Eight months after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Pat Tillman chose to leave his professional football career with the Arizona Cardinals (and $3.6 million contract) and enlist. An Army Ranger, he served a tour in Iraq before being redeployed to Afghanistan. On April 22, 2004, he was killed in a friendly fire incident. He was awarded a Silver Star, Purple Heart and a posthumous promotion, and his number was retired both by the Cardinals and college team Arizona State.

After playing in nine games for the New York Giants as a rookie end, Jack Lummus enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on Jan. 30, 1942. In the first wave of troops to land on Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945, he and his platoon remained on the island after the initial day to continue to battle the Japanese. Commanding Company E's third rifle platoon on march 8, Lummus helped knock out three enemy strongholds despite suffering injuries from grenade shrapnel before being mortally wounded by a land mine. Before dying, he famously told the field doctor, "Well, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good end today." Lummus was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

After playing just one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Robert "Rocky" Bleier was drafted into the Army and sent off to Vietnam. While on patrol in 1969, Bleier's platoon was ambushed and his right leg was impaled by flying shrapnel. Although doctors told him he would never play football again, Bleier, who had been awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star was inspired by a personal note from Steelers owner Art Rooney and reported to training camp just one year later. He spent two years trying to regain a spot on the active roster, finally achieving his goal and becoming a starter in 1974. When he retired in 1980, Bleier had 3,865 rushing yards, 1,294 receiving yards, 25 touchdowns and four Super Bowl championships to his credit.

While serving two tours as a Marine pilot, baseball legend Ted Williams lost a total of five years of his professional career. When he enlisted for the first time in 1942, he had just completed his first Triple Crown season. After excelling in training, Williams served as a flight instructor during World War II. In 1952 at the age of 34, Williams was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. He eventually flew 39 combat missions before suffering an inner ear infection that disqualified him from flight status. In his 21-year career with the Boston Red Sox, Williams twice won the Triple Crown, was an All Star 17 times, was the last player to bat over .400 in a single season and twice was the American League MVP. In 1966, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His number was also retired by the Red Sox.

The only Major League Baseball player to have seen combat in two wars, Jerry Coleman first postponed the start of his career to fly as a Marine aviator in World War II and then left baseball to fly in the Korean War (during which he escaped a scary crash). In all, he flew 120 combat missions and was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 13 Air Medals. "The Colonel" won four World Series championships (1946, 1950, 1951, 1956) as a second baseman with the New York Yankees. He went on to have a lengthy broadcasting career, earning an induction into the broadcasters' wing in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2007.

For four years prior to college, Art Donovan Jr. served with the U.S. Marine Corps as an anti-aircraft gunner during World War II. Also stationed on his ship, the USS San Jacinton, was future President George H.W. Bush. After spending 13 months from 1943 to 1945 at seas, Donovan volunteered for the Fleet Marine Force and was sent to Okinawa. At the end of his military career, Donovan had received the Asiatic Pacific Area Ribbon and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. Donovan, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968, went on to help the Colts win two straight NFL Championships in 1958 and 1959 and was the first pro football player enshrined in the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame.

In Joe DiMaggio's storied baseball career, he won nine World Series championships and three American League MVP awards, was an All Star center fielder 13 times and had a record 56-straight games with a hit. A New York Yankee for the duration of his career, DiMaggio did have a hiatus between the end of the 1942 season and the start of the 1946 season when he served in the military. On Feb. 17, 1943, DiMaggio enlisted in the Army Air Forces. While stationed in California, Hawaii and New Jersey as a physical education instructor, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. DiMaggio left the service in September of 1945. Ten years later, he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One day after fighting a charity bout for the Navy, boxer Joe Louis enlisted as a private in the Army. Assigned to a segregated cavalry unit, Louis continued to fight at charity events and was the focus of a military recruitment campaign aimed at encouraging African Americans to enlist. He also took time to help those who did join the Army, pushing for an end to the delays preventing a group of African American men from entering Officer Candidate School. One of those men was baseball legend Jackie Robinson. When released from military service in 1945, Louis was a Sergeant and had been awarded the Legion of Merit medal. In addition to holding the heavyweight boxing title from 1937 to 1949 (participating in 27 championship fights), Louis also broke golf's color barrier by competing in a PGA event in 1952.

