Jimmy Stewart’s Wonderful Life
With the holiday season once again upon us, it’s time to share a story I wrote a year ago about Jimmy Stewart. I’ve always admired the Academy-award winning actor for his role in the classic Christmas movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and for his service as WWII bomber pilot.
But it wasn’t until I started researching his story in more detail that I discovered Stewart was much more than a great actor and American. He was a man who suffered from and overcame PTSD, inspired millions of people with his kind words and spirit, and became a role model who left a lasting legacy of goodwill, patriotism, and selflessness that all Americans can be proud of.
In the eleven months since posting Stewart's story on my Facebook page, it’s reached more than 17 million people and received nearly 3.8 million comments, shares, and reactions - a testament to the enduring respect and admiration people have for the Hollywood actor and American patriot.
Scene from “It’s A Wonderful Life.” (PC: Associated Press)
The story as it appeared on December 22, 2018, with an extended postscript:
For all the fans of “It’s A Wonderful Life” and Jimmy Stewart. . .
Just months after winning his 1941 Academy Award for best actor in “The Philadelphia Story,” Jimmy Stewart, one of the best-known actors of the day, left Hollywood and joined the US Army. He was the first big-name movie star to enlist in World War II.
An accomplished private pilot, the 33-year-old Hollywood icon became a US Army Air Force aviator, earning his 2nd Lieutenant commission in early 1942. With his celebrity status and huge popularity with the American public, he was assigned to starring in recruiting films, attending rallies, and training younger pilots.
Stewart, however, wasn’t satisfied. He wanted to fly combat missions in Europe, not spend time in a stateside training command. By 1944, frustrated and feeling the war was passing him by, he asked his commanding officer to transfer him to a unit deploying to Europe. His request was reluctantly granted.
Stewart and his men after a bombing mission. (PC: US Air Force)
Stewart, now a Captain, was sent to England, where he spent the next 18 months flying B-24 Liberator bombers over Germany. Throughout his time overseas, the US Army Air Corps' top brass had tried to keep the popular movie star from flying over enemy territory. But Stewart would hear nothing of it.
Determined to lead by example, he bucked the system, assigning himself to every combat mission he could. By the end of the war he was one of the most respected and decorated pilots in his unit.
But his wartime service came at a high personal price.
In the final months of WWII he was grounded for being “flak happy,” today called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
When he returned to the US in August 1945, Stewart was a changed man. He had lost so much weight that he looked sickly. He rarely slept, and when he did he had nightmares of planes exploding and men falling through the air screaming (in one mission alone his unit had lost 13 planes and 130 men, most of whom he knew personally).
Maj. Jimmy Stewart confers with a B-24 crew member. (PC: U.S. Air Force)
He was depressed, couldn’t focus, and refused to talk to anyone about his war experiences. His acting career was all but over.
As one of Stewart's biographers put it, "Every decision he made [during the war] was going to preserve life or cost lives. He took back to Hollywood all the stress that he had built up.”
In 1946 he got his break. He took the role of George Bailey, the suicidal father in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The rest is history.
Actors and crew of the set realized that in many of the disturbing scenes of George Bailey unraveling in front of his family, Stewart wasn’t acting. His PTSD was being captured on film for potentially millions to see.
One of the most memorable scenes in “It’s A Wonderful Life.” (PC: RKO Radio Pictures)
But despite Stewart's inner turmoil, making the movie was therapeutic for the combat veteran. He would go on to become one of the most accomplished and loved actors in American history.
When asked in 1941 why he wanted to leave his acting career to fly combat missions over Nazi Germany, he said, "This country's conscience is bigger than all the studios in Hollywood put together, and the time will come when we'll have to fight.”
Postscript:
While Stewart was fighting in Europe, his Oscar statue was proudly displayed in his father’s Pennsylvania hardware store. Throughout his life, the beloved actor always said his father, a World War I veteran, was the person who had made the biggest impact on him.
In 1949, Stewart married Gloria Hatrick McLean, adopted her two young sons from her first marriage, Ronald and Michael, and two years later celebrated the birth of his twin daughters, Judy and Kelly.
After serving his country for more than 20 years, Brigadier General Stewart finished his US Air Force career at the mandatory retirement age of 60.
In June 1969, Stewart’s adopted son, Ronald, a 24-year-old lieutenant in the Marines, was serving with Company A, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, in Quang Tri, Vietnam, when his six-man recon patrol came under heavy attack. During the ensuing firefight, Lt. McLean killed eight communist soldiers, sacrificed his life to save a wounded Marine, and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.
