Up for auction: Letters describe slugger Williams’ military service
BIDDEFORD, Maine — Thirty-eight letters penned by Hall of Fame baseball player Ted Williams, including one in which he described crash-landing a fighter jet with “holes all over” it, are going up for auction.
The letters written to his mistress show another side to Williams, who played for the Boston Red Sox, describing his second hiatus from baseball for military service, his bombing missions in Korea and his feelings on war and his father’s death.
“They’re his innermost thoughts during the Korean conflict,” said Troy Thibodeau, of Saco River Auction, which is putting the letters up for auction.
The letters were written to Evelyn Turner, a flight attendant, from 1952-54, a period in which Williams trained in the U.S. and served in Korea as a Marine combat pilot. During the time, Williams served as wing man for future NASA astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn. He wrote to Turner the day after he crash-landed his burning F9F Panther after a mission. He only sprained an ankle, but it could’ve been far worse.
Another letter written after his father’s death described Williams’ anguish and regret over having not spent more time with him. Yet another alluded to a military radioman sabotaging his plane to keep it grounded for repairs in Florida so he could spend extra time with Turner.
The letters and other items from Turner’s estate will be auctioned Jan. 3 along with other baseball and celebrity memorabilia. Included are photos of Williams in Turner’s home, along with newspaper clippings and Turner’s writings about Williams.