Lunes, Mayo 31, 2021

[OC] To commemorate Memorial Day, a look at the NFL personnel who died in World War II (Part 1 of 2)

Memorial Day, a time to honor American service members who gave their lives fighting for their country. In the spirit of the day, let's take a look at NFL personnel, such as players and coaches, who died while serving in World War II.

According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, 994 figures connected to the NFL served in the Second World War. Of these nearly one thousand, 23 would not make it home.

Due to the character limit, this post will only be focusing on 12 such figures, while the second half will be covered at a later time.

List sorted alphabetically by last name

Chuck Braidwood

  • Position: End
  • NFL career: 1930 to 1933
    • 1930: Portsmouth Spartans
    • 1931: Cleveland Indians
    • 1932: Chicago Cardinals
    • 1933: Cincinnati Reds
  • PFR stats: Chuck Braidwood
  • Branch: Red Cross
  • Died: January 8, 1945 – Biak Island, Indonesia
  • Find a Grave: Civilian Charles Grant Braidwood

After starring at Chattanooga, Braidwood began his NFL career in 1930 as a member of the Portsmouth Spartans (now Detroit Lions) during their first season in the NFL. He bounced between a few teams for the next few years before returning to Tennessee to become a wrestling referee.[1] In September 1942, he joined the Red Cross as a program director and was sent to the Pacific, where he worked in Australia and New Guinea. After a brief return home in October 1944, he went to the North Pacific a month later.[2]

On January 8, 1945, he died of a heart attack on Biak Island at the age of 41.[2] He was one of two Chattanooga athletes to die in service that week along with boxer and Pfc. Sammy Hershfield in Belgium.[3] Braidwood is buried at Manila American Cemetery at what was then Fort William McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio).

Mike Basca

  • Position: Running back
  • NFL career: 1941
    • 1941: Philadelphia Eagles
  • PFR stats: Nick Basca
  • Branch: Army
  • Rank: Corporal
  • Died: November 11, 1944 – Obreck, France
  • Find a Grave: Michael Martin "Nick" Basca

Michael Martin "Nick" Basca was a Pennsylvania kid. After growing up in Phoenixville and attending Villanova, he played for the Eagles in 1941.

Basca's final game as a pro came on December 7, 1941 as Philadelphia took on Washington. When news of what happened at Pearl Harbor earlier that day reached the locker room, he enlisted in the Army, as did two of his brothers, at Fort Meade in Maryland.[4][5] Following basic training, he was based at Pine Camp (Camp Drum).[5] In 1942, he was recruited by Col. Robert Neyland to play for an all-Army football team in a series of preseason games against the NFL to support the war effort.[6] After spending time at Camp Bowie in Texas, the now-tank commander went to England alongside the Fourth Armored Division before landing on Utah Beach on July 11, 1944. After securing the Brittany Peninsula, he and the division led the way for Gen. Patton's Third Army through France.[4][7]

On November 11, 1944 (ironically, Armistice Day), while moving toward Nancy, Cpl. Basca was in Obreck when his tank was hit by a German 88mm anti-tank round, killing him instantly; he was 26. When his brother Steven, who was recovering at a nearby hospital, received the news, he "rose in his bed and screamed."[4]

Exactly one year after his death, the Eagles paid tribute to him before their game against the Giants.[8] Other tributes include Villanova's football homecoming weekend and Chester County's football championship trophy being named in his honor.[4]

Basca was first buried at the American Catholic Military Cemetery in France before returning to Pennsylvania in 1948, and his body arrived home nine days after the Eagles won the NFL Championship Game.[4] He is currently interred at Saint Michael's Greek Catholic Cemetery in Mont Clare.

