Chuck Norris Military History Revealed, He Served In the Cold War

Chuck Norris is remembered as an American movie action hero and martial arts champion but none of that would have happened had he not enlisted in the U.S. military.

• Chuck Norris died at age 86 on Thursday, March 19.
• His acting career in the 1970s came after a decade spent teaching martial arts in Los Angeles.
• Norris’ most famous role was the lead in Walker, Texas Ranger on CBS.

At age 18 he enlisted and within a year was shipped to South Korea. This changed everything.

Related: What Chuck Norris’ Final Note To Fans Tells Us About His Cause of Death

Chuck Norris Served In the U.S. Air Force

Norris enlisted in the military soon after high school in 1958. The U.S. Department of War website notes that he joined the Air Force and trained to be air police, now called Air Force Security Forces. Eventually, Norris wanted to be in law enforcement.

While at Osan Air Base in South Korea, Norris discovered a studio where Tang Soo So was taught. He began to train and learn this form of karate and got so good that when he returned to the States and was discharged honorably in 1962, he kept training.

Eventually Norris became the first Westerner to be awarded an eighth-degree black belt in taekwondo, which gave him a platform to open a studio that trained celebs such as Bob Barker, Steven McQueen, Priscilla Presley and Donny and Marie Osmond.

Through competitions, Norris met Bruce Lee who helped him land a role in his first movie, Return of the Dragon. From there, two decades of film and another decade of television followed.

Several competition awards and recognitions for his military service followed across the next half-century. He continued to train almost to his dying day. On March 10, Norris shared a birthday post of him sparring with a parter.

“I don’t age. I level up,” he wrote.

This would prove to be his last message to fans on social media.