James Garner
It wasn’t acting that James Garner had a first love for. During the final months of World War Two, he was able to fulfil his lifelong dream of serving his country by joining the merchant navy. This is James Scott Bumgarner, and he was so enamoured with the idea of being accepted into the group that he deliberately dropped out of school and lied about his age. A variety of essential goods were being transported by way of the merchant marines to Europe at the time.
After the war, he went back to school and dropped out again, this time to join the Oklahoma National Guard, where he served for two years. He was drafted and served in the military during the Korean War, earning two Purple Hearts for his valour. The actor returned to California after serving his country and is now a full-time actor in Los Angeles.