Steve McQueen was the embodiment of cool in the 1960s and '70s, whether he was playing a race car driver, a detective, a card player, a hired gun, a World War II POW who escaped, or a thief. Casting him made the character that much cooler -- and sometimes iconic. At age 17, McQueen received permission from his mother to join the Marine Corps in 1947. He went through basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was initially promoted to private first class in an armored division but was demoted at least seven times because of his antipathy to authority. He was confined to the brig for 41 days for going AWOL to spend two weeks with his girlfriend. Due to an unclear event, Steve McQueen was assigned to the honor guard protecting the presidential yacht, the USS Williamsburg, until 1950, when he left the Marine Corps. Despite his difficulties adjusting to being a marine, he spoke of his corps encouragingly, stating, "the Marines made a man out of me. I learned how to get along with others, and I had a platform to jump off of."