Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

CFB changed rather dramatically due to the war with most players going into the service or playing for teams of schools like Iowa Preflight where they were in military training.  Many athletes (and movie stars) were not only in the service, but also garnered some serious combat time.

"We" tend to overlook their service contributions because few of them referred to it. 

What changed here, in terms of advertising one's service?  
Back then, they didn't want to talk about it or didn't feel the need.  But post-Vietnam, or maybe WWII now in very old age, they're wearing the hats at all times, going to every veteran's thing possible.
Neither is better or worse, and if you served, you have the right to share it or not share it as much or as little as you want, but something changed.

Ironic if Ft. Knox had a poor defense, eh?
.

Now you tell us

Ironic if Ft. Knox had a poor defense, eh?
.

Most of the gold apparently is at the Fed in NYC, and the best defense is the shear weight of the gold bars.  The movies tend to make rather light of that.

But didn't nearly everyone serve in Vietnam (aside from the sons of rich politicians)?

i wonder if the treatment the vietnam vets got coming back played a role. military is a brotherhood and they were treated poorly upon return (still are sometimes) and i wonder if the trend of advertising you're military (current or former) on your sleeve was a form of support that's stuck around. don't know, i wasn't around for 'nam.

We can't talk about 40s college football without Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice.
Helluva life.
.
Averaged 25 ypc his SR year in HS.  
Spent 4 years in the Navy in WWII.
After the war, went to college.  He requested his wife get his scholarship, as he could use his GI money for school.
UNC agreed, Duke did not.
He finished 2nd for the Heisman in 48 and 49.  
He set the school total offense record, which was not broken until 1994.
He was the MVP of the 1950 College All-Star team that beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
.
UNC went to 2 Sugar Bowls with Justice.
They achieved their only #1 ranking ever, midway through the '48 season.
He averaged 42.6 yds per punt and 14.2 yards per punt return.
He got his nickname playing for Bainbridge NTS - finishing 5th in the AP poll in 1944.  He led that team in scoring and rushing (at 11.0 ypc).  He actually played in Chapel Hill for the visitors, beating North Carolina Pre-Flight on the filed he'd eventually star on later.

i wonder if the treatment the vietnam vets got coming back played a role. military is a brotherhood and they were treated poorly upon return (still are sometimes) and i wonder if the trend of advertising you're military (current or former) on your sleeve was a form of support that's stuck around. don't know, i wasn't around for 'nam.

Yep.