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He wanted to very much. But by the time WWII rolled around Wayne was in his 40s and had four small children to provide for. So he did the next best thing. He made movies about the war which in part helped to keep the morale up on the homefront. He also went to the troops, shook a lot of hands and told the enlisted men how much America and the free world appreciated all they were doing to end the tyranny in Europe. They loved him. Wayne, whether you liked him or not, was not capable of insincerity. The soldiers knew it too.
Utter nonsense. Wayne sought to avoid the draft, the war, and the service, very hard, which is why he remains among veterans of that time, persona non grata. Even his best friend, John Ford, chided him for his evading service. Many believe that to compensate for his cowardice and selfishness, he played the "super-patriot" the rest of his life, making millions from a false front while REAL heroes, like Gable, and James Stewart, and DiMaggio, who had as much, if not MORE to lose, risked their lives and were genuine heroes.
He told friends he'd enlist after he made just one or two more movies.
The real question is why he never did so. Wayne cranked out thirteen movies during the war, many with war-related themes. Most of the films were enormously successful and within a short time, the Duke was one of America's most popular stars. His bank-ability now firmly established, he could have joined the military, secure in the knowledge that Hollywood would welcome him back later. He even made a half-hearted effort to sign up, sending in the paperwork to enlist in the naval Photography unit commanded by a good friend, director John Ford.
But he didn't follow through. Nobody really knows why; Wayne didn't like to talk about it.
Wiki User
∙ 6y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoJohn Wayne COULD have gotten into the military, he simply chose not to do so. His draft ranking was, originally, 3-A (deferment due to age and family) but later became 1-A (eligible for draft). At any point he was perfectly free to join the military like Henry Fonda did, but Wayne simply didn't.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoNo, he never volunteered and was never drafted.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoBecause the military authorities thought he would be much more usefully employed in making movies for them.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agohe was too old for conscription, (34) and had contracts to studios
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoNo!
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What branch of the military did john Wayne serve in?
royal airforce
What military rank did actor John Wayne have?
John Wayne was never in the Armed Forces. The only rank he had were the ones his charachter's were awarded in his movies.
What John Wayne movie did he get a tooth pulled that he didnt plan on?
It may have been Dark Command (1940) in which Wayne plays a dentist's assistant.
Was Audie murphy married to Shirley Temple?
No. She was married to John Agar, who did serve in the military during The War.
Jennifer Wayne Daughter of which son of John Wayne?
John Ethan Wayne, Son of John Wayne, is Jennifer's father.
What branch of the military did john Wayne serve in?
royal airforce
What military rank did actor John Wayne have?
John Wayne was never in the Armed Forces. The only rank he had were the ones his charachter's were awarded in his movies.
What branch of the military did john glenn serve in?
navy
What John Wayne movie did he get a tooth pulled that he didnt plan on?
It may have been Dark Command (1940) in which Wayne plays a dentist's assistant.
Did john boehner serve in the military?
for 8 whole weeks...
Did John Adams serve in the military?
No
Did John Quincy Adams serve in the in the military?
No. Adams was a diplomat, not a soldier.
Did John Quincy Adams serve in the US military?
No. Adams was a diplomat, not a soldier.
What branch of the military did John Battelle serve in?
He served in the Navy for two years.
Why is a can opener called a John Wayne?
This is the nickname of the military can opener P-38 that was used in both the K Rations and the C Rations from WWII to the 1980's. It is known as the "John Wayne" for it's dependability and toughness.
Did John Tyler serve in the military?
Yes , John Tyler served in the Second Seminole War. The war ended in the 1800's .
Is John Wayne single?
No, John Wayne is not single.