Charlie Behan

Behan's lone NFL campaign came with the Lions in 1942 as the American war machine came to life. The Northern Illinois alumnus himself would join the Marine Corps at season's end.[9] Throughout 1943, he was stationed at Camp Lejeune and played for the base's football team.[10]

His own overseas activity began in 1944 as he was attached to the Sixth Marine Division. Later that year on Christmas Eve, he participated in a touch football game in Guadalcanal between the 4th and 29th Infantry Regiments, working as a player/coach for the latter. Called "The Football Classic" and "Mosquito Bowl" (though those who played in the game did not call it the latter), the game featured the likes of Rams first-round draft pick Tony Butkovich, 1942 Big Ten MVP Dave Schreiner, and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Crazylegs Hirsch. It ended in a scoreless tie.[11]

Many of those involved in the Classic were shipped off to fight in Okinawa in April 1945. Lt. Behan and the Sixth were tasked with taking Sugar Loaf Hill. On May 18, he was hit in the mouth by shrapnel but was adamant about continuing to fight, applying cotton to his mouth to stem the bleeding.[9]

"We went up Sugar Loaf and got up there all right," Behan's ally Bill Hulek told Terry Frei of The Denver Post. After he threw grenades at a Japanese machine gun nest, "Lieutenant Behan kneeled there with a little carbine. That jammed, so he took my rifle and started shooting again."[9]

He proceeded to be hit by machine gun fire.

"The bullets came right out of his back, and you could see his jacket raised — plink, plink, plink."

Behan was 24 years old; he and 11 other players from the Classic died in the battle. He would posthumously receive the Navy Cross.[9] The award's citation

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant Charles Edwin Behan (MCSN: 0-22667), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as a Platoon Leader attached to Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-Ninth Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 18 May 1945. Refusing evacuation after first-aid treatment for a shrapnel wound in the mouth received while he was moving into position for an assault on Sugar Loaf Hill, first Lieutenant Behan remained steadfast with his platoon and, despite his inability to talk, directed the movements of his platoon by arm and hand signals. Risking his life by taking an exposed position well in front of the platoon so that his men could see his signals, he led the attack through withering enemy fire and, although hit again and mortally wounded, dragged himself behind a rock and continued to convey his instructions to his men and direct the attack until he lost consciousness. By his daring initiative, staunch leadership, extreme fortitude and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, First Lieutenant Behan contributed immeasurably to the successful completion of the company's mission. His courageous and unfaltering devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

He is buried at Union Cemetery in his hometown Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Keith Birlem

  • Position: Quarterback
  • NFL career: 1939
    • 1939: Chicago Cardinals
    • 1939: Washington Redskins
  • PFR stats: Keith Birlem
  • Branch: Army Air Forces
  • Rank: Major
  • Died: May 7, 1943 – RAF Polebrook, England
  • Find a Grave: MAJ Keith G Birlem

Last year, the San Jose State Spartans enjoyed one of their best football seasons ever when they went undefeated in the regular season and won the Mountain West championship. An undefeated regular season had not been achieved by SJSU since 1939; such a strong campaign was set up by building momentum over the previous three years under Dudley DeGroot and his quarterback Keith Birlem as they went 27–7–1 from 1936 to 1938.

Birlem's pro career was fairly short lived as he began his career with the Cardinals before switching to end after six games. Despite starting three games at his new position, he saw little action and was released before landing in Washington.[5]

In 1940, he decided to enter the military and fulfill a longtime dream of flying in the Air Corps. Birlem tried to do the same while at SJSU but was turned down multiple times (seven, to be exact) as he kept failing the eye tests due to chlorine irritating his eyesight while he was on the Spartan swim team. Now that he was out of college and had better vision, he succeeded.[5]

After attending the Ryan School of Aeronautics and basic training at Randolph Field, Birlem earned his wings and became a captain. In 1942, he was called upon to lead the 508th Squadron of the 351st Bombardment Group, a unit of B-17 Flying Fortresses that he nicknamed the Redskins. One of the squadron's members was legendary actor Clark Gable and Billy Southworth Jr., the son of Baseball Hall of Fame manager Billy Sr.[5]

