John Wayne was a draft dodger. He only played a soldier in the moovies.
"Wayne never enlisted and even filed for a 3-A draft deferment, which meant that if the sole provider for a family of four were drafted, it would cause his family undue hardship. The closest he ever came to World War II service was portraying the actions of others on the silver screen.
With his leading man competition fighting the war and out of the way, Wayne became Hollywood’s top leading man. (He would not have been otherwise.)
During the war, Wayne starred in a number of western films as well as World War II movies, including 1942’s “Flying Tigers” and 1944’s “The Fighting Seabees.” According to Eliot, Wayne told friends the best thing he could do for the war was make movies to support the troops. Eventually, the government agreed.
At one point during the war, the need for more men in uniform caused the U.S. military brass to change Wayne’s draft status to 1-A, fit for duty. But Hollywood studios intervened on his behalf, arguing that the actor’s star power was a boon for wartime propaganda and the morale of the troops. He was given a special 2-A status, which back then meant he was deferred in “support of national interest.”
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