With all of problems going on around the world and the United States’ involvement in it, Veterans Day has taken on even more significance.
 
Its meaning is real. You can see it, touch it, hear it, smell it, taste it.
 
It certainly was that way, too, in World War II, and in the years immediately after its end in 1945 as the Browns came into existence and began play in the All-America Football Conference. Those teams were chock-full of World War II veterans. In fact, almost all of them served.
 
To signify that, and to pay honor and respect to Veterans Day today, here’s a look at those early Browns players – and even the coaches – and their service history:
 
*Head coach/General Manager Paul Brown – Enlisted in the Navy in 1944 at age 36. Was commissioned a lieutenant and was assigned to serve as the athletic officer at Great Lakes Naval Academy, where he coached football for two years. His 1944 team finished 9-2-1 and the ’45 club routed Notre Dame 39-7 for the biggest upset of the year in college football.
 
*Backfield coach Blanton Collier – Enlisted in the Navy in 1943 at age 37.
 
*Tackles coach Bill Edwards – Enlisted in the Navy in 1942 at age 33 and was discharged as a lieutenant commander in ’45.
 
*Guards coach Fritz Heisler – Enlisted in the Navy in 1941 and was commissioned an ensign the following year. Coached in 1943 at DePauw University, where he was stationed with the Navy’s V-5 Cadet Unit. Was discharged in 1945 as a full lieutenant.
 
*Fullback Tony Adamle – Served in the Army Air Force for over 3½ years.
 
*Tackle Chet Adams – Entered the Army in 1944 and was discharged as a first lieutenant in ’46. Served in the Corps of Military Police.
 
*Quarterback Ermal Allen – Was in the Army Infantry from 1942-46 and helped evacuate American prisoners of war from Japanese camps. Was discharged with the rank of major.
 
*Tackle Ernie Blandin – Served in the Navy for 3½ years, including a year in the Marshall Islands and three months in Hawaii.
 
*Halfback Bill Boedeker – Enlisted in the Army Infantry, where he served with distinction for three years, including being awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
 
*Halfback Tom Colella – Served in the Marine Corps in 1942 and ’43.
 
*Halback Bob Cowan – Served in the Army.
 
*Fullback Spiro Dellerba – Served in the Army.
 
*Halfback Jim Dewar – Served in the Army from 1943-46.
 
*Center Frank “Gunner” Gatski – Spent 3½ years in the Army Infantry, including 18 months in the European Theatre.
 
*Guard Bob Gaudio – Served for almost three years in the Army.
 
*End/punter Horace Gillom – Entered the Army in 1942, serving in the European Theatre and winning three Bronze Stars before being discharged in ’45.
 
*Quarterback Otto Graham – Served in the Navy.
 
*Halfback Don Greenwood – Served in the Army Air Corps.
 
*Tackle/kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza – Was in Army for three years, spending five months on Okinawa, two in Hawaii and six in the Philppines. Stayed in football shape by having some buddies erect a goal post and practicing kicking field goals during his few leisure hours.
 
*Guard Lin Houston – Served in the Army from 1943-46 in New Guinea and the Philippines.
 
*Guard Weldon Humble – Was a first lieutenant in the Marine Infantry and was awarded the Bronze Star.
 
*Halfback Edgar “Special Delivery” Jones – Served in the Army from 1942-45.
 
*Guard Alex Kapter – Was a Navy Pilot.
 
*End Dante Lavelli – Entered the Army in 1943 and served in France, Belgium and Germany, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and the Siege of Bastogne.
 
*Quarterback/safety Cliff Lewis – Served in the Navy.
 
*Halfback Bill Lund – Served as an ensign aboard a Navy destroyer in the Pacific Theatre.
 
*Halfback Lewis Mayne – Was in the Army from 1943-45.
 
*Fullback Marion Motley – Served in the Navy.
 
*Tackle Roman Piskor – Was in the Army.
 
*Tackle Lou Rymkus – Served in the Navy from 1944-46, being stationed in Hawaii for nine months.
 
*Fullback Lou Saban – Entered the Army in 1943 and was utilized as an interpreter in China before being discharged in ’46 as a first lieutenant.
 
*Center Mo Scarry – Enlisted in the Army and served with the Infantry in the African campaign.
 
*End Marshall Shurnas – Served in the Army.
 
*Tackle Len Simonetti – Spent three years in the Army and saw service in the South Pacific.
 
*Guard Ed Ulinski – Spent four years to the day in Army, being discharged in 1946 as a captain in the Army Air Forces.
 
*End John Yonakor – Enlisted in the Marines in 1942 and served in the Southwest Pacific through ’46.
 
*End George Young – Served in the Navy.