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God Bless Charles Durning
Posted by PATRICK EDABURN, Assistant Editor in Arts & Entertainment, At TMV.
Aug 1st, 2008 | 7 responses
Aug 1st, 2008 | 7 responses
Actor Charles Durning has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mr. Durning is a fine actor and certainly deserves this but there is a much more important reason for us to remember and honor him.
During the Second World War Durning was one of the many men who went off to fight for his country. He enlisted at the age of 17 and became a true American hero. He was wounded when he stormed ashore as part of one of the first waves on D Day but later returned to battle to once again distinguish himself.
He was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and was one of the few people to survive the massacre at Malmedy. For his efforts he won three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star.
He is truly an American hero, and that is not just rhetoric
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7 Responses to “God Bless Charles Durning”
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Wow. I always liked him as an actor, now I have an even greater respect for him as a person. Thank you so much for posting this.
Thanks Patrick for the paying of respects. I too have always liked the guy as an actor, but wasn't aware of his WWII service. I think this is true of many in that generation – who didn't go out of their way to play up their service, but just believed in doing what they had to do to the best of their ability.
a great character actor of great character.
But he's not a hero like Reagan or John Wayne. Fighting the enemy on an actual battlefield doesn't compare to celluloid battlefields.
Thanks for this information, Patrick. I, too, always liked him as an actor but never knew this part of his background. He really does deserve any honor he receives. Wow.
Charles Durning is indeed a great actor and served his country honorably during WWII. But, he did NOT survive the Malmedy Massacre. My father was a Malmedy survivor and I have done extensive research into the massacre and its aftermath. Durning was simply not there. I don't know who first disseminated this falsehood, but for Mr. Durning not to set the record straight on his involvement in Malmedy is an insult to the victims and survivors of that horrendous day.