,actor, famous for playing Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army, Sergeant-Major, British Army
- John Le Mesurier, actor, famous for playing Sergeant Wilson in Dad's Army, Captain, Royal Armoured Corps
- Clive Dunn, actor, famous for playing Lance-Corporal Jones in Dad's Army, British Army, was a prisoner of war
- Tony Hancock, comic actor, RAF Regiment
- Denholm Elliott, actor, Royal Air Force
- Sid James, Carry On actor, Lieutenant, South African Army
- Kenneth Williams, Carry On actor, Royal Engineers
- Hattie Jacques, Carry On actress, Nurse with Red Cross
- Harry H. Corbett, actor, famous for Steptoe and Son, Royal Marines
- Peter Cushing, actor, British Army, ENSA
- Frankie Howerd, comedian and comic actor, British Army
- Desmond Llewelyn, actor famous for playing Q in the James Bond films, British Army Officer
[edit] United States
The last American World War II veteran on active duty was Captain Earl R. Fox, USCG, who retired in 1999
- Don Adams, actor, US Marine Corps, fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal.
- Eddie Albert, actor, US Navy, winner of the Bronze Star for actions during the Battle of Tarawa in November, 1943.
- Robert Altman, director, US Army Air Corps
- Jack Anderson, journalist
- Desi Arnaz, actor/band leader, US Army
- James Arness, actor, US Army, severely wounded during the Battle of Anzio.
- Leon Askin, actor, US Army
- Gene Autry, singer/actor, US Army Air Corps, only pilot in the USAAF allowed to wear cowboy boots when in uniform.
- Lew Ayres, actor, US Army, Medical Corps
- Raymond Bailey, actor, Merchant Marine
- Harvey Ball, inventor of the smiley, US Army
- Martin Balsam, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Aaron Bank, founder of Special Forces, OSS
- Bob Barker, television game show host, US Navy, Corsair fighter pilot
- Lex Barker, actor, United States Army, enlisted as a Private, rose to the rank of Major
- Leon Bass, educator, US Army
- Lloyd Bentsen, former senator and Vice-Presidential candidate, US Army Air Corps
- Fred Blassie, professional wrestler, actor, recording star. United States Navy.
- Richard Bong, top US fighter Ace, US Army Air Corps
- Ernest Borgnine, actor, US Navy
- Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, leader of Black Sheep Squadron, US Marine Corps
- Omar Bradley, US Army
- David Brinkley, journalist, US Army
- Charles Bronson, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Mel Brooks, comedian, US Army
- Lenny Bruce, comedian, US Navy
- Art Buchwald, humorist, US Marine Corps
- Raymond Burr, actor, United States Navy, wounded in the Battle of Okinawa.
- George Bush, president, US Navy
- Sid Caesar, comedian, US Coast Guard
- Tony Canadeo, professional football player, US Army
- Art Carney, actor, US Army
- Johnny Carson, Tonight Show host, US Navy
- William Casey, CIA Director, OSS US Navy
- Warren Christopher, former Secretary of State, US Navy
- Gordon P. Chung-Hoon first Asian-American admiral, US Navy
- Lee van Cleef, actor, US Navy
- Morris Cohen, postwar USSR Spy, US Army
- Jerry Coleman, professional baseball player and broadcaster, US Marine Corps
- William Conrad, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Jackie Coogan, actor, United States Army Air Forces, volunteered for hazardous duty as a Flight Officer for the 1st Air Commando Group, flying gliders.
- Ken Curtis, actor, US Army
- Tony Curtis, actor, United States Navy, served from 1942-1945 aboard a submarine tender in the Pacific Theater. Personally witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
- Benjamin O. Davis Sr, first African-American general, US Army
- Benjamin O. Davis Jr, commander of Tuskegee Airmen, US Army Air Corps
- Jack Dempsey, boxer, US Coast Guard
- David Dinkins, NYC mayor, US Marine Corps
- Bob Dole, senator, US Army
- Kirk Douglas, actor, US Navy
- Charles Durning, actor, US Army, participated in the Battle of Normandy landings and was one of the few survivors of the infamous Malmedy massacre.
- Buddy Ebsen, actor, US Coast Guard
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, President, US Army
- Will Eisner, acclaimed comics artist and creator of the term "graphic novel", US Army
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr., actor, Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy, assigned to Lord Mountbatten's Commando staff in England where he formulated an idea for a unit designed to create military deception involving fake beach landings to confuse the enemy.
- Norman Fell, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Bob Feller, baseball player, United States Navy, chief of an anti-aircraft gun crew aboard USS Alabama, earned five campaign ribbons, eight battle stars.
- Gerald Ford, President, US Navy
- Glenn Ford, actor, naturalized US citizen, United States Marine Corps, winner of the Legion d'Honneur .