The only professional football player to lose his life in the Vietnam War, Bob Kalsu was killed on July 21, 1970 when his unit came under enemy mortar fire. Just hours after his wife gave birth to their second child, she was informed of her husband's death. In addition to being an All-American tackle at the University of Oklahoma, Kalsu also was in the ROTC. To satisfy his program responsibilities, Kalsu was sent to Vietnam in November of 1969 as a Second Lieutenant. Just one year earlier, he had been selected by the Buffalo Bills in the eighth round of the draft and started the entire 1968 season at the offensive guard position. Kalsu was named the Buffalo Bills Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

Just two days after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller became the first MLB player to volunteer for active duty in World War II. After spending four years dedicated to the war effort as an anti-aircraft gun captain on the battleship USS Alabama (and earning five campaign ribbons and eight battle stars), he returned to baseball. When he retired in 1956 after an 18-year professional career, Feller was a World Series champion and eight-time All Star and had earned baseball's Triple Crown, won 266 games and struck out 2,581 players and pitched three no-hitters. In 1962, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Only one athlete in history has been named to both the College Football Hall of Fame and Hockey Hall of Fame: Hobart "Hobey" Baker. Baker led Princeton University to national championships in both sports, taking the football title in 1911 and hockey titles in 1912 and 1914. An award named in his honor is presented each year to the nation's top male U.S. college hockey player. With World War I underway, Baker enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 and was trained as a pilot. As the commander of the 103rd Aero Squadron, Baker painted his plane in Princeton's orange and black. Awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government for his wartime actions, Baker was killed just a few weeks after the war ended while flying a test plane.

Assigned to a segregated Army unit after being drafted in 1942, Jackie Robinson subsequently was accepted into Officer Candidate School and commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was court-martialed in 1944 after being taken into custody by military police for refusing to move to the back of an Army bus. He was acquitted by an all-white panel of officers, but the proceedings kept him from being deployed with his tank battalion (the first black tank unit to be used in World War II combat). After being honorably discharged, Robinson signed with a Negro League baseball team. In 1947, Robinson became the first player to break baseball's color line when he played his first game with the Dodgers and was named the Rookie of the Year. The second baseman went on to become a six-time All Star, 1949 National League MVP and World Series champion. A member of the Hall of Fame, Robinson's No. 42 was retired by every MLB team in 1997.

After an auspicious start in the major leagues -- he had five hits in his first game with the Washington Senators in 1933 -- the pinnacle of Cecil Travis' baseball career came in 1941 when he led the American League in hits. A three-time All Star, Travis might have had more All Star-quality seasons had it not been for World War II. After joining the Army in 1941, Travis was sent to Europe in late 1944 and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, suffering a bad case of frostbite that nearly forced doctors to amputate his feet. Although he returned to baseball in 1945, he never again played at the high level he did prior to the war. Still, when he retired in 1947 Travis' .314 batting average set a record for American League shortshops that still stands.

After graduating from BYU and playing professional soccer for the San Diego Spirit, Shauna Rohbock enlisted in the Utah Army National Guard and began seriously focusing on her bobsleigh career. As a driver in the 2006 Winter Olympics, Rohbock earned silver in the two-woman event. She also has four World Championships medals: silver in two-woman in 2009, bronzes in two-woman in 2005 and 2007 and bronze in mixed team in 2009.

A Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1963, Roger Staubach went on to win two Super Bowl titles with the Dallas Cowboys. He was named the MVP of Super Bowl VI. But before he made his mark in the pros, Staubach had to fulfill his required Navy service. After being drafted in the 10th round in 1964, Staubach spent a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam. He resigned his commission in 1969 and headed straight to Cowboys training camp. Staubach's jersey was retired at the Naval Academy, and he was elected to the College Hall of Fame in 1981. He also was a six-time NFC Pro Bowl selection.

Serving during the Vietnam War, James Janos was a Navy SEAL. While he never saw combat, he did earn the National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Service Medal. Later becoming the governor of Minnesota, he had his SEAL instructor stand by his side. As Jesse "The Body" Ventura, he wrestled both for the American Wrestling Association and for the World Wrestling Federation before becoming governor of Minnesota.

