Six Hall of Fame Baseball Players Who Served in World War II
During World War II, six individuals who would later be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame served their country: Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Warren Spahn, and Hank Greenberg. Williams, a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox, was drafted by the Navy in 1942, worked as a military aviator instructor, and was released in 1946, receiving both the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. Robinson, also drafted in 1942, served with the 761st Tank Battalion and faced a court-martial but was acquitted. DiMaggio enlisted in 1943 and was discharged in 1945. Berra fought on the USS Bayfield during D-Day, earning a Purple Heart, while Spahn was part of the 1159th Engineer Combat Group and was awarded a Bronze Star. Greenberg re-enlisted and returned to hit a home run in 1945.
Key facts
- Ted Williams was drafted by the U.S. Navy in 1942, assigned to the Marine Corps, and served as an instructor until his medical discharge in 1946.
- Jackie Robinson was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1943, and served in the 761st Tank Battalion.
- Joe DiMaggio enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 and was medically discharged in September 1945 due to stomach ulcers.
- Yogi Berra enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor, served as a gunner's mate on the USS Bayfield during D-Day, and earned a Purple Heart at 19.
- Warren Spahn served in the 1159th Engineer Combat Group during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 and helped repair the Remagen bridge.
- Hank Greenberg served 47 months in the U.S. Army, the most of the six players, and returned to hit a home run in his first game back in 1945.
- Ted Williams flew 39 combat missions during the Korean War after being recalled to service.
- Yogi Berra won three MVP awards and ten World Series championships with the New York Yankees.
Entities
Artists
- Ted Williams
- Jackie Robinson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Yogi Berra
- Warren Spahn
- Hank Greenberg
- Babe Ruth
- Lou Gehrig
- Elvis Presley
- Franklin Roosevelt
- Harry Warnecke
Institutions
- Boston Red Sox
- United States Navy
- Marine Corps
- United States Army
- Brooklyn Dodgers
- New York Yankees
- New York Mets
- Boston Braves
- Detroit Tigers
- Major League Baseball
- National Portrait Gallery
- Smithsonian Institution
- Library of Congress
- National Museum of American History
- TheCollector
Locations
- United States
- Fort Riley
- Kansas
- Fort Hood
- Texas
- Normandy
- Omaha Beach
- Utah Beach
- North Korea
- Pearl Harbor
- Hawaii
- Remagen
- Rhine
- Germany
- China
- Burma
- India