An idea to dispell a myth: A list of very smart people who'v served

[rz350]

I often hear alot of people say the army if for dumb people who cant a job anywhere else. I know this isn't true, but I though it would be fun/interesting/good way to disprove them by making a list of very smart people who where soldiers. I mean the kind of people that irrefutably smart, Famous scientists, authors, etc.

Ill start.

Edwin Hubble. Astronomer. Discovered that the Universe is expanding, this is called the Hubble flow, and one of the most important facts in astrophysics/cosmology. He is who the Hubble Space telescope is named after. He was a Major in the United States army and served in World War I.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Author of the Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit, and other novels. Also a Linguist at Oxford University. Served in World War One with the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Nikolay G. Basov Inventor of the MASER (microwave laser) and co-inventor LASER diode. Served in the Soviet Army in World War Two.

Artem Mikoyan Aerospace Engineer behind the legendary MiG airplanes. Soviet Air force service in late 30's and 40's.



I'l hand it off for now, see how long we can get the list.

 

[Wynne]

I said I would add to your list, even though my knowledge is somewhat limited since you took Tolkien.  The best I can think of right now is my cousin, Col. Chris Hadfield.  I think working for CSA, NASA, NORAD and doing various Canadian firsts like being the first Canadian Mission Specialist I recall and first Canadian on MIR and working with the Canadarm should about cover how very smart he is.  And he's darn cool because throughout his 25 year career...he's flown over 70 different types of aircraft.

 

[NavalGent]

Author Farley Mowat was a Canadian Army officer who served in Italy in WWII.
Dr. Frederick Banting served in the Canadian Army in WWI.

Still, I think the really smart ones tend to go navy.  ;D

 

[rz350]

Here is one from the Navy from ya,

Niel Armstrong, First human on the moon, United States Navy pilot.
Edwin Eugene Aldrin: Second human on the moon, moments after Niel Armstrong, United States Air Force.

Yuri Gagarin: First human into outer space, Orbited the earth once. Also a Soviet Air Force pilot.

Valentina Tereshkova: First Female into outer space, Major General in the Soviet Air force.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

All the astronauts were renaissance men, really, so I think you can include the whole bunch (those that served). Aldrin had a Ph.D in orbital mechanics in addition to being a combat fighter pilot. Really a very impressive man, plus had the gumption while in his 60s to punch some 30 something punk who told him to his face he was a liar and that the moon landings never happened right in the face.

I don't know if Mowat is exceptionally smart so much as talented - perhaps gifted. The three are not always mutually inclusive.

There is also the question of showmanship - telling the truly smart from those gifted with personality - or in Mowat's case, talent. 

Anyway, I am sure Lew Mackenzie will be added to the list soon.  McNaughton was also gifted with a scientific mind and was probably all three (smart, talented, gifted) but as it turned out, didn't succeed as either General Officer Commander-in-Chief of 1 Canadian Army, or as Minister of National Defence.

 

[orange.paint]

Not canadian army but Newfoundland army.

In the early days of World War I, the Canadian Army made field expedient gas masks to protect themselves from the deadly chlorine gas used by the Germans by urinating on rags and holding them to their faces.

Dr. Cluny MacPherson of The Royal Newfoundland Regiment, while serving in Gallipoli in 1915, where he acted as an advisor on poisonous gas, used a helmet taken from a captured prisoner to fashion a canvas hood with transparent eyepieces that was treated with chlorine-absorbing chemicals.

 

[54/102 CEF]

Anyone who thinks the Combat Arms are full of dummies - is a dummy.

 

[rz350]

Anyone who thinks the Combat Arms are full of dummies - is a dummy.

I agree, thats why I started this thread, to show how many truly smart people where in the forces, of all nations.