10 Celebrities You Didn't Know Served in the Army

December 13, 2013 - 8:37 pm by Camille Augustin TWITTER

Before they became household names due to television shows or shot to the top of the music charts, these entertainers fought in pivotal wars during their service in the United States Army. From hospital corpsman to first lieutenant, these comedians, rappers, and actors have held almost every rank in the armed forces.

Check out this list to see which entertainers served their country.

Ice T The Law & Order actor served four years in the military as an Army Ranger once he graduated from Crenshaw High School. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Morgan Freeman Soon after the Glory actor trained to become a fighter pilot, he quickly learned that his infatuation for the military wasn’t all that he thought it to be. In an interview with AARP Magazine, Freeman said once he sat in the cockpit of the plane he had a clear epiphany. "You are not in love with this; you are in love with the idea of this," he said. The 76-year-old was a part of the Air Force for three years. Photo Credit: Getty Images

MC Hammer The “U Can’t Touch This” rapper was known for his role in the Navy as a Petty Officer Third Class Aviation Store Keeper before he introduced the world to the Hammer pants. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Bill Cosby The veteran comedian/actor joined the Navy in 1956 where he trained to become a hospital corpsman. He later worked with those wounded in North Korea, but was honorably discharged in 1960. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jimi Hendrix The Rock ‘N Roll legend clocked a short time in the military, but was more concerned with mastering his guitar skills, according to his sergeant Louis Hoekstra. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Mystikal The New-Orleans native served his country during Desert Storm. In an interview with MTV, Mystikal said he joined the Army to gain a “little money, get a little card, do a little adventure,” but had to ask himself “why am I here?” The 43-year-old later said that if he could do it again he wouldn’t hesitate because “it definitely made me what I am.” Photo Credit: Getty Images

Richard Pryor The legendary comedian joined the armed forces from 1958-1960 and spent that time in West Germany, but was later discharged for pulling out a switchblade on another soldier. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Sinbad The comedian also served in the Air Force as a boom operator for the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, the “first jet-powered refueling tanker.” Photo Credit: Getty Images

James Avery Popularly known as Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, James Avery served in the Vietnam War from 1968-1969 upon graduation from high school. Photo Credit: Getty Images

James Earl Jones Jones was recruited into the army after he received his diploma from the University of Michigan. He became a second lieutenant after attending Officers Basic Course, and was pushed up the rank to first lieutenant before he was discharged. Photo Credit: Getty Images

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