Memorializing the Deadly Myth of John Wayne
Posted on May 26, 2007
Hey, gunslinger:
John Wayne donned military gear in “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949)
but he was missing in action on the real war front.
According to Gary Wills’ book “John Wayne’s America,” the man who portrayed the archetypal, battle-hardened Marine, Sgt. Stryker, in 1949’s “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” actually avoided the draft during WWII.
Wills contends that the Duke did not reply to letters from the Selective Service system, and applied for deferments.
Apparently, Wayne—who had sought stardom during years of B-pictures following Raoul Walsh’s 1930 frontier drama “The Big Trail”—got his big break during the struggle against fascism when many Hollywood action heroes like Tyrone Power enlisted and shipped out overseas.
Wills contends that the Duke did not reply to letters from the Selective Service system, and applied for deferments.
Apparently, Wayne—who had sought stardom during years of B-pictures following Raoul Walsh’s 1930 frontier drama “The Big Trail”—got his big break during the struggle against fascism when many Hollywood action heroes like Tyrone Power enlisted and shipped out overseas.
books.google.com
