# Did you know John Wayne was "America's Greatest Patriot"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 19, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657 "2017-07-19T16:41:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/1 "2017-07-19T16:41:50Z")
So says the front cover of some one-off tribute magazine I just saw at the checkout line. I had no idea. I wonder who the runner up is. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/2 "2017-07-19T16:48:07Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > So says the front cover of some one-off tribute magazine I just saw at the checkout line. I had no idea. I wonder who the runner up is. A quick Google search shows Google doesn’t know it either. I’d say he was the actor who is most closely associated with patriotic values. Greatest patriot? Let’s see: George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Steven Colbert… ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/3 "2017-07-19T16:48:08Z")
[Audie Murphy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy) when he flew in to receive his Medal of Honor riding a bald eagle while wearing the Stars and Stripes as a cape. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/4 "2017-07-19T16:48:52Z")
No way. He had a girls name. That disqualifies him from everything. Ronny Reagan is the Greatest Patriot ever. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/5 "2017-07-19T16:49:28Z")
Anyone who actually enlisted has a better claim. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/6 "2017-07-19T16:51:59Z")
It doesn’t surprise me that he would take first place. The man absolutely loved his country and had been a committed patriot all his life. Of course anyone is free to disagree with his definition of patriotism and what America means but the important thing is that he believed it and the belief was shared by the majority of his fellow citizens at the time. For number 2 I’d expect another patriotic movie star, maybe one who had actually fought for his country (Wayne didn’t), someone like Jimmy Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/7 "2017-07-19T16:57:33Z")
Tom Brady… Wayne wasn’t even the most patriotic film actor (take a look at Jimmy Stewart some time), but he made a big deal of his patriotism, especially in the 60s. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/8 "2017-07-19T16:57:43Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > [Audie Murphy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy) when he flew in to receive his Medal of Honor riding a bald eagle while wearing the Stars and Stripes as a cape. I know nobody but me cares about this sort of thing, but the [US Flag Code specifically says \*not \* to \*wear \*a flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Flag_Code). Just like your Grandma tells you not to wear your rosary like a necklace. It’s tacky. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/9 "2017-07-19T16:59:10Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Anyone who actually enlisted has a better claim. That’s highly disputable. For a start many who enlisted may have left the services totally unpatriotic. War can certainly have that effect. And the competition was not measuring bravery but patriotism. Those are two completely different things. It’s quite possible to be unpatriotic and brave and it’s also possible to be a patriot unable or unwilling to fight. The latter may not be a fine specimen of humanity but you don’t need to be that to qualify as a patriot, you simply have to love your country. In short your assertion is nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/10 "2017-07-19T17:07:06Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > No way. He had a girls name. That disqualifies him from everything. Yeah, he should have been a librarian. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/11 "2017-07-19T17:07:53Z")
[The KGB had a plot to kill him.](http://historycollection.co/time-stalin-tried-assassinate-john-wayne-4-kgb-plots/) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/12 "2017-07-19T17:13:37Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > That’s highly disputable. Anyone who was willing to give his life for his country has a better claim to love it than someone who chose instead to make a profitable career out of flagwaving. I would not have thought that to be disputable. > [@](#): > > In short your assertion is nonsense. If that struck a nerve, kindly tell us which one. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/13 "2017-07-19T17:18:04Z")
> [@elvisl1ves](#): > > anyone who actually enlisted has a better claim. qft. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/14 "2017-07-19T17:19:21Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Anyone who was willing to give his life for his country has a better claim to love it than someone who chose instead to make a profitable career out of flagwaving. I would not have thought that to be disputable. > If that struck a nerve, kindly tell us which one. qft. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/15 "2017-07-19T17:37:49Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Tom Brady… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/16 "2017-07-19T17:42:19Z")
I think a lot of WWII vets would argue with John Wayne being #1, considering that people like Jimmy Stewart and Audie Murphy went to fight in the war and Mr. Wayne got deferments to keep making movies. Jimmy Stewart enlisted as a private, rose to the rank of Colonel during the war, flew missions on B-17s and B-24s, bombed Berlin, received numerous medals, remained in the reserves after the war, was eventually promoted to Brigadier General and actually flew as an observer on a B-52 mission over Vietnam. “Audie Leon Murphy was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II, receiving every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism.” ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/17 "2017-07-19T17:54:46Z")
John Wayne may have been a patriot. He was also a white supremacist. He said, “I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility.” He also approved of Americans taking land from the Native Americans who were “selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.” I thought he was terrific in “The Shootist”, though. > **[Did John Wayne Say He Believed in White Supremacy?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/john-wayne-white-supremacy/)** > > A quote from actor John Wayne came from a 1971 interview with "Playboy" magazine. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/18 "2017-07-19T17:58:27Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I think a lot of WWII vets would argue with John Wayne being #1, considering that people like Jimmy Stewart and Audie Murphy went to fight in the war and Mr. Wayne got deferments to keep making movies. > > Jimmy Stewart enlisted as a private, rose to the rank of Colonel during the war, flew missions on B-17s and B-24s, bombed Berlin, received numerous medals, remained in the reserves after the war, was eventually promoted to Brigadier General and actually flew as an observer on a B-52 mission over Vietnam. > > “Audie Leon Murphy was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II, receiving every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism.” No mention of Clark Gable? Or Elvis? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/19 "2017-07-19T18:19:52Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > And the competition was not measuring bravery but patriotism. I don’t believe there was any “competition”. The headline was on a single-issue tribute magazine someone saw at the checkout stand. I’ve seen similar things, perhaps from Life or Time magazines, about the Beatles or other celebrities. It’s just bullshit meant to appeal to a niche crowd and sell magazines containing mostly or entirely material from the archives (along with brand-new advertising). I’ll bet if you looked at the ads from that John Wayne tribute issue, you could figure out who they’re targeting. My guess is that the magazine is going to be filled with ads for things that appeal to the elderly. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657/20 "2017-07-19T18:31:30Z")
Ronald Reagan. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-john-wayne-was-americas-greatest-patriot/791657.md?page=2)