Editing Yogi Berra (section)

====World War II and subsequent return to baseball====
Berra joined the [[United States Navy]] in 1943, and served as a [[gunner's mate]] on the attack transport {{USS|Bayfield|APA-33|6}} during the [[Normandy landings]].<ref>{{Cite news | title = Berra Calls 'em as He Sees 'em | last = Dorman | first = Larry | newspaper = The New York Times | page = B14 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/sports/baseball/20yogi.html | date = January 19, 2010 | access-date = June 5, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100129065308/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/sports/baseball/20yogi.html | archive-date = January 29, 2010 | url-status = live }}</ref> A Second Class Seaman, Berra was one of a six-man crew on a Navy rocket boat, firing machine guns and launching rockets at the German defenses on [[Omaha Beach]]. He was wounded and awarded a [[Purple Heart]] medal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yogi-berra-had-decorated-military-career-too/c-151195348 | title=Yogi was military hero before a baseball star | website=[[MLB.com]] | date=September 23, 2015 }}</ref> During an interview on the 65th Anniversary of D-Day, Berra confirmed that he was sent to [[Utah Beach]] during the D-Day invasion as well.<ref name="museum">{{cite web |title = Military Service |work = yogiberramuseum.org |url = http://www.yogiberramuseum.org/militaria/ |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150925110216/http://yogiberramuseum.org/militaria/ |archive-date = September 25, 2015 |df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media | title = 65 Year Anniversary of D-Day – Yogi Berra Feature | work = YouTube | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpT8vkQ1rVw | date = June 8, 2009 | access-date = September 24, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151123175240/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpT8vkQ1rVw | archive-date = November 23, 2015 | url-status = live }}</ref> His military records were burned in the [[National Personnel Records Center fire|St. Louis Archives fire in 1973]].

Following [[Operation Dragoon]], he was sent to Tunisia before returning to the United States in January 1945 and being stationed at [[Naval Submarine Base New London]]. While there, he played for the base's semi-pro baseball team. He also bribed guards to allow him to sneak off base and play for the [[Cranston, Rhode Island]], Chiefs for $50 a game under an assumed name, as he was already signed with the Yankees.<ref>{{cite web |title = More About Yogi |last = Iannuccilli |first = Ed |publisher = Italian American Writer |url = http://www.italianamericanwriter.com/?tag=yogi-berra |date = August 28, 2012 |access-date = August 15, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140308012740/http://www.italianamericanwriter.com/?tag=yogi-berra |archive-date = March 8, 2014 |df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Tucci |first1=Joseph |title='It Ain't Over' |url=https://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/odn/danburynewstimes/default.aspx |website=Danbury News Times |publisher=Hearst CT Media |access-date=28 May 2023}}</ref> He was honorably discharged in May 1946.<ref name="vanews">{{cite news |last1=Veronda |first1=Michael |title=Lawrence "Yogi" Berra: All-Time Great |url=https://news.va.gov/86899/lawrence-yogi-berra-time-great/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=VA News |publisher=[[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]] |date=1 April 2021}}</ref>

Following his military service, Berra played minor-league baseball with the [[Newark Bears (International League)|Newark Bears]], surprising the team's manager with his talent despite his short stature.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Yogi Berra at 90: Quips and quotes from a Yankees icon | last = Peter | first = Josh | newspaper = USA Today | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/05/12/yogi-berra-celebrates-90-birthday-yogi-isms-baseball-icon/27153095/ | date = May 12, 2015 | access-date = September 22, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150928025719/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/05/12/yogi-berra-celebrates-90-birthday-yogi-isms-baseball-icon/27153095/ | archive-date = September 28, 2015 | url-status = live }}</ref> He was mentored by Hall of Famer [[Bill Dickey]], whose [[uniform number]] Berra took. He later said, "I owe everything I did in baseball to Bill Dickey."<ref>{{cite web | title = Bill Dickey | publisher = National Baseball Hall of Fame | url = http://baseballhall.org/hof/dickey-bill | access-date = September 22, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111012172019/http://baseballhall.org/hof/dickey-bill | archive-date = October 12, 2011 | url-status = live }}</ref>