He was John Glenn's wingman in Korea. Glenn considered him an outstanding pilot. But the most amazing thing was that at 6'4", there was no way he could bail out if the jet were to crash. The ejection seat would have torn his knees off. Getting into a jet in combat under those circumstances is about as brave as it gets. A great man.
He describes it all in his autobiography which is so honest it is funny: he never stops bellyaching about how everything the Marines get is hand-me-down from the Navy, how cold it is in his hut with a smoky coal stove making him cough (never thinking how the GI's are literally freezing their asses in icy trenches), but he never brags a bit about his personal skill and bravery (he missed combat in WWII because he was such an excellent pilot he was made an instructor)
My uncle Bobby was a WWII Marine Corps SBD pilot during the same years that Ted Williams was involved, 1943-45. They were the same rank but different units. Even though my uncle had a gunner killed with him in action, people always asked him about Ted Williams. He didn’t like him but he only knew him slightly. A little resentment is probably natural for two bigger than life characters in the Greatest Generation.
"I'm anxious to see if I can still hit." LOL - this is the guy who served for 3 years in WW2 and won the MVP in his first year back. In my opinion the greatest hitter of all time.
A very enigmatic man, but one of my greatest heroes. He went into the Navy in WWII and later served in Korea. During the best part of his career...A giant of a man...God bless his soul.
When I was a young boy I idolized Ted and wrote to him every summer, every time I wrote I received a reply from him. Try doing that today to the big stars and see how many reply to you, in my adult life I wrote to Mike Schmidt twice and received reply both times including an autographed picture.
I understand the corresponding with Ted Williams is personal to you. But, maybe you could have those letters published. It would be wonderful to hear about the advise he gave you. Were you named Ted after him ? Or was it Roosevelt ?
The late actor Lee Marvin was also a US Marine. His tombstone has his name, date of birth and date of death and one other thing: “PFC US MARINES.” Nothing else. No mention of his Academy Award, nothing about a brilliant acting career. He was prouder of being a US Marine then of anything else he ever did.
A fighter pilot in two wars A hall of famer in two sports He hit .400 in three seasons (Two of them partial, but still) A two-time MVP A two-time triple crown winner Near the beginning of his run He hit .406 Near the end of his career He hit .388 His rookie year .317 His final frame .316 521 homers in 17 & 1/2 seasons Perhaps his greatest feat... In '57 while pushing 40 He reached base safely 19... 19! CONSECUTIVE TIMES!!! Nobody else has even halved that record.
At the end of the book and the movie "The Bridges At Toko-Ri" an admiral watches Panther jets launch on yet another dangerous mission and wonders, "Where do we get such men?" The Navy called up inactive Navy and Marine reservists for Korea. Most hadn't flown in the five years since the end of WW2. Active reservists with current flight experience were held back in case the Korean conflict spread into a third world war. Needless to say many of the inactive reservists, including Ted Williams, were resentful and not happy about being called up just as they were getting settled into their post WW2 lives. But, they went, performed invaluable service, and most made it home to try to pick up where they left off.
So would I. I have a DVD I made from the original HBO Special, but can't figure out how to reproduce it. In the Documentary, Ted Williams speaks of a "Lt. Hawkins" who helps guide him back to the air field after he had been shot up in combat. That Lt. Hawkins was my brother, Kenneth Mayo Hawkins, Jr. He and Ted lived right next door to each other when they were in training at the USMC Air Station, Cherry Point, NC., and I remember playing baseball in the street with Ted Williams.
Just awesome! Professional athletes with a few exceptions do not serve their country today because they might lose their million dollar contracts. To money is more important than service to country. I'm a retired Navy man and appreciate his service.
Of course, you are correct, and I am mistaken. For some reason, probably my age, I read "John McCain" when you had clearly identified "John Glenn." My apologies, and I'm glad you added information to the story. It's good to remember these men who served with such dignity and heroism in this day and age when most Americans don't even know anyone who is currently serving in the military.