Following his father into the Navy, David Robinson matriculated into the U.S. Naval Academy in 1983. Competing for the Midshipmen, he was a two-time consensus All-American and won both the Naismith and Wooden Awards his senior year. Even though he had to serve two years of duty with the Navy following graduation, the San Antonio Spurs still selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 draft. He was worth the wait, winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1990. Nicknamed "The Admiral," Robinson finished his 14-year NBA career as a two-time NBA Champion, 1995 NBA MVP, 10-time All Star, 1992 Defensive Player of the Year. He also helped the U.S. Olympic team win two golds and a bronze.

One of thousands of men who played a role in the D-Day invasion, legendary New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra was serving as a gunner's mate while stationed just off the coast of Normandy Beach on a U.S. Navy boat that day. Just over a year later, he made his major league debut with the New York Yankees. In his 18-year career, Berra was a World Series champion 10 times, an All Star 15 times and an American League MVP three times and elevated his name into consideration as the greatest catcher ever. He also won three World Series titles as a coach for the New York Mets and New York Yankees. In 1972, Berra was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

An elite shooter, perhaps it's only fitting that Glenn Eller is a specialist in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unite. Eller has competed in the Olympics three times (2000, 2004 and 2008), earning his first gold medal in men's double trap in Beijing in 2008. In the process of achieving the win, Eller set an Olympic record.

One of the greatest golfers in history, Bobby Jones competed only as an amateur. While he retired at the age of 28 with nine wins -- seven of which were in majors -- Jones is perhaps best known for winning all four major tournaments in 1930. Motivated by a desire to give back to the sport of golf by hosting a major tournament, Jones purchased land in Georgia and built the course that has hosted the Masters every year since 1934 but three. From 1943-1945, Jones, an officer in the U.S. Army Air Forces, instead used the grounds to support World War II efforts by raising cattle and turkeys on the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club.

During World War I, boxer Jack Dempsey was bedeviled by accusations that he was a draft dodger. Although he produced evidence showing he had tried to enlist but was turned down, he finally had a chance to completely silence his critics when World War II broke out. Retired from the sport in 1927 after holding the world heavyweight title from 1919-1926, Dempsey spent some years appearing in exhibitions before joining the New York State National Guard and then the Coast Guard Reserve. He reported for active duty in 1942 and was on an attack transport for the invasion of Okinawa. In 1952, he received an honorable discharge.

When Bill Bradley signed a contract with the New York Knicks in 1967, he expected to join the pro team in the middle of the season after serving six months in the United States Air Force Reserve. But he was released from duty earlier than he had expected and instead began practicing with the team in December. Bradley, who had won Olympic gold in 1964, spent his entire 10-year NBA career with the Knicks, winning two championships during that time. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.

In between two military stints, Charlie Paddock competed for the United States at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics. He won gold medals in the 100-meter dash and 4x100m relay in 1920 as well as a silver in the 200m race, while in 1924 he picked up his second 200m silver. A lieutenant of field artillery in World War I, Paddock also won the 100m and 200m events in the 1919 Inter-Allied Games, the first major sporting event after the war ended. Re-enlisting at the start of World War II and advancing to the rank of Captain, Paddock was killed in a plane crash while in service in 1943. A military ship was later named in his honor.

With the use of poisonous gas a major concern for soldiers in World War I, the United States Army's Chemical Corps became a high-profile unit. It was in this division that Christy Mathewson served following his baseball career. In 1918, Mathewson enlisted and was sent to France. While there, he was accidentally gassed and developed tuberculosis. He died in 1925.

While just a freshman in college, John Woodruff earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. He was favored at the 1936 Summer Olympics despite his inexperience, but early in the 800m race his chances of medaling looked grim. Boxed in by other runners, Woodruff actually completely stopped, waiting for the pack of runners to move on and then came from behind to win gold. His running career was cut short by World War II, when he entered the army in 1941. Discharged as a captain in 1945, Woodruff later re-joined the military during the Korean War. A battalion commander of an artillery brigade, Woodruff ended him time in the Army in 1957 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

At the age of 16, Jerome Dean convinced recruiters he was 18 and enlisted in the Army. It was while he was stationed in Texas that he earned the nickname "Dizzy," both for his habit of doing stupid things and because his fastballs made batters on opposing military teams dizzy. Dean left the Army in 1929 and played his first full major league season in 1932, leading the league in strikeouts and innings pitched and earning 18 wins. The following year, in addition to winning 20 games, Dean set a record by striking out 17 in one game. A World Series champion and four-time All Star, Dean was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1953.

