By: Camryn Meece | Follow me on Twitter / X @MeeceCamryn
Over the years, several Boston Bruins players also served in the military. Some enlisted during wartime and stepped away from professional hockey, while others served before or after their playing careers. They represented different branches of the armed forces, including the United States Navy, the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and the Royal Canadian Navy. Their service dates back to World War I (WWI) and continued through World War II (WWII), when several Bruins put their hockey careers on hold to serve.
The Early Years
Before WWII, two Bruins players had already served in the military during WWI. Gerry Geran served in the United States Navy, while Frank Fredrickson enlisted in the Canadian military before going on to play professional hockey.
Gerry Geran
Gerry Geran served in the United States Navy during WWI. After his military service, he continued playing hockey and eventually made his way to the National Hockey League (NHL). Geran first played in the NHL with the Montreal Wanderers during the league’s inaugural season in 1917-18. He later joined the Boston Bruins for the 1925-26 season, appearing in 33 games and recording five goals and one assist. He was also the first American-born player to play in the NHL.
Frank Fredrickson
Frank Fredrickson enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1916 before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, where he served as a pilot during WWI. Following the war, he returned to hockey and eventually made his way to Boston. Fredrickson joined the Bruins in 1927 and was part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 1929.
His military service continued during WWII when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. He eventually attained the rank of Flight Lieutenant and served as a commanding officer at flight schools in Canada.
World War II
WWII brought major changes to the NHL, as players across the league left their teams to serve in the armed forces. The Boston Bruins were no different. Players enlisted in different branches of the armed forces, with many spending several years away from the game. One notable example was the team’s Kraut Line, which included Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart, and Bobby Bauer.
1941-42: The Kraut Line, Roy Conacher, Lloyd Gronsdahl, and Gordie Bruce
The three members of the Kraut Line enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force together in 1942, leaving the Bruins mid-career. Their final game came on February 10 against the Montreal Canadiens, with Boston winning 8-1 at Boston Garden. Schmidt, Dumart, and Bauer combined for 11 points before players from both teams gathered to honor them after the game. All three served overseas as aircrew and spent more than three years away from the NHL before returning to Boston for the 1945-46 season.
Roy Conacher had already helped the Bruins win two Stanley Cups, in 1939 and 1941, before the 1941-42 season. He played for Boston that year before leaving the team in 1942 to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force. During his service, Conacher worked as a physical training instructor and continued playing hockey with RCAF teams.
Lloyd Gronsdahl also appeared in 10 games for Boston during the 1941-42 season, scoring one goal. He later enlisted in the RCAF and served in both Canada and England.
Gordie Bruce was already serving with the Canadian Army while playing professional hockey. In October 1941, he was an officer cadet with the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards, a Canadian Army reserve unit, and was completing military training in Brockville, Ontario. He received permission to return to the United States after completing his course so he could continue playing hockey.
Bruce joined the Bruins during the 1940-41 season and appeared in 15 games during the following season, recording four goals and eight assists. He continued his military service during the war, eventually reaching the rank of lieutenant. After spending several years away from professional hockey, he returned to Boston for five games during the 1945-46 season.
1942-43: Bill Shill, Tiny Thompson, Clare Martin, Terry Reardon, Jack McGill, Cliff Thompson, and Pat Egan
Bill Shill made his NHL debut with the Bruins during the 1942-43 season, appearing in seven games and recording four goals and one assist. He also played for the Toronto Navy hockey team during the season. By November 1943, Shill was an officer candidate in the Royal Canadian Navy. He continued playing hockey while serving and later suited up for the Cornwallis Navy team. Shill returned to Boston for the 1945-46 season, appearing in 45 games and recording 27 points.
Tiny Thompson spent 11 seasons with the Boston Bruins after joining the team in 1928. He became one of the NHL’s top goaltenders, helping Boston win its first Stanley Cup in 1929. With the Bruins, Thompson won four Vezina Trophies and appeared in 468 regular-season games before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in November 1938. He finished his NHL career in 1940.
During WWII, Thompson served in the Royal Canadian Air Force and became involved with the Calgary RCAF Mustangs. He returned to the ice as the team’s goaltender during the 1942-43 playoff season as the Bruins three goalies were injured.