I understand that Cap'n Williams did not hit a home run his first time at bat on his return in 1953. He hit it out his third time at bat in the seventh inning
Many proud players who went back to service in those days. Would never see that today with the gazillion dollar contracts that these guys play for. Ted was not the most socially accepted guy, but nobody could hit like him in his greatest years.
What's more, he played in ol' Beantown when it deserved its reputation for "snootiness" and general tight-assery. "Teddy Ballgame" regularly cursed fans and gave obscene gestures. Which most objects of his scorn more than DESERVED, many "fans" were obnoxious drunks. Plus, he had a rough relationship with the press, and felt that he was singled out for unfair criticism.
I met an ex-Air Force F-86 pilot who told me of leading a flight out to blow up a bridge in Korea when he saw a flight. Of blue Grummans below him. To razz them he said “We don’t need no Navy to help us with this bridge.” A few moments later came the reply they weren’t Navy but Marines. And they had their own mission. The two pilots chatted a bit then the Air Force guy asked the N MB Arnie what his handle was. The Marine called back, “Ted.” The F-&6 jockey thought a few seconds and said, “The only Marine pilot I know of named Ted is Ted Williams. Is that you?” Moments later came the reply, “That’s affirmative.”
I have an old picture I can send of my dad next plane in Korea . Was the guy you talked to the pilot that helped him? May dad never said anything but as my mom said he would not have ( that type of person).
That scene where a plane is coming down right the left supposedly Ted Williams coming in for an emergency landing, except that was a shot of an F4 Phantom jet coming in for emergency landing in the 1960s in Vietnam not in Korea.
Was on board uss midway cape town 21953or 4 remember pantherd banshees besrcats and s51 copterd or maybe as iwas only nine years old they could jhave been corsairs or skyraiders!
The story talks about the other pilot that helped Williams. The last he mentioned was Hocken’s/Hawkins. My dad trained in 1952 and flew in Korea for the Air Force in 1953 beyond the F84 and later the F86. His last name is Robert Hocken. Every day my life people want spell our last name Hawkin and add an “s” regardless if spelling. This could be my Dad he talking about. Do you have any other information or does any one have idea how to investigate if any other Hawkin or Hocken flew hers in Korea? I would guess no on the Hocken spelling.
They're far too valuable because they bounce a rubber ball and throw it through a metal ring. That could possibly be the most useless skill (if you can call it that) but, for some reason people put them on a pedestal.
I don't think Ted Williams was John Glenn's wing man in Korea. Glenn was in the Navy and Ted was a Marine Fighter Pilot. Ted Williams was in the same Squadron as my brother, Maj. Kenneth M. Hawkins, Jr., both at USMC Air Station, Cherry Point, NC, and while they were in Korea. I never heard John Glenn mentioned by either one of them. Do you have a documentary source I can refer to were you got that information? I'd be interested in knowing it.
They were both in VMF-311. My grandfather was an aircraft electrician at their base at k-3 Pohang-dong in 52-53. He told me the story that he once ran into Williams in the hobby-hut on the base developing photos of native women in various "situations".
@Miles Negley ... You are correct, and I made a mistake identifying him as being in the Navy. My apologies to everyone and especially John Glenn. According to Wikipedia: John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 - December 8, 2016) was a United States Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1962. Following his retirement from NASA, he served from 1974 to 1999 as a Democratic United States Senator from Ohio.
+Michael Conkle No. This REAL LIFE. John Wayne for real, by the name of Ted Williams, war hero, master fisherman and the greatest hitter of a baseball ever.
Early jets were genuinely dangerous, unreliable, and their engines were not like those on modern fighters. Engine fuel controls were crude and fliers had to do with their throttle and information from their instruments what modern fuel controls do automatically. As in WWII (where nearly as many aircraft crashed in CONUS as were lost in combat!) crashes were frequent even when one was not being shot at. It took skill, discipline, knowledge, talent and luck to survive.
