HEROES OF WAR, HOLLYWOOD JOINING UP.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
Understandably, Connie Acosta hasn't seen many smiles on her husband's face since he returned in January from Iraq, where the Army reservist re·serv·ist n. A member of a military reserve. reservist Noun a member of a nation's military reserve Noun 1. was blinded by shrapnel shrapnel Originally, a type of projectile invented by the British artillery officer Henry Shrapnel (1761–1842), containing small spherical bullets and an explosive charge to scatter the shot and fragments of the shell casing. from a bomb blast. So she was overjoyed o·ver·joy tr.v. o·ver·joyed, o·ver·joy·ing, o·ver·joys To fill with joy; delight. o a few weeks ago when she walked into his room at the Army's Eye Rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. Clinic in Palo Alto Palo Alto, city, California Palo Alto (păl`ō ăl`tō), city (1990 pop. 55,900), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1894. Although primarily residential, Palo Alto has aerospace, electronics, and advanced research industries. , Calif., and saw the grin on Jesse Acosta's face. ``Do you know who just called me, honey?'' the 49-year-old sergeant asked. ``The Rock. He called me a hero, and told me to hang in there. We talked like we were old buddies. It was great.'' Connie says she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It had been nearly a month since she had talked to Col. John South, an Army chaplain, about ways to cheer up her husband. He was a big, tough guy who had gone to fight for his country, but he wasn't feeling big or tough anymore. One of his favorite actors was the Rock -- Dwayne Johnson, the professional wrestler turned tough-guy movie actor. Maybe a call from the Rock would lift Jesse's spirits. ``It isn't unusual that soldiers in war often draw strength and try to portray themselves as movie characters doing the right thing and making a difference for their country,'' South said. ``Sure, war is reality, not a Hollywood movie. But deep down, a lot of soldiers want to emulate those Hollywood characters -- the John Waynes and Gary Coopers -- they admired for their bravery and toughness.'' South called an Army buddy he'd met during the Korean War Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. who later went into the acting business. Maybe he knew how to reach the Rock. James McEachin's movie and television career has spanned four decades, including his recurring role as Lt. Brock brock n. Chiefly British A badger. [Middle English brok, from Old English broc, of Celtic origin.] in the popular Perry Mason Noun 1. Perry Mason - fictional detective in novels by Erle Stanley Gardner television series. He was awarded the Silver Star for bravery in Korea, and earlier this year was named official Ambassador for the Army Reserve, traveling all over the country every week on behalf of the men and women in the reserves. After talking with South, McEachin hung the phone up in his Encino home, and promised himself he wouldn't let Sgt. Acosta down. He knew getting to the Rock wasn't a slam dunk, though. Nothing in Hollywood -- the land of inflated egos -- is a slam dunk unless there's money or an award involved. As the Army Reserve's ambassador, McEachin hadn't gotten far in persuading people in the entertainment industry to get involved in his Boots on the Ground "Boots on the ground" is an all-purpose term used to describe ground forces actually fighting in a war or conflict at the time of speaking, rather than troops not engaged or being transported to the fighting. program for injured soldiers and Marines returning home from Iraq. He'd hoped to persuade the small- and big-screen heroes to take a minute to make a phone call or a quick visit to a serviceman or woman lying in a hospital bed. ``I just want Hollywood to step up to the plate and be a real hero, not just a movie hero, for these dedicated young men and women,'' McEachin said. But Hollywood didn't seem interested. Earlier this year, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences rebuffed McEachin's request for two tickets to the Academy Awards that he wanted to give to a couple of returning Iraq war Iraq War: see under Persian Gulf Wars. Iraq War or Second Persian Gulf War Brief conflict in 2003 between Iraq and a combined force of troops largely from the U.S. and Great Britain; and a subsequent U.S. veterans. ``I told them this had nothing to do with politics or supporting the war. It was about doing the right thing, and honoring our young men and women in the service today.'' McEachin called the Rock's people to let them know that one of his biggest fans was lying blind and depressed in an Army hospital bed. Then, he waited for the call back that never came. ``I started calling them every day, bugging them. I kept thinking to myself this shouldn't be this tough.'' McEachin still doesn't know if any of those earlier phone calls to agents and P.R. people ever got to the Rock personally, but in the end the actor did the right thing. He picked up the phone and said thank you to Sgt. Jesse Acosta, and put a smile on the hero's face. It shouldn't be that tough for other Hollywood stars The Hollywood Star was an idiosyncratic gossip tabloid published on an erratic schedule in Hollywood, California by William Kern, who wrote much of the magazine under the pseudonym "Bill Dakota. to do the same. dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3749 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: James McEachin, right, talks with Maj. Gaspare Magaddino while touring the Lt. Patrick H. Daniels U.S. Army Reserve Center in Sherman Oaks. Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News Box: HOW TO HELP |
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