Heston’s humility and inner strength reflected onto his
physique as he grew into a chiseled man, tall and lean,
with broad shoulders, a square jaw, and a booming voice.
Heston broke his nose in high school while playing football and stated that the break gave him “the profile of an
eagle,” which he later used to his advantage in the film
industry. His features were initially what landed him his
major roles, but it was his ability to lead, both on and off
screen, that made him into such an influential figure.
A War Veteran
Now being a young man of 21 years, Heston found himself
enlisting in the United States Army Air Forces. It was 1944
and World War II was at its peak. Having already been
familiarized with will power, determination, and dignity,
Heston saw the opportunity as a rightful duty to his country, and he ignored the fear that overcame so many others.
He served proudly for two years as a radio operator and
an aerial gunner.
Heston’s duties included manning a variety of radio frequencies and monitoring those frequencies to ensure privacy and accurate correlations between the aircrafts and
his base. World War II radio operators would often also be
in charge of a gun position aboard the planes while having to simultaneously manage the radio. Operators were
responsible for carrying and maintaining their equipment,
and checking for faulty signals as well as invasive codes.
Sometimes, they were even required to listen in on and/
or sabotage enemy frequencies. Much of the information
passed through the frequencies was in code and had to be
translated. Heston never personally entered into live combat, but he was trained and ready to do all things required
of him as a soldier. He became a leader on his base and
consistently progressed through the ranks.
Heston trained and worked alongside comrades in a North
American B-25 Mitchell Bomber. The B-25 Mitchell was
named after General Billy Mitchell, one of the creators of
the United States’ first line of aircraft for the military. The
bomber ݅́