Stephen Peck and US Vets
ABC News sends us their latest in their “Stand Up For Heroes” series about actor Gregory Peck’s son Stephen who was drafted in 1968 and served in Vietnam;
Peck’s time at war had a huge impact on his life. “I didn’t want to let it affect me but the combat experience is something that stays with you and those images and the things we experienced, the camaraderie between soldiers you serve with is also something that stays with you,” says Peck. When he came back, he pursued what he thought would be his long-time career. He enrolled in a graduate school cinema program in 1972 and went on to become a documentary filmmaker.
His life changed in 1990 when Peck made a film about a group of homeless veterans living on the beach in Venice, Calif. “I didn’t tell a lot of people I served in Vietnam because in those years you didn’t do that. Around that time those feelings about the war and Vietnam came back to me and I began to think about my experience and talking with other veterans, and produced a film about the combat experience.” After that, Peck knew he had to do something to help other fellow veterans and he switched careers to do so. “I was making documentary films so I was an observer on the problem but I wasn’t an active participant in solving the problem,” says Peck. So he went to school and earned a degree in social work from the University of Southern California with the goal of devoting himself to helping veterans.
Peck is now the CEO of U.S. Vets, a nonprofit organization serving over 3,000 homeless and at-risk veterans.
ABC US News | ABC Business News
Category: Veterans Issues
Dad passed on some good genes, he did.
Bra-Voh
12 O’Clock High is one of my top 5 war movies. Gregory Peck as Frank Savage is the finest acting performance in such a movie as these old eyes have ever seen.
Say what you will, I think the best Peck movie I’ve ever seen was “To Kill a Mockingbird”. One of the best movies I’ve ever seen.
I don’t know a lot about Gregory Peck’s life, but he must have been a hell of a dad to raise an honorable son like Stephen Peck.
12 O’Clock high is still a required leadership training movie for E-7 and above in the Navy.
This is a great story … Jonn thanks for posting … I did not know of this great man … although I knew of his father!
Concur. That movie ought to be a required viewing for every high school kid and every college kid in there WWII history section of modern history.
Peck (and the other actors) absolutely nail their parts, with fully convincing performances.
Viewing 12 O’clock High was mandatory in a Leadership, Management Education and Training (LMET) class for PO-1s I took, back in the day. Having already seen this great flick, I exercised leadership by providing popcorn for the entire class.
Stephen Peck gave up the film business, family wealth and served in Vietnam when so many, especially from Hollywood, WOULD not. I can not offer enough respect for this man and how he has devoted his life to the lives of his brothers. Hell of a man and a hell of a Dad he had!
Thanks for this story Jonn.
Splendid work by Stephen Peck. I’m sure he could have found a way out of going to Vietnam, but chose to serve his country as a young man. I think 12 O’Clock High is the best movie ever made on organizational leadership in combat.
At one time, 12 O’clock High was required viewing for anyone promoted to a supervisory position at the PD I worked for. Not sure if they do so now.
I agree with AW1 Tim, all of the actors nailed their parts.
What an honorable man!
Thanks for the info on 12 O’Clock High, I’ve never seen it and just got it on Amazon Instant Video.
12 Oclock High
To Kill A Mockingbird
The Yearling
I am a huge fan. He was a great actor, But it think he would have been a great anything because he was a great man.
The best movie ever was Guns of Navarone.
Thanks Jonn — great story!
Gregory Peck was from a golden era of Hollywood where actors are not only actors but are also characters of the highest regard.
If you check into it you will see how many actors fought in WWII and still came home to ply their trade.
Unlike today, those actors and actresses were proud of their service to their country and were judged on their ability to actually act.
Today, it appears to be who can be the biggest slut or gayest man that are given the limelight.
That limelight has consequences that reach all of us in America.
Thank you Mr. Peck and also kindest regards and a Godspeed to your father. He would be proud of you.
It’s a good thing to learn something new at least once a day….this narrative is one of those stories that I will remember for a long time.
ChipNASA’s comment above got it right.
Viewing 12 O’clock High was mandatory in a Leadership, Management Educational Training (LMET) class for PO-1’s I took, back in the day. I exercised leadership (or was it management?) by providing popcorn to the entire class for the movie.
I’m amazed that nobody mentioned, “PORK CHOP HILL” which is the true story of that Battle and probably the best Korean War movie ever made. If you haven’t seen it, check out Peck’s performance in this one. Great actors around him also. The tech advisor for the movie was the Lieutenant Peck was playing. I don’t believe I’ve ever disliked any of his films.