After growing up in Michigan, Terwilliger joined the Marines in 1943 following his 18th birthday and served as a radioman on an amphibious tank in the Pacific Theater of World War II. While overseas, Corporal Terwilliger participated in the invasions of Tinian and Iwo Jima, and had his tank knocked out at Saipan. "We were hit and the tank bogged down," he told The Sporting News on April 26, 1950. "We had to abandon the tank. Everybody scattered into the nearest fox holes. But at just about that time a Jap tank rolled up and began blasting away. I knew I had to get out of there, so I ran for the beach, zigzagging in and out with the tank chasing me. I\'m sure I\'d be lying out there somewhere now, if it hadn\'t been for one of our own tanks, which luckily showed up while I was doing all that broken field running. They knocked out the Jap tank."\n', '

Terwilliger was discharged in late 1945 and attended Western Michigan College where he quickly became a star shortstop. As early as 1946, he was attracting attention from major league scouts and St Louis Browns’ scout Jack Fournier, was particularly keen to sign him.\n', '

In 1948, after finishing college, Terwilliger was playing second base with the semi-pro Benton Harbor Buds when he was signed as a free agent in July by the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs assigned him to the Single-A Des Moines Bruins of the Western League where he finished the season. In 1949, Terwilliger was promoted to the AAA Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, where he batted .275 in 115 games, before being called up to the Cubs in August and playing in 36 games. Terwilliger spent the 1950 season as the Cubs\' starting second baseman, hitting .242 with 10 home runs, 32 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. However, after getting off to a poor start to the 1951 season, Terwilliger was included in a trade that sent outfielder Andy Pafko, pitcher Johnny Schmitz, and catcher Rube Walker to the Brooklyn Dodgers for catcher Bruce Edwards, pitcher Joe Hatten, outfielder Gene Hermanski and infielder Eddie Miksis.\n', '

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