Robert Halperin Robert Sherman " Bob " Halperin ( January 26 , 1908 – May 8 , 1985 ) , nicknamed " Buck " , was an American competitive Star class sailor , and Olympic bronze medalist and Pan American Games gold medalist . He was also a college and NFL football quarterback , one of Chicago ' s most - decorated World War II heroes , co - founder of Lands ' End , and Chairman of Commercial Light Company . Early and personal life . Halperin , who was Jewish , was born in Chicago , Illinois . His father , Aaron , immigrated to the United States from Kiev in the 1890s , and died in 1964 . His mother , Julia , died in 1976 . He and his wife Margaret Stralka raised three sons , Thomas , Patrick and Daniel , the latter was Robert ' s biological son . He lived in the Near North Side of Chicago , and Palm Springs , California . Football career . In high school , he played football for Oak Park High School . He was also captain of the football team . In college , Halperin first played football for Notre Dame , at quarterback under Coach Knute Rockne . He then played football for the University of Wisconsin , from which he graduated in 1932 . After graduating college , in 1932 he played professional football at quarterback for the Brooklyn Dodgers team in the National Football League , under coach Benny Friedman . He later coached football at St . Patrick High School . Navy career . Halperin was one of Chicago ` s most decorated soldiers in World War II . He joined the U . S . Navy on March 19 , 1942 , when World War II started , ultimately rising to the level of Lieutenant Commander . He trained first under boxer Gene Tunney , and then in a top - secret program in 1942 at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Little Creek , Virginia , along with fellow NFL football players Phil Bucklew and John Tripson and seven others who made up the first class of what became known as the Navy Scouts & Raiders – the special warfare commando ancestor of what today is known as the U . S . Navy Seals . The three former NFL players were among 1 , 000 NFL players who served in the military for the U . S . during World War II . The job of the trainees was to locate designated landing beaches at night for amphibious landings , note any obstacles , and guide the attacking troops and their landing craft . War correspondent William H . Stoneman wrote of Halperin : " His job is to mark beaches for the assault , infantry , a daring , intricate job , calling for as much brain as courage , and barrels of both . " He was in charge of 14 scout boats , which were the first to reach shore in Allied landings . Halperin received every Navy theater campaign ribbon , seeing action in the combat zones of Sicily , Italy , Europe ( including during D - Day ) , North Africa , and the Pacific . He was decorated for gallantry with the Navy Cross , the Silver Star , two Bronze Stars , and a Presidential Citation , as well as the highest honor of the Nationalist Chinese government . In the North Africa invasion in November 1942 , he sailed his scout ship from seven miles off - shore in complete darkness to the shore of French Morocco , located and marked landing beaches with landing signals , guided assault troops to their targets while being strafe d by enemy planes , and became the first American in the invasion to capture two of the enemy when he personally captured two enemy officers . In recognition of his efforts , including his extraordinary heroism , skill , courage , and fearless devotion to duty , he received a presidential citation and the Navy Cross . He received an " out - of - line " promotion to Lieutenant Commander for his bravery and daring in the assault on Scoglitti on the southeastern coast of Sicily in July – August 1943 . He received a Presidential Citation for doing the same at Gela , in Sicily . During the Normandy Invasion of the Cherbourg Peninsula , in June 1944 he guided the first two waves of assault troops to the assault beaches , against entrenched strong opposition , and saved two men from drowning . Newspaper accounts called him " one of the first Americans to go ashore in France — perhaps , the first — on D - Day . " For his exceptionally meritorious performance of duty , and his " cool judgment and unusual ability " , he was awarded a Bronze Star . He was Commanding Officer of U . S . Naval Unit Six , from December 1944 to September 1945 , in secret guerrilla action against the Japanese behind enemy lines in Fukien Province , China . During that time , his team of Americans trained 2 , 500 Chinese guerrillas to fight the Japanese , planned and executed operations resulting in the killing of 1 , 300 enemy troops and the destruction of tons of their shipping , and he assisted in the rescue of 16 U . S . fliers . While out - numbered and facing an enemy with superior equipment , he attacked the enemy with ambushes and in pitched battles , significantly depleting their forces . He was located in Chungking , Kunming , Camp 6 , Hwaan , Changchow , Kulangsu , and Shanghai . He was granted a Gold Medal in lieu of a second Bronze Medal , for " distinguishing himself by exceptionally meritorious conduct . For distinguishing himself " by gallantry and intrepidity " , he was awarded a Silver Star . In addition , the Nationalist Chinese government awarded him its highest honor , the Yun Hui " Cloud Banner " , reserved only for admiralty . Sailing career . Halperin , sailed for the Chicago Yacht Club and the Southern Lake Michigan Fleet . He won the North American Star Championship in 1959 . He won a bronze medal for the United States in the Star class ( mixed two - person keelboat ) at the 1960 Summer Olympics in the Bay of Naples in Italy , at the age of 52 , together with William Parks . Their yacht was the " Shrew II " . In 1963 , he won a gold medal along with Richard Stearns at the Pan American Games in Sao Paulo , Brazil , sailing the " Ninotchka " . At the World Championships , it is tradition for the name of the crew member whose yacht has the best total score to be engraved on the Buck Halperin Trophy , named after him . Hall of Fame . Halperin was inducted as a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 . Business career . In business , Halperin became an executive of and rose to become Chairman of Commercial Light Company , a large electrical contractor and engineering business which his father had founded in 1915 and for which did electrical work in many Chicago buildings . He became the company ' s President in 1959 , and Chairman in the 1960s . The company performed a number of high - profile assignments , including installing lighting systems in Wrigley Field , the John Hancock Center , and O ' Hare International Airport . He also started the company Lands ' End , in the Spring of 1963 , with fellow sailor Richard Stearns , Halperin ' s close friend Gary Comer , and two of Stearns ' employees . Death . Halperin died May 8 , 1985 , in Palm Springs , California , at the age of 77 . His body is at rest at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife .