How World War II Helped Set Dick Van Dyke Up For His Career

“Cowardice obtained me into showbiz,” Dick Van Dyke stated just lately. As arduous as he tried to get into the navy, he had a change of coronary heart when he heard that he was more likely to be assigned a tail gunner function in a B-24 Liberator. These have been huge bombers, and as such huge targets for German fighter planes. The Aviation Historical past On-line Museum notes that on March 6, 1944 — across the time younger Dick Van Dyke was enlisting — 68 B-24s have been shot down in someday over Berlin.

Van Dyke cherished the nation, however sure loss of life wasn’t the best way he wished to precise it. When he heard an officer point out that airmen with particular abilities might be given non-combat roles, Van Dyke had an epiphany. The lanky teen may sing decently properly and faucet dance: absolutely that counted as a particular expertise? His officers agreed, and shortly Van Dyke was within the USO, dancing and entertaining the troops abroad. The function suited him so properly that he by no means stopped. As of 2022, IMDb nonetheless reveals him making motion pictures.