...... boy I want to slap this guy....... that plane got him home and got him safe and it took punishment like it was not designed to take but it took it and it landed him safe and he's calling her all kinds of names...... that was one hell of an airplane........ built on Long Island New York...... design by one of the best damn aeronautical engineer short of Leroy Grumman himself... in fact the guy even knew and talk with the Wright brothers but nobody ever really knows about that...... this guy did a lot of good his name was Dave Thurston...... and he gave me one of those planes once.... but mine was only about 14 inches long.....
There's an interview out there on RUclips with Bob Costas from sometime in the early 90's, and Costas asked him if all the stories were true (could see the bat hit the ball, etc.). Ted said most of those were baloney; that he had great eyesight, but it wasn't the primary reason he was the hitter he was. Besides practice, concentration, etc., he said the biggest thing was strength. The stronger you were, the quicker your bat, and the longer you could wait on the pitch. Steroids, anyone?
Sorry bud, I had to cancel sharing it when you took God's name in vain. Clean it up and then it may be worth sharing. Hate to nit-pick, but we got to draw the line somewhere.
Yeah, there is no truth in what you just said. He had no incestuous relationship and his son was responsible for freezing him. . . and I don't give a shit if I am replying to a 3 year old comment.
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He was John Glenn's wingman in Korea. Glenn considered him an outstanding pilot. But the most amazing thing was that at 6'4", there was no way he could bail out if the jet were to crash. The ejection seat would have torn his knees off. Getting into a jet in combat under those circumstances is about as brave as it gets. A great man.
I had heard he didn't want to eject before, but had never thought about his height contributing to why. Very interesting!
He describes it all in his autobiography which is so honest it is funny: he never stops bellyaching about how everything the Marines get is hand-me-down from the Navy, how cold it is in his hut with a smoky coal stove making him cough (never thinking how the GI's are literally freezing their asses in icy trenches), but he never brags a bit about his personal skill and bravery (he missed combat in WWII because he was such an excellent pilot he was made an instructor)
My uncle Bobby was a WWII Marine Corps SBD pilot during the same years that Ted Williams was involved, 1943-45. They were the same rank but different units. Even though my uncle had a gunner killed with him in action, people always asked him about Ted Williams. He didn’t like him but he only knew him slightly. A little resentment is probably natural for two bigger than life characters in the Greatest Generation.
"I'm anxious to see if I can still hit." LOL - this is the guy who served for 3 years in WW2 and won the MVP in his first year back.
In my opinion the greatest hitter of all time.
What does the guy do when he came back from Korea? Hit .407 the rest of the season.
He was the greatest hitter of all time. Period. I'm a Yankees fan, BTW.
He was a unique man , but my grandfather who was a ball player said he was one of the most unhappy ball player he had ever meet
A very enigmatic man, but one of my greatest heroes. He went into the Navy in WWII and later served in Korea. During the best part of his career...A giant of a man...God bless his soul.
When I was a young boy I idolized Ted and wrote to him every summer, every time I wrote I received a reply from him. Try doing that today to the big stars and see how many reply to you, in my adult life I wrote to Mike Schmidt twice and received reply both times including an autographed picture.
I understand the corresponding with Ted Williams is personal to you. But, maybe you could have those letters published. It would be wonderful to hear about the advise he gave you. Were you named Ted after him ? Or was it Roosevelt ?
@@Dakers11 Sounds like your kinda missing the point.
Ted Williams was a great ball player who was proud of being a Marine.
The late actor Lee Marvin was also a US Marine. His tombstone has his name, date of birth and date of death and one other thing: “PFC US MARINES.” Nothing else. No mention of his Academy Award, nothing about a brilliant acting career. He was prouder of being a US Marine then of anything else he ever did.
A fighter pilot in two wars
A hall of famer in two sports
He hit .400 in three seasons
(Two of them partial, but still)
A two-time MVP
A two-time triple crown winner
Near the beginning of his run
He hit .406
Near the end of his career
He hit .388
His rookie year .317
His final frame .316
521 homers in 17 & 1/2 seasons
Perhaps his greatest feat...