Although he had received an exemption from military service due to an old elbow injury, boxer Gene Tunney still decided to enlist during World War I. During the war, "The Fighting Marine" saw action in France. After his military career ended, Tunney went on to record a professional record of 80-1. Those wins included one in which he took the heavyweight crown from Jack Dempsey. In 1990, 10 years after being elected to the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Tunney was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

After enlisting in the Marine Corps one month following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hank Bauer remained in service until 1945 when he was injured in the thigh by shrapnel during the Battle of Okinawa. It was his second injury in 32 months of combat, during which he earned 11 campaign ribbons, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. He began his MLB career in 1948 with the New York Yankees, going on to become a three-time All Star right fielder and to win seven World Series titles as a player and one as a manager.

Before a 21-year career that resulted in him becoming the first closer inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Hoyt Wilhelm served three years in the United States Army. After fighting in combat action like the Battle of the Bulge and earning a Purple Heart, Wilhelm was promoted to the majors in 1952 by the New York Giants. When he retired in 1972 (after pitching for nine different teams), Wilhelm had a record 124 wins in relief, an overall record of 143-122 and a World Series title (with the New York Giants in 1954) and was a five-time All Star pick.

After finishing the 1942 season in the minor leagues, Warren Spahn enlisted in the Army. As a combat engineer who served in the Battle of the Bulge and at the Ludendorff Bridge, he received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. When he returned to baseball, Spahn was 25 years old. Playing in the pros from 1946-1965, the pitcher went on to win 20 games in 13 seasons, including compiling a 23-7 record when he was 42 years old. Spahn's overall record of 363-245 makes him the sixth-winningest pitcher ever, trailing record-holder Cy Young by 148 wins. Spahn won the Cy Young Award once and was the runner-up three times, had one World Series title and was a 14-time All Star. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

After breaking into the majors in 1930 at the age of 19, Hank Greenberg had his first breakout year for the Detroit Tigers in 1933. He played for the Tigers until 1941 and again from 1945-1946 after serving in World War II. While Greenberg was initially classified as not fit for military duty due to flat feet, he was later cleared for duty and drafted in 1940. After being honorably discharged because he was over 28 years of age, Greenberg chose to re-enlist as a volunteer in the Army Air Forces, eventually serving in the China-Burma-India theater. He played baseball for three more seasons before retiring in 1947 as a two-time American League MVP, five-time All Star and two-time World Series champion. Greenberg was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.

Enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1943, Pee Wee Reese served in the Pacific during World War II. The Dodgers, who had finished 42 games out during one of the three seasons Reese missed, rebounded when Reese returned in 1946. Prior to his military service, Reese was named an All Star once. When he returned, he picked up nine additional All Star bids and won a World Series championship in 1955. Nicknamed the "Little Colonel" while serving as the Dodgers' team captain from 1950 until his retirement in 1958, Reese was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

After joining the Marine Corps Reserves in 1962, Tom Seaver served for over a year. He went on to become the 1967 National League Rookie of the Year, a 12-time All Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series champion in 1969. Seaver also pitched a no-hitter on June 16, 1978.

After playing in the NBA for three years with the Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers and six years playing abroad, Tim James decided to end his professional basketball career and enlist in the U.S. Army on Sept. 12, 2008 at the age of 31. He chose not to inform his fellow soldiers of his basketball background, preferring to have a fresh start. Completed a 12-month deployment to Iraq in July of 2010.

One of the most decorated American competitors ever in bobsleigh competition, Steven Holcomb earned a gold medal in four-man at the 2009 World Championships and has three World Championship bronzes (mixed team in 2008 and 2009 and two-man in 2009) to his credit. He also won the 2007 two-man World Cup title (the first time in history that Americans earned that title) and the 2007 combined World Cup title. Holcomb served in the Army from 1999 to 2006, winning the Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Army Superior Unit Award and Army Service Ribbon in the process.

