Steve McQueen’s Real-Life 'Escape'
Spring 2013, Vol. 45, No. 1 | Pieces of History
“Statement of Private First Class Terrance Steven McQueen . . . Straggler.”
The Great Escape opened on July 4, 1963, in theaters across America. It became a hit, and 50 years later, the movie is considered a classic. Among the cast of stars, Steve McQueen gave a standout performance as the cool American pilot Capt. Virgil Hilts.
McQueen as Hilts is best remembered for the cross-country motorcycle chase to the Swiss border. While in the German POW camp, though, Hilts was known as the “Cooler King” for time spent in the cooler after multiple escape attempts.
Fourteen years earlier, Pfc. Terrance Steven McQueen showed his own relaxed view of rules and spent time in the brig at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for being Absent Over Leave (AOL).
McQueen had entered the U.S. Marine Corps in April 1947 when he was 17 years old. In 1949 he was twice brought up on AOL charges. For the first offense, in July, the court ordered a $40 fine and 10 days’ confinement, which was reduced to six months’ probation.
His repeat offense in December 1949, however, cost him $90 ($30 a month for three months) and confinement for 30 days. Our featured document, “Statement of Private First Class Terrance Steven McQueen . . . Straggler,” was part of the December court paperwork.
After being honorably discharged from the Marines in 1950, McQueen worked at a variety of jobs before finally enrolling in acting school.
McQueen’s Official Military Personnel File, along with about 56 million other archival OMPFs, is in the National Archives at St. Louis. Files with discharge dates of 1951 or earlier are open to the public.