10 MLB players who served in the United States Military

Ty Cobb might be best known or his brilliant 24-year MLB career and hot-headed mentality. He’s also the all-time batting average leader (.366). However, very few know that Cobb served under fellow MLB great Branch Rickey and was assigned to the Allied Expeditionary Forces headquarters in France during the latter stages of World War I. He only spent 67 days overseas. Cobb’s unit also included fellow Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson.

One of the greatest MLB players of all-time, Mays never served in combat. He was drafted into the Korean War in 1951 while a member of the then-New York Giants. Instead of going overseas, Mays spent most of his time playing baseball at Fort Eustis in Virginia. Mays ended up missing 275 MLB games due to his military service. Sadly, he passed away on June 18 at the age of 93.

One of the best MLB catchers of all-time, Berra was known for his heroism in World War II long before a heralded career with the New York Yankees. The Hall of Famer enlisted in the military in 1943. He took part in the Normandy landings in Omaha Beach. He was also sent to Utah Beach during D-Day. Ultimately, Berra received a Purple Heart qualification after being shot in the left hand. Berra did not fill out the paper work, largely because he didn’t want his mother to know he was injured. Three years later, and he was called up to the Yankees. The rest is history. Just amazing stuff here.

Hammerin’ Hank has one of the most fascinating military record of any former MLB player. He was the first American League player to register for America’s peactime draft in 1940. In Decemvber of 1941, Greenberg was honorably discharged due to his age of 28. That came two days before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Ultimately, one of the best power hitters in the game gave up his prime to re-enlist for voluntary service in the Army Air Forces.

In February of 1944, he requested overseas duty and ended up serving in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II. Greenbery ended up serving 47 months during the war, the longest tenure of any MLB player. Despite this, he still finished with 337 homers while winning two MVP awards.

Considered one of the greatest MLB players of all-time, Banks served in the military for two years. He was posted in Germany during the Korean War and served as a flag bearer in the 45th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. At this time, Banks was contracted with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League. He ended up receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2013. Banks finished his MLB career with 14 All-Star appearances while winning two MVP awards.

Not only is Bob Feller one of the greatet MLB pitchers of all-time, he’s a true American hero. Individuals of his ilk is why we’re still able to celebrate the 4th of July. Feller learned of the Pearl Harbor bombing as he was visiting his terminally ill father. Two day later, he volunteered for the Navy. Feler was the first professional sports athlete to enlist in the military.

The rest of this story is crazy. Feller tried to enlist at a fighter pilot. But he failed the hearing test. Feller was granted an exemption due to his father’s illness. But he opted to serve combat missions. He served in the British Isles, Pacific Theater of Operations and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Feller was decorated with six campaign ribbons and eight battle stars. Oh, and he won 266 career games with the Cleveland Indians.

Larry Doby was playing for the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League when he started to serve in the United States Navy during World War II. Interestingly, enough, Doby learned of Jackie Robinson breaking the MLB color barrier when he was stationed in the Pacific. In a clear sign of his patriotism, Doby was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal on what would have been his 100th birthdy in December of 2023. On the field, Doby became the first African American player in American League history. He finished with nine All-Star appearances and two World Series titles.

Harry O’Neill played one game for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1939 and did not record a single at-bat. Elmer Gedeon appeared in five games that same season with the Washington Nationals. He recorded three hits. But both deserve to be on this list in a big way.

O’Neill enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Officers Training School in September 1942 during World War II. He felt a call to duty. In March of 1945, O’Neill joined his Marines in battling holdouts 11 days after American soldiers raised a flag atop Iwo Jima. He was killed by a sniper’s bullet. In 1944, Gedeon took off from England in his B-26 bomer. He was heading to the French launch site Adolf Hitler used to terrorize Europe. He was shot down by antiaircraft fire and perished. Both of these heroes are buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Best known for breaking the MLB color barrier in 1947 and going on to have an all-time great career, Robinson’s impact on the United States started years before that. He was drafted into service during World War II. Said service was cut short after Robinson was court martialed for refusing to sit at th back of a segregated Army bus. This caught the eye of military veteran Branch Rickey, who was the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey thought Robinson would be the perfect person to break the color barrier.

Joe DiMaggio’s story is among the most complexed. It is also among the most disturbing. Known for the longest hitting streak in MLB history, “The Yankee Clipper” enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943. While he requested a combat mission during his time, DiMaggio was turned down prmiarily due to chronic stomach ulcers.

Giuseppe and Rosalia DiMaggio, Joe’s parents, were listed as “enemy aliens” by the U.S. Government after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Each was required to carry photo ID booklets at all times and was not allowed to travel outside a five-mile radius from their home without a permit. It was among the darkest periods in American history.