They Also Served: Military Biographies of Famous Americans
Baron's collection of some 500 capsule biographies of famous Americans who served in the military is a browsing treat for celebrity lovers and military buffs alike. Baron leads off with the 24 presidents who have worn military uniforms and works down the scale of respectability (perhaps) through politicians, artists and writers, entertainers, and businessmen to the likes of John Dillinger, who, after five months in the U.S. Navy, deserted. Although the material on many a figure is on the skimpy side, the book as a whole clearly shows that America's wars have drawn increasingly on a wide range of skills and backgrounds. It shows, too, just how many Americans distinguished in other fields have at some time worn military uniforms, sometimes at a considerable price: Art Carney, for example, has a lifetime limp, thanks to a German mortar round. Baron plans a second volume, covering more Americans, and a third on non-American figures.Roland Green