Hollywood’s Hidden Heroes: You Won’t Believe Which Celebrities Served in the Military!
Dennis Franz – The 82nd Airborne Division and The 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Infantry
Dennis Franz, the tough-talking detective from “NYPD Blue,” wasn’t just acting the part of a gritty enforcer. Before he patrolled TV’s mean streets, Dennis was in the thick of real action. In the late 1960s, this future TV star served in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.
His tour took him to the steamy jungles of Vietnam, where he experienced the raw realities of war. It’s a far cry from the Hollywood lights, but this stint in the military added an authentic edge to his later roles as law enforcers. Just goes to show, before he was busting perps on screen, Dennis was jumping out of planes and into history!