Joe DiMaggio was born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, and he played his entire Major League career, spanning thirteen years, for the New York Yankees. DiMaggio was a three-time MVP and an All-Star in each of his thirteen seasons.
During his career he amassed 361 home runs, a slugging percentage of .579, and a record 56-game hitting streak that still stands. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
DiMaggio set aside his high salary and enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant. During his war-time service he was stationed at Santa Ana, California, Hawaii, and Atlantic City, New Jersey. His position was listed as physical instructor. He never saw any combat and spent most of his service playing baseball in exhibition games and Army leagues.
At one point, DiMaggio became embarrassed by his Army lifestyle and demanded combat duty in late 1943, but he was denied. He eventually received a medical discharge because of chronic stomach ulcers in 1945.
One side note of interest was that DiMaggios parents were Italian immigrants and during the war they were classified as “enemy aliens” by the government after Pearl Harbor. They were required to carry ID booklets at all times, and were not allowed to travel outside of a five-mile radius during the war. Eventually, though, his mother became an American citizen in 1944 and his father one in 1945. Whether his parents alien status was a reason for DiMaggio being turned down for combat duty, or whether his star-status was the reason, history does not know. We only know that he desperately wanted to serve in combat, but it was not meant to be.
Join us next week when we will highlight the life and times of another famous American athlete during World War 2, and in the meantime, enjoy playing our combat flight simulator. Strap on your helmet and fly the skies with Aces High.
