He fought Buddy Baer to raise $47,000 for the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society. Then followed that up with signing his name and joining the military ranks as a private. He staged over 96 exhibition fights, and traveled around 25,000 miles in his service. He made the rank of Sergeant and was awared the Legion of Merit Medal for his service. This at a time when racism was at its peak. Racial segregation was still taking place and ended in 1964, 3 years before Ali's last fight. Much different then the coward Muhammed Ali can say? Joe Louis- "We'll win because we are on God's side", "Lot's of things wrong with America, but Hitler ain't gonna fix 'em" Muhammed Ali- "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong"
And how did America repay Joe for his generosity? Oh yes...The IRS dogged him for the rest of his life by claiming his charity matches counted as earnings and that he had to pay back the tax. Hardly good incentive for Ali to do anything for a govenment that doesn't give a **** about its own champions and heroes.
Louis helped the WW2 effort and Ali refused to take a part in the Vietnam war, so they are on the same side right?
Ali took a brave stand at the time, and was eventually proven correct. The Vietnam war was a waste of American lives, staged for the pockets of rich guys . The heroic effort of Americans in WWII helped save the world. Yes, Joe Louis was a hero and Ali was a visionary.