Birlem celebrated his 28th birthday by flying his first combat mission alongside the 303rd Bomb Group in a B-17 called the "Vicious Virgin", dropping bombs on repurposed automotive plants in Antwerp, Belgium.[6]

"I never thought those Germans would come so close," Birlem reported. "I was riding co-pilot to Capt. Eddie Broussard and one FW-190 came right at us. If Capt. Broussard hadn't pulled up the nose, he would have hit us head on."[6]

It would be his first and only mission. Just three days later, his B-17 suffered damage and he attempted to land it at home base at RAF Polebrook. However, his plane cut off the tail of another flown by Lt. Roy Snipes, causing both to crash and killing all 20 crewmen involved.[5] Birlem was 27.

"Keith was killed in a flight formation training exercise before the 351st Bomb Group started flying combat missions," wrote the squadron's engineering officer Otto Vasak.[5]

Birlem is interred at the Garden of Memories in Salinas, California.

Al Blozis

  • Position: Tackle
  • NFL career: 1942 to 1944
    • 1942 to 1944: New York Giants
  • PFR stats: Al Blozis
  • Branch: Army
  • Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Died: January 31, 1945 – Vosges, France
  • Find a Grave: Alfred Charles "Al" Blozis

A former track and field legend, Blozis played three years for the Giants and made the 1940s All-Decade Team, while his #32 is retired by the team. He had a very imposing presence at 6'6" and 250 lbs, but this frame worked against him when he tried to enlist. It was not until 1943 that he was able to convince the military to waive the size requirements, and it took even longer for him to get infantry duty rather than his initial assignment in Special Services (the recreational branch). In December, he joined the chemical warfare department and also worked at Walter Reed as a physical instructor, though the latter was delayed by three weeks since there were not uniforms that would fit him.[5]

He eventually became an officer, and while at Fort Benning, he set the Army record for the furthest hand grenade toss at 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches.[5][12] In late 1944, he took advantage of his furlough to return to the NFL, playing in the title game for the Giants. Two days later, he was sent to Europe to join the 28th Infantry Division.[5]

On January 31, 1945, Blozis was in the Vosges Mountains in France as part of A Company, 110th Infantry Regiment in what was his first major taste of combat. One of his patrols went missing, prompting him to head out to search. While he and 11 others were heading to the village of La Baroche, they were attacked by a German sniper. The group split up, but Blozis did not return. Although newspapers reported his body was never found, others say differently.[5][12]

"I heard he was hit 38 times,"" said Joe McCluskey, who was a distance runner with Blozis. "He was a big target. He was so strong the first bullets weren't enough to kill him."[12]

In 2002, Paul Lambert, who served in the same platoon as Blozis, sent an email to Georgetown's athletic department with the story:[13]

[...] I was one of the four he went looking for.

I remember the day he led us down to the little village in the valley below. It was my birthday. There were 12 of us, but a German sniper wounded one of the men just before we reached the little village.

I was a Machine Gunner. Al sent me and three others to the furthest outpost. I don't know where he sent the other seven, but evidently they all got out of there safely. As soon as we got to the place where we were to set up the machine gun, a big old farmhouse at end of the valley, a German sniper got one of my 3 buddies and killed him. That left only three of us to manage that gun 24 hours-a-day for five days. We were pretty much exhausted and just about out ammo and food.

On that last day, I knew I had to get back to the command post that Al had set up in the little schoolhouse at the bottom of the mountain where we entered the village. It was snowing and visability was next to zero. I left my two buddies to man the gun and took off very cautiously toward the Command post about a quarter mile away. In the dense snow, as I got about half way, I saw a huge form advancing toward me. I stopped with my pistol ready, and then suddenly realized it was Lt. Blozis. And he recognized me. I was about to say something, but he motioned to me to be quiet. Just then there was a blast from a German machine gun, and Lt. Blozis fell backwards to the ground. I carefully crawled on my stomach to him, but he was dead. He had several bullet holes in his body. I could do nothing except get back to my outpost.

