Elmer Cable Durrett of Sherman, Texas. Durrett served in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1943 and fought on Guadalcanal.
← Return to the player directory

Red Durrett

Marine Corps Service

Elmer Cable “Red” Durrett earned the title of United States Marine during World War II. Contemporary Marine Corps reporting placed him in the second wave landing on Guadalcanal and described more than a year of service in the South Pacific before wounds ended his military career.

Durrett’s Guadalcanal service is supported by wartime reporting rather than a later online service profile. One account described him as shell-shocked, hospitalized in California, and medically discharged; another reported that he spent months recovering from wounds suffered on Guadalcanal. The surviving public documentation does not establish the frequently repeated assignment to India Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, so no specific regiment or battalion is asserted here.

Baseball Career

Born in Sherman, Texas, on February 3, 1921, Durrett was a left-handed outfielder who stood five feet ten inches and weighed approximately 170 pounds. He played professionally before the war, including a .307 season with the Johnstown Johnnies in 1941, then resumed his career after receiving his medical discharge.

Durrett returned strongly in 1944, batting .291 with 18 home runs in 142 games for the Montreal Royals. Brooklyn promoted him in September, and he made his Major League debut against the Boston Braves on September 14. His first Major League hit was a home run, giving him an especially memorable debut after his return from combat.

He appeared in 11 games for Brooklyn in 1944 and eight more in 1945. His final Major League appearance came on May 2, 1945. Across 19 games, Durrett recorded seven hits, five runs, one home run, one run batted in, and a .146 batting average.

After leaving Brooklyn, Durrett returned to Montreal and hit 21 home runs during the remainder of the 1945 season. He continued in the minor leagues through 1950, completing a professional career that included more than 600 minor-league games.

Later Life and Legacy

After baseball, Durrett worked for the United States Postal Service and retired in 1982. He died at his home in Waxahachie, Texas, on January 17, 1992.

Sources and Further Reading

  1. Camp Lejeune Globe, July 19, 1944, contemporary account of Durrett’s Guadalcanal landing, wounds, and return to baseball
  2. Rattler, March 22, 1944, contemporary account of Durrett’s Guadalcanal service, hospitalization, and discharge
  3. Associated Press report, June 24, 1944, on Durrett’s recovery from Guadalcanal wounds
  4. Major League Baseball, Red Durrett statistics and biographical data
  5. Baseball-Reference, Red Durrett Major League record
  6. BR Bullpen, Red Durrett biography and minor-league record