How many openly gay US soldiers fought in World War 2?

Answer 1

Being 'openly gay' before the late 1960s in the U.S. (and most European countries, too) was a complete no-no. If any man had been obviously gay in the military there would have been really serious trouble. There was an absolute **Horror** of homosexuality that is now hard to imagine. So, none were openly gay. In Britain, Quentin Crisp - who was openly gay, with feminine mannerisms, who often wore make up and so on - had a bit of a rough time in 1939. He was subjected to a humiliating medical, after which one of the army doctors said, "Male and female created He them". Crisp's papers were stamped in large letters "Exempted from military service on grounds of SEXUAL PERVERSION". That may convey something of the flavour of attitudes at the time - and they were no different in the U.S.

Answer 2

The exact number will never be known. At the time this was a triable court-martial offense (and there were rumors the Navy tried, unsuccessfully to ban masturbation on submarines) and few would invite hot water-or worse with the JAG boys. If caught the gays and lesbians were at the very least re-assigned and possibly held in confinement or discharged dishonorably, it is not known if this happened in the higher up ranks such as commissioned officers. There were a lot of females in logistics and intelligence roles one wonders. as they say, in War, truth is the first casualty!