Clinton Dillard Castleberry Jr. (October 10 1923 – November 7 1944) was an American college football halfback for the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and a United States Army Air Forces lieutenant who was killed in action during World War II.
Early life and education
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Castleberry attended Boys High School (later known as Grady High School) in Atlanta. As a high‑school football player he excelled as a “pony” back, averaging 171 rushing yards per game and scoring 102 points in his senior season, contributing to three consecutive Georgia Interscholastic Athletic Association championships (1939‑1941).
College football career
In 1942, with many college athletes serving in the armed forces, freshmen were permitted to play varsity football. Castleberry joined the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as a freshman halfback and quickly became a standout player. He led the team in both rushing and passing yards, helped Georgia Tech defeat Notre Dame for the first time since 1928, and recorded a 95‑yard interception return for a touchdown against the United States Naval Academy.
His performance earned him first‑team All‑Southeastern Conference honors and second‑team All‑American recognition. Castleberry finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest placement ever achieved by a freshman at that time. He was the first Georgia Tech player to have his jersey (No. 19) retired.
Military service
After the 1942 season, Castleberry enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in early 1943, intending to return to football after the war. He completed flight training, earned his wings in the summer of 1944, and was assigned as a co‑pilot of a B‑26 Marauder bomber operating in the Mediterranean theater.
On the night of November 7 1944, Castleberry took off from Roberts Field in Liberia on a ferrying flight to Dakar, Senegal. The aircraft never reached its destination; after an extensive search, the crew was declared missing in action and later classified as killed, with wreckage believed to have been found by a Royal Air Force plane.
Legacy
Castleberry’s brief but spectacular football career and his ultimate sacrifice have been commemorated by Georgia Tech and the broader football community. He was posthumously inducted into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame. His story is often cited as an example of the impact of World War II on American collegiate athletics.
References
- Wikipedia, “Clint Castleberry,” accessed 2024.
- Georgia Tech Athletics archives.
- Contemporary newspaper accounts (e.g., The Atlanta Constitution, 1942‑1944).