Famous Navy veterans, You might be familiar with some well-known U.S. Navy veterans — Sen. John McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry come to mind — but there are some other veterans who might surprise you. To celebrate Navy Day on Oct. 27, read about some of the other famous folks who served our country.
Bob Barker
Long before he encouraged people to spay and neuter their pets, the longtime "The Price is Right" host served during World War II, but never went into battle.
Harry Belafonte
The Harlem-born "Day-O" singer dropped out of high school and spent a few years in the Navy before embarking on his acting and singing career and joining Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Civil Rights Movement.
Yogi Berra
The MLB Hall-of-Famer – famous for his "Yogi-isms" – served during World War II and even received a medal for his efforts at an important World War II battle.
George H.W. Bush
The 41st president was in high school when Pearl Harbor was attacked, and he had to wait until his 18th birthday to enlist in the Navy. He went on to receive a high honor for his actions during a famous battle.
Johnny Carson
The late TV icon was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania after enlisting in the Navy in 1943, but never saw any World War II combat.
Jimmy Carter
The one-term president entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1943 and was assigned to the USS Wyoming after graduating just three years later.
Bill Cosby
Before playing America's favorite TV dad , he served in the Navy from 1956 to 1961. While there, he was a member of their track team and was eventually assigned to the Philadelphia Naval Hospital.
Kirk Douglas
The big-screen legend served in the Navy during World War II after being rejected by another military division.
MC Hammer
The "U Can't Touch This" rapper spent three years in the Navy between his stint as a major league batboy and becoming a multiple-Grammy-winning recording artist.
Harvey Milk
The late San Francisco politician was known for being the first openly gay person to be elected to California public office. He also served during the Korean War, and now some want to see a ship named after him.
Charlie Murphy
Murphy spent six years serving his country before becoming famous for his "Chappelle's Show" sketches about life with his even more famous little brother, who was rumored to have kept his older sibling out of a war zone.
Regis Philbin
The longtime talk-show host joined the Navy after graduating from his beloved alma mater in 1953.
Thomas Pynchon
The reclusive author was attending an Ivy League school when he dropped out to join the Navy in the 1950s. He returned to school a few years later and went on to publish his first novel — about a discharged sailor — in 1963.
Don Rickles
The comedian known as "Mr. Warmth" served two years on the USS Cyrene during World War II before perfecting his insults for audiences around the world.
David Robinson
The retired NBA player nicknamed "The Admiral" — who was two inches taller than the height limit when he entered the U.S. Naval Academy — played basketball for the Navy Midshipmen before serving two years at a Georgia submarine base.
Donald Rumsfeld
The former secretary of defense served in the Navy in the 1950s after attending Princeton University on an ROTC scholarship.
Roger Staubach
The former NFL quarterback — known as the Midshipmen's greatest quarterback – spent four years in the Navy, include a tour of duty in Vietnam, before going pro.
Jesse Ventura
The outspoken former professional wrestler and Minnesota governor served during the Vietnam War era, but reportedly didn't see combat as he spent much of his time at a Navy base in the Philippines.
Montel Williams
The talk-show host and health advocate entered the U.S. Naval Academy after leaving the Marines in 1976 and served 22 years before retiring as lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve.
