United States Naval Academy (Reel 2, 1940s)

almost before we realized that we were no longer plees a big event came up the summer cruise we boarded Navy ships for a 12weeks period this provided us with the opportunity of substituting practice for Theory and gave us a taste of Life at Sea some of us were assigned to aircraft carriers thus were able to continue our study of Naval Aviation on the big flat tops we were not qualified aviators but there were many things to learn about such things as carrier takeoffs duties of a flight deck officer Air Group tactics and combat air Patrols [Music] [Applause] fully as exciting as flying the wild blue yonder in one of the Navy's crack dive bombers was a thrill of our first carrier deck [Music] Landings another part of my class boarded Mighty battle wagons here they learned to run a giant man of war during the first part of the cruise one got the idea that the most necessary ingredient for a ship's operation is cleanliness but we weren't taken along as Bast on the bridge we learned signaling first classman received more advanced training and the practice Crews constituted their initiation as Junior officers aboard ship dealing with problem s of navigation engineering Maneuvers they perform their duties on Deck the bridge and in the engine room in Gunnery practice we drilled in handling the guns got acquainted with the ordinance setup and went through the motions of loading 5in anti-aircraft batteries all these drills had their compensations however Shore leave in foreign ports our first one is something we never forgot there were places to visit things to see foreign lands strange people languages these sered to broaden our Viewpoint and improved our understanding of the world and its people [Applause] [Music] Homeward Bound now and a real thrill came up Fleet battle [Music] practice I guess the biggest kick came from the fact that we were part of the operation a part of the accuracy part of a great fighting machine former Shipman used this training with good results in places like Sicily Normandy iojima and Okinawa and when the main battery the 16 in began talking it was like nothing you ever heard [Music] before returning we fell in with a submarine out on a training cruise and watched other midshipmen taker down in a crack [Music] after some 12 weeks we steamed into Chesapeake Bay the Squadron was home and my first summer Cruise had ended when our faithful friend chief KSA began receiving his weird coat of paint it meant but one thing the football season and The Game of Games was coming up the classic Army and Navy football game tradition has it that the great Chief in his fancy war paint helps our team bring home a victory the left-handed salute It is believed clinches the bargain [Music] this is Municipal stadium in Philadelphia and 102,000 football fans from all over these 48 states gathered to witness the classic of the grid iron year the annual Army Navy game 2100 Cadets and 2700 midshipmen friendly enemies today are here to back their respective teams actually the sports Heart Of All America is here from the number one citizen of the nation the president to the ordinary football F coach Earl Blake is presenting his noted Army grid iron machine undefeated for 3 years h is one of the finest football teams of all time Captain Tom Hamilton Navy coach is sending his team to the field today a 10 to one Underdog given only a Fighting Chance by its most loyal supporters but depending on Navy fight to offset the odd this is the game of games and the one that will have sports fans talking for years to come now in this setting here in Philadelphia let's take a look at some of the highlights of the most thrilling football game ever played as Joe Steppy of army kicks off to Navy with boberman of Navy taking the ball in his own five and coming up to the 31 before he's toed by the Army front [Applause] wall mayy out of the te with the ball going out to Bobby sweepman who is starting his left hand to make a small gain before he is stopped by the Army line facing her back to punt for Navy gets off a nice high long one that bounces on the 5yd line rolls into the end zone an army takes over on its own 20yd line Army on the first play of the ball game fumbles and new B Smith and navy comes in to recover for the blue and gold maybe on the offense in a de formation asinger gives the ball out to San who goes over the right side of his line and makes a small game before being stopped army takes over and it's Blanchard coming up through the middle of the line picking up seven yards before he is stopped Tucker back to pass gets good protection looks for a receiver and finds one and Glen Davis far down the field who takes it over his shoulder and moves to the 13 before Pete Williams finally stops him and Army moves towards Navy's goal on the first play it's Mr Davis coming out in motion with Tucker throwing him a short pass Davis avoids two withby tackers charges toward the end zone and goes over for Army's first score of the game Army leeting six and0 the Navy comes back and fighting Pat Williams goes off to the right side out toward the sidelines is finally knocked out of bound after he makes a sizable game for Navy in a ship single wing to the right ball goes back to Pete Williams who starts out toward the right side cuts back goes over his own right tackle and picks up seven yards before he is hit hard by the Army secondary facing her back this time to pass looks for receiver finds one and captain Lee Brown who takes the ball and moves to the two yd line before he hits from [Applause] behind shifting over for the quarter Bas singer goes over and a quarterback seing scores for Navy and the blue and go is back to the football game and these mides really get a chance to cheer once again army takes over now deep in their own territory the ball goes this time to Davis who drives over the right side and picks up 12 yards before he's finally stopped Davis out in motion Tucker Hits him