Marshall Dillon rides into the sunset
COB6 wrote to tell us that James Arness has died at the ripe age of 88.
Arness was wounded at the Anzio beach head as an infantryman in 2/7 Infantry in the 3rd Infantry Division – a Cottonbaler and a Marne Man, so he was awarded the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
According to Wikipedia, his battle injuries bothered him for the rest of his life to the point that he could no longer ride a horse.
There’s a goodbye letter to his fans on his website.
Another fine American has gone on ahead.
Category: Real Soldiers
Arness was first off his landing craft at Anzio- because at six foot six, he was the best man to test the depth.
A true gentleman. A story goes that John Wayne was offered the part of Matt Dillon, he did’nt want to do TV and recommended Arness to the producers. However it happened it was a good call.
Didn’t even think about it or realize it until today, but he and Peter Graves were brothers? Yeah, listen to them speak and that pretty much tells you right there.
It is sad that we are losing so many great actors and Americans. People like Matt Damon and Sean Penn aren’t worthy enough to have cleaned the horse manure off of James Arness’ boots.
Read once that one of his first roles was as the alien in “The Thing” from the Fifties.
All we will have LEFT is the michael moors.
Another Cottonbaler, my father served in that battalion in the late 70s.