3. Johnny Carson
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Carson didn’t always sit behind a desk. The TV star enlisted in the Navy in 1943 in hopes of becoming a pilot. Instead, Carson was sent to Columbia University to train as a midshipman — and often performed magic tricks for his classmates. Carson was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania in the Pacific Ocean and was en route to the ship when it was torpedoed on Aug. 12, 1945. Carson reported for duty on Aug. 14, 1945, the last day of the war.
2. Paul Newman
Credit: Wikipedia
Newman served during World War II. He wanted to be a pilot, but couldn’t because of his colorblindness. Instead, the actor became a radioman and gunner for the Navy where he served from 1943-1945.
1. Kurt Vonnegut
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When Kurt Vonnegut wrote about allies firebombing Dresden in Slaughterhouse-Five, he was writing from personal experience. The famed writer was captured during the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944, and was confined in a German prisoner of war camp near the city during the February 1945 aerial campaign. Vonnegut received a Purple Heart for his service in World War II, along with three bronze service stars. The horrors he experienced during his military service fueled much of his work.