On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time America entered World War II, Clark Gable was already one of the most famous men in the world. Known for Gone with the Wind and his larger-than-life charm, he could have easily stayed home, untouchable and adored. But at forty-one, Gable did something no one expected: he enlisted as a private in the Army Air Corps, insisting, “I just want to be sent where the going is rough.”

The studio lights faded into the background as he trained alongside men half his age, learning to fly combat missions over Europe. His fame followed him wherever he went, but on base, he was just another soldier doing his part. Behind the uniform was a man determined to prove that courage wasn’t limited to the screen.

Historian Roger McGrath tells the story of Clark Gable’s service, from Hollywood’s red carpets to the open skies of war, where the King of Hollywood became a patriot who led by example.

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