While serving in the military from 1951-1952, Don Larsen played baseball for an Army team in Hawaii. Larsen had only played in the minor leagues prior to that, but once he was discharged he made the roster on the St. Louis Browns in 1953. The pitcher went on to win two World Series titles while pitching for the New York Yankees. His most memorable moment was when he pitched a perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named the series MVP for that effort.

A three-time consensus All-American and 1932 National Championship winner while playing basketball at Purdue, John Wooden spent several years playing professionally in the National Basketball League. With the outbreak of World War II, Wooden enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and eventually gained the rank of lieutenant.

Prior to his 13-year Major League Baseball career, outfielder Al Bumbry led an infantry platoon in Vietnam. A Bronze Star recipient, he had the impressive distinction of bringing all of the soldiers who served under him home safely. Starting his professional career with the Orioles, Bumbry was voted the American League Rookie of the Year in 1973. He also was an All Star in 1980 and won the World Series with Baltimore in 1983.

In his rookie year with the New York Yankees in 1950, Whitey Ford had been impressive en route to winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award by the Sporting News, but he threw just one pitch the following year: a ceremonial first pitch dressed in his Army uniform. Serving in the Army for two years during the Korean War, Ford returned to baseball in 1953. At the end of his 18-year career, Ford had a 236-106 record and six World Series rings. He won the Cy Young Award and was named the World Series MVP in 1961 and was an All Star eight times. Ford, who has the most career wins of any New York Yankees, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.

After making his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943, Gil Hodges, who had served in ROTC during his college years at St. Joseph's, joined the Marine Corps. Seeing action in the battles of Tinian and Okinawa as an anti-aircraft gunner, Hodges received a Bronze Star and a Combat Action Ribbon. He was discharged from the military in 1946 and returned to professional baseball, hitting 370 home runs over an 18-year career. Hodges was an eight-time All Star, three-time World Series champion and three-time Gold Glove Award winner.

Just the second African American player in the majors and the first in the American League, Larry Doby was a seven-time All Star and 1948 World Series champion. Doby also spent three seasons in the Negro Leagues, a period of time that was interrupted when he served two years in the Navy. First stationed in Illinois where he competed with a Negro baseball team, Doby later was stationed at Ulithi Atoll in the Pacific. In 1998, he was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Hall's Veterans Committee.

While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1963-1967, Ken Norton started to hone his boxing skills. During that time he compiled a 24-2 record and won three All-Marine Heavyweight titles before turning professional. In 50 fights, he had a 42-7-1 record. Thirty-three of his victories came courtesy of a knockout. One of his biggest wins came against Muhammad Ali in 1973, giving Norton the North American Boxing Federation Heavyweight Championship title. Norton is enshrined in four Halls of Fame: the World Boxing Hall of Fame, International Boxing Hall of Fame, United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame and WBC Hall of Fame.

Prior to making his Major League Baseball debut, Monte Irwin played a decade in the Negro Leagues, Mexican League and minor leagues. He also spent three years in Europe with the Army Engineers during World War II. While Irvin had a chance to move to the majors with the Dodgers in 1945, Irvin thought his time in the service had left him unprepared to make the jump so soon. Upon his return to the Newark Eagles, Irvin picked up where he left off, leading his team to a league pennant and winning his second batting title. Eventually he signed with the New York Giants in 1949, going on to win a World Series with the team in 1954. He also led the National League in RBIs in 1951 with 121.

Drafted by the military in 1966 (the same year he made his Major League Baseball debut), Nolan Ryan completed his six-month term in the Army Reserves by 1967. He spent much of that year in the minor leagues, returning to the New York Mets in 1968. It was the first full season of his record 27 he played with four different teams.

After being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, Rocky Marciano discovered his skill in boxing while stationed in Wales and Fort Lewis, Wash. Representing the Army, he won the 1946 amateur armed forces boxing tournament. Although he took a brief hiatus from the sport with the intention of making a Major League Baseball team, Marciano soon turned pro in boxing. He compiled a 49-0 record with 43 knockouts, holding the heavyweight championship title from Sept. 23, 1952 to April 27, 1956 when he retired.

A career military man, Willie Davenport spent 21 years as an officer, eventually rising to the rank of Colonel. He was at the rank of private when he competed in his first Olympics in 1964. Although he just reached the semifinals of the 110m hurdles that year, he won gold in the event in 1968. Fourth in 1972, he earned bronze in the event in 1976. Switching gears, he picked up the sport of bobsleigh and competed for the U.S. in the 1980 Winter Games.

