Charles Bronson entered the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1943, and he later told Roger Ebert that being drafted was one of the best things that ever happened to him — it was the first time he was well fed, well dressed, and able to improve his English. He began with basic duties like truck and mess work before training as a B-29 gunner, eventually joining a unit based in Guam. From there, he flew 25 combat missions across the Pacific, operating from islands such as Guam, Tinian, and Saipan. Bronson w