J.D. Salinger
“The Catcher in the Rye” author J.D. Salinger belonged to a unit that invaded Utah Beach on D-Day.
According to Vanity Fair, Salinger carried several chapters of his magnum opus with him when he stormed the shores of France.
John Ford
Director John Ford, famous for Westerns like “Stagecoach” and “The Searchers,” also went ashore with the D-Day invasion.
As a commander in the US Naval Reserve, Ford led a team of US Coast Guard cameramen in filming a documentary on D-Day for the Navy.
His film on the Normandy invasion ultimately saw a very limited release to the public, due to the amount of Allied casualties. Much of the D-Day footage has since disappeared, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Henry Fonda
According to “ WWII: The Book of Lists” by Chris Martin, American actor Henry Fonda served as a quartermaster on the destroyer USS Satterlee, which provided support to the Allies during the Normandy invasion.
Years later, he played a part in the war epic “The Longest Day,” which focused on the D-Day landings.
Alec Guinness
“Star Wars” and “Bridge Over the River Kwai” star Alec Guinness served in Great Britain’s Royal Navy during WWII, according to the History Answers blog.
StarWars.com reports that the Obi Wan actor served as an officer on a landing craft and transported British soldiers to the shores of Normandy on D-Day.
