"I wrote a piece for Father's Day and I said, 'My father was the Marine Corps.' It was everything. I didn't have a father before that." (Audio Interview, 19:53)

Arthur Buchwald

Art Buchwald [2005] War: World War II, 1939-1946 Branch: Marine Corps Unit: 113th Fighter Squadron, 4th Marine Air Wing Service Location: Cherry Point, North Carolina; El Toro, California; Enewetak Atoll (Marshall Islands); Parris Island, South Carolina Highest Rank: Sergeant Place of Birth: Mount Vernon, NY

As a youth, Art Buchwald grew up in foster homes. After Pearl Harbor the 17 year old tried unsuccessfully to enlist. While visiting an out-of-state friend, Buchwald decided to pay a vagrant to pretend to be his father and he got into the Marines. Assigned to an air wing, he served in the Pacific Theater in an ordnance unit. On the side, he picked up valuable experience by editing the company newspaper, appropriately titled The Human Comedy. As a world-famous columnist, Buchwald always emphasized what a positive experience serving in the Marines was for a troubled young man.