# Were any early Rock n Roll stars WWII veterans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029 "2013-07-09T11:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/1 "2013-07-09T11:12:12Z")
A handful of the earliest ones (like Bill Haley) were just barely old enough to have been in WWII, but can anybody think of any early rockers who served in that war? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/2 "2013-07-09T11:43:44Z")
Johhny Cash just missed WWII by 4 years. I can’t think of any Rock N Roll stars born early enough for WWII. Johnny Cash was born in 1932. Most WWII vets were born by at least 1925 or 26. > [@](#): > > Cash enlisted in the United States Air Force on July 7, 1950.[25] After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and technical training at Brooks Air Force Base, both in San Antonio, TX, Cash was assigned to a U.S. Air Force Security Service unit, assigned as a Morse Code Intercept Operator for Soviet Army transmissions at Landsberg, Germany where he created his first band named “The Landsberg Barbarians.”[26] He was the first radio operator to pick up the news of the death of Joseph Stalin.[27] After he was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant on July 3, 1954, he returned to Texas. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/3 "2013-07-09T12:53:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Johhny Cash just missed WWII by 4 years. I can’t think of any Rock N Roll stars born early enough for WWII. Chuck Berry was the right age – he was seventeen in '43 – but he was behind bars in '44 and '45 (and '46, and most of '47). ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/4 "2013-07-09T13:48:22Z")
Bill Haley was blind in one eye and thus exempt from service, but several of his band members were old enough for service: Billy Williamson and Rudy Pompili were born around '25 and Franny Beecher in '21. I don’t know their service records, but some googling would probably bring up bios or obituaries that might mention. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/5 "2013-07-09T13:54:09Z")
Doo-Wop instead of Rock, but so close to the transition I’ll mention anyway: Bill Pinkney of The Drifters (‘Save the Last Dance For Me’, ‘This Magic Moment’, ‘Under the Boardwalk’) was a WW2 Army veteran. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/6 "2013-07-09T13:55:12Z")
Not a rocker himself, but DJ Alan Freed served in the Army in WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/7 "2013-07-09T14:42:10Z")
Not early but late 1960s Los Angeles group Spirit drummer Ed Cassidy served in the Navy in WWII > **[Ed Cassidy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Cassidy)** > > Edward Claude Cassidy (May 4, 1923 – December 6, 2012) was an American jazz and rock drummer who was one of the founders of the rock group Spirit in 1967. > Ed Cassidy was born in Harvey, Illinois, a south suburb of Chicago on May 4, 1923. His family moved to Bakersfield, California in 1931. Cassidy began his career as a professional musician in 1937. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after his discharge held many jobs before becoming a full-time musician again. At one time in th... ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/8 "2013-07-09T15:21:06Z")
Jimmy Reed served in the Navy during WWII, and earned a posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/9 "2013-07-09T19:45:51Z")
I don’t think many of the early Rock and Roll stars were WWII vets. All the Rockabilly stars I could think of were born in the 1930s. I think if you were to look into the backing bands of some of the stars, you might find some WWII vets, though. like, maybe young Ricky Nelson’s band. Ozzie was a band leader and maybe some of the musicians he hired to back his son were vets. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/10 "2013-07-09T20:14:59Z")
Not early, but Christopher Lee has just released his second heavy metal album; he was in the SAS in WWII. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/11 "2013-07-09T20:35:08Z")
All of the musicians in the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction class were too young. Fats Domino was the oldest, being born in 1928, meaning in theory he COULD have seen some action at the tail end of WW2… but he didn’t. So, no early “rock” stars were WW2 vets… though some of the blues and R & B acts that the early rockers idolized WERE WW2 vets. For example, Elmore James was a big influence on a lot of the British blues rockers of the Sixties, and he served in the US Navy during WW2. > **[Elmore James](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmore_James)** > > Elmore James (né Brooks; January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. His slide guitar technique earned him the nickname "King of the Slide Guitar". > Elmore James was born Elmore Brooks in Richland, Holmes County, Mississippi, the son of 15-year-old Leola Brooks, a field hand. His father was probably Joe Willie "... ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/12 "2013-07-09T20:41:34Z")
Another guy who wasn’t really a rock star but who certainly influenced countless rock stars: Chester “Howlin’ Wolf” Burnett, who served in the US Army during WW2. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/13 "2013-07-09T21:08:11Z")
How 'bout Korea? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/14 "2013-07-09T21:28:42Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > How 'bout Korea? A little bit of googling indicates that guitarist [Link Wray](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_Wray) (pioneer of the “power chord”) and Motown founder [Berry Gordy Jr.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_Gordy_Jr.) served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, but it’s not clear if Wray was actually in Korea. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/15 "2013-07-09T22:20:53Z")
Les Paul was a WWII veteran. Although like others he was more of an influence on rock and roll rather than a participant. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/16 "2013-07-09T23:00:19Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > How 'bout Korea? John Mayall served in Korea (he was a company clerk). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/17 "2013-07-09T23:42:12Z")
For symmetry, there’s [Jason Everman](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/02/magazine/evermans-war.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0), a rock guitarist who was booted out of two bands that went on to major success (Nirvana and Soundgarden), then went on to a military career that involved the Army Rangers and Special Forces. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/18 "2013-07-09T23:49:34Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > John Mayall served in Korea (he was a company clerk). Radar! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/19 "2013-07-10T00:33:03Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > For symmetry, there’s [Jason Everman](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/02/magazine/evermans-war.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0), a rock guitarist who was booted out of two bands that went on to major success (Nirvana and Soundgarden), then went on to a military career that involved the Army Rangers and Special Forces. There’s also George Babbitt, the original drummer for The Ventures (“Walk, Don’t Run”), who went on to enlist in the Air Force and eventually became a four star general. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029/20 "2013-07-10T01:36:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Radar! Knowing Mayall, he got slaked a lot more than Radar did. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-early-rock-n-roll-stars-wwii-veterans/663029.md?page=2)