Stewart and his wife, Gloria, congratulate their son, Ronald McLean, on becoming a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. He would be killed in Vietnam a year later. (PC: findagrave)
“I don't think there's a day goes by that I don't think of Ron,” Jimmy Stewart told a UPI reporter in 1982. “He wanted to be a Marine. And I, and I encouraged it. I thought it was wonderful. He wanted to serve his country ... I don't think it's a tragedy. It's a loss ... it's a terrible, terrible loss, but tragic, no. He died for his country."
Jimmy Stewart was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985 and died in 1997 at the age of 89.
This holiday season, as many of us watch the classic Christmas film, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” it’s also a fitting time to remember the sacrifices of Jimmy Stewart, his son, Ron, and all the men who gave up so much to serve their country during wartime. We will always remember you!
Feature/top photo: Lt. Gen. Valin, Chief of Staff, French Air Force, awards the Croix De Guerre with Palm to Col. Jimmy Stewart for exceptional services in the liberation (PC: U.S. Air Force)
Growing up, I was constantly being reminded that I shared the same name with a beloved actor. I can’t think of another Hollywood icon that I would rather be named after. I had the honor of visiting him star in Hollywood last year on the corner of Hollywood and Vine. He shares that corner with the Neil Armstrong and friends!
What an honor to share a name with such a great man! Terrific you got to see his star in Hollywood.
Appreciate your reading the blog and commenting.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Mr. Ned Forney, you are determined to answer every comment! Amazing. My sister and I are immigrants from Korea in the late 70’s and loved this movie as embodying what America and Americans is about. As children we, believe it or not, memorized the lines and would re-enact parts. Honestly we couldn’t name the individual actors or pickout individuals because all the Americans looked alike. But this movie embodied a sense of comfort that no matter what, this country will always right itself.
Thank you for this powerful and much appreciated comment, Peter. Our country has such a rich history, and it’s people like you who make it so unique.
My wife and I love the image of you and your sister memorizing the lines and acting out the parts- that’s a great story.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
In so many of his great roles, that surging anger against evil emerged. Its source had to be in the battles he experienced in service to our country. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance comes to mind. Jimmy Stuart is a true American hero.
Thanks for reading and for the thoughtful comment. That’s a movie we need to see- glad you mentioned it.
Happy holidays, Mark!
The movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ has been my favorite for as long as I can remember. I’m 68 – long time! And the character of George Bailey is one of my heroes, one who always does what’s right, regardless of the personal cost. I knew that Jimmy Stewart served in WWII, but not much more. Now I know who the real hero was. Thank you so much for this article.
Thank you for reading the article and taking the time to share your thoughts, Nan. I’m glad you enjoyed the story and wish you a happy holiday.
I’ve always admired Jimmy Steward! I remember when I was in my teens, I came home late and my Mother was alone watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” on TV. She said to me you have to see this movie it’s great. It was more than great, it started a revered tradition for me. I watch it every Christmas season. I even got my son’s to watch it.
Thank you for your great story about a great actor and American!
Thanks for sharing this, Peter. Your mom started a great tradition. We also really enjoy watching the movie every year.
Happy holidays!
Thank you for this wonderful article about a remarkable man.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Marjorie, and appreciate your taking the time to comment.
Hope you have a great holiday season!
What a great American and a GREAT selfless human being.
Exactly- “selfless” is the perfect description. Thanks for reading and commenting, Kevin. Happy Holidays!
Thank you for this story. I wish the nightly news could find 3 minutes a night to do a profile in courage of brave men like General Stewart.
Great suggestion, Jeff. Totally agree – it would be very inspiring and would help remind people what our veterans have done for America and our allies.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.
Happy holidays!
I thought he was an actor who you could just feel his vulnerability and heart. Now I know why. What an impressive and wonderful man. Didn’t know all this. Thanks so much.
Thanks for reading the story and commenting, Marie. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Hope you have a great holiday season!
Thank you for sharing this story about Jimmy Stewart—one of my favorite actors, but, more importantly, a great American and an inspiration to all of us.
Jimmy Stewart definitely inspires! Appreciate your reading and commenting, Scott.
Happy holidays!
