During World War II the Hollywood crowd supported the US Army and America in its time of need. Some stars like Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Clark Gable and others enlisted, others helped by raising money. They made the country aware of War Bonds, and encouraged every American to buy them for the sake of the country.
TV was not around so these stars promoted War Bonds in theaters nationwide. The theaters had short films and newsreels where stars like James Cagney, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich and others would appear as themselves and encouraged the purchase of War Bonds. When the movie “Desperate Journey” (1942) opened in Illinois, each ticket required a purchase of a $25 War Bond. That’s how committed Americans were to the cause. Talk about patriotism. These stars used their talents not to hurt the country, but to help it because they believed in it.
Nobody likes War, but when Pearl Harbor was attacked the United States mobilized and came together, including those in Hollywood for the greater good. War Bonds were used to supply the US Army with supplies, food and weapons. These stars raised millions of dollars. One star that comes to my mind is Carol Lombard, who single-handedly raised two million dollars worth of War Bonds in her hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana. She made the ultimate sacrifice, in my mind, she died in a plane crash as she was returning to California. President Roosevelt awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom as being the first woman killed in the line of duty for WWII.
These Classic Hollywood stars stepped outside of themselves to help, some in the war front, others in the home front, but both were soldiers in my book, and worthy of the highest honors indeed.
