Ted Williams had just finished the one of the most amazing seasons in baseball history and was enjoying himself hunting in Minnesota. It was December 7, 1941 and he had just come in from hunting to eat breakfast when he heard that Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. Ted was shocked and a little worried at the same time. He had just registered with the draft board like most men 18 and over had done during World War II. Ted was worried because his mother depended on him for income because she was divorced from her husband Sam. Ted was classified as I-A, which ment he could be called to duty at any time. Ted appealed to the Selective Service Appeal Agent in hope that he might be passed over to take care of his mother. Ted ended up losing the appeal. However, Ted then sent the appeal in front of the Presidential Review board and won. Ted regained his III-A status but not without a lot of controversy
For this Ted took a lot of heat from the press and was called unpatriotic. Ted made his problems worse by attending spring training later that year. Ted started the 1942 season with a lot of controversy but quickly made people forget by the way he started the season. Ted was playing so well that most people forgot what happend in the spring. Ted realizing that the war was not close to ending decided to enlist in May. He felt like it was his duty to serve his country. Although, Ted enlisted in the Naval Air Corps because he would not be called up until after the season. This would ensure financial security for his mother.
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Ted was called to duty in November of 1942 and reported to Amherst college. At Amherst Ted would begin his training as a piolt for the Navy. The training at Amherst was very demanding but Ted did pretty well because of his baseball background. Ted's vision was redorded as 20/10 in his physical. It has said to be the best vision the Navy has ever seen. With his exceptional vision and exceptional hand-eye-cordination Ted became a very successful pilot. Ted would leave Amherst for Bunker Hill Naval Air Station in Kokomo, Indiana. At Kokomo Ted would complete over 100 hours in a Cub.
After leaving Indiana Ted went to Pensacola, Florida for advanced training. Ted would fall in love with flying while in Pensacola and would become an instructor. Ted flew Navy SNJ's while trainning. While in Pensacola Ted became a Second Lieutenant. Ted wold leave Pensacola and report to Jacksonville, Florida. Because the Navy's trainning was so phyiscally tough it made Ted bulk up. Ted enjoyed this because he thought it would help him when he began to play baseball again. In Jacksonville Ted basically did a lot of combat training. Ted would learn to fly a new plane called the F4U Corsair in Jacksonville.
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Ted Williams was somewhat a fanatic at whatever he did becuase he had to be the best. During training all the men took courses in algebra, navigation, trigonometry. Ted would recieve a 3.85 GPA out of 4.0. During combat training Ted was a fearless pilot. Ted's hand-eye-cordination, reflexes, and vision made him an even better pilot. Other pilots would say that it always seemed as if Ted was one step ahead of them. At air gunnery school Ted broke all the records for reflexes, cordination, and visual-reaction time. John Pesky a fellow pilot said, "Ted could make a plane and its six machine guns play like a symphony orchestra." Ted was one of the best pilots that the Navy had ever seen. Because Ted was such an accomplished pilot the Navy made him an instructor. Ted trained pilots until he was sent to Hawaii for active combat duty. Ted was on his way to Hawaii to report for duty when the war ended with V-J Day in the Pacific. When Ted reached Hawaii he recieved orders to return home. Because of V-J Day Ted did not see any combat duty during World War II but recieved valuable training that he would need for the war in Korea. Although Ted did not make a contribution to the War in the form of combat, he did have an effect on the War. Every place Ted went he would raise the moral of the men he was with. When men saw the great Ted Williams working hard preparing to serve his country it made the other men work that much harder. By Ted joining the fight it showed that no matter how big the celebrity the United States needed to come together as a whole to win the war.