I knew nothing about what was happening to my Company. When I got back, I told my two surviving buddies what had happened. We didn't know what to do because we had no orders, or any communications. We knew that we just couldn't desert our post. If we didn't get help very soon, we were goners because the Germans were not taking any prisoners. Just toward evening, an old man from the village came to us and told us that we had to get out of there because our comrades had all left. He told us we were surrounded by Germans and he pointed out the only chance we had of getting out of there. He showed us the direction to go and where to start climbing back over the mountain that was the least German-infested route. It took us four nights of climbing in waist-high snow to get over the mountaintop and over to the American side. We only had to kill one German soldier on the way out.

The rest of the story is long and I won't get into it. However I will say, we were able to get back to our outfit just in time to join the big attack on Colmar. The ironic part of the story is that, as we were advancing under artillery fire from the Germans, I was alongside Lt. Blozis's replacement: Lt. Johns. It was his first time in battle. I had to stop along the road to adjust one of my shoes that was hurting me. A few seconds later, an artillery shell came in just about on top of the new Lt. and instantly killed him.

There is no one else that knows the end of this story except one buddy who I know is still living somewhere in Texas. These are the facts. Lt. Blozis was a Real American Hero who would never leave any of his men under any circumstances. Now you know the whole story of Lt. Blozis' life and how and why it ended. I am 83 years old and I would hate to have died and taken this with me.

Blozis is buried at Lorraine American Cemetery. He was 26.

Young Bussey

  • Position: Quarterback
  • NFL career: 1941
    • 1941: Chicago Bears
  • PFR stats: Young Bussey
  • Branch: Navy
  • Rank: Lieutenant
  • Died: January 7, 1945 – Lingayen Gulf, Philippines
  • Find a Grave: LTJG Ruey Young Bussey

Ruey Young Bussey was a hotshot quarterback from LSU when the Bears drafted him in the 20th round in 1940. When he met George Halas, he proclaimed that incumbent starter Sid Luckman should either be traded or demoted to second string. To little surprise, Bussey was instead sent to the Bears' American Association affiliate in Newark, where he led the AA in passing, before joining the NFL team in 1941.[5]

Being the backup to a Hall of Fame QB obviously meant limited playing time at most, but Bussey made the most of it and became a fan favorite. Biographer Ralph Cushman wrote Bussey "had become the Bears' instant offense. The crowd quickly recognized his potential for electric action and screamed approval when he trotted into the arena. Actual records fail to define just how prolific Young was from the standpoint of points per minute of play…[he] often was sent in for a quick score and then was held in reserve as the Bears' defense dug in to preserve the lead."[5]

The Bears went on to win the 1941 title. The following year, Bussey took a job at a shipbuilding plant before joining the Bears at training camp and played in the Chicago College All-Star Game. With Luckman entrenched as the starter, Bussey decided to enlist in the Naval Reserve the day after the All-Star. Upon becoming an officer, he was assigned to the USS Warren in the South Pacific.[5]

He served as the assistant beachmaster during the Battle of Guam and participated in ten landing assaults. For his work, he was promoted to head beachmaster for the upcoming invasion of Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines. However, he started to have doubts about seeing the end of the war. The night before the landing, he told his brother Keefer that he did not expect to survive the battle and gave him a watch that he received for winning the 1941 championship. He also gave his valuables to the ship chaplain and told him, "Tomorrow, I make my ascension. Will you see that my mother gets these?"[5]

On January 7, 1945, Bussey and his landing craft set off for the beaches. Amid the chaos, the craft got snagged in a coral reef about 75 yards away from a beach that the Navy did not weaken during the previous days' bombardments. A Japanese mortar landed a direct hit on Bussey's craft, hitting the lieutenant in the left shoulder and presumably blowing his left arm off. Using his other arm, Bussey ordered his men to take cover.[5]

"I was in the water trying to swim without my life belt as it had been blown off," wrote his friend Lawrence Beall. "I leaned down to cut off my shoes, and when I looked up the two men I had seen swimming away from the wreckage had disappeared."[5]