Clare Martin was with the Bruins during the 1941-42 season, appearing in 13 games and recording one assist. After the season, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he served for three years. Martin returned to the Bruins for the 1946-47 season. He appeared in six games that season, scoring three goals, before becoming a regular on Boston’s defense the following season, playing 59 games.
Terry Reardon joined the Canadian Army in 1942 after playing for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1942-43 season. He served with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada and eventually reached the rank of Second Lieutenant. In 1944, he was sent overseas and led a platoon in France following the D-Day landings.
In August 1944, Reardon was wounded in the shoulder by a German sniper during the fighting near the Falaise Gap. He was sent to England to recover before returning to Canada in February 1945. Reardon returned to the Bruins for the 1945-46 season, appearing in 49 games and recording 23 points.
Jack McGill came to the Bruins during the 1941-42 season, appearing in 13 games and recording 19 points. During the war, he served in the Canadian Army and played hockey with the Ottawa Commandos. McGill returned to Boston during the 1944-45 season and remained with the Bruins through 1946-47. He finished his professional hockey career that year.
Cliff Thompson began his professional career with the Boston Olympics before making six appearances with the Bruins during the 1941-42 season. He later stepped away from hockey to serve overseas during WWII, spending three years in the military from 1942 to 1945. For his service, Thompson received two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star, and the French Croix de Guerre. He eventually returned to hockey with the Boston Olympics and made multiple appearances with the Bruins during the 1948-49 season.
After the Brooklyn Americans folded in 1942, Pat Egan joined the Canadian Army and stepped away from hockey. He returned to the NHL with Detroit before being traded to Boston during the 1943-44 season. Egan appeared in 23 games for the Red Wings before joining the Bruins, where he became a regular on defense and remained until 1949.
1944-45: Don Gallinger, Frank Brimsek, and Murray Henderson
The Bruins were still without several familiar players during the 1944-45 season. Don Gallinger had joined the RCAF in February 1944 after scoring 13 goals in 23 games for Boston. He spent the entire 1944-45 season away from the team, playing hockey with the RCAF Bombers while serving. Gallinger was discharged in September 1945 and returned to Boston the following season.
Frank Brimsek also spent two seasons away from the Bruins. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on July 1, 1943, and initially played for the Coast Guard Cutters while stationed in Maryland. In 1944, he was transferred to California before being sent to the Pacific. Brimsek served aboard a Coast Guard cutter during the invasions of Tarawa and Saipan. He received his honorable discharge in November 1945 and returned to Boston that December.
Murray Henderson, meanwhile, returned to the Bruins late in the season. He had entered the RCAF in 1941 and was commissioned as a Flight Officer in 1944. During his service, he piloted PBY and Catalina flying boats along Canada’s West Coast. After receiving his discharge in February 1945, Henderson played a few games with the Boston Olympics to get back into shape before joining the Bruins. He appeared in five regular-season games and the playoffs that spring.
1946-47: Norm McAtee and Johnny Peirson
Norm McAtee served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII, attaining the rank of Flying Officer. While stationed in the Toronto area, he continued playing hockey with RCAF teams and even competed for the Allan Cup, Canada’s senior amateur hockey championship, in 1943.
After receiving his discharge in 1945, McAtee returned to professional hockey. He spent time in the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks organizations before joining Boston in 1946. He appeared in 13 games for the Bruins during the 1946-47 season, recording one assist. It was his only season in the NHL.
Johnny Peirson also served in the Canadian Army during WWII. After the war, he returned to Canada and enrolled at McGill University, where he played hockey during the 1945-46 season. He later joined the Bruins organization and made his NHL debut with Boston during the 1946-47 season. He spent the next 11 seasons with Boston, finishing his NHL career with the Bruins in 1958.
Providence Bruins
Zach McKelvie
McKelvie joined the Bruins organization after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2009. He had signed with Boston that July, but his plans to begin a professional hockey career were put on hold when he was required to complete two years of active duty in the U.S. Army. McKelvie served as an infantry officer at Fort Benning, Georgia, before returning to hockey in 2011. He joined the Providence Bruins for the 2011-12 season, appearing in 39 games.
The Bruins have had many players whose lives and careers were shaped by military service. Some put their hockey careers on hold, while others continued playing before, during, or after their time in the military. Their service also affected the families and people around them, many of whom made sacrifices of their own. We thank all service members, past and present, and their families for everything they have given.
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