Do you know which actor was Hitler’s favorite? The leader of the Nazi Army liked this actor with German ancestry so much he even offered a large reward for anyone who could capture him alive. That actor would be Clark Gable! Clark Gable served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a part of the 351st Heavy Bombardment Group. He made training films and participated in five bombing raids. In one German raid, he even came close to losing his life. Before joining the Air Corps, his wife Carole Lombard became the first war-related American female casualty when her plane crashed on January 16, 1942. The popular actress was on her way home from a war bond rally in Indiana where she raised over $2 million in defense bonds.
Clark Gable was not the only Gone with the Wind star to contribute to the war. Sadly, Leslie Howard (Ashley) was killed when the KLM airplane he was on was shot down by German fighters over the Bay of Biscay. He helped the war efforts by making anti-German propaganda films and reportedly assisting British or Allied Intelligence. Vivien Leigh (Scarlett) performed for the troops in Africa and once caused a stir by wearing a “66 coupons” blouse to promote rationing. Hattie McDaniel (Mammy) also entertained the troops and actively promoted the sale of war bonds.