Elmer Gedeon
A Washington Senators outfielder whose life was cut short when his B-26 bomber was shot down over France, making him one of only two MLB players killed in World War II.
1917–1944 (age 27)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 15·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Elmer Gedeon’s story is one of dual callings, both cut tragically short. A standout athlete at the University of Michigan, he excelled in baseball and football before signing with the Washington Senators. His major league career in 1939 was brief—just five games—but it stamped his name in the record books. When war came, Gedeon traded his flannels for a flight suit, becoming a pilot in the Army Air Forces. He flew dangerous missions over Europe, surviving one crash only to be assigned to another bomber crew. In April 1944, his B-26 Marauder was attacked and went down near Saint-Pol, France. Gedeon’s death transformed him from a footnote in baseball history into a powerful symbol of the generation of athletes who left the field for the front lines, many never to return.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Elmer was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Elmer Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Elmer's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1944Died at 27
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
Key Achievements
- Played Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators during the 1939 season.
- Was one of only two Major League Baseball players killed in action during World War II.
- Served as a B-26 Marauder pilot in the United States Army Air Forces during the war.
- Was a multi-sport star at the University of Michigan, also playing varsity football.
Did You Know?
He was a talented football player and served as the Michigan Wolverines' punter in 1937.
He survived a prior plane crash in 1942, suffering severe burns, before returning to duty.
A baseball field at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, is named in his honor.
His brother, Donald Gedeon, was also killed in World War II.
“I just wanted to play baseball, and I got my chance.”
