Joseph Howard Berry Jr. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his Army and Marine Corps service periods, Mexican Border service, and World War II combat service in the South Pacific.
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Joe Berry Jr.

Military Service

Berry’s military service began in 1916, when he spent approximately three months with the Pennsylvania National Guard on the Mexican border before returning to the University of Pennsylvania. He reentered the Army after the 1917 football season and served during World War I. Available documentation does not establish that either period included combat.

Berry held a commission in the Marine Corps Reserve beginning in 1930. After advancing from captain to major, he was called to active duty on October 1, 1941, initially reporting to Marine headquarters in Washington. Contemporary records subsequently placed Major Berry at the Marine Corps Schools at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

During World War II, Berry served as a Marine liaison officer in combat in the South Pacific. He eventually attained the rank of colonel. His specific overseas unit, campaigns, and individual decorations have not yet been established.

Baseball Career

Berry made his Major League debut with the New York Giants on July 18, 1921, and played his final Major League game on May 16, 1922. He appeared in seven games as a second baseman in 1921 and six games as a pinch runner in 1922.

A switch-hitter, Berry collected two hits in six career at-bats, including a triple, and drove in two runs for a .333 batting average. His time with the Giants coincided with their 1921 and 1922 World Series championships, although he did not appear in either World Series. His father, Joe Berry Sr., had appeared in one Major League game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1902.

Berry’s athletic accomplishments extended well beyond his brief Major League career. At the University of Pennsylvania, he captained the varsity baseball team, earned All-American honors as a football fullback, appeared in the Rose Bowl, and became an intercollegiate pentathlon champion. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame.

Sources and further reading

  1. University of Pennsylvania Archives — Joseph Howard Berry Jr. biography
  2. Pennsylvania Gazette — Howard Berry called to active Marine Corps duty in 1941
  3. The Sunday Oregonian — Howard Berry’s return from Mexican Border service in 1916
  4. Penn Athletics — J. Howard Berry Hall of Fame biography
  5. Baseball Reference — Joe Berry Major League statistics
  6. Find a Grave — Joseph Howard Berry memorial