In '57 while pushing 40
He reached base safely 19...
19! CONSECUTIVE TIMES!!!
Nobody else has even halved
that record.
You're counting the Fishing Hall of Fame ?? LOL
Oh, and he took five years out of his baseball career to serve his country as a US Marine in combat. Semper Fidelis
At the end of the book and the movie "The Bridges At Toko-Ri" an admiral watches Panther jets launch on yet another dangerous mission and wonders, "Where do we get such men?" The Navy called up inactive Navy and Marine reservists for Korea. Most hadn't flown in the five years since the end of WW2. Active reservists with current flight experience were held back in case the Korean conflict spread into a third world war. Needless to say many of the inactive reservists, including Ted Williams, were resentful and not happy about being called up just as they were getting settled into their post WW2 lives. But, they went, performed invaluable service, and most made it home to try to pick up where they left off.
So would I. I have a DVD I made from the original HBO Special, but can't figure out how to reproduce it. In the Documentary, Ted Williams speaks of a "Lt. Hawkins" who helps guide him back to the air field after he had been shot up in combat. That Lt. Hawkins was my brother, Kenneth Mayo Hawkins, Jr. He and Ted lived right next door to each other when they were in training at the USMC Air Station, Cherry Point, NC., and I remember playing baseball in the street with Ted Williams.
Just awesome! Professional athletes with a few exceptions do not serve their country today because they might lose their million dollar contracts. To money is more important than service to country. I'm a retired Navy man and appreciate his service.
Williams never had that option as far as making millions as they do today, even adjusted for inflation. 'Virtue untested is no virtue at all'.
It's mentioned in wikipedia's bio of Williams, and I've heard Glenn mention it in interviews. Glenn was actually in the Marines too.
Ted Williams was the greatest hitter EVER! AND....he was a fugging FIGHTER PILOT! badass doesn't come close to describing the legendary Williams
He had 10/20 vision!
Probably the best baseball player ever. Hung up his cleats TWICE when his nation called for his service during his peak years..............
Ted Williams was one of the great ball players, I am pleased to be one of the fans that got the chance to see him play at a live game.
what a great man, what a hero on then diamond in the skies!
Of course, you are correct, and I am mistaken. For some reason, probably my age, I read "John McCain" when you had clearly identified "John Glenn." My apologies, and I'm glad you added information to the story. It's good to remember these men who served with such dignity and heroism in this day and age when most Americans don't even know anyone who is currently serving in the military.
I notice that some of the color footage is from the movie The Bridges of To-Ko-Ri starring William Holden and Grace Kelly
Imagine being in the same Marine fighter squadron with Ted Wiiliams and John Glenn!
You would have some *serious* "war stories"!
I understand that Cap'n Williams did not hit a home run his first time at bat on his return in 1953. He hit it out his third time at bat in the seventh inning
Many proud players who went back to service in those days. Would never see that today with the gazillion dollar contracts that these guys play for. Ted was not the most socially accepted guy, but nobody could hit like him in his greatest years.
What's more, he played in ol' Beantown when it deserved its reputation for "snootiness" and general tight-assery. "Teddy Ballgame" regularly cursed fans and gave obscene gestures. Which most objects of his scorn more than DESERVED, many "fans" were obnoxious drunks. Plus, he had a rough relationship with the press, and felt that he was singled out for unfair criticism.
I'd love to see this entire documentary posted...
The last man to bat 400 in the Major Leagues and a fully qualified Combat Pilot, what a combination!
I have a Ted Williams Dumbell set put out by Sears in the late 60s. Got it for Xmas around 68-69 time frame.
I met an ex-Air Force F-86 pilot who told me of leading a flight out to blow up a bridge in Korea when he saw a flight. Of blue Grummans below him. To razz them he said “We don’t need no Navy to help us with this bridge.”