Following his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988, Chad Hennings, who had been honored with the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman his senior year, had a promising professional football career ahead of him. First, however, he had to fulfill his four-year Air Force commitment. Hennings flew 45 missions in support of Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq, providing relief and humanitarian aid to refugees. His efforts were rewarded with two aerial achievement medals, a humanitarian award and an outstanding unit award. In nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Hennings had 28 sacks, six fumble recoveries and one TD. Hennings is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Just 19 years old when he broken into the major leagues with the Washington Senators in 1935, Buddy Lewis played 11 years for the team. In the seven seasons before he entered the Army Air Force, Lewis had scored over 100 runs four times and hit over .300 three times. During the war, he flew more than 350 missions before returning to the Senators in 1945 and retiring four seasons later. Lewis was a two-time All Star (1938 and 1947).

After spending five years in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1938-1942, Enos Slaughter took three years away from the sport to serve in the Army Air Corps. Prior to his time in service, Slaughter was batting .318. He picked up right where he left off upon his return in 1942, hitting .300 that season and finishing third in the National League MVP voting. Throughout his 19-year career, Slaughter had four World Series titles, 2,383 hits and 1,304 RBIs. The 10-time All Star was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.

After graduating from high school, Ahmard Hall enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1998 to 2002 as a field radio operator. A Sergeant with a tour of duty in Afghanistan under his belt, he enrolled at the University of Texas once his time in the military had ended. He walked on to the football team as a fullback and won a National Championship with the team in 2005. Although he was not drafted, Hall eventually signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2006 and played in 14 games his rookie year.

In his one season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Roy Gleason earned a World Series title. Once he career was over, he served in the United States Army during Vietnam War, where he was injured in 1968. Evacuated by helicopter, he had no opportunity to recover any of his belongings, including his 1963 World Series ring. But in 2003, the Dodgers invited him to throw out the first pitch at a game and presented him with a replica of his lost ring.

Five years after becoming a member of the U.S. national bobsleigh team, in June 2007 John Napier enlisted in the Vermont Army National Guard. Currently a soldier in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, Sergeant Napier won the two-man event at the 2009 U.S. National Bobsleigh Championships.

While best known for his success as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry also was a Pro Bowl selection in 1954 as a player with the New York Giants. Landry honed his skills at the University of Texas, but his college experience was interrupted by his service in the Army Air Forces during World War II. Assigned to the 860th Bomb Squadron as a co-pilot in a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, Landry served in 30 combat missions and once survived a crash landing after his plane ran out of fuel.

After enlisting in the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17, Tony Lema spent four years in service. During that time, he spent a combat tour in Korea. After being discharged from the military, he gained employment as an assistant to a club professional for two years before earning a spot on the PGA Tour. In his career, "Champagne Tony" (thus nicknamed because he served bubbly to the media following his wins) had 12 Tour victories, including an Open Championship win in 1964.

A talented tennis player, Dwight F. Davis won three U.S. men's doubles titles at the U.S. Championships and was the intercollegiate singles champion in 1899. In 1900, he created an international tennis competition (later renamed the Davis Cup in his honor) to pit national teams against each other. With Davis as a teammate, the U.S. won the Cup the first two years the tournament was played. Davis went on to serve in the U.S. Army during World War I and received the Distinguished Service Cross for his action in France in 1918. Lieutenant Colonel Davis remained involved in the military later in life, serving as the Assistant Secretary of War from 1923-1925 under President Calvin Coolidge before being elevated to the Secretary of War position from 1925-1929.

In the midst of a fantastic year during which he won 17 of 25 decisions, pitcher Curt Simmons was drafted into the military with just a month left in season. Although the Philadelphia Phillies nearly collapsed without him in the rotation, they held on to win the National League that year. While he couldn't compete for them in the World Series, he was granted a leave to attend the games as a fan (the Phillies lost). Simmons also missed the 1951 season, but when he returned in 1952, he led the National League in shutouts with six. With the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964, he earned a World Series title.

