Did Ronald Reagan serve during WW2?

[jpak]

Did he serve at all?

:shrug:

[northoftheborder]

1. Yes, it was either a desk job, or making video for military.

[TNDemo]

2. No. He made war movies during ww2.

He was said to really enjoy being in uniform and especially saluting, his favorite part of being president.

[Doc_Technical]

8. You can say that again!

[yurbud]

15. like John Wayne. The more they swaggered later, the more they cowered when they could have fought

[LiberalFighter]

3. No! He did public service ads for the military.

[somone]

4. In motion picture units

[KansDem]

14. I believe it was "Camp Hal Roach"

From DU thread of Jan. 4, 2007

brook's reply:
would be hidden behind the LATimes at breakfast and along with quarterbacking the world political scene, was blissfully unaware that Jane was at the same table. So one morning, she walked out of the house in her bathrobe and never went back. He noticed her absence somewhat later.

At least that's what an old time screenwriter told me long ago. The same screenwriter was at "Camp Hal Roach" with Ronnie during WWII and said RR complained that his fellow 'soldiers' either didn't wear their uniforms or were less than satorial when they did. Since they were writers and producers, they reminded Reagan that after the war it would be they who would be writing for and hiring actors. The complaints ceased. His political ambitions, as we know, did not.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x6014969

I read William Holden's biography, "Golden Boy" and it too mentioned "Camp Hal Roach" as the place where many professionals associated with Hollywood wound up if drafted during WWII. Reagan was one such person. "Golden Boy" describes Holden's reporting to Camp Hal Roach and the "seriousness" of Cpt. Reagan's initial meeting with him.

Well worth the read...

[WiffenPoof]

5. I Believe That He...

...served by doing films for the DoD on a variety of subjects. However, I do not think he served in combat.

-PLA

[liberal N proud]

6. Non-combat role making movies

United States Army Reserve, United States Army Air Corps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States_by_military_service


* Ronald Reagan: due to poor eyesight, served in a non-combat role making movies.

http://usliberals.about.com/b/2005/09/17/republican-hypocrisy-on-war-and-serving-in-the-armed-forces.htm

[Autumn]

7. No he did not.

When he went on about his war stories he was confusing his life with his scripts.

[TNDemo]

9. Wikipedia says he was in the army.

The show I watched last night on bps said he did not serve.

[dionysus]

10. i believe he stayed behind to bravely make propaganda films...

[LeftinOH]

11. Yes, of course.. here's proof:

(It's a movie). Reagan's military service is about as authentic as John Wayne's

[palm_to_forehead]

12. correct me if i'm wrong

I vaguely recall hearing that he was involved in the misdirection mission to fool the Germans into thinking D-Day would be in Italy instead of northern Europe. That was only because that mission was handled by the movie guys since it consisted largely of setting up fake tanks and equipment to fool German spy planes.

[pscot]

19. Don't believe everything

you vaguely recall hearing, grasshopper. That is the way of the teabagger.

[palm_to_forehead]

20. It was a History channel thing, the only time I had heard of RR in WWII

And correct me if I'm wrong again, but believing similarly vague comments fron anonymous posters on a forum is the way of...

[stopbush]

13. He wasn't allowed to serve actively due to his extremely poor eyesight.

Apparently he could only see about 12 feet. He was then enlisted to make instructional and propaganda films for the armed services.

[mmonk]

16. Serve what?

[arthritisR_US]

17. No he didn't...ok, just himself. n.t

[H2O Man]

18. He attempted to join,

but could not pass the eye tests; hence his desk duty.