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Ryan ChristoffLeon Day was part of an Army amphibian unit that landed on Utah Beach during the Normandy Invasion.
Willard Brown was part of an Army unit that crossed the English Channel during the Normandy Invasion, although he did not see combat. He was in charge of guarding prisoners and hauling ammunition as a member of the Quartermaster Corps. He hit 2 HRs off Ewell Blackwell in the G.I. World Series to help Leon Day beat an Army team of Major Leaguers.
"Bullet Joe" Rogan was in the Army from 1911 to 1919 and played for the 25th Infantry team along with Dobie Moore and Heavy Johnson. All three were core members of the early Kansas City Monarchs championship teams.
Oscar Charleston was a member of the 24th infantry stationed in the Philippines prior to WWI. He is said to have been the only black player in the 1914 Manila League where he was a very popular pitcher. So in 1914, Babe Ruth and Oscar Charleston were both excellent pitchers. Within a few years they would gain fame as two of the greatest outfielders ever to play.
C.I. Taylor served in the Spanish-American War.
Ernie Banks is the only Negro Leaguer to have served in the Korean War.
Here are some other notable Negro Leaguers to serve in the military:
WWI:
Dizzy Dismukes
John Donaldson
Bunny Downs
Mac Eggleston
Jude Gans
Jess Hubbard
Dave Malarcher
Spot Poles
Dick Redding
Louis Santop
Clint Thomas
Frank Wickware
Jud Wilson
Bullet Rogan, Louis Santop and Jud Wilson are all HOFers. Mac Eggleston, Jess Hubbard, Heavy Johnson, Dobie Moore, and Clint Thomas all have baseball cards.
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WWII:
Dan Bankhead
Joe Black
Bob Boyd
Barney Brown
Willard Brown
Buster Clarkson
Eugene Collins
Leon Day
Larry Doby
Howard Easterling
Wilmer Fields
Jonas Gaines
Bill Greason
Bob Griffith
Monte Irvin
Max Manning
Buck O'Neil
Tom Parker
Jackie Robinson
Robert Romby
Dick Seay
Harry Simpson
Eugene Smith
John Ford Smith
Lonnie Summers
Hank Thompson
Bob Thurman
Roy Welmaker
Jesse Williams
Only included on the WWII list were players who can be found on baseball cards. Many others also served.
-Ryan