- John Ford, director, US Navy
- Samuel G. Fuqua, Medal of Honor winner, US Navy
- Paul Fussell, author/professor, US Army
- Clark Gable, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Daryl Gates, former LAPD chief, US Navy
- John Glenn, astronaut/test pilot, US Marine Corps
- Barry Goldwater, senator, US Army Air Corps
- Harold Gould, actor, United States Army
- Hank Greenberg, baseball player, Lieutenant, United States Army Air Forces
- Woody Guthrie, folk singer, Merchant Marine
- Bill Halsey, US Navy Fleet Admiral
- Sterling Hayden, actor, OSS, United States Marine Corps
- Joseph Heller, author Catch-22, US Army Air Corps
- Charlton Heston, actor, US Army Air Corps
- William Patrick Hitler, nephew of Adolph Hitler, US Navy
- William Holden, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Rock Hudson, actor, US Navy
- E. Howard Hunt, Watergate figure, US Navy and US Army Air Corps
- Daniel Inouye, US Senator, US Army
- Chappie James, US Army Air Corps
- Lyndon B. Johnson, President, US Navy
- Russell Johnson, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson, founder of Shakey's Pizza, US Navy
- James Jones, author The Thin Red Line, US Army
- Robert Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo, US Marine Corps
- Brian Keith, actor, US Marine Corps
- DeForest Kelley, actor, US Army Air Corps
- George Kennedy, actor, US Army
- John F. Kennedy, President, US Navy
- Jack Kerouac, author On the Road, Merchant Marine
- Hank Ketcham, creator of Dennis the Menace, US Navy
- Henry Kissinger, diplomat, US Army
- Werner Klemperer, actor, US Army
- Jack Klugman, actor, US Army
- Ted Knight, actor, US Army
- Don Knotts, actor, US Army
- Ed Koch, NYC mayor & second People's Court judge, US Army
- Nancy Kulp, actress, US Navy
- Burt Lancaster, actor, US Army
- Tom Landry, coach of Dallas Cowboys, US Army Air Corps
- Lyndon LaRouche, political activist and candidate, US Army
- Frank Lautenberg, US senator, US Army
- Norman Lear, TV producer, US Army Air Corps
- Roy Lichtenstein, artist, US Army
- Charles Lindbergh, pioneer aviator, flew 50 combat missions as a civilian
- Douglas MacArthur, US Army General
- Norman Mailer, author, US Army
- Delbert Mann, director, United States Army Air Forces
- Strother Martin, actor, US Navy
- Lee Marvin, actor, US Marine Corps
- Walter Matthau, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Joseph McCarthy, senator, US Marine Corps
- George McGovern, politician, US Army Air Corps
- Ed McMahon, US Marine Corps fighter pilot, flight instructor and test pilot, also served in Korea, remained in reserves, retiring with rank of Colonel in 1966, then commissioned Brigadier General in California Air National Guard
- Robert McNamara, former Secretary of Defense, US Army Air Corps
- Russ Meyer, B-movie director
- James A. Michener, author, US Navy
- Glenn Miller, band leader, Captain, United States Army Air Forces, killed on active duty.
- Robert Montgomery, actor, Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy
- Zero Mostel, actor, US Army
- Audie Murphy, actor, US Army
- Paul Newman, actor, US Navy
- Chester Nimitz, US Navy Admirial
- Richard Nixon, President, US Navy
- Carroll O'Connor, actor, Merchant Marine
- George Patton, US Army General
- Tom Poston, actor of Newhart fame, US Army Air Corps
- Tyrone Power, actor, Second Lieutenant, US Marine Corps, served with VMR-253 during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
- Mario Puzo, author The Godfather, US Army Air Corps
- Tony Randall, actor, US Army
- Harry Reasoner, journalist on 60 Minutes
- Carl Reiner, actor, US Army
- William H. Rehnquist U.S. Supreme Court Associate and Chief Justice
- Don Rickles, actor/comedian, US Navy, served as a seaman aboard USS Cyrene, a motor torpedo boat tender
- Jason Robards Jr, actor, United States Navy, winner of the Navy Cross.
- Dan Rowan, comedian/tv personality, US Army Air Forces, flew P-40's in the Pacific Theater, scoring two kills before being shot down and seriously wounded over New Guinea. Winner of the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart.
- Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, US Army Air Corps
- Andy Rooney, political commentator, US Army
- Mickey Rooney, actor
- John Russell, actor, US Marine Corps
- Robert Ryan, actor, US Marine Corps
- Telly Savalas, actor, US Army
- George Schultz, Reagan administration figure, US Marine Corps
- Charles M. Schulz, creator of comic strip Peanuts, US Army
- Rod Serling, Twilight Zone host, US Army, earning the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for bravery.
- Alan Shepard, Mercury program astronaut, US Navy
- Rodger W. Simpson, Rear Admiral, US Navy
- Red Skelton, actor/comedian
- Deke Slayton, Mercury program astronaut, US Army Air Corps
- Warren Spahn, baseball player, US Army, combat engineer who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and at the Ludendorff Bridge, earning a battlefield commission. Also won the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for bravery.
- Robert Stack, actor, US Navy
- Rod Steiger, actor, US Navy
- John Paul Stevens, Senior U.S. Court Associate Justice
- Jimmy Stewart, actor, US Army Air Corps, flew 20 combat missions
- Joseph Stilwell, US Army General
- Charles Thone, former governor of Nebraska, US Army
- Leon Uris, author, US Marine Corps
- Kurt Vonnegut, author Slaughterhouse Five, US Army
- Roy Marlin "Butch" Voris, US Navy flying ace and founder of the Blue Angels
- Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV, MOH winner/highest ranking POW, US Army
- Mort Walker, creator of Beetle Bailey, US Army
- George Wallace, Governor of Alabama, US Army Air Corps
- Eli Wallach, actor, US Army
- Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, US Army
- Joseph Wapner, original The People's Court judge
- Jack Warden, actor, US Army Paratrooper
- Jack Webb, actor, US Army Air Corps
- Caspar Weinberger, former Secretary of Defense, US Army
- Charles Willeford, author, US Army
- Ted Williams, baseball player, fighter pilot, US Marine Corps
- Jonathan Winters, actor/comedian, US Marine Corps
- Ed Wood, B-movie director, US Marine Corps
- Chuck Yeager, first supersonic flight/fighter ace, US Army Air Corps
- Howard Zinn, historian, US Army Air Corps
- Harold Lee, Tail Gunner, US Airforce
