Fought in the French army during World War II against the Germans and was wounded in battle. He managed to escape to Morocco and was later brought to the US by his father, director
Jean Renoir, who by this time was an American citizen. One night at dinner Jean said to him, "You know, since this country has been gracious enough to admit you to its shores, it would be only polite of you to volunteer for the army." He took his father's "suggestion" and enlisted, eventually being sent to a machine-gun unit in the South Pacific where he saw very heavy action against the Japanese.