re: World War 2 soldiers who went on to be famous

I know he was already maybe the best actor in Hollywood but Jimmy Stewart deserves to be recognized here just for what he did

Stewart became the first major American movie star to enlist in the United States Army to fight in World War II.[110] His family had deep military roots: both of his grandfathers had fought in the Civil War,[111] and his father had served during both the Spanish–American War and World War I.[112] After first being rejected for low weight in November, 1940, he enlisted in February, 1941.[113][N 1] As an experienced amateur pilot, he reported for induction as a private in the Air Corps on March 22, 1941.[115] Soon to be 33 years old, he was over the age limit for Aviation Cadet training—the normal path of commissioning for pilots, navigators and bombardiers—and therefore applied for an Air Corps commission as both a college graduate and a licensed commercial pilot.[116] Stewart received his commission as a second lieutenant on January 1, 1942.[117]

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Lieutenant James Stewart in Winning Your Wings (1942)
After enlisting, Stewart made no new commercial films, although he remained under contract to MGM. His public appearances were limited to engagements for the Army Air Forces.[116] The Air Corps scheduled him on network radio with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, and on the radio program We Hold These Truths, a celebration of the United States Bill of Rights, which was broadcast a week after the attack on Pearl Harbor.[118] Stewart also appeared in a First Motion Picture Unit short film, Winning Your Wings, to help recruit airmen. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1942, it appeared in movie theaters nationwide beginning in late May, 1942 and resulted in 150,000 new recruits.[119]

Stewart was concerned that his celebrity status would relegate him to duties behind the lines.[118] After spending over a year training pilots at Kirtland Army Airfield in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[120] he appealed to his commander and was sent to England as part of the 445th Bombardment Group to pilot a B-24 Liberator, in November 1943, and was based initially at RAF Tibenham before moving to RAF Old Buckenham.[121]

A military officer pinning an award to Stewart's decorated military jacket, among other uniformed soldiers
Colonel Stewart receiving the Croix de Guerre with Palm in 1944
Stewart was promoted to Major following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944.[122][N 2] He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2d Bombardment Wing,[124] and the French Croix de Guerre with palm and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.[125] Stewart was promoted to full colonel on March 29, 1945,[126] becoming one of the few Americans to ever rise from private to colonel in only four years.[127] At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court martial of a pilot and navigator who accidentally bombed Zurich, Switzerland.[128]

Stewart returned to the United States in early fall 1945.[129] He continued to play a role in reserve of the Army Air Forces after the war,[130] and was also one of the 12 founders of the Air Force Association in October, 1945.[131] Stewart would eventually transfer to the reserves of the United States Air Force after the Army Air Forces split from the Army, in 1947. During active-duty periods he served with the Strategic Air Command and completed transition training as a pilot on the B-47 and B-52.[132]

Stewart was first nominated for promotion to brigadier general in February, 1957; however, his promotion was initially opposed by Senator Margaret Chase Smith.[132] At the time of the nomination, the Washington Daily News noted: "He trains actively with the Reserve every year. He's had 18 hours as first pilot of a B-52."[133] On July 23, 1959, Stewart was promoted to brigadier general, becoming the highest-ranking actor in American military history.[134] During the Vietnam War, he flew as a non-duty observer in a B-52 on an Arc Light bombing mission in February, 1966.[135] He served for 27 years, officially retiring from the Air Force on May 31, 1968, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60.[136] Upon his retirement, he was awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.[137] Stewart rarely spoke about his wartime service,[138] but did appear in an episode of the British television documentary series The World at War (1974), commenting on the disastrous 1943 mission against Schweinfurt, Germany.[139] In 1985, Stewart was promoted to rank of major general on the Air Force retired list