To Stewart, patriotism was a shared ideal. Even the wealthy and well-connected had the sacred duty to stand up and fight for their country.
So Stewart prepared for war. He logged more and more hours piloting his airplane. He hired a trainer to help him bulk up.
In March 1941 - nine months before Pearl Harbor - Stewart, who had just won an Oscar for "The Philadelphia Story," was sworn into the Army ... as a private.
After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Air Force wanted Stewart to sell war bonds, contending that he was too old (mid-30s) and too famous to risk flying combat missions.
But he pushed and wrangled and charmed until - finally - he was sent to England and put in command of a squadron of B-24 Liberator bombers.
See, this is why I hate "hate crime" legislation. One murder shouldn't be more special than any other. Just apply the highest punishment every time regardless of who is involved. It's not like the folks killing cops are going to now not do it because they're afraid of it being called a hate crime. 'Blue Lives Matter' bill makes attacks on cops a hate crime.