Lest We Forget

[Jim Koepke]

WWII uncovered: Honoring the Service of Eddie Albert: Hero of the Battle of Tarawa

Eddie Albert.jpg

Eddie Albert Heimberger was born on April 22, 1906 and grew up in Minneapolis Minnesota. Eddie moved to New York in 1933 to pursue a career and entertainment. With a successful career in radio, stage performance and film Eddie Heimberger left all that behind to join the military.
On September 9, 1942, Eddie Albert enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and was discharged in 1943 to accept an appointment as a Lieutenant in the US Naval Reserve.
"During the Battle of Tarawa, Lieutenant Albert earned a Bronze Star with Combat "V". He fought in the first wave of combat that lasted for three days. After most of the shooting was over, he was sent back to the site of the battle to salvage any equipment he could find. Due to the coral reefs in the area, Marines weren't able to land directly on the beach and had to get off their boats 500 yards from shore. Enemy combatants started picking them off, and soon the waters were filled with over 100 wounded and many more dead. Albert disregarded his mission to grab equipment and began pulling marines to safety. He took 47 in total, and oversaw the rescue of 30 more." - Naval History and Heritage Command
After the war Eddie returned to acting and had a successful career starring in such productions as Oklahoma!, Roman Holiday, The Longest Day, The Longest Yard and of course his television comedy Green Acres.
"Despite his accomplishments in acting, Albert went on record to say that the day he served as a Landing Craft Commander at Tarawa was the accomplishment that meant the most to him."
Lieutenant Eddie Albert passed away on May 26, 2005 at the age of 99. He lies in rest at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles California. Lest We Forget.

[Mel Fulks]

Thanks, Jim , Interesting and all new to me. War is not all , “Green Acres”.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks Jim. He was a heck of a man.

[Warren Lake]

thanks for posting that, thats stellar way over and above most people.

I liked when he got a call to be on the Court of Appeals according to Lisa but really it was to be a judge of Apples at a county fair.

My neighbours brother was on Juno beach, lost people all around him before they hit the shore. He went on to do the whole thing as a sniper and made it back weighing a bit more from the schrapnel in him. He wrote a fifty page book of his experiences but hugely detunned for us. My cabinet teacher survived both Russian and German prison camps.

What some people that have served have gone though is unimaginable to us. I have a friend a toronto fireman who has been to Haiti probably 30 - 40 times, he just got out recently before the rioting really got insane.

We have lots to be thankful for.

[Mark Hennebury]

Wow, I saw him on Tv a lot, watched Green Acres, never new about his service. Thanks for posting.

[Edward Weber]

Another great actor and serviceman was Lee Marvin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Marvin

[Keith Outten]

PFC Lee Marvin.jpg

He is buried on the grounds of Robert E. Lee's home, now called Arlington Cemetery.

[Dave Anderson NH]

There are many more who chose their service and Arlington National Cemetery. Mike Mansfield was a senator from Montana and for a number of years Senate Majority Leader.

[Jim Koepke]

Another little known member of the WW II effort:

Julia Child.jpg

Julia Child is probably best known for bringing French cuisine into America’s mainstream. But, few know that she had a dynamic career as an intelligence officer before she became a cooking icon.
…
Soon after the United States entered World War II, Julia felt the need to serve her country. Too tall to join the military (she was 6’2″), Julia volunteered her services to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was the forerunner of today’s Central Intelligence Agency. She was one of 4,500 women who served in the OSS.

https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/ju...y-ops-for-oss/

jtk

[Warren Lake]

what about MR Rogers? not looking it up but seems a memory there. And some people here and so so many more. Looked it up and it says no so second thought remains

[Bruce Page]

Thanks for posting that, I had no idea Eddie Albert was a WWII hero. He was one of my favorite actors.
RIP

[Edward Weber]

Another little known character was Marcel Marceay
https://www.history.com/news/marcel-...eorges-loinger