Betty White Gets US Army Tribute With Rare, Never Before Seen WWII Photo
Not only are celebrity friends, admirers, and longtime fans of Betty White mourning the Hollywood icon's loss, but the US military has also shined a light on how important White has been to them. In a Twitter statement on Friday, Dec. 31, the US Army said that they are "saddened by the passing of Betty White." The Golden Girls star had a personal history with the branch. "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen," the Army's statement concluded.
White began her career as a model and actress during the 1930s. But her dreams were put on hold during the Second World War. Just one month shy of her 20th birthday in 1941, White put on a uniform to work with the American Women's Voluntary Services (AWVS). The branch provided women volunteers to offer services, which included ambulance and truck driving, fire-fighting, aircraft-spotting, navigation, and photography.
We are saddened by the passing of Betty White.
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) December 31, 2021
Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services.
A true legend on and off the screen. pic.twitter.com/1HRDYCeV7w
While speaking with Cleveland Magazine in 2010, White spoke about her experience. She was assigned to drive a truck of supplies to barracks in the Hollywood Hills. She also attended dances for the troops ahead of their deployments abroad.
"It was a strange time and out of balance with everything," White said of the assignment. "I'm sure the young people are going through now," she added, speaking of the ongoing war in Afghanistan at the time. "We'll never learn. We'll never learn."
White's death came just two weeks before her milestone 100th birthday. The world was anticipating a major celebration with White. At the time of her death, she had the longest-running career for any woman in TV, with a career spanning 8 decades.
Aside from her professional work, White was big in the world of philanthropy, specifically for animal rights. Some of the organizations she supported included the ASPCA and The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. Her love for animals began when she was a child.
"It is so embedded in me," she said, per the Smithsonian Magazine. "Both my mother and father were tremendous animal lovers. They imbued in me the fact that, to me, there isn't an animal on the planet that I don't find fascinating and want to learn more about."