# List of National Football League players who died in wars

This is a list of players who left the National Football League to join the military in a time of war, including those who were drafted, and died in wars. Fourteen died in World War II, two in the Vietnam War and one in the War in Afghanistan. In World War II, Jack Lummus and Charlie Behan were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, respectively. All players listed below served in the United States military.

## World War II

| Name | Age | Year died | Position | Team | Last year played | Service | Details of death if available |
| Mike Basca | 27 | 1944 | Halfback | Philadelphia Eagles | 1941 | Army | Killed when his tank was hit by a German 88. |
| Charlie Behan | 24 | 1945 | End | Detroit Lions | 1942 | Marines | Killed in action during the Battle of Okinawa. Posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. |
| Harry Benson | 34 | 1943 | Guard | Philadelphia Eagles | 1935 | Army | Killed in action in the Aleutian Islands campaign. |
| Keith Birlem | 28 | 1943 | End | Washington Redskins | 1939 | Air Force | While trying to land his combat-damaged B-17 heavy bomber, he collided with another aircraft. Both crashed, with no survivors. |
| Al Blozis | 26 | 1945 | Offensive tackle | New York Giants | 1944 | Army | Lost in France when he went in search of two of his men who had failed to return from a scouting mission. |
| Young Bussey | 27 | 1945 | Quarterback | Chicago Bears | 1945 | Navy | Killed when his landing craft was hit by a Japanese mortar while stuck on a coral reef. |
| Howard "Smiley" Johnson | 28 | 1945 | Guard | Green Bay Packers | 1941 | Marines | Killed by a mortar shell during the Battle of Iwo Jima. |
| Alex Ketzko | 25 | 1944 | Tackle | Detroit Lions | 1943 | Army | Killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge. |
| Jack Lummus | 29 | 1945 | End | New York Giants | 1937 | Marines | Stepped on a land mine during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. |
| Dave Schreiner | 24 | 1945 | End | Detroit Lions | 1943 | Marines | Killed by a sniper during the Battle of Okinawa. |
| Len Supulski | 22 | 1943 | End | Philadelphia Eagles | 1942 | Air Force | Died in a training flight crash. |
| Don Wemple | 27 | 1944 | End | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1941 | Air Force | His airplane was shot down while flying over "the Hump". |
| Chet Wetterlund | 26 | 1944 | Halfback | Detroit Lions | 1942 | Navy | Died when a training flight crashed. |
| Waddy Young | 28 | 1945 | End | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1940 | Air Force | Died in a mid-air collision with a damaged B-29 he was trying to protect. |

## Vietnam War

| Name | Age | Year died | Position | Team | Last year played | Service | Details of death if available |
| Bob Kalsu | 25 | 1970 | Guard | Buffalo Bills | 1968 | Army | Killed during the Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord. |
| Don Steinbrunner | 35 | 1967 | Tackle | Cleveland Browns | 1953 | Air Force | His Fairchild C-123 Provider was shot down while on a defoliation mission. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. |

## War in Afghanistan

| Name | Age | Year died | Position | Team | Last year played | Service | Details of death if available |
| Pat Tillman | 27 | 2004 | Safety | Arizona Cardinals | 2001 | Army | Killed by friendly fire. |