The Martial Arts Expert And Action Star Honed His Skills While Serving During The Cold War
On Thursday (March 19), a legend of martial arts and acting, Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris, died at the age of 86.
In 1997, he became the first person in the Western Hemisphere to become a Grand Master in Taekwondo, being awarded an eighth-degree black belt. He also held a fifth-degree black belt in Karate, a third-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and many other titles in other disciplines.
Acting in the long-running CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger (1993-2001), as well as films like The Delta Force (1986), Chuck Norris was able to demonstrate his unique set of skills as a martial artist for an expansive audience.
Those skills began with an interest in the martial arts as a teenager, but were developed further by his service in the United States military during the Cold War.
Chuck Norris Served In The Air Force
In 1958, about 10 years before his acting debut, Chuck Norris enlisted in the Air Force.
According to the Department of War’s website, Norris’ goal was to have a career in law enforcement, and he was assigned to the military occupational specialty of air police, which is known today as Air Force security forces.
His first year of service saw him stationed at Gila Bend Air Force range in Arizona, but he was soon providentially deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea. While at that base, he was exposed to serious martial arts, and began training in judo.
The Department of War website states, “One day while outside the base in the city of Osan, he discovered a dojo studio where Tang Soo So, a Korean martial art similar in some respects to karate, was taught. He took an intense interest in it and worked hard to master it.”
In his 2004 autobiography, Against All Odds: My Story, he recalled:
“It took time for the Korean black belts to accept me, one of the few Caucasians in the class. But when they saw how determined I was to learn and how willing I was to persevere no matter what the cost, they became friendlier… While the training caused my physical body to become more flexible, it infused steel into my spine and spirit. I was determined to finish what I had started. I knew that I would never be the same, but I could never have dreamed that within eight years I would be sitting on top of the martial arts world as a champion!”
His final year of military service would see him stationed at March Air Force Base in California, where he received an honorable discharge in 1962.
From 1968 to 1974, Chuck Norris was the six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion.
Chuck Norris Named Honorary Texas Ranger
While he never did go on to serve in law enforcement, in 2010, then Texas Gov. Rick Perry named Chuck Norris an honorary Texas Ranger, celebrating his legacy on television.
“People may whisper about his super powers, but, let me tell you, the greatest power of Chuck Norris is his integrity,” Gov. Perry said.
That day, Gov. Perry also named Chuck’s younger brother, stunt coordinator and show producer Aaron Norris, as an honorary Texas Ranger, saying, “Together, they helped elevate our Texas Rangers to truly mythical status.”
Watch the Norris brothers be named as honorary Texas Rangers, here:
