1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team

The 1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team represented the United States Navy pre-flight aviation training school at the University of Iowa as an independent during the 1942 college football season. The team compiled a 7–3 record and outscored opponents by a total of 211 to 121.[1] The 1942 team was known for its difficult schedule, including Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, and Missouri.[2] The team was ranked No. 2 among the service teams in a poll of 91 sports writers conducted by the Associated Press.[3]

1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
APNo. 2 (APS)
1942 record7–3
Head coachBernie Bierman (1st season)
Home stadiumIowa Stadium
1942 military service football records
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 11 Second Air Force   –    11 –0 –1
No. 9 Manhattan Beach Coast Guard   –    6 –0 –1
No. 3 Georgia Pre-Flight   –    7 –1 –1
No. 4 North Carolina Pre-Flight   –    8 –2 –1
No. 6 Jacksonville NAS   –    9 –3 –0
No. 1 Great Lakes Navy   –    8 –3 –1
No. 17 March Field   –    5 –2 –0
No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight   –    7 –3 –1
No. 15 Fort Riley   –    6 –3 –0
No. 14 Fort Monmouth   –    5 –2 –2
No. 5 Saint Mary's Pre-Flight   –    6 –3 –1
No. T–20 Fort Douglas   –    5 –3 –0
Albuquerque AB   –    4 –3 –0
No. 10 Corpus Christi NAS   –    4 –3 –1
No. 16 Camp Davis   –    4 –3 –2
No. 13 Lakehurst NAS   –    4 –4 –1
No. 7 Camp Grant   –    4 –5 –0
No. 8 Pensacola NAS   –    3 –5 –1
No. T–18 Fort Totten   –    3 –5 –1
Camp Pickett   –    1 –6 –0
No. 12 Fort Knox   –    2 –6 –0
Alameda Coast Guard   –    1 –7 –1
No. T–18 Spence Field   –    0 –4 –0
No. T–20 Daniel Field   –    0 –6 –0
Rankings from AP Service Poll

The Navy's pre-flight aviation training school opened on April 15, 1942, with a 27-minute ceremony during which Iowa Governor George A. Wilson turned over certain facilities at the University of Iowa to be used for the training of naval aviators. At the time, Wilson said, "We are glad it is possible to place the facilities of this university and all the force and power of the state of Iowa in a service that is today most vital to safeguarding our liberties."[4] The first group of 600 air cadets was schedule to arrive on May 28.[4]

Bernie Bierman, then holding the rank of major, was placed in charge of the physical conditioning program at the school.[5] Bieman had been the head coach of Minnesota from 1932 to 1941 and served as the head coach of the Iowa Pre-Flight team in 1942. Larry Snyder, previously the track coach at Ohio State, was assigned as Bierman's assistant. Don Heap, Dallas Ward, Babe LeVoir, and Trevor Reese were assigned as assistant coaches for the football team.[6]

In June 1942, Bierman addressed the "misconception" that the Iowa pre-flight school was "merely a place for varsity athletics." He said: "Our purpose here is to turn out the toughest bunch of flyers the world has ever seen and not first class athletes."[7]

Two Seahawks were named to the 1942 All-Navy All-America football team: George Svendsen at center and Dick Fisher at left halfback. In addition, Bill Kolens (right tackle), Judd Ringer (right end), George Benson (quarterback), and Bill Schatzer (left halfback) were named to the 1942 All-Navy Preflight Cadet All-America team.[8]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 19at Kansas
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS
W 61–03,000[9]
September 26at Northwestern
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
W 20–1220,000[10]
October 3at Minnesota
W 7–637,500[11]
October 10at Michigan
W 26–1434,126[12]
October 17at Notre Dame
L 0–2830,000[13]
October 31at Indiana
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Bloomington, IN
W 26–68,000[14]
November 7at Fort Knox
W 13–72,000[15]
November 21Nebraska
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
W 46–05,400[16]
November 28at No. 3 Ohio State
L 12–4127,259[17]
December 5at Missouri
L 0–77,600[18]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster
PlayerPosition
George BensonBack
Matt BolgerEnd
Al CouppeeBack
Forest EvashevskiBack
Dick FisherBack
Bob FloraTackle
Fred Gage
Malcolm KutnerEnd
Jim LanghurstBack
Bus MertesBack
George PaskvanBack
Billy SchatzerBack
George SvensonKicker
Bobby SwisherBack
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References
  1. "1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  2. John B. Scott. "1942 Iowa Seahawks" (PDF). College Football Historical Society – via LA84 Foundation.
  3. "Great Lakes Is Leading Service Team Of Nation". Ashville Citizen-Times. December 6, 1942. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Navy Takes Over Iowa U. Facilities". Des Moines Tribune. April 15, 1942. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Maj. Bierman at Iowa City". The Des Moines Register. April 15, 1942. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Former Ohio State Track Coach Made Bierman Assistant". The Daily Times. May 29, 1942. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Athletics Only Incidental at Iowa Pre-Flight School, Says Bierman". The Des Moines Register. June 12, 1942. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Grantland Rice (December 27, 1942). "All-Navy All-America". Beatrice Daily Sun. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Iowa Preflight Veterans Roll Over Kansas in Opener, 61 to 0". Chicago Tribune. September 20, 1942. pp. 2–1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Sec Taylor (September 27, 1942). "Seahawks Rap Purple, 20 to 12". The Des Moines Register. p. 17.
  11. Charles Johnson (October 4, 1942). "Gophers Lose 7-6 Thriller". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal. p. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Dale Stafford (October 11, 1942). "Seahawks Smash U-M in Bruising Battle, 26 to 14". Detroit Free Press. p. Sports 1, 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Arch Ward (October 18, 1942). "Irish Knock Seahawsks Out of Skies, 28 to 0". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1, II-6 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Seahawks Score Four Times in Fourth Period To Down Indiana Gridders, 26 to 6". The Palladium-Item and Sun-Telegram (AP story). November 1, 1942. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Seahawks Run Into Trouble But Take Fort Knox, 13-7". The Des Moines Register. November 8, 1942. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Seahawks Bruise Nebraska: Navy Scoring Parade Jolts Foes, 46 to 0". The Des Moines Register. November 22, 1942. pp. 5–1, 5–5 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Ohio State Takes 41-12 Grid Contest: Buckeyes Score in Every Period To Outclass Iowas Seahawks". The Baltimore Sun (AP story). November 29, 1942. p. Sports 4.
  18. "Steuber and Missouri Down Seahawks, 7-0". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 6, 1942. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
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