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After three years of service in World War II, Ted Williams thought he was finished with the military. Little did he know that his most harrowing days were still ahead. Fadeaway's debut episode, "Pilot," delves into Williams' service in Korea, the brush with near-death he had there, his friendship with hotshot pilot John Glenn, and his clashes with military brass.

“I was eager to learn, because I knew it was my ass if I didn’t.”

— Ted Williams, My Turn At Bat cdn.com/content/v1/573261c31d07c0d298e8824d/1462938560128-HZ3MASV1G1XRLF50M8Q3/image-asset.jpeg?format=1000w">

Major John Glenn (L) and Captain Ted Williams discussing aerial maneuvers while drinking their morning coffee at K-3 Air Force Base in South Korea, 1953. (Thanks to Bill Nowlin, author of Ted Williams at War, for providing this photo. You can check out his book here.)

BOX SCORE - EPISODE 1

RESEARCH SOURCES

Montville, Leigh. Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero. New York: Anchor Books, 2005.

Nowlin, Bill. Ted Williams at War. Burlington, MA: Rounder Books, 2007.

Sambito, William J. A History of Marine Attack Squadron 311. Washington, DC: United States Marine Corps History and Museums Divison, 1978.

Williams, Ted, as told to John Underwood. My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1969.

MUSIC CREDITS

Fadeaway’s opening theme is “Under Suspicion” by Lee Rosevere. Licensed through Creative Commons, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.

"Cylinder Three" by Chris Zabriskie. From the album Cylinders. Licensed through Creative Commons, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.

“Gita Baumane” by Ergo Phizmiz and Margita Zalite. From the album Lamps & Chairs: Music for Interior Design. Licensed through Creative Commons, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.

“The Gallant Seventh” written by John Philip Sousa and performed by the United States Marine Band. Public domain recording.

“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” written by Patrick Gilmore. Licensed from Sound Ideas Music Library.

“Swing 39” by Latché Swing. From the album Demo 2008. Licensed through Creative Commons, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.

“Cowboy” written by Tyler Curley and performed by Vexed to Nightmare. From the album A Clockwork Heart. Licensed through Creative Commons, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.

“Let’s Go Fishin’” by Karissa Hobbs. From the album Age of Flowers. Licensed through Creative Commons, courtesy of the Free Music Archive.

Military sound effects courtesy of Soundbible.com. Sounds created by Mike Koenig, Mark DiAngelo, JKirsch, and Jobro.

VALEDICTION

Today's closing quote is by Casey Stengel.