Customer Reviews

Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the United States Marines

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4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(1)
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STARS IN THE CORPS. is a most entertaining and informative book. Well written and researched, it deals with the military service of a number of movie stars that served in the Corps through America's wars. Among the stars profiled, readers will find the opening chapter particularly interesting, since it relates the life and service of a much-decorated Vietnam Marine, Dale Dye. In case the name is not familiar, he was the military advisor for the movies, PLATOON, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, AND THE THIN RED LINE. He has also acted in a number of movies and television specials. The chapter about Lee Marvin is riveting. In every sense of the word he was a Marine throughout his life. His burial marker at Arlington reads, LEE MARVIN, PFC, U. S. MARINE CORPS. Many of the subjects and stories will surprise readers. What I liked about the entire read was the avoidance of tabloid innuendo. True to the theme set by authors Wise and Rehill in STARS IN BLUE, they focus on the service contributions of these men, which are often unknown to the American public.

Thank you for making my father John R. Post so happy to have someone care about something that consumed a great deal of his young life. He was so thrilled to receive your book and share it with me and all his military friends. It was a time to be remembered - for the friendship - not the death. And he may be different but he remembers every name of every person he spent time with during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Thank you for acknowledging his memory and caring about his fellow man. Thank you.

There are several books about the war exploits of movie and stage stars. I have read several and enjoyed them all. This one covers those who served in the Marine Corps. It is an easy read made up of many short chapters, each one covering a different star. If you follow the silver screen, stars or our participation in war you should enjoy it and learn from it.

This badly written book about men who served their country well will disappoint those who care about the language as well as those looking for depth in the reporting of what 28 Americans who happened to be associated with the entertainment industry did when they were in the U.S. Marine Corps.

That is not to say that it is not worth reading, however. It's a quick read, and the reader will recognize the cotton candy style of the motion picture press release. But the surprises will keep you going, as you discover that Ed McMahon was such a good pilot of the Vought Corsair (the airplane that Pappy Boyington flew) that he became an instructor in World War II. When he finally flew in combat, it was in unarmed Cessna 180s flying observation over Korea -- extremely hazardous duty. You will also find out how Lee Marvin "got his ass shot off" in the World War II invasion of Saipan -- literally.

One thing any reader will recognize is the almost universal feeling on the part of the subjects that the "Corps made a man out of me" and the emptiness most of them felt when no longer a part of Corps.

In short, it's worth the money just for fun, but history it ain't. It's a nice little book about a few good men.