Players in Service - In Memorium Harry O'Neill

although 150 professional ballplayers lost their lives in World War Two, only two had appeared in the Major Leagues.

Harry O'Neill
May 8, 1917 to March 6, 1945.

photo from baseballinwartime site

Harry O'Neill was called up in the middle of the 1939 season y the Philadelphia Athletics for the proverbial cup of coffee.  He appeared in one game with the Mackmen, playing catcher in a game in Detroit.  He only batted one time before he was returned to the minors.  When war broke out, he enlisted in the Marines and was commissioned a Lieutenant.  He served with the 6th Marine Division.  The battle for Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945 with the first landings.  The iconic flag raising on Mount Suribachi took place on February 23, but that was not the end of the fighting.  The fighting continued until March 26, 1945.  It was the only battle  in which Marine casualties exceeded those of the Japanese.  6,821 Marines were killed against a wounded total of 19,217 (two Marines were captured but were re-captured before the end of the battle).   Japanese casualties were very different.  21,844 Japanese were killed while 216 were captured.  Most of those captured were taken while unconscious. 

While leading a patrol, Lieutenant O'Neill was killed by a Japanese sniper.

--submitted by Tom "Crash" Davis--