Sidestepping service: was John Wayne really a “draft dodger” in World War II?
The onscreen embodiment of Americana, a staunch patriot, a vocal supporter of the armed forces, and notoriously staunch anti-communist, John Wayne would probably have chosen to bleed red, white, and blue if it were up to him. However, he never served in the military, and it became a severe bone of contention.
Not just for ‘The Duke’, either, but for those both inside and outside of the industry who decried his aversion to being drafted. Even his greatest collaborator and close friend, John Ford, knew it was the easiest way to get a rise out of him, with Wayne once storming off set after the director needled him over his lack of real-life military credentials.
To atone for his self-perceived sins, the actor appeared in a number of war movies that were about as thinly veiled as cinematic propaganda gets, a habit he maintained right through to the Vietnam War when he became a regular visitor to overseas troops and made films that celebrated the decision to get involved in the conflict as the right thing to do.
However, when he did the same duties during World War II, there were reports of some soldiers in attendance greeting Wayne with a chorus of boos because they didn’t see somebody who secured an exemption from the draft as being worthy of taking the stage to salute their spirit, dedication, and commitment.
It might sound cynical to suggest The Duke put his career before his country, but neither is it outlandish to say he benefitted from so many of his contemporaries choosing to fight. Clark Gable and James Stewart were just two of them, and the latter was initially deemed ineligible before he went on to become the highest-ranking actor in the history of the United States military.
Wayne didn’t enlist, and he filed for a deferment that stipulated that as the sole provider for a family of at least four, his next of kin would be unduly harmed in his absence. However, that deferment was eventually rescinded when the armed forces required more men than ever, but it wasn’t The Duke who pumped the brakes.
Instead, the studios lobbied on his behalf, arguing that as an A-list movie star and world-famous celebrity, his continuing presence onscreen and trips to visit the troops were important morale boosters. For the second time, Wayne was granted a deferment, this time “in support of national interest”.
Two deferments and a failure to actively enlist saw Wayne’s detractors label him a draft dodger for the remainder of his days, and those remarks cut him to the bone. His wife, Pilar Wayne, once explained that he became a “super-patriot for the rest of his life trying to atone for staying at home,” with Wayne haunted by the stigma that had become attached to his lack of service.
He may have sought a deferment the first time around, but he didn’t try to prevent his reclassification, with Hollywood intervening on his behalf. Records held by the government even show that Wayne applied to serve in the Office of Strategic Services in August 1943, but he wasn’t accepted.
The Duke could have served if he’d fought his corner, but instead, he opted to go along with the industry’s wishes. It’s a decision he ended up regretting, though, with the ‘draft dodger’ brush tarring him forevermore.
