The gridiron battles between Army and Navy in the years 1941 through 1945 were some of the most unusual ever played.  Although they were technically just two college football teams, the entire nation was involved.  The sacrifices and events surrounding   these games have never been equaled.  What made them so “different” was that the United States was in the midst of a world war and that changed the significance of everything.

1941

It was the Summer of 1941 and Army hadn’t beaten Navy in three years.  More than that Army had won precious few games against anybody in the preceding years and it was not only embarrassing; it was humiliating.  So Red Blaik was hired as the new football coach and with his hard-bit and disciplined reputation it was hoped he could bring more wins than losses.  The first thing he did, however, was almost lose the team.  He worked them so hard physically and at fundamentals to the point of exhaustion that many players began to consider just plain quitting.  But he wanted a team that was in shape and that wouldn’t make basic mistakes on the field.  Despite the grumbling, the Cadets responded and finally had a winning season.  And although Navy beat Army again that Fall (this time 14-6) it was at least competitive and the 102,000 fans who saw the game at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium were thrilled.  Most had arrived by train, coming from all parts of the country and the Pennsylvania railroad had to add 38 more trains than normal to handle the extra passengers.  Incidentally, in the official game program, there was a color photo of the battleship Arizona, with the caption, “no battleship has ever been sunk by a bomb.”  It was the day after Thanksgiving and just a week later the world would be changed forever with the Arizona lying at the bottom of Honolulu Bay.

1942

The plans for the 1942 game were, to put it mildly, surreal.  First, there was a debate in Congress as to whether the game should be played at all.  There was precedent.  The Army-Navy games were cancelled in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I.  But President Franklin D. Roosevelt prevailed and felt it was important for the morale of not only the Cadets and Midshipmen but for the country at large to have the game go on.  Still, there were obstacles to overcome. The nation was indeed on a war footing and all kinds of items were being rationed, including gasoline. So it was decided that the game would not be held at a large stadium as they had been in past years but this time at Thompson Field at Annapolis, Maryland.  That would cut down on the crowds.  It was additionally decided that those not living within a 10-mide radius of the stadium would not be allowed to come.  The  only exceptions were to naval academy employees, girlfriends of midshipmen, and the 210 accredited members of the press.  Even Navy’s players had to apply in order to be at the game.  Incredibly, Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President, wasn’t allowed to attend because she lived too far away – in the White House.  Finally, it was decided that the Corps of Cadets at West Point couldn’t attend.  Who would be left to cheer for the Army?  The answer was the Navy!  Orders came down that the third and fourth year Midshipmen were to sit behind the Army bench and cheer for that team.  This even involved two of the Navy cheerleaders traveling to West Point to learn the Army cheers and songs.  So, on the afternoon of November 28, 1942 only 11,700 showed up to watch the game – the lowest crowd to ever see an Army-Navy game sine 1893.

As to the action on the field, it was violent.  With the pressure, excitement and dangers of the war the tension was at a breaking point.  Steam had to be let off and it was!  There were crushing hits, outright punches to the jaw, and tripping and kicking at every chance.  At one point time-out was called so one of Army’s players could try and find his missing teeth in the grass.  Keep in mind that all of the sophisticated protection afforded to players today didn’t exist in 1942.  It was raw football.  Again, Army played its heart out but Navy won 14-0.

1943

Beginning with the 1943 season the players for both West Point and Annapolis had to do their best to represent their schools in football while cramming four years of education into three because the War Department started to urgently need them in combat.  And, word started to drift back about many of their already-dead classmates and players who had gone into battle.  Being a Second lieutenant was not considered a long-lived occupation. A sense intensity became commonplace in everything the Cadets and Midshipmen did.  This time the game was moved to Michie Field at West Point.  Another heroic effort by the Army but Navy again won 13-0.  The Cadets were not despondent, however, because everyone could clearly see that Army was becoming a pretty good football team with more than a few wins each season.

1944

In fact Army was becoming so good that it was ranked #1 in the nation in 1944. Navy was ranked #2. What a match up!  But again, because of travel and rationing concerns, Congress again argued over having an Army-Navy game.  Then House Minority Leader William Martin came up with a brilliant idea   Since interest in the game was at a fever pitch, why not use it to raise money for the war effort.  So, the December 2 game was moved to Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium.  Tickets to the game became the most expensive in history, ranging from $25 to more than $1000.  And this was 1944!  Before a fan could purchase a ticket he had to show proof that he also purchased a war bond for each seat.  Fifteen private boxes on the 50-yard line sold for $1-million each. In the end, with more than 100,000 people in attendance, the game raised $58-million.  This has to be the only time in history that a college football game was a fundraiser for a nation.

Getting to the game was another story.  Because the rail system was jammed with troop movements, the Corps of Cadets had to travel to Baltimore by steamer, escorted by Navy destroyers in case a German sub tried to torpedo them.  As they traveled down the Atlantic Seaboard the seas became rough and most got seasick.  The Cadets were finally glad to eventually come back to land.  The players recovered in time for the game and this time it was the Navy who gave it their all but Army finally won the big one 23-7 and became National Champs, the first time they had done so since 1914.

1945 

The next year the game was played with wild jubilation because just a few months earlier the war had ended and the victorious Americans were in a celebrating mood.  The 1945 game was moved to another large venue – this time back to Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium with its 100,000 plus seating capacity. Army again was #1 in the nation, not having lost a single game in two seasons, with two Heisman Trophy winners in its backfield, namely Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis. In fact, for the only time in college football history, an entire team was selected as All Americans!  Army deservedly won the game 32-13.  But that was just what was happening on the field.  President Harry S. Truman was there and brought the entire Cabinet with him, along with a huge entourage of war heroes including Generals George C. Marshall, Omar Bradley, Jimmy Doolittle, and Admirals Chester Nimitz and William (Bull) Halsey, to name a few.  Never has a game seen so much “top brass” in any one place.  And NBC, for the first time, televised a sporting event from one city (Philadelphia) to another (New York).

Never Again

The accomplishments and sacrifices during these incredible years will never be repeated.  College football will continue to have many great days to be sure but nothing will ever equal the unique times that existed during the World War II years, particularly as they affected two small schools located at West Point, New York, and Annapolis, Maryland.