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| The NFL and the military |
| 2004-04-26 |
| A representative list of NFL players who served in the military during the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts: Korea Cloyce Box, Detroit Eddie LeBaron, Washington, Dallas Bob Gain, Cleveland Ed Modzelewski, Pittsburgh, Cleveland Arnie Galiffa, N.Y. Giants, San Francisco Jim Mutscheller, Baltimore Sonny Grandelius, N.Y. Giants Les Richter, Los Angeles Rams Bill Jessup, San Francisco, Denver Ray Romero, Philadelphia Don Klosterman, Los Angeles Rams Art Spinney, Baltimore Vietnam Rocky Bleier, Pittsburgh Joe Don Looney, Detroit, Washington, New Orleans Gary Bugenhagen, Buffalo Roger Staubach, Dallas Woody Campbell, Houston Don Steinbrunner, Cleveland* Bob Kalsu, Buffalo* Ed Sutton, Washington, N.Y. Giants * Killed in action World War II Several active and former NFL players served in the armed forces during World War II. Listed below are the 23 NFL personnel - 21 active or former players, an ex-head coach and a team executive -- killed during the war. Mike Basca, Philadelphia, 1941 - Killed in France in 1944 Charlie Behan, Detroit, 1942 - Killed on Okinawa in 1945 Keith Birlem, Cardinals-Washington, 1939 - Killed trying to land combat damaged bomber in England in 1943 Al Blozis, Giants, 1942-1944 - Killed in France, 1945 Chuck Braidwood, Portsmouth-Cleveland-Cardinals-Cincinnati, 1930-1933 - Member of Red Cross. Killed in South Pacific, winter 1944-1945 Young Bussey, Bears, 1940-1941 - Killed in Philippines landing assault in 1944 Jack Chevigny (coach), Cardinals, 1932 - Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945 Ed Doyle, Frankford-Pottsville, 1924-1925 - Killed during North Africa invasion in 1942 Grassy Hinton, Staten Island, 1932 - Killed in plane crash in East Indies in 1944 Smiley Johnson, Green Bay, 1940-1941 - Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945 Eddie Kahn, Boston/Washington, 1935-1937 - Died from wounds suffered during Leyte invasion in 1945 Alex Ketzko, Detroit, 1943 - Killed in France in 1944 Lee Kizzire, Detroit, 1937 - Shot down near New Guinea in 1943 Jack Lummus, Giants, 1941 - Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945 Bob Mackert, Rochester Jeffersons, 1925 Frank Maher, Pittsburgh-Cleveland Rams, 1941 Jim Mooney, Newark-Brooklyn-Cincinnati-St. Louis-Cardinals, 1930-1937 - Killed by sniper in France in 1944 John O’Keefe (front office), Philadelphia - Killed flying a patrol mission in Panama Canal Zone Gus Sonnenberg, Buffalo-Columbus-Detroit-Providence, 1923-1928, 1930 - Died of illness at Bethesda Naval Hospital in 1944 Len Supulski, Philadelphia, 1942 - Killed in plane crash in Nebraska in 1944 Don Wemple, Brooklyn, 1941 - Killed in plane crash in India in 1944 Chet Wetterlund, Cardinals-Detroit, 1942 - Killed in plane crash off New Jersey coast in 1944 Waddy Young, Brooklyn, 1939-1940 - Killed in plane crash following first B-29 raid on Tokyo in 1945 Source: NFL.com |
| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #7 Also be think Johnny Rutherford, I disliked the man but I'm damn glad he knows how to fly. Be thinking about the Argentine Airforce in the South Atlantic War good drivers make good flyers. LOL Happy Independence Day! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-04-26 7:15:48 PM |
| #6 Im love John Wayne..... but frankly he ain't man enuf to play Ted Williams. Ted was stone cold green. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-04-26 7:12:10 PM |
| #5 Williams flew with Glenn. Both were in the Marines. He was almost killed at least one time when his jet crash landed in Korea. Williams missed 5 prime years and may have had a shot at Ruth's home run record had he not done so. Bob Costas said he was the man that John Wayne played in the movies. I cannot think of a better description. |
| Posted by: JAB 2004-04-26 6:58:58 PM |
| #4 these are the REAL warriors. The rest of the players just get paid to act the part for our amusement. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-26 4:48:11 PM |
| #3 I think that Wiliams was John Glenn's or Chuck Yeager's wingman. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-26 4:46:48 PM |
| #2 Slightly off-topic, but Ted Williams left baseball twice (WWII and Korea). Imagine what kind of career numbers he might have put up had he not sacrificed. Bob Feller also left baseball to serve. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-04-26 4:42:22 PM |
| #1 Jack Lummus won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2004-04-26 3:12:31 PM |