These days, it’s difficult to find a famous person who is willing to answer the call of military service. Granted, some on this list were drafted. However, others were not, including, most notably, Clark Gable.
Too old for World War II’s draft, he enlisted in the Army nonetheless. Here are a few other famous people who have served in the US Army.
Actors
James Doohan
Charlton Heston
Ice-T (a volunteer)
Athletes
Joe Louis (who is buried at Arlington; Ronald Reagan waived the criteria for internment)
Willie Mays
And, of course, Pat Tillman.
And, try as I might, I was unable to find any notable female athletes/actors who had served in the 
military, though Carole Lombard (Gable’s wife) was close. She died in a plane crash during a tour to sell war bonds.
UPDATE: Reader Jeffrey Boullier reminds me that Julia Child (RIP) served in the OSS. Jeffrey says that she had wanted to enlist as a WAC, but was considered too tall (6'2") if you can believe that.
UPDATE: Reader David C. informs me that James Doohan actually served in the Royal Canadian Artillery. It was my intention to highlight facts about the American Army here and in the other Veteran's Day posts, but "Scotty" stays. BTW, Mr. Doohan lost the middle finger of his right hand on D-Day. IMDb says that this can be seen in two Star Trek episodes: "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Cats Paw." So much for my observation abilities.
Love ya, Scotty.
