Some months back I went into my studio and recorded this dedication segment to my hero, John Wayne, entitled “For What It’s Worth.” To me, John Wayne had a deep love for his country. His patriotism is reflected throughout his entire life. He had wanted to go into the military, but an old football injury prevented it. He is quoted as saying “More than anything else, I wanted to go to Annapolis and become an officer in the Navy. It was a terrible disappointment when I didn’t make it.”
The American public may have lost the chance at a great officer, but John Wayne never failed us. He worked closely with the USO in supporting the U.S. Troops from World War II through to Vietnam. His personal visits cheered and encouraged many a young service man. I too was caught up in this and John Wayne’s example was one of the main reasons I decided to enlist in the Air Force and volunteered for three straight tours in Vietnam. “Duke”, a name he was affectionately known as by millions of soldiers, wore Capt. Stephen P. Hanson’s POW bracelet after the Marine was shot down over Laos out of Vietnam. Sadly, Hanson never made it back home, but John Wayne stayed in contact with his wife and young son for years.
John Wayne had numerous honors bestowed upon him. During a visit to Vietnam in 1966 he was given a tribal bracelet by the Montagnard people. In 1973 he was honored with the Veterans Of Foreign Wars highest award, The National Americanism Gold Medal. Congress additionally awarded “Duke” the Congressional Gold Medal in 1979.
John Wayne loved his country and he loved its traditions. He once said “Sure I wave the American Flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.”
John Wayne died June 11, 1979, fighting the one enemy whose *** he could not whip. Here are my all time TOP FIVE favorite movie lines from “Duke”.
1. "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." (The Shootist)
2. Speaking to his young cavalry lieutenants: "Don't apologize—it's a sign of weakness." (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)
3. "Fill your hands, you sonofa*****!" (True Grit)
4. "That'll be the day!" (The Searchers - Spoken several times; inspired Buddy Holly to write a song with that title.)
5. "I haven't lost my temper in 40 years; but, Pilgrim, you caused a lot of trouble this morning; might have got somebody killed; and somebody oughta belt you in the mouth. But I won't. I won't. The hell I won't!" (He belts him). (To Leo Gordon in McLintock!).
I will remember the rest of my life where I was when President John F. Kennedy was killed, Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. When I got the news of “Duke’s” death, I was at my office. I excused myself from a staff meeting I was having, went into my private office, closed the door, and cried. With the possible exception of Bob Hope, I have never known anyone in my lifetime who did more for the troops, was prouder of his country and would defend her with his last dying breath.
For what it’s worth, John Wayne was my hero. WHO WAS YOURS?
But, John Wayne was just an actor who played heroic parts. Did he particake in any heroic events? To the best of my knowledge, John Wayne never served in the Military.
There are many in this day and age who would say about actors who they disagree with, "oh, they are just actors, what do they know?"
My answer to that was that Ronald Reagan and the late U.S. Senator from California, George Murphy, were "just actors".
We need to seperate the actual act of heroism from the part of acting like a hero.
To be sure, John Wayne was a great actor who played heroic parts. But he was no hero as compared to those ordinary persons on the battle front who proform heroic acts as a matter of fact.
I think Dave was stating JW was his personal hero, not so much a military hero. Nothing wrong with that. We all need something beyond ourselves to look up to.
I like John Wayne also. The only issue I would need to research is my sister in law once stated he held some contempt for some Indian folks. I'd have to research that to see what the facts might be.
I just seen last night at a Gander Mountain sporting goods store is one of the ammo manufactures (Winchester or Federal??) has some John Wayne commemoritive ammo. It has his picture on the box. Looked like a nice item to have if your a big fan who likes to collect things.
Personally, I like the parts in "Green Beret" where John Wayne portrays Special Forces, supposedly weapons experts. Yet, he kept using the barrel of his M-16 like a pointer or a swagger stick "You and you, follow this trail", pointing at them with a locked and loaded weapon.
At least he kept those at home entertained. He was definitly a mans man. My brother has seen every movie John Wayne was in most of them twice or three times
One especially interesting segment was the final scene of the movie. It has John Wayne and the little Vietnamese boy supposedly on the beach at Danang, Vietnam. Wayne is saying "the future of 'nam is you, kid", the camera pans out to the sea and the sun is going down. The sun's sinking in the east......
My Dad, 20 yearold Marine pilot, loving husband and father of 7, business owner, life and sports coach, also a human with flaws and troubles that he courageously worked his way through life with and his brother in laws that fought for the marines in the phillipines, an uncle that jumped at Normandy, grandfather that guarded president Wilson, and another grandfather that scored the only touchdown all year against an undefeated Everett high football team as a 140# quarterback for malden high and would preach " all things in moderation". etc........
This was written by a real Marine, not a play actor
"After my evacuation from Okinawa, I had the enormous pleasure of seeing Wayne humiliated in person at Aiea Heights Naval Hospital in Hawaii. Only the most gravely wounded, the litter cases, were sent there. The hospital was packed, the halls lined with beds. Between Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the Marine Corps was being bled white.
Each evening, Navy corpsmen would carry litters down to the hospital theater so the men could watch a movie. One night they had a surprise for us. Before the film the curtains parted and out stepped John Wayne, wearing a cowboy outfit - 10-gallon hat, bandanna, checkered shirt, two pistols, chaps, boots and spurs. He grinned his aw-shucks grin, passed a hand over his face and said, ''Hi ya, guys!'' He was greeted by a stony silence. Then somebody booed. Suddenly everyone was booing. This man was a symbol of the fake machismo we had come to hate, and we weren't going to listen to him. He tried and tried to make himself heard, but we drowned him out, and eventually he quit and left. If you liked ''Sands of Iwo Jima,'' I suggest you be careful. Don't tell it to the World War II Marines."
Interesting. I had not seen that. Still, it is about when we were growing up as kids and young men and women. There were numerous folks I could point out just as well after three tours in Nam that greatly changed my opinions about things. The purpose here, however, is to find out who people perceive as heroes to them.... gave them inspiration.... gave them whatever it is, that we all know because we have been there, to put themselves on the line and say..."This far... no further!"
Thanks for the information. I'm surprised. But growing up... he was still my hero.
I gotta say he was mine too but at this point in time I believe he had more to do with the 60,000 dead in Nam than any other one person. We grew up watching those movies thinking war was gonna be cool, lots of glory, even if you died you would be a hero....it didn't turn out that way for most, it was just a nightmare for lots, as General Sherman said "War is Hell" Always remembet the Vet and whats he's done and been though for us........
I gotta say he was mine too but at this point in time I believe he had more to do with the 60,000 dead in Nam than any other one person.
I disagree. The politicians were the ones responsible, not a movie actor. Plus there was the draft, it's not as though everyone got out of the seats at the theater after watching a John Wayne movie and rushed out to enlist.
I only said any other one person. My generation was primed to kick azz...we saw the movies we knew how it was done, what could wrong? we would get the pretty girl...this is just something I've thought for a long time...doesn't mean much in the scheme of things...