Mr Forney, I appreciate your article. It helps put the pieces together of the patrol. I was on the patrol that lost Lt McLean. “American Beauty” was the teams name and we were to capture and bring back a POW in the DMZ to glean information from. The entire team was wounded and now, there are only two of us left. Myself and the Corpman Doc Sheriff. The story was written up in VIET-NAM magazine. None of the team members agreed on what exactly happened, and Jeff Grosscup wrote it up the best he could. He was one of two officers that formed the reactionary company that finally came out and rescued us. I think 4 choppers were shot up trying to rescue us, Spooky , one of two C130’s provided Electric Gatling power to prevent us from getting over run. Basket Ball , a flare ship provided light. The Artillary came from 2 firebases. Arial Observers were a OV-10 Bronco and a grasshopper L-3 or a variant was initially our AO. We were told to stay and fight, no escape and evasion. The body had to be recovered. Finally after about a 35 hour fire fight, we carried the body out.
I’m not sure where all the fixed wing came in, but every branch of service helped us out. I believe a Prairie Fire was called which I think is the same as Broken Fire. The services went all out to try to protect us. I think if you type Robert Lake Viet Nam ,
the story by Jeff Grosscup will come up. I reached out to the Stewart family, but I never had the guts for a visit. I still have many questions about that patrol and yes, the VA says I have PTSD.
Bob- So glad you saw this blog. It’s a great honor to have you comment on the story about Lt. McLean since you were there with him. As a former Marine infantry officer, I have so much respect for what you Recon guys do. I did a little research on you and the “American Beauty” Mission. It’s an incredible story. It’s great to hear that you finally received your Purple Heart, and I salute you and all the men that were with you during those 35 hours of hell.
I’m going to send you an email about a possible follow-up article on you and American Beauty.
Again, thanks for taking the time to share this, and I wish you a happy holiday.
Semper Fi!
I knew he’d flown missions in the Army Air Corps in WWII because my mother told me rheum were were watching Strategic Air Command together. What I didn’t know was he had PTSD (not uncommon) and that he remained in the USAF Reserve ro retire as a Brigadier General.
I had the privilege of meeting him not long before his death. He was truly nice and a wonderful man.
I enjoyed researching and learning about him- such an interesting person.
Great you got to meet him! On my FB post last year there were so many similar comments- about what a nice and gracious man he was.
Appreciate your reading and commenting and happy holidays, Tiffanie.
I had a friend who was an RN and took care of Mr Stewart’s mother at the Stewart’s home. My friend Ruth said she was washing dishes and Mr Stewart had her stop and took the job himself. He was my favorite actor.
I’ve heard so many stories about how Jimmy Stewart was “the real deal” – down to earth and able to connect with everybody. Your story definitely speaks to that.
Thanks for sharing, Cheryl, and a great holiday!
Jimmy Stewart was and is a “great American “.
He could have easily avoided the dangers of combat, but chose to serve his country in dangerous places. Our nation owes much to men like him. God Bless a true hero!!
Well put, Ed. You’ve got to respect someone who does what Jimmy Stewart did.
Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a great holiday season.
Awesome information and encouragement for me. People who want us to become socialist or worse communist need to realize how many people have died defending our freedom. Never forget the sacrifice of these brave people.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Richard, and I’m glad you found the article encouraging.
We owe our veterans so much. Glad to do my small part in helping to honor and remember their sacrifices.
Wishing you happy holidays!
PTSD has been known in a variety of names … yer, only those that have been there, ‘have been there!’
A silent salute for the article
Patriotism from Hollywood seems to he from a different breed.
Thanks for the story of such a great example …
Doc Navarrete’
Thanks for reading and commenting, Doc.
You’re right- PTSD has been known by a variety of names, and even today it’s sad to see so many young men and women suffering.
I salute you for your service in Vietnam and wish you a happy holiday season.
Beautiful.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Anne. I’m glad you enjoyed it and appreciate this compliment.
Happy Holidays!
A very good read about a great Patriot.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Robert. I’m glad you enjoyed it and wish you a happy holiday season.
I had no idea about Jimmy Stewart being in the Military.
I must have thought photos of him in uniform was for a movie.
Thank you Jimmy Stewart and Son Ron tor you sacrifice 🙏🏼RIP🙏🏼
Thank you for reading and commenting, Lenore.
Wishing you happy holidays!
I love all of his movies. His service to our country is an added highlight to his dedication. My all time favorite was when he played Glenn Miller.
In the Glenn Miller Story, which by the way was also focused on WWII.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Clyde. Glad you brought up that movie- reminds me that we want to watch it soon!
Happy Holidays.
Thank u for this story about a great man and wonderful actor
Thanks for reading the story and taking the time to comment, Martha.
Wishing you happy holidays.