Bussey's body neither washed up on shore nor was found. He was 27.[5]

Jack Chevigny

Chevigny was a star halfback at Notre Dame who is perhaps best known for scoring the game-winning touchdown against Army in 1928, successfully allowing the Irish to "win one for the Gipper". Instead of a pro playing career, he stayed at Notre Dame as an assistant coach under Knute Rockne.[5]

In 1932, he became the head coach of the Cardinals, but lasted just one year as the team went 2–6–2. Returning to the college ranks, Chevigny worked as the HC for St. Edward's and Texas, though the latter stint resulted in him being the first of two coaches in Longhorn history to have a losing record (followed by current Jags assistant HC Charlie Strong). He eventually worked as an attorney for the State of Texas and as an oil business.[5]

When the war rolled around, Chevigny tried to enlist but was turned down due to a knee injury he suffered at Notre Dame. By 1943, however, the Marines were willing to let him in as an officer, and he reported to Fort Benjamin Harrison, followed by Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune. At Lejeune, he was unsurprisingly tasked with being the football team's head coach. While a cushy job for the most part, Chevigny wanted to do more than work at a desk as he watched his fellow Marines go off to fight, explaining to he wanted "to be there with the boys."[14]

He successfully requested a transfer in February 1944 and was assigned to the Fifth Division of the Fleet Marine Force. While he continued to have some public relations activities, he mainly worked as a liaison officer as the Division prepared to invade Iwo Jima. Stationed aboard the USS Rutland, he befriended Giants first-round pick George "Sonny" Franck, who idolized Chevigny and was rescued after being shot down in the Pacific.[14]

Eventually, it was time to storm the beaches. Near Yellow Beach 1, Chevigny hunkered down in a foxhole where he met up with Franck, who was working as a spotter, and worked to calm him and other Marines down. However, Franck sensed trouble and quickly hopped out to run for the command post. Chevigny and others in the foxhole were unable to get out in time and were directly struck by a shell.[14]

After the fighting calmed down, Franck asked a friend, "Have you heard anything of Chevigny?"[14]

The response: "He and some other guys got hit in a shell hole. He's gone. They're all gone."[14]

The 38-year-old Chevigny is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Eddie Doyle

  • Position: End
  • NFL career: 1924 to 1925
    • 1924: Frankford Yellow Jackets
    • 1925: Pottsville Maroons
  • PFR stats: Eddie Doyle
  • Branch: Army
  • Rank: Captain
  • Died: November 8, 1942 – Morocco

Doyle played two seasons in the NFL, one in 1924 for the Frankford Yellow Jackets and the other for rival Pottsville Maroons. With the latter, Doyle won the NFL championship... and then the Maroons lost it. Yeah, it's controversial.

Although he attended West Point, he never went into the military afterward as he elected to pursue pro football instead. Nevertheless, he joined the Army about fifteen years later in time for war. As a commander of the 168th Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, he oversaw the landing in Algeria as part of Operation Torch. Afterward, he and a contingent of 25 soldiers began heading for Algiers, but Doyle would not make it there as he was killed by a sniper. He is believed to be the first American casualty of the North African campaign.[5]

Grassy Hinton

  • Position: Quarterback
  • NFL career: 1932
    • 1932: Staten Island Stapletons
  • PFR stats: Grassy Hinton
  • Branch: Army Air Forces
  • Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Died: December 10, 1944 – Halmahera Island, Indonesia
  • Find a Grave: LTC J W Hinton

The former TCU star spent one season in the NFL with the Staten Island Stapletons, for whom he played tailback. Afterward, he decided to go into aviation and enlisted in the Air Corps, earning his wings at Randolph in 1934 and later working at Barksdale and Smyrna. When the war began, he was a training director at Fort Worth Army Air Field.[5]

