Ernie Cheatham

Ernest Clifford Cheatham Jr.

No. 79, 66
Position:	Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:	(1929-07-27)July 27, 1929 Long Beach, California
Died:	June 14, 2014(2014-06-14) (aged 84)
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:	St. Anthony High School
College:	Loyola Marymount
NFL Draft:	1951 / Round: 21 / Pick: 248
Career history
Baltimore Colts (1954) Pittsburgh Steelers (1951–1954)
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 6
Player stats at PFR

Ernest Clifford Cheatham Jr. (July 27, 1929 – June 14, 2014) was a United States Marine Corps officer, a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War, a recipient of the Navy Cross^[1], and American football defensive tackle who played for the Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

American Football Career

Cheatham played college football at Loyola Marymount University for the Loyola Marymount Lions team. After college, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 248th pick, round 21 of the 1951 NFL Draft. Before playing in the NFL, Cheatham served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. After the war, in 1954, he played a total of 6 games in his NFL career, 4 for the Steelers, and 2 for the Baltimore Colts.^[2].

Military Career

Cheatham put his NFL career on hold to serve in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. He would later serve in the Vietnam War, and retired as a Marine Corps lieutenant general. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism leading the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment during the Battle of Hue. His Navy Cross citation reads:

"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to as Colonel [then Lieutenant Colonel] Ernest C. Cheatham, Jr. (MCSN: 0-58120), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced)", Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam from 3 February to 3 March 1968.

"During Operation Hue City, Colonel Cheatham led his battalion in extremely heavy house-to-house fighting against a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force. Advancing through the city on 4 February to assault the well-fortified Treasury Building/Post Office complex, his unit came under intense fire from concealed enemy positions. The enemy resistance halted the Marines' advance during two days of bitter fighting. Nevertheless, Colonel Cheatham remained steadfast in his determination to secure the enemy stronghold. Skillfully deploying a 106-mm. recoilless rifle squad into advantageous firing positions, he personally pinpointed the targets with M-16 tracer rounds and directed accurate fire on the enemy, which significantly reduced the pressure on his assaulting force. Completely disregarding his own safety, he joined the assaulting unit and aggressively led his men in routing the North Vietnamese from their entrenched positions. While proceeding through the city on 6 February, he organized his battalion for an assault on the enemy-held Provincial Headquarters Building. Ignoring the hostile fire all around him, he directed his men to covered positions while he fearlessly advanced to an exposed position from which he could locate the sources of enemy fire. Calling an M50 Ontos forward, he directed effective suppressive fire on the enemy and then courageously led his unit as it continued the assault. Colonel Cheatham's dynamic and heroic leadership and his unflagging example inspired all who observed him and contributed greatly to the defeat of the enemy and to their subsequent withdrawal from the city. His dauntless courage and unfaltering devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."^[3]

References