| Birth Name: | Arthur Edmond Sheehan Jr. |
| Birth Date: | 27 April 1924 |
| Birth Place: | Connecticut, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Germany |
| Placeofburial: | Netherlands American Cemetery |
| Serviceyears: | 1943–1944 |
| Rank: | Sergeant |
| Servicenumber: | 39139011 |
| Unit: | 360th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomber Group |
| Battles: | World War II |
| Awards: | Oak Leaf Cluster Air Medal Purple Heart |
Arthur Edmond Sheehan Jr. (April 27, 1924 – September 28, 1944) was an American military sergeant and AAA–league baseball player who received the Purple Heart, Air Medal, and Oak Cluster for his service in World War II.[1] [2]
While attending Galileo High School, Art led the Galileo Lions to the three consecutive championships in '41, '42, and '43 at 18–1 with an Earned-Run-Average of 1.3 and was named MVP of '43.[3] His image was frequently printed in the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner, and headlines about being recruited by the MLB soon followed.[4]
He was drafted and joined the Air Force on August 23, 1943, and died on September 28, 1944, along with several crewmates after their aircraft exploded.[5] His body was the only one that wasn't recovered in the wreckage. In recognition of his service, he was subsequently awarded a Purple Heart, Air Medal, and Oak Cluster, and decades later was inducted into the San Francisco County Prep Hall of Fame and Galileo Sports Hall of Fame for his brief, impressive career in baseball.[6] [7]