"Football! Navy! War!" How Military "Lend-Lease" Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II [Paperback]

Wilbur D. Jones Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 13, 2009

Not coincidentally, the sport of football naturally employs terms usually associated with war, such as "aerial attack," "blitz," and "trench warfare." During World War II, the U. S. military and colleges joined forces, fielding competitive teams to prepare men for combat. The book highlights the Department of the Navy's role in preserving the game and football's impact on national morale and the war effort through their "Lend-Lease" to colleges of officer candidates, including All-America and professional players. It describes wartime college and military football throughout the globe and features a foreword by veteran ESPN college football commentator Beano Cook. It contains 81 photographs and illustrations; listings of college and military teams, records, scores, big games, and statistics; player and team profiles; and a glossary of period football terminology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fills an important niche in the sports and military history of World War II…not just a list of teams and statistics, this book also tells the "then and now" differences in the playing of football through extensive research and interviews." --Jack A. Green, Naval History & Heritage Command

"A comprehensive telling of a story that can't be told enough…the chapter about halfback Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice captures him as no defense ever did. This is a good thing that Jones has done." --Ivan Maisel, senior writer, ESPN.com

"I've been waiting for somebody to do this book and preserve these treasured college football memories, and now Wilbur Jones has done it and done it splendidly. --Dan Jenkins, Sports Illustrated

About the Author

Wilbur D. Jones, Jr., is a nationally known, award-winning military historian and retired Navy captain with four decades of service to the Department of Defense, including as a professor and associate dean at the Defense Acquisition University. He served in the White House as an assistant and advance representative to President Ford. This is his 17th book. He founded and chairs the award-winning preservationist group World War II Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition in Wilmington, N.C., where he resides.

Product Details

• Paperback: 277 pages
• Publisher: McFarland (May 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786442190
• ISBN-13: 978-0786442195
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,132,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Football! Navy! War! ....Fantastic!", June 24, 2010

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Golden Boy - See all my reviews

This review is from: "Football! Navy! War!" How Military "Lend-Lease" Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II (Paperback)

This book, a fascinating fusion of two immensely popular genres, sports and WWII history, is simultaneously educational, entertaining and essential. Not only is it extremely well-written, but it's perhaps the most comprehensively researched and information-saturated book on the subject of wartime sports that I've ever seen. Teams, players, seasons, conferences, games - it's all here in one outstanding work. If you're a football fan, a history buff or WWII enthusiast - or all three - this is a must-have title for your personal library.