SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s veterans ministry has chosen a late legendary U.S. baseball player as next month’s Korean War hero for his combat role during the 1950-53 conflict, officials said Friday.
Capt. Ted Williams, known for his stellar Major League Baseball career, primarily for the Boston Red Sox, was sent to Korea during the war in 1952.
As a Marine Corps aviator, he made 39 combat sorties in a one-year service period, according to the ministry.
The ministry called attention to a time when Williams successfully returned to his base although his combat aircraft was hit by enemy artillery during an air operation in a southern part of Pyongyang in February 1953.
Williams retired from playing in 1960. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame six years later.
(Yonhap)