It is interesting to note as Memorial Day approaches Monday that although many of today's country music singers sing about patriotism, few have served in the military.

Here's a glance at several country performers who did put on military uniforms in service to their country:

GENE AUTRY: He was a major Western music and movie star when World War II broke out. During a live broadcast of his network radio program Melody Ranch in 1942, he was inducted into the Army Air Corps as a technical sergeant. He also used his fame to sell war bonds, help with recruiting and performed many shows for troops.

FREDDIE HART: He was 15 and lied about his age in order to join the Marine Corps in World War II.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: His father and both grandfathers had served in the military, so it was natural for Mr. Kristofferson to join the Army after receiving a master's degree at Oxford in 1960. He became a captain and put together a band during his service.

JOHNNY LEE: He joined the Navy after his high school band broke up and after he broke up with his girlfriend. His tour of duty included service on a ship off the coast of Vietnam.

RONNIE McDOWELL: He also served on a Navy carrier off the coast of Vietnam. He performed with a band in the Philippines.

WILLIE NELSON: He graduated from Abbott (Texas) High School in 1951 and joined the Air Force the same year. He served nine months before being discharged with back problems.

ELVIS PRESLEY: The rock star was drafted in the Army in 1958 and spent two years serving with tank companies at Fort Hood, Texas, and in Germany. It was that experience which led to his hit movie G.I. Blues.

MARTY ROBBINS: At 19, the Arizona native enlisted in the Navy during World War II and spent three years in the South Pacific. He learned to play guitar and started writing songs while in the service.

GEORGE STRAIT: The Texas native enlisted in the Army in 1971. He began performing with the Army-sponsored band Rambling Country while he was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

MEL TILLIS: The stuttering Grand Ole Opry star served in the Air Force from 1951 until 1955. It was while in service that he wrote Commercial Affection, a song about prostitution that later became a hit. He later would say it was based on an Air Force friend of his stationed in Japan.

CONWAY TWITTY: Most people think the hit Broad-way musical Bye, Bye, Birdie was based on Elvis Presley's induction in the Army, but it actually was based on Twitty's experience. His stage name is similar to the main character, Conrad Birdie.

Don Rhodes has written about country music for 38 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or at don.rhodes@morris.com.