What makes Niven even more amazing is this: he’d DONE his time in the British Army, and was safe in Hollywood, attempting a movie career when Britain went to war with Germany, Niven voluntarily went back to England and re-enlisted.
“Special forces” or not, a man like that deserves a salute.
Anybody that graduates Ranger school and wears the tab is called a Ranger.
It may well be that some Rangers, within their own circles, distinguish between those that served in Ranger Bat and those that ‘just’ completed the course.
Also, each infantry division has it’s own LRS (Long Range Surveillance) elements that are comprised, almost exclusively of Rangers.
If I remember his book correctly, he was actually a career officer in the Highland Light Infantry* but was medically discharged due to a bad back resulting from a horse kick (hence a joke about being ‘kicked out of the army’). Shortly after being discharged he found an osteopath or similar who fixed his back, but the military wouldn’t have him, so he ended up in Hollywood.
*Apparently as a result of putting ‘Anything but the Highland Light Infantry’ as his third choice when filling in his three preferred regiments after graduating. He was then welcomed by his new CO with words along the lines of "I see you were very keen to join our regiment :mad: ". Bet that taught him not be funny on official forms…
Author Harlan Ellison was a Ranger.
By who? I’ve known plenty of Ranger school graduates. None are known as Rangers unless they wore the black (now khaki) beret.
Former U.S. senator, governor, presidential candidate and Debra Winger boyfriend Bob Kerrey (D-Nebr.) was a SEAL, and won the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.
Although not a Special Forces type, I’ve always been impressed by ** General ** Jimmy Stewart, USAFR.
From Wikipedia, via BMax:
…He answered the controversy by saying the song was written in character, and that “if you believe that I’m a cop killer, you believe David Bowie is an astronaut.”
Nice. 
Dr. Rieux writes:
> Author Harlan Ellison was a Ranger.
Cite? I did a little Googling and found only a reference to the blurb on one of his books in which he was clearly making up random stories about his life. What’s your source for saying this?
No, at least not according to the show’s website, but he does have a degree in Russian Languages and Literature, of all things.
Various autobiographical pieces he’s written over the years, usually as intros to his stories.
Of course I could be wrong–or Harlan might have made it up.
Does The A-Team count?
Sir Jeremy ‘Paddy’ Ashdown, former leader of the Liberal Democrats was a Royal Marine Commando and later in the SBS.
I’m pretty sure he’s Lord Ashdown, rather than ‘Sir’… oops. :smack:
Fails on two counts maybe (not special forces, not American), but Julia Child worked for British Intelligence during the second WW, No -?
Alvin York became a celebrity because of wartime heroism, right?
Julia Child worked for the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor of the CIA.
According to Wikipedia the answer is not many. There are famous people, but they are all famous because of their involvement in SO forces, not because of something else they did. I really only know of some US special forces units and don’t know of overseas units (except that Benjamin Netanyahu’s brother was a counteterrorist commando in Israel).
Actually, Benjamin Netanyahu was a member of Sayeret Matkal (the IDF’s special forces), along with his two brothers. So was Ehud Barak (another Israeli Prime Minister)
His older brother Jonathan was killed( the only casualty) in the famous 1976 hostage rescue raid at Entebbe, Uganda.