Jimmy Stewart photo courtesy of Ancestry.com
As the nation gathers to honor its fallen soldiers this Memorial Day, it's not just everyday Americans who will be paying tribute to military friends and family members—plenty of our biggest celebrities also have ties to the service. Below are some of those who can trace their lineage back to relatives with military associations, according to Ancestry.com:
President Barack Obama
Obama's grandfather, Stanley Dunham, enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served in Europe, and the president's great-grandfather, Rolla Payne, served during World War I.
Ryan Seacrest
Merle Zullinger, Seacrest's grandfather, joined the Marines during the second World War and was stationed in the Pacific theater, serving as a corporal in the Solomon Islands; Okinawa, Japan; and Guam. (Apparently, Seacrest gets his looks from gramps; an old yearbook declares Zullinger a "ladies' man" with "the kind of hair girls wish for.") John A. Seacrest, Ryan's other grandfather, also served in World War II.
Johnny Depp
No wonder heartthrob Depp has found himself called to the big-screen role of rebellious Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean—his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather William Depp was an early rebel as well, fighting against the British during the American Revolution.
Tom Cruise
Kentucky lawyer Thomas Cruise Mapother, the namesake and great-grandfather of A-list actor Cruise, was described on his WWI draft card as "short, stout and bald."
The Best of the Rest
— Both of Reese Witherspoon's grandfathers enlisted during World War II.
— Paris Hilton's great-grandfather served during World War I.
— Tiger Woods' father earned a Bronze Star in the Vietnam War.
— Elvis Presley served in the military and was stationed in Germany after the Korean War.*
— Jimmy Stewart (above), Tony Bennett and Don Knotts served in World War II.
— The great-grandfather of Jennifer Aniston, Francis Dow, a Canadian citizen who lived in Maine, was still required to register for the draft during World War I.
*Correction: Elvis Presley did not serve in the Korean War, as the story originally indicated.
