Hall of Fame
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1943-1946
Place of Birth: Calhoun Falls, SC
Date of Birth: Jan 05, 1924
Place of Death: Miami, FL
Date of Death: Jan 10, 2019
Jersey Number: 17
Height: 5-9
Weight: 172
Other College: Miami (FL)
High School: Miami HS (Miami, FL)
Few quarterbacks in college football history can match the unprecedented success Arnold Tucker had at Army. A member of three National Championship teams (1944-46), Tucker was undefeated at West Point, leading his fellow cadets to an unparalleled 27-0-1 record during his prolific career. He was part of the 1946 Army backfield, coached by Hall of Fame legend Earl "Red" Blaik, which is considered by many as the greatest of all time. Tucker was known as "Mr. Topside" in the same backfield with "Mr. Inside" Doc Blanchard and "Mr. Outside" Glenn Davis, both Heisman Trophy winners and Hall of Famers.
A 1946 All-American, Tucker led Army to three Lambert Trophies, passing for 1,127 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three-year campaign and trouncing perennial powerhouses Michigan, Oklahoma and Notre Dame. In 1946, he was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award by the Amateur Athletic Union as the nation's top amateur athlete.
Prior to attending West Point, Tucker enlisted in the US Navy V-12 Program in June of 1943. As a Naval Assignee, he attended the University of Florida and transferred to the University of Miami, where he was a member of the football team and received the "Iron Man Trophy" for exceptional football participation. He was discharged from the Navy in July of 1944 in order to attend the United States Military Academy. He graduated from the USMA and was commissioned a second lieutenant in June of 1947.
After graduating from Army Air Corps pilot training, he served as a Bomber Pilot of the B29 with the 307th Bomb Wing at Mac Dill AFB in Tampa, Florida, as well as a Line Pilot with Military Airlift Command in Tokyo, Japan. He also had assignments as Aide De Camp to the Commanding General and was Commanding Officer of the Headquarters Squadron and served as an Operations Officer.
Tucker was assigned as an assistant football coach to Coach Vince Lombardi at West Point while also serving a four-year tour from 1953-57 as a tactical officer in the Commandant of Cadets Office. He graduated from the Air Force Command and Staff College and served a four-year tour of duty at Headquarters US Air Forces, Pentagon Building, Washington D.C. He received an MBA degree from George Washington University in 1963 and then served a four-year tour of duty as Chief of the Telemetry Division of the Air Force Eastern Test Range, Cocoa Beach, Florida from 1963 to 1967.
Tucker served four years in direct support of the Vietnamese War as Director of Airlift, 5th Air Force Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan, as Commander of the C130 Gunship Squadron, Ubon, Thailand and as Chief Special Operations Division, 7th Air Force, Saigon Vietnam. His last active duty military assignment was from 1971-74 as the Professor of Aerospace Studies(AFROTC), University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 31 years of continuous active duty at Homestead AFB, Florida in June 1974.
After Military Retirement he was employed by the University of Miami for two years as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Sales and Promotions. He received many medals and accommodations, just to name a few: The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star Medal, The Meritorious Service Medal, United States Military Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and Miami High School Hall of Fame.
Tucker passed away in Miami, Florida, on Jan. 10, 2019. At age 95, he was the second-oldest living Hall of Famer at the time of his passing.