In 1967, Jim Lonborg became the first Cy Young Award winner in Boston Red Sox history. What makes his 22-win, 246-strikeout season all the more impressive is that several times during the year he had to leave the team between starts to fulfill his duty as a member of the Army Reserves. Retiring in 1979, Lonborg had a 157-137 record.

Whitey Herzog made his major league debut in 1956, but he might have been promoted sooner had two years of military service -- in 1953 and 1954 -- not caused him to miss two seasons of minor league ball. When he returned to baseball, Herzog spent eight seasons as a player before transitioning into a career as a manager. Helming the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, he helped lead the team to a World Series title.

After starting his minor league baseball career in 1966, pitcher Ed Figueroa was eventually brought up to the majors by the California Angels in 1974. During that period of time, he missed one season -- 1969 -- because he was serving a tour in Vietnam. In a seven-year Major League Baseball career, Figueroa compiled an 80-67 record. The righthander became the first and only pitcher from Puerto Rico to win 20 games in a season when he achieved that mark in 1978 with the New York Yankees.

One year after winning 1951 Rookie of the Year honors, Willie Mays was drafted by the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War. After missing about 266 games, he returned to the San Francisco Giants in 1954 and put up impressive numbers, leading the league with a .345 batting average and crushing 41 home runs. Throughout his lengthy career, Mays won one World Series title, was a 20-time All Star, 12-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time National League MVP and had eight consecutive 100-RBI seasons. In 1979 in his first year of eligibility, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

After starting his shooting career at the age of 11, Vincent Hancock won his first World Championship title in skeet shooting in 2005. In 2008 at the age of 19, Hancock claimed the gold medal in men's skeet at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by outlasting a competitor in a shoot-off. He is currently a Sergeant in the Army Marksmanship Unit.

The apex of Archie Williams' track career came in 1936. Prior to then, he had never broken 49 seconds in the 400m run. But he experienced a huge improvement that year, setting a world record at the NCAA Championships with a 46.1-second run and went on to win gold at the Olympics in Berlin. After returning to school and earning his pilot's license, Williams was one of just 14 African Americans to be commissioned during World War II in the aviation meteorological cadet program. He went on to serve as a flight instructor and meterology teacher at Tuskegee. He eventually retired from the Air Force in 1964 as a lieutenant colonel.

While many players competed in winter ball from 1958-1959, Roberto Clemente chose a different path: he joined the Marine Corps Reserves. In addition to playing in the major leagues, Clemente also continued his Reserves service until 1964. The outfielder enjoyed an 18-year professional baseball career, winning two World Series titles and earning 12 Gold Gloves and 12 All Star selections from 1955-1972. He also was named the National League MVP in 1966 and the World Series MVP in 1971. But on Dec. 31, 1972, Clemente's plane went down in Nicaragua while he was on a humanitarian mission delivering aid to earthquake victims. The five-year waiting period was waived, and Clemente was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Shortly after turning 17, Lee Trevino enlisted in the Marine Corps. During his four years in service, Trevino was a playing partner with many officers. He later claimed it was those golf outings that helped him receive a promotion to lance corporal. Golf later became Trevino's career. Included in his 29 PGA Tour victories were six major titles. Trevino also had 29 wins (including four majors) while competing on the Champions Tour circuit.

Trying to escape a tough neighborhood in St. Louis, Leon Spinks joined the Marine Corps. His time in the military gave him an opportunity to train as a boxer, and he a gold medal in the light heavyweight division in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. As a professional, Spinks compiled a 26-17-3 record. In his eighth fight, he faced off against Muhammad Ali with the heavyweight title on the line. Beating Ali in a 15-round decision, Spinks became the only man ever to take a belt away from Ali.

From 1944 to 1946, Bill Sharman (right) served in the United States Navy. After the war ended, he played minor league baseball for a few years, but it was in the NBA that he excelled. Sharman was an eight-time All Star and led the league in free throw percentage seven times while playing with the Boston Celtics. Also a successful coach, he is enshrined in the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

After winning 29 amateur golf titles, Patty Berg opted to turn professional in 1940. Just two years later, she took time away from the game to serve as a lieutenant in the Marines during World War II.

A talented marksman in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, Major Michael Anti also is a four-time Olympian. His best performance came in 2004 in the 50m rifle, three positions event when he clinched the silver medal.