We often salute celebrities for their work on screen or on stage.
But these are the celebrities who truly deserve our praise and admiration for something much more important. Something bigger than themselves.
These are the famous men and women who served in the armed forces prior to striking it big, and we"re here to offer them an online ovation…
1. Morgan Freeman
Hollywood legend Freeman served in the Air Force, where he worked as a radar technician. This period instilled in Freeman, an avid flying enthusiast, a lifelong love of the sky.
2. Drew Carey
The Price is Right host Drew Carey spent six years (1980-1986) in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. He still has the haircut!
3. Chuck Norris
Not only did Chuck Norris serve in the Air Force, but he has served as spokesman for the VA and was named the Air Force’s Veteran of the Year in 2001. It’s unclear if he won any top-secret wars using only his unparalleled martial arts skills.
4. Nate Dogg
Before becoming one of the men who took hip hop to the mainstream in the 1990s, Nate Dogg was a munitions specialist in the US Marines. The late rapper once said he joined the military to “see if I was a man.”
5. Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley, seen here in a 1958 photo, is perhaps the most famous celebrity veteran of all.
6. Bea Arthur
The Golden Girls star listed bow and rifle hunting on her Corps qualification card, and served as a typist and truck driver from 1943-1945, when she was honorably discharged.