A few moments later came the reply they weren’t Navy but Marines. And they had their own mission. The two pilots chatted a bit then the Air Force guy asked the N MB Arnie what his handle was. The Marine called back, “Ted.” The F-&6 jockey thought a few seconds and said, “The only Marine pilot I know of named Ted is Ted Williams. Is that you?”
Moments later came the reply, “That’s affirmative.”
Question did that Air Force pilot spell his name Hocken or Hawkin?
My dad flew F84 in Air Force in Korea starting in 1953 Robert Hocken
@@markhocken1466 IDK. I just knew him by sight. Wish I had gotten his name, though.
I have an old picture I can send of my dad next plane in Korea . Was the guy you talked to the pilot that helped him? May dad never said anything but as my mom said he would not have ( that type of person).
I have picture but it’s not attaching here .. I can email to you. It’s a picture of my dad in Korea standing next to jet. He was a redhead
Ted was the real thing. He was the kind of man John Wayne pretended to be.
Ted was a priceless gift.
The street I lived on was named after him. My grandpa would always tell me stories about him
That scene where a plane is coming down right the left supposedly Ted Williams coming in for an emergency landing, except that was a shot of an F4 Phantom jet coming in for emergency landing in the 1960s in Vietnam not in Korea.
Ted Williams was a Fn bad ass!!
Footage at 2:59 does not really fit. It is an F4 phantom emergency landing.
Fitzliputzli23 😆
Not just a Phantom, but a time traveling Phantom.
What some channels will do to pad a video.
Was on board uss midway cape town 21953or 4 remember pantherd banshees besrcats and s51 copterd or maybe as iwas only nine years old they could jhave been corsairs or skyraiders!
This is a SPORTS HERO!!
Yeap that's Mr.Ted Williams it certainly sounds like him.
Heaven is for Heroes, Semper-Fi.
Very high on my most admired list.........and I'm a die hard Yankees fan.
Fantastic. Many thanks for posting this. Is this from the recent HBO documentary?
“There goes the Greatest Pilot that ever lived”
The story talks about the other pilot that helped Williams. The last he mentioned was Hocken’s/Hawkins. My dad trained in 1952 and flew in Korea for the Air Force in 1953 beyond the F84 and later the F86. His last name is Robert Hocken. Every day my life people want spell our last name Hawkin and add an “s” regardless if spelling. This could be my Dad he talking about. Do you have any other information or does any one have idea how to investigate if any other Hawkin or Hocken flew hers in Korea? I would guess no on the Hocken spelling.
Would a typical NBA player risk his life in the military? ... no way.
Typical NBA player is far too stupid to be able to fly a modern jet. Bouncing rubber balls, yeah, they are good at that.
They're far too valuable because they bounce a rubber ball and throw it through a metal ring.
That could possibly be the most useless skill (if you can call it that) but, for some reason people put them on a pedestal.
I don't think Ted Williams was John Glenn's wing man in Korea. Glenn was in the Navy and Ted was a Marine Fighter Pilot. Ted Williams was in the same Squadron as my brother, Maj. Kenneth M. Hawkins, Jr., both at USMC Air Station, Cherry Point, NC, and while they were in Korea. I never heard John Glenn mentioned by either one of them. Do you have a documentary source I can refer to were you got that information? I'd be interested in knowing it.
HMichaelH Glenn was a marine pilot
They were both in VMF-311. My grandfather was an aircraft electrician at their base at k-3 Pohang-dong in 52-53. He told me the story that he once ran into Williams in the hobby-hut on the base developing photos of native women in various "situations".
Glenn Was Marine pilot but flew F-86's with the Air Force. In fact his F-86 was emblazoned with the name: Mig Mad Marine.
@Miles Negley ... You are correct, and I made a mistake identifying him as being in the Navy. My apologies to everyone and especially John Glenn. According to Wikipedia:
John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 - December 8, 2016) was a United States Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1962. Following his retirement from NASA, he served from 1974 to 1999 as a Democratic United States Senator from Ohio.
