Our Country Music Veterans

Category: Tribute

Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day in 1938 to honor the "Great War" (what we now call World War I) veterans on the anniversary of the signing of the armistice ending the first world war.  In 1954 the name of the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" to honor the veterans of both world wars as well as Korea and peacetime veterans.

Here is my annual list of some of the members of the world of country and bluegrass music who served in the armed forces, and the wars in which they fought (if applicable).  Their music brought them to our attention.  Their service makes them heroes.

Hall of Famers in bold.

Army:

Jules Verne Allen (World War I)
Jack Anglin (World War II)
Bob Atcher (World War II)
Bobby Bare
Byron Berline
Pat Brady (World War II)
Jim Ed Brown
Tom Brumley
Horace "Aytchie" Burns (World War II) 
Kenneth "Jethro" Burns (World War II)
Tommy Cash
Harold "Curly" Chalker
Hank Cochran
Earl Thomas Conley
Tommy Duncan (World War II)
Jim Eanes (World War II)
Bob Ferguson (also served in the Marines)
Jack Greene
Tom T. Hall
Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins (World War II)
Red Hayes (World War II)
Henry "Homer" Haynes (World War II)
Fairley Holden (World War II)
Doyle Holly
Harlan Howard
Stonewall Jackson (primarily served in the Navy; briefly in Army but discharged after it was discovered he lied about his age)
Louis "Grandpa" Jones (World War II)
Doug Kershaw
Rusty Kershaw
Bradley Kincaid (World War I)
Kris Kristofferson 
John Lair
Charlie Louvin (Korea; was in the Army Air Corps during WW II)
Ira Louvin (World War II)
Darrell McCall
Del McCoury
Skeets McDonald
Jesse McReynolds (Korea)
Jim McReynolds (Korea)
Roger Miller
George Morgan
"Colonel" Tom Parker
Lloyd Perryman (World War II)
Webb Pierce
Elvis Presley
John Prine
Boots Randolph
Jerry Reed
Don Reno (World War II)
Hal Smith (World War II)
Ralph Stanley (World War II)
George Strait
Nat Stuckey (Korea)
Conway Twitty
T. Texas Tyler (real name: David Myrick) (World War II)
Charlie Walker (World War II)
Roland White
Doyle Wilburn (Korea)
Teddy Wilburn (Korea)
Bob Wills (World War II)
Faron Young

Navy:

Hoyt Axton
Kenny Baker (World War II)
Archie Campbell (World War II)
Jerry Clower
Cy Coben (World War II)
Larry Cordle
Alton Delmore (World War II)
Roy Drusky
Bill Emerson
Leon Everette
Werly Fairburn (World War II)
Benjamin "Whitey" Ford (Duke of Paducah) (World War I)
Howdy Forrester (World War II)
Ferlin Husky (Merchant Marines) (World War II)
Harold "Shot" Jackson
Stonewall Jackson (also briefly served in the Army but was discharged after it was discovered he lied about his age to enlist)
Mitch Jayne (World War II)
Doyle Lawson
Johnny Lee (Vietnam)
Leon McAuliffe (World War II)
Ronnie McDowell
Bill Nettles (World War I)
Dale Noe (World War II)
Johnny Paycheck (real name:  Donald Lytle)
Don Pierce (World War II)
Ray Pillow
Claude "Curly" Putman
Marvin Rainwater (World War II)
Red Rector (briefly joined the Navy in 1942, when he was 13, but was discharged once it was discovered he had lied about his age)
Marty Robbins (World War II)
Billy Joe Shaver
Carl Smith
Carl Story (World War II)
Hank Thompson (World War II)
Slim Whitman (World War II)

Air Force/Army Air Corps:

Randy Atcher (World War II)
Gene Autry (World War II)
Rod Brasfield (World War II)
Henry Cannon (Mr. Minnie Pearl) (World War II)
Johnny Cash
Jimmy Dean
Tennessee Ernie Ford (World War II)
Kendall Hayes
Tommy Jackson (World War II)
Jimmie Logsdon (World War II)
Charlie Louvin (World War II, was in the Army in Korea)
O.B. McClinton
Willie Nelson
Mike Nesmith
Del Reeves
Charlie Rich
Carter Stanley (World War II)
Mel Tillis

Marines:

Red Allen
Wendy Bagwell (World War II)
Jack Clement
Bill Clifton
Tommy Collins (real name: Leonard Sipes)
Don Everly
Phil Everly
Freddy Fender (real name: Baldemar Huerta)
Bob Ferguson (Korea) (also served in the Army)
Josh Garcin
Wayne Hancock
Freddie Hart (World War II)
George Jones
Ned Miller 
Bobby Osborne
Ray Price (World War II)
Merle Travis (World War II)
Charles Whitstein
Robert Whitstein (Vietnam)

I would also like to recognize a couple of performers who tried to serve.  Chet Atkins was medically disqualified from serving in World War II because of asthma, and Jim Reeves failed his World War II Army physical because of a heart condition.

Thank you for your music; more importantly, thank you for your service.