Hinton was later sent to the South Pacific, where he took part in bombing raids in the East Indies. On December 10, 1944, he was the copilot of a B-24 Liberator from the 13th Air Force, 307th Bombardment Group, 372nd Bombardment Squadron in a ten-man crew. The plane took off from Pitu Airfield with plans to go to Miri, but communications with the aircraft fell silent shortly after.[5]

"I think Colonel Hinton was flying the plane with Pat (Lt. Herbert N.F. Patrick) in the co-pilot seat," wrote a friend of the crew. "George (H. Westlund, SSG) was attempting to make up a mission probably missed because of a cold or some other circumstance. The plane crashed into a hillside on Halmahera Island. The crash explosions could be seen from the runway on Morotai. A concentrated air-to-ground search was conducted for a period of six to ten days to no avail. We could not locate the plane or the crash site."[5]

Hinton was 37. The crew's remains were eventually found and buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville.[5]

Smiley Johnson

Howard "Smiley" Johnson started two seasons for the Packers at guard and linebacker before enlisting in the Marines in 1942; he was one of 16 players from the 1941 squad to join the armed forces, but the only marine of the group.[15] After basic training in San Diego and a brief stay in Hawaii, he became an officer. While in Officer Candidate School, he struggled with math but was liked by his peers. When the Commandant was told by Lt. Gen. Thomas Holcomb that Johnson might flunk, he responded, "The hell he will. When his class graduates, I will be here to pin the bars on him."[5]

"Smiley was an unusual Marine," recalled officer Dan Magill who had known him since his days at the University of Georgia.[5] "He was a teetotaler, who didn't cuss and who read the Bible every night. I recall one evening at Quantico we went to an off-base cafe for a milkshake. In walked an enlisted Marine whom I recognized as the movie star Tyrone Power. This cafe was headquarters for taxis taking Marines on weekend liberty to nearby Washington, and Power was there to reserve a cab to visit his wife, French actress Annabella. When the taxi manager informed Power that he needed to place a $10 deposit to reserve a cab, Power said he didn't have his wallet. Smiley overheard and told Power, a perfect stranger to him, ‘I'll loan you $10, buddy.' To which Power snapped to attention when he saw 2nd Lt. Johnson, saluted him, accepted the $10 bill, obtained Smiley's barracks' address, and returned the money that very night. That was the last time I saw my wonderful friend."

In January 1944, he was stationed aboard the USS Calvert. While preparing for the invasion of Saipan with the Fourth Marine Division, he played with the Maui Mariners, who enjoyed great defensive success with Johnson at LB as they scored 164 combined points and allowed six. At Saipan, the Third Battalion, 23rd Marines landed on Blue Beach 1, and Johnson received the Silver Star and a promotion to First Lieutenant for his efforts.[5] His Silver Star citation reads:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Howard W. Johnson (MCSN: 0-20087), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company I, Third Battalion, Twenty-third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, during operations against Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, from 15 June to 9 July 1944. When the enemy counterattacked the flank position held by his platoon, First Lieutenant Johnson daringly directed the defense, exposing himself to heavy fire and helping annihilate in hand-to-hand conflict the Japanese who penetrated the position. Later, in an attack against a ridge, when the platoon was pinned down by close range machine-gun fire, he stood directly in the line of fire to move his men to more favorable positions, unhesitatingly moving in front of the lines to carry wounded men to safety, and calmly continuing to direct his platoon after his rifle was knocked out of his hands by hostile fire. His resolute courage, aggressive spirit and untiring devotion to duty served to instill confidence in his men and reflect the highest credit upon First Lieutenant Johnson and the United States Naval Service.

