Born and raised in the city by the bay, Walter Judnich was one of many outstanding major leaguers to originate from San Francisco including Frankie Crosetti, Dolf Camilli, Tony Lazzeri, Joe Cronin, Lefty O’Doul, and Joe DiMaggio. Two players in particular, Dario Lodigiani and Eddie Joost played with Walt in youth baseball before also signing professional contracts. Like DiMaggio, Lazzeri and O’Doul, Judnich’s minor league contract was purchased by the Yankees. See: Part 1: The Bomber Brownie: Walt Judnich.
His stateside tour complete, Judnich joined a star-studded contingent of Army Air Forces teammates from McClellan Field along with Santa Ana Army Air Base’s Joe DiMaggio to transform Hickam Army Air Field’s mediocre ball team into one of the greatest service teams of the war. See Part 2: 7th Army Air Force Bombing Command.
The 1944 regular baseball seasons now in the rearview mirror, Judnich and a team of Army All-Stars locked heads in baseball’s biggest event of the year. With more talent on the Army and Navy teams than seen in St. Louis for the Trolley Car World Series, Judnich was finally on the big stage with a chance to showcase his slugging. See: Part 3: Hawaiian October: Judnich’s First World Series.
After the Servicemen’s World Series concluded, all military branches continued to congregate their ballplayers in the Hawaiian Islands in preparation for the anticipated assault on the Japanese home islands. Baseball resumed in January and the 7th AAF squad was broken apart with players being dissemenated across three new teams. By the summer, most of the USAAF players were sent to the Marianas to serve and entertain the troops on the islands as the war was drawing to a close. See: Part 4: Bellows, the 313th Bomb Wing and Home.
Chevrons and Diamonds 