Ed McMahon, US Marine combat pilot (1944, 1952). Ed McMahon, most famous as Johnny Carson's sidekick on The Tonight Show, enlisted in the US Marines in 1941. After World War II, he stayed in the Marine Reserves and was called up for active duty in the Korean War, where he flew 85 combat missions, earned six air medals, and retired in 1966 as Colonel McMahon.
I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteMe neither. Watched Carson occasionally, but don't recall one word on this. Hat's off (belatedly) to him.
DeleteHe flew 85 missions on the OE-1 Bird Dog, spotting for artillery.
ReplyDeleteWho knew? Plus, the Greatest Generation never talked about what needed to be done.
ReplyDeleteThat was a mantra of Johnny Carson: Entertainers were to entertain and not offer political bull$hit.
DeleteEd was terrible at business and when it came to women, he
ReplyDeletewas even worse. However he honorable severed his country
and his country turned its back on him in his final days.
His home went into foreclosure in 2008 and a real-estate investor
by the name of Daniel A. Schryer stepped in and bought the home.
He allowed Ed to remain there until his dying days.
That didn't stop Citibank who won a settlement against Ed
in 2009 to get that last drop of his blood.
It was mentioned once and only once on air by Mr Carson that McMahoc had been a "Bird Colonel" in the Marines.
ReplyDelete