--- title: "3 celebrity relatives who changed history in combat" description: "Celebrities are just like anyone else — and some of them have family members in the military. Read about some of the most famous ones on WATM" date: "2021-03-05" modified: "2021-03-05" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-movies/3-celebrity-relatives-who-changed-history-in-combat/" categories: - "History" - "Vietnam War" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # 3 celebrity relatives who changed history in combat ![]() Celebrities are just like anyone else — they're mammals and have family members. So, yes, they are just like you and me. --- ![]() *And that's all Katy Perry has in common with you.* It seems unfair that even with their international fame, hordes of adoring fans, and millions of dollars, celebrities' family members are often just as memorable to the history books as the celebrities themselves. If there were any real justice in this world, every celebrity relative would be like Roger Clinton, who got caught in a cocaine-related sting operation authorized by his brother, Bill. Or like Billy Carter, [who used to pee on airport runways]() in front of the U.S. media. ![]() *Featuring the world's most honest slogan.* But, no. Not only do celebrity relatives have all the trappings of stardom, but no one is out to embarrass them either. In fact, it only makes their lives seem that much better than our own. ## 1. Jim Morrison's dad sparked the Vietnam War Rear Admiral (Lower Half) George S. Morrison was spending just another day as the commander of American naval forces in the Gulf of Tonkin on Aug. 2, 1964. Aboard his flagship, the USS *Bonhomme Richard*, he received reports of an alleged torpedo attack from the North Vietnamese on the USS *Maddox*. ![]() *The Morrison Family. (Jim is far right).* Two days later, he received another report of a similar incident. He informed President Lyndon B. Johnson, who began to escalate the U.S. presence in Vietnam under the Gulf of Tonkin resolution — and the rest is history. Admiral Morrison [did not think rock music was the best career]() for his son. ## 2. Pee-wee Herman's dad helped Israel gain statehood Obviously, Pee-wee is not the comedian's real name. His name is Paul Reubens and his father's name is Milton Rubenfeld. The elder Rubenfeld was also [one of five American World War II pilots]() who flew fighter planes in Israel's 1948 war for independence. ### Related: [That time Israeli airmen and a US Marine attacked 10,000 Egyptians and won]() Milton Rubenfeld was raised as an Orthodox Jew and his skills as a pilot were honed and hardened against the Nazi Luftwaffe over Europe. So, when every neighboring Arab country moved in to eradicate the would-be Israelis, five fighters took to the skies to give the nascent nation a fighting chance. ## 3. Chevy Chase's grandfather turned the tide in the Pacific Miles Browning, grandfather to Chevy Chase, was aboard the USS *Enterprise* during the WWII Battle of Midway — a battle that, essentially, ensured the Americans would win the war. Three irreplaceable Japanese aircraft carriers [ended up at the bottom of the ocean that day]() and it was Capt. Browning's "judicious planning and brilliant execution" (as Admiral Halsey would later write on Browning's Distinguished Service Medal citation) that put them there. ![]() *Dashing.* Browning was a dive-bomber expert, so when the Japanese naval air forces were spotted at the extreme range of U.S. Task Force 16, it took expert guidance and planning to make sure the Navy's best aviators could not only hit the Japanese carriers, but also make the trip home. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()