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Movie star leaves mark in mail, at theater

  • Published
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Jimmy Stewart, arguably the Air Force Reserve's most famous Citizen Airman, received two tributes in mid-August.

On Aug. 17 the U.S. Postal Service issued a 41-cent stamp bearing his image. The stamp is the 13th stamp in the "Legends of Hollywood" series.

Four days earlier, 11th Wing officials at Bolling AFB, D.C., dedicated Building 52 as the Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart Theater. In the 1940s, the facility served as the base theater. Today it is a technology center. Last year 37,000 people trained there.

Mr. Stewart debuted in the film business in 1934. He was the first major movie star to enter the service in World War II. He kept up his military service until 1968 when he retired from the Air Force Reserve as a brigadier general.

When he received his draft notice in 1941, Mr. Stewart appeared at the board in Los Angeles weighing 138 pounds, 5 pounds under the acceptable weight. He was turned down.

He went home, ate as much as he could and went back and enlisted in the Army Air Force. He passed the physical this time and in March 1941, at age 32, he reported for duty as Private James Stewart at Fort MacArthur in Los Angeles. He was assigned to the Army Air Force at Moffett Field near San Francisco.

In January 1942, Mr. Stewart was commissioned a second lieutenant. Since he already possessed his pilot's license and commercial pilot's license before enlisting, he was sent to California as a twin-engine instructor on the B-17 and B-24. In March 1944, he transferred to the 453rd Bombardment Group and flew 20 combat missions in the B-24.

Before the war ended, he was promoted to colonel and remained in the Air Force Reserve after the war ended. In 1959, the U.S. Senate approved his promotion to brigadier general, making him the highest-ranking entertainer in the U.S. military. He retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1968 after 27 years of service. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)