World War II Chronicle: August 2, 1941
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On the front page is a small photo of Lt. Robert Montgomery, now serving as a Naval Attaché in London. Montgomery has already served on the battlefield as a civilian, volunteering to drive ambulances in France until the evacuation of Dunkirk. He hunted U-boats in the Atlantic before becoming a PT boat skipper. He is awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” during the Normandy Invasion while serving aboard the destroyer USS Barton (DD-722), then transfers to the light cruiser USS Columbia (CL-56) for duty in the Pacific.
Considered one of the best-dressed men in Hollywood, Montgomery lent his talents to Dwight Eisenhower after the war as a consultant for media appearances during the former Supreme Allied Commander’s presidential campaign.
In stark contrast to modern-day Hollywood, Montgomery was a Republican and opposed communism — despite having twice served as president of the Screen Actors Guild labor union1Ronald Reagan was elected SAG’s president six times. 80 years later it would be difficult to even imagine a two-time Academy Award (Oscar) nominee for Best Actor volunteering for combat duty and serving tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before appearing in front of Congress to fight socialism at home. Or considering how difficult it would be for modern actors to trade their pampered lifestyle to live side-by-side with normal Americans and endure the Japanese kamikaze attacks Montgomery survived as World War II came to a close.
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 2 August 1941. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1941-08-02/ed-1/