Glen was a Marine.
My late father (may good lord preserve his soul)The Splendid Splitter the real John Wayne.
Splendid Splinter...OK?
Surprised they did not assign him to a Corsair squadron.
For pete's sake, can you fix the spelling on the film??? It's a PANTHER.
is this from a movie or something? i want the whole thing!!!
+Michael Conkle No. This REAL LIFE. John Wayne for real, by the name of Ted Williams, war hero, master fisherman and the greatest hitter of a baseball ever.
The eyesight of this man must have been one in a million.
Remember when Barry bonds served in 2 wars
3:51 BOOM lol xD
Early jets were genuinely dangerous, unreliable, and their engines were not like those on modern fighters. Engine fuel controls were crude and fliers had to do with their throttle and information from their instruments what modern fuel controls do automatically. As in WWII (where nearly as many aircraft crashed in CONUS as were lost in combat!) crashes were frequent even when one was not being shot at. It took skill, discipline, knowledge, talent and luck to survive.
...... boy I want to slap this guy....... that plane got him home and got him safe and it took punishment like it was not designed to take but it took it and it landed him safe and he's calling her all kinds of names...... that was one hell of an airplane........ built on Long Island New York...... design by one of the best damn aeronautical engineer short of Leroy Grumman himself... in fact the guy even knew and talk with the Wright brothers but nobody ever really knows about that...... this guy did a lot of good his name was Dave Thurston...... and he gave me one of those planes once.... but mine was only about 14 inches long.....
Hit a homer in his last at-bat.
Jesus Christ - just imagine what he might have done had he not fought in two wars.
Proudly Made in USA & Trained by 🇺🇸 USAF🗽
Most people can't do what they tell others
Must have learned to cuss like that . From the Red Sox .
One of the very few sports players or movie stars to ever see combat. Coward John Wayne stayed in Hollywood entire WW2 making tons of money.
This a time when actors and athletes were men. Country first.
What's sad is he felt he had to hide being half Hispanic.
@uscusnr apologies. Mexican -American
Yeah, those "Panters" lol
Proper dude.
They don't make 'em like that anymore.
Planes of immoryal beauty flame and fury upon them.james michener?
What did I just watch?
Kids Ted Williams is why you stand for the national anthem !
American Hero!
If you can’t talk without cussing, stop talking!
The flat powder formerly beam because grandmother sadly water from a different banjo. plant, flowery trousers
Panther, not Panter.
STUD
Language
This guy talks so slow it's painful.
There's an interview out there on RUclips with Bob Costas from sometime in the early 90's, and Costas asked him if all the stories were true (could see the bat hit the ball, etc.). Ted said most of those were baloney; that he had great eyesight, but it wasn't the primary reason he was the hitter he was. Besides practice, concentration, etc., he said the biggest thing was strength. The stronger you were, the quicker your bat, and the longer you could wait on the pitch. Steroids, anyone?
inpaindaily
The vigorous statement micrencephaly harass because doll socially race failing a powerful novel. marvelous, pumped step-aunt
Ha ha ha ha ha
The fearful fearless belief optimally excuse because plier subcellularly arrange astride a chubby antelope. earthy, depressed story
Sorry bud, I had to cancel sharing it when you took God's name in vain. Clean it up and then it may be worth sharing. Hate to nit-pick, but we got to draw the line somewhere.
Bloody blasphemous creeps.
Who is this loudmouth?
Great, great baseball player. But an unlikable dude. One of the least likable dudes to rise to the tip top of the game.
"Teddy Ballgame" was paid to play baseball, not to be a public relations man or "Mr. Congeniality".
Kind of funny that Ted Williams got his head frozen by the daughter with whom he had an incestuous relationship.
Yeah, there is no truth in what you just said. He had no incestuous relationship and his son was responsible for freezing him. . . and I don't give a shit if I am replying to a 3 year old comment.
inpaindaily