Tuesday was Veteran’s Day, the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which ended World War I, and a day where we remember and thank those who have served in the military. This is my list of my favorite TV servicemen.
1. Benjamin Franklin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce – M*A*S*H, played by Alan Alda. Hawkeye is a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War and served at the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
2. The Hill Brothers – Enlisted, played by Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell and Parker Young. Pete is a Staff Sergeant at Fort McGee in Florida where his brothers, Corporal Derrick Hill and Private First Class Randy Hill, are stationed. If you could not tell already, I am *still* not over the cancellation of this show.
3. The A-Team, played by George Peppard, Dirk Benedict, Mr. T and Dwight Schultz. This team included Lieutenant Colonel John ‘Hannibal’ Smith, Lieutenant Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck, Sergeant First Class Bosco Albert ‘B.A.’ Baracus and Captain H.M. ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock. After being court-martialed for a crime they did not commit, they became mercenaries and helped people in need.
4. Tim Gutterson – Justified, played by Jacob Pitts. Before becoming a Deputy U.S. Marshall in Lexington, Kentucky, Tim was a U.S. Army Ranger trained sniper who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sound quality on this video is not great, but I love Tim’s line.
5. Leroy Jethro Gibbs – NCIS, played by Mark Harmon. Gibbs was a Scout Sniper for the U.S. Marine Corps in Panama and during Desert Storm. He now works for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Washington, D.C.
6. Kip ‘Half-Sack’ Epps – Sons of Anarchy, played by Johnny Lewis. Half-Sack served in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War, where he lost one of his testicles. He was also the Junior Lightweight Champion of the Armed Forces boxing competition.
7. J.J. Pryor – American Dreams, played by Will Estes. J.J. enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and fights in Vietnam. When he comes home, he gets a job working for NASA assisting in space suit design for future missions to the moon.
8. Justin Walker – Brothers & Sisters, played by Dave Annable. Justin joined the U.S. Army following September 11th and fought in Afghanistan. After returning, he suffered from PTSD, as did several on this list.
As an added bonus, here is a list of some of my favorite charitable organizations that benefit members of the military community and their families: Boot Campaign, Wounded Warrior Project, Cause, Gary Sinise Foundation, Operation Gratitude, and Toys for Tots.
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