Famous Veterans

Famous Veterans, Navigation, combat and intelligence are just a few of many areas of the military in which people can serve. Each year, we honor those who have served on Veterans Day, observed on Nov. 11. To help commemorate Veterans Day this year, we’ve compiled a list of some well-known veterans.

Joseph M. Acaba

NASA astronaut Acaba , known for being the first NASA astronaut candidate of Puerto Rican heritage, served in the military for six years. He has also worked as a hydrogeologist and spent two years in the Peace Corps.

Alan Alda

Former "M*A*S*H" star Alda joined the military after graduating from this university. The Emmy and Golden Globe winner  served for six months in the Korean War.

Tony Bennett

Legendary singer Bennett got his first chance to sing while in the military. The New Yorker  served in France and Germany during World War II.

Ben Bradlee

Former executive editor of The Washington Post and current vice president at-large, Bradlee  had a role in the publication of reports of the Watergate scandal. Well before that, he graduated from this prestigious university and joined the military.

George H. W. Bush

Former President George H. W. Bush  joined the U.S. Navy on June 12, 1942 - the day he turned 18. He served as a Naval aviator  and was later awarded numerous medals  for his time in service.

Drew Carey

Comedian and game-show host Carey served in the military for six years in the 1980s. It was during his time in service that Carey  started doing stand-up comedy .

Johnny Carson

Legendary television host of this late-night show , Carson was a former ensign to the U.S. military. Following training, Carson  was called for duty on what ended up being the last day of the war.

Bill Cosby

Eighties sitcom star  Cosby joined the military in 1956 and served for four years. The funnyman  was part of the military track team during his time in service and later attended this university on a track and field scholarship.

Clint Eastwood

Famed actor, director and producer Eastwood  was drafted into the military in 1950, after the Korean War began. The Academy Award winner  met a number of other actor-soldiers  during his time in service.

Jocelyn Elders

Before she was the surgeon general of the United States , Elders provided aid to soldiers returning from the Korean War. The Arkansas native  was somewhat controversial during her time as surgeon general and resigned from the position after 15 months.

Elvis Presley

At the height of his popularity, the King of Rock and Roll found himself being drafted into the military near the end of 1957. He was able to defer it for a couple of months so he could finish work on this movie. Elvis started his service in March of 1958 and stayed in for two years, meeting a very special person while serving .

Bob Feller

Before and after his time in service, Feller  was a successful major-league pitcher . He interrupted his baseball career to join the military in 1941 after hearing on the radio that Pearl Harbor had been attacked.

Malcolm Forbes

In his days before becoming a multimillionaire publisher , Malcolm Forbes fought in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany in World War II.  The Princeton University grad was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his time in service.

R. Buckminster Fuller

Inventor, engineer and author Fuller  trained as an aviator after joining the military. He invented a seaplane rescue mast during his time in service.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix  found himself often in trouble as a young man before becoming a legendary guitarist . Made to choose between jail time or military service, Hendrix chose the latter. He served only a year and was honorably discharged.

John Kerry

The former senator and presidential hopeful  served in the military during this war. Kerry faced action during the war and was awarded several medals . When he tried to run for president, a group questioned his military service.

Jessica Lynch

Jessica Lynch  became a national figure after word spread that her unit was attacked and she was taken captive while serving in this country. Lynch was held captive until a battalion of Marines and Navy SEALs stormed the hospital where she was being held. She has since left the military to attend this university.

Chuck Norris

Long before you watched him in "Walker, Texas Ranger" , Norris graduated from high school and enlisted in the military. It was during his time in Korea that Norris  took an interest in martial arts and became the martial arts guru we know today.

Sumner Redstone

The man we know today as a media giant had a role in military intelligence during World War II. Today’s chairman of National Amusements, Redstone  finished his military career with the rank of first lieutenant.

Tom Ridge

Former secretary of homeland security , Ridge was drafted into the military in 1968. The former congressman and Pennsylvania governor  could have deferred as he was in law school  at the time, but he chose to serve.

Shaggy

Reggae singer and rapper Shaggy moved to Brooklyn from Jamaica when he was 18. In 1988, he enlisted in the U.S. military as a Field Artillery Cannon Crewman.

George Steinbrenner

Former New York Yankees owner Steinbrenner  joined the military in 1952 after graduating from college. During his time in service, he set up sporting events for those in the military.

Don Steinbrunner

A former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle, Steinbrunner enlisted in the military after a knee injury cut his football career short. He served as a navigator and was killed with his fellow crewmen when his plane was shot down. Following his death, Steinbrunner was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and a Distinguished Flying Cross.

Fred W. Smith

Smith, the CEO of FedEx, founded the express delivery company a year after his four-year military service. The businessman  served during the Vietnam War .

Dave Thomas

Thomas, the founder of this popular fast-food restaurant, voluntarily joined the military during the Korean War in order to avoid the draft. After attending the former Cook’s and Baker’s School at the military post in Fort Benning, Ga., Thomas  was given the job of feeding 2,000 soldiers every day in Germany.  

Pat Tillman

After turning down a $3.6 million contract with NFL team the Arizona Cardinals, the former safety enlisted in the military in May 2002, eight months after the September 11 attacks. Tillman  fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was killed in 2004 while serving in Afghanistan.

Charles Walgreen

Before he started his chain of drug stores, Walgreen enlisted with the 1st Illinois Volunteer Cavalry and served in Cuba. The pharmacist  became very ill with malaria and yellow fever during his time in war.

George Westinghouse

Founder of the Westinghouse Electric Company in 1866, Westinghouse  was a well-known inventor and engineer of his time. He was awarded an astonishing number of patents over the course of his life . Before this success, he enlisted in the military as a teenager and served in two branches over a three-year period.

Montel Williams

Before he became the well-known talk show host he is today, Williams joined the military. The motivational speaker  served in two branches of the military and took part in intelligence work.