In honor of Veterans Day, it is often overlooked that many famous athletes that we admire have taken part in defending our country. Here are just a fewto honor their service and remember the sacrifices they made.
Joe DiMaggio
Yankees player Joe DiMaggio was a part of the seventh Army-Air Force during World War II, spanning from 1943-45. He never went into battle and was a part of the reserves in World War II. He started in California, before being transferred to Hawaii, where he was a staff sergeant and played on military baseball teams. He also served as a physical education instructor in the Special Services division during this short amount of time before returning to baseball in 1946.
Jackie Robinson
Before breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson served in the U.S. Army starting in 1942. Robinson began training as an officer and eventually was promoted to a second lieutenant in 1943. He would serve with the 761st Tank Battalion (which was an all black unit). Throughout his service, he faced great hardships which were crucial to his role in history.
Roberto Clemente
From the years 1958 to 1964. Pirates star and humanitarian, Roberto Clemente, was a part of the Marine Corps Reserve. This is also one of the main reasons why he moved to the U.S. He would complete his active duty commitment during baseball off-seasons as an Infantryman at Camp Lejeune. Clemente believed that all the hard work from the Marines made him a stronger player. He would be inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Yogi Berra
Iconic catcher for the Yankees, Yogi Berra, before playing for the Yankees, served as a part of the Navy during World War II. He Enlisted in 1944, and took part in the D-Day Invasion as a gunner’s mate on a rocket boat. Berra was wounded at battle and was awarded a purple heart and a recipient of the Distinguished Unit Citation and two battle stars for his service. While these facts aren’t often known about him, they shape him as a legend.
Melissa Stockwell
For the first woman on this list, I chose to write about Paralympic Swimmer and Triathlete Melissa Stockwell. Born In Colorado Springs, Melissa Stockwell graduated from the University of Colorado in 2002. She went straight into the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the transportation corps. After being deployed to Iraq, in 2004 she became the first woman to lose a limb in active combat. She received a Purple heart and a Bronze star for her service. Then, four years later she became the first war veteran from Iraq to compete in the Paralympics.
Willie Mays
Ex Giants Player Willie Mays was a part of the Army from May 1952 to March 1954. This took place at the time of the Korean War. He had to put his MLB career on hold. While he served, he continued playing baseball as a part of the military baseball team the Fort Eustis Wheels.
Arnold Palmer
Golf star Arnold Palmer served in the U.S. coast guard for three years. From 1951 to 1954. Palmer completed basic training in Cape May, New Jersey. He worked as a physical education and self-defense instructor, and was later stationed in Cleveland, Ohio, where he served as an Officer in 3rd class.
Ted Williams
In 1944, Ted Williams was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Marine Corps. Williams fully put his MLB career on hold. He served in two wars, World War II and the Korean War. He entered the Marines as WWII was ending, so he never went into those battles. He was a part of 39 missions for the Korean war. He would eventually be cut from the Marines because of an ear problem due to experiencing a crash landing in one of his most dangerous battles. He was awarded the Air medal and two gold stars.
Shauna Rohbock
Team USA bobsledder, Shauna Rohbock, was part of the U.S. Army National Guard in 2000. She was always an athlete, playing different sports throughout her life before joining. She got an opportunity through the Army to join the USA Bobsled team. From there, she went on to win a silver medal during the 2006 winter Olympics.
All these athletes served our country in great ways, and they all have something to show for it. When reading this article, hopefully you can remember them not only as athletes but also as heroes.