The life of a celebrity seems glamorous but many stars have experienced a decidedly non-glamorous part of life by serving their country before or after becoming famous. We take a look at 11 of those stars.
1. Chuck Norris. The TV star, who is known for his combat and martial arts skills, served as an Air Policeman in South Korea after he joined the United States Air Force in 1958, Business Insider noted.
2. Jimmy Stewart. Coming from a family of military men, Stewart enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941, moving through the ranks from private to colonel within four years, according to Mental Floss.
3. Clint Eastwood. During the Korean War, the actor and director was drafted by the U.S. Army and served as a lifeguard at Fort Ord in California, CBS News noted.
4. Paul Newman. In 1943, after finishing high school, Newman joined the U.S. Navy where he served as a radio operator and also helped train replacement combat pilots on carriers in the Pacfic theatre, History Hit reported.
5. Ice-T. Coming off the streets of Los Angeles, the rapper decided to give back by serving his country, spending four years in Hawaii as part of the 25th Infantry Division at the Tropic Lightning Schofield Barracks, according to Business Insider.
6. Elvis Presley. The King of Rock and Roll completed his basic training in September 1958 and went on to serve in Friedberg, Germany, for two years before being honorably discharged as Seargeant, Mental Floss noted.
7. Mel Brooks. Known then as Melvin Kaminsky, the actor and filmmaker served as a combat engineer, defusing landmines during World War II, according to CBS News.
8. Morgan Freeman. The star turned down a scholarship for drama at Jackson State University to join the U.S. Air Force in 1955, where he trained as a fighter pilot before leaving in 1959, Military.com noted.
9. Gene Hackman. The Oscar winner was just 16 when he joined the Marines, serving for nearly five years before going on to pursue his acting career, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
10. Jimmy Hendrix. The iconic singer and songwriter enlisted in 1961, after authorities caught him riding stolen cars and gave him the choice of going to jail or serving his country, Business Insider noted. Hendrix was assigned the 101st Airborne Division in Kentucky but was later discharged due to an ankle injury.
11. Johnny Cash. The legendary country musician was straight out of high school when he joined the Air Force at the start of the Korean War, spending the bulk of his four-year stint in Germany, according to Military.com
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