In 1940, actor Jimmy Stewart was drafted into the Army Air Corps but was rejected due to a weight problem. The USAAC had strict height and weight requirements for new recruits and Stewart was five pounds under the standard. To get up to 148 pounds he sought out the help of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s muscle man, Don Loomis, who was legendary for his ability to add or subtract pounds in his studio gymnasium. Stewart subsequently attempted to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps but still came in under the weight requirement although he persuaded the AAF enlistment officer to run new tests, this time passing the weigh-in,with the result that Stewart successfully enlisted in the Army in March 1941. He became the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II. During the course of the war, he flew over twenty missions in a B-24 Liberator, he was a two-time recipient of the Air Medal and was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Army. In the fullness of time, he attained the rank of General in the reserves. It’s a wonderful life.