with a pass and he moves up to the Midfield strike before he's stopped by the Navy secondary it's a powerful knock blanch over the right side of his own line and drives to the outside going to his right and running all by himself away from three Navy wouldbe Packers and goes over for the score standing [Applause] up Navy takes over once again asinger throws out this time to seerman who comes up the left side of Navy's line and goes to the 24 army takes over however and Davis behind Perfect protection throws a long pass to Doc Blanchard who takes it in the end zone for Army third score and they lead 21-6 Navy still fighting at halime as Pete Williams tries to gain but Army stops him and that's the way they stand at halftime the nation's number one citizen president Harry Truman prepares now to leave the Navy side of the field escorted by high Navy officials and to go across the field to meet with the Army in the usual tradition the commander-in chief of both the Army and the Navy splits his time at the football game sitting first with the host team and then with the [Music] visitors now we're in the second half of that football game at Philadelphia Jim Carrington of Navy kicks off a high long one that's taken down there by rip Rowan of army who comes up past the 30 and finally gets to the 40 before he stopped in there on a direct pass back to Glenn Davis he throws one to Barney two was good for eight yards Davis forced the kick puns one that goes out of bounds and will take over on its own 20 yd line Binger flips out to Pete Williams who goes out around his own right end and finally picks up 13 yds before he is brought down by the Army secondary asinger fakes the hand off this time keeps the ball himself drives up through the right tackle squap where he is hit from [Applause] behind asinger again keeping the ball going back Fades to pass looks for a receiver finds when an AR marel hits him on the 23 and he moves to the 15 before he is stopped shifting single wing to the right ball goes back to Hawkins he flips it out to Pete Williams who goes around his own right end to the four yd line before he's knocked out of bounds the Navy surges goward Hawkins takes it from Basinger drives over for a touchdown for Navy and the midshipman really get a chance to cheer as Navy fights back army with the ball and Blancher it up through the middle Powerhouse is through for 10 yards again it's flancher trying for the first down with that big front Navy wall won't let him through when navy takes over and also charge the ball game acing it throws up to Billy Aro Billy looks for a receiver and finds one deep in Army territory and again the blue and gold moves goward at the change of quarters Navy driving in there for another touchdown is short on its first attempt flip up this time to Bilo who throws Le Bram before the score and navy is back to the ball game with a count reading 21 to 18 Army again a possession fighting now to hold Navy off Davis looks for a receiver throws along with deep in Navy territory Cal Pete Williams takes it over his shoulder at the 10 comes back up with perfect blocking moving up past the 20 finally gets to the 34 as navy goes after that fourth an elusive touchdown here in Philadelphia this afternoon mayy driving down deep now as shoting the fullback drives off the right side down to the 15 to the 10 to the five and he's finally knocked down on the three yd line line time running out on Navy as they try the left side of the line for no game this time to the right side and still that Army line will not let them through in a single wing now it's a flip out from Hawkins to Pete Williams and Pete goes to the four yd line where he is stopped and that's where the ball game ends with army the winner 21- [Applause] 18 the Christmas season brought another round of dances or hops as we call them the academy and other social events ending up with a great Christmas ball and then leave to visit our homes girls from almost every state in the Union over 2,000 of them parents and friends were invited aboard for the occasion decorated expressly for the evening dogr Hall became our Ballroom [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] then came June week and those traditionally Pleasant things associated with the final week at the Academy first first there was the ring dance held in stately Memorial Hall here the one and only dipped our class ring into a binnacle containing Waters flown to the academy from the Seven Seas seas that we would soon find ourselves upon Waters we would learn to know well next on the lush green expanse of warden field came the parade parades and the last one for my graduating [Music] class the academy band out in full strength and our own bugle Corp the famous hellcats trooped the line on that day occurs the inspiring ceremony of presenting the colors they are awarded annually to the midshipman company with the highest record the winning company comes forward the color girl accompanied by the superintendent of the Naval Academy walked out on the field the stage was set [Music] first the national [Music] flag then the Brigade flag was passed to the winning company [Music] a kiss is the traditional reward for the winning company commander and three cheers for the company [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the day ended and the evening began in historic doen Hall we for gathered with our girls sweethearts and frequently they were Brides to be or the June week farewell ball our days at Crabtown as Anapolis is affectionately known we're drawing to a close [Music] finally the day of days arrived we received our commissions in the United States Navy and Marine Corps and headed for a new and more responsible duty to protect our country on the Seas beneath the seas in the skies and on every Beach head of democracy to represent our country in every port of call our Mel to do the duty that lies nearest us [Music] that's [Applause] [Music] be to highest in the of and oh