The Marines' next stop was Iwo Jima, and the Third arrived late at the island on February 19. Johnson and four enlisted Marines were then hit by a Japanese shell, and Johnson ordered for the others to be treated before him. He would succumb to his injuries at the age of 28 and posthumously awarded a second Silver Star.[5] This citation goes:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Howard W. Johnson (MCSN: 0-20087), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader, attached to Company I, Third Battalion, Twenty-third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 19 February 1945. With his platoon disorganized and suffering many casualties immediately after landing on D-Day, First Lieutenant Johnson remained steadfast and courageous under a shattering barrage of hostile artillery, mortar and small-arms fire and, boldly moving from place to place along the beach, located his men and led them to a position of relative safety two hundred yards inland. Constantly showered with sand and debris, he dauntlessly continued leading his men from the water's edge to the inland assembly area, carrying on valiantly until he was fatally struck down by hostile artillery fire. By his inspiring leadership, outstanding fortitude and grave concern for the safety of his comrades in the face of tremendous odds, First Lieutenant Johnson contributed to the saving of many lives, and his selfless conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

He was first buried at the division's cemetery before being moved to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in 1949.

Eddie Kahn

  • Position: Guard
  • NFL career: 1935 to 1937
    • 1935 to 1936: Boston Redskins
    • 1937: Washington Redskins
  • PFR stats: Eddie Kahn
  • Branch: Army
  • Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Died: February 17, 1945 – Leyte, Philippines
  • Find a Grave: 1LT Edwin Kahn

Nicknamed "King Kong" for his size at 5'9" and 194 lbs, Eddie Kahn helped lead the Redskins to the 1937 NFL championship. Figuring to go out on top, he retired at season's end and coached the team's Hazleton Indians farm team in 1938.[5]

When the U.S. entered the war, Kahn enlisted in the infantry while his sister Edna joined the Women's Air Corps. Lt. Kahn received a Purple Heart after being wounded in the Battle of Kwajalein in 1944, but was able to recover in time to lead a landing party in the invasion of Leyte in October. This time, however, he suffered injuries that he died from in February.[5]

"I cannot express my dismay at receiving such terrible news," his North Carolina head coach Carl Snavley wrote to his father Thomas. "I can truthfully say that I know how you feel, and I also know that no words from me or anyone else can make the loss much easier to bear. Of all the fine boys that I have coached... there is not one for whom I have greater respect than I have had and will always have for Eddie. He is just the type of boy who would enter the ranks and win his commission the hard way, and never stop fighting until he gave his life."[5]

References

[1] Mat Game Here Has No Rules, Says Referee Chuck Braidwood from The Chattanooga Times, March 11, 1934

[2] 'Chuck' Braidwood, Ex-UC Player, Dies While Serving With Red Cross from The Chattanooga Times, January 25, 1945

[3] Report on Overseas Athletes by Wirt Gammon, The Chattanooga Times, January 28, 1945

[4] Veterans Day tribute to former Eagle Nick Basca, who died in WWII by Frank Fitzpatrick, The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 10, 2014

[5] When Football Went to War by Todd Anton and Bill Nowlin, 2013

[6] Neyland Picks Four Ex-Pros by the Associated Press, Deseret News, August 1, 1942

[7] Nick Basca Killed In France Nov. 11 from The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 1, 1944

[8] Honor Nick Basca In Eagle-Giant Tilt by the Associated Press, The Capital Times, November 9, 1945

[9] Frei: Salute veterans like Charlie Behan by Terry Frei, The Denver Post, May 30, 2010

[10] LEJEUNE MARINES WORK ON ALL KICKING PHASES by the Associated Press, The News and Observer, September 16, 1943

[11] Christmas Eve 1944: Marines' Mosquito Bowl, Terry Frei

[12] Two Giants Were Heroes Far From Playing Field by Robert Mcg. Thomas Jr., The New York Times, January 26, 1991

[13] Big Men on Campus Redux, Georgetown Hoyas, December 15, 2005

[14] One more for the Gipper by Steve Wulf, ESPN, November 11, 2014

[15] 16 Packer Players In Armed Forces by Ray Pagel, Green Bay Press-Gazette, July 8, 1942



sa
Mga etiketa: , ,

Walang komento:

Mag-post ng isang Komento

Mag-subscribe sa: I-post ang Mga Komento (Atom)