Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) He was known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen, and helped form television industry standards. During World War II, at age 19, he joined the Army, serving from January 1943 to January 1946. Although he was short, only 5 feet, 4 inches tall, he was a noted boxer on his regimental sports team. While fighting the Japanese in the Philippines, he was seriously wounded in the wrist and knee, and was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman's Badge, among many decorations. Due to his wartime experiences, he would later suffer from nightmare flashbacks for the rest of his life. After the war, Serling went to Antioch college and studied literature. In 1955, he wrote a play "Patterns" for Kraft Television Theater, and it became so popular that...