Introduction
In "The Mosquito Bowl," Buzz Bissinger weaves a captivating narrative that intertwines the worlds of college football and World War II. The book tells the story of young men who traded their football uniforms for military fatigues, showcasing their courage, camaraderie, and ultimate sacrifice. Set against the backdrop of 1940s America and the Pacific theater of war, this gripping account brings to life the experiences of athletes-turned-soldiers who found themselves caught in the crosshairs of history.
The Rise of College Football and the Onset of War
A Nation's Passion for the Game
In the 1940s, college football was at the height of its popularity in America. Stadiums were packed with enthusiastic fans, and star players were celebrated as local heroes. The sport had become deeply ingrained in the fabric of American culture, representing the ideals of teamwork, perseverance, and athletic excellence.
The Impact of World War II on College Football
When the United States entered World War II, the landscape of college football changed dramatically. Many players were drafted into military service, while others were transferred to new schools as part of military training programs. The war effort took precedence, and the future of the sport became uncertain.
The V-12 Navy College Training Program
One significant development during this time was the V-12 Navy College Training Program. While other military branches believed football should be put on hold, the Navy saw the sport as ideal preparation for combat. This program allowed some players to continue their education and football careers while preparing for military service.
The Convergence of Football Stars in the Marines
A Twist of Fate
By 1944, an extraordinary coincidence brought more than 50 former college football players together in two Marine regiments. These young men, who had once competed against each other on the gridiron, now found themselves training side by side for the ultimate test of their lives.
The Birth of the Mosquito Bowl
As the football players-turned-Marines gathered on a Pacific island, their competitive spirits remained strong. Trash-talking and bickering soon erupted over which regiment would win in a hypothetical football game. This friendly rivalry led to an improbable solution: an actual football game dubbed the "Mosquito Bowl."
A Moment of Joy Amidst Impending Danger
The Mosquito Bowl was played on a makeshift field of dirt and coral, with the grim reality of war looming on the horizon. For these young men, it was a chance to relive the glory of their favorite sport one last time before facing the horrors of battle. The game served as a poignant reminder of the lives they had left behind and the uncertain future that lay ahead.
The Stories of Four Remarkable Athletes
Bissinger's book focuses on the lives of several athletes, but four stand out as central figures in this epic tale of football and war.
Tony Butkovich: From Immigrant Roots to Gridiron Glory
Tony Butkovich's story begins with his father, Blaz, who left Croatia in 1904 for a new life in America. Settling in the coal mining town of St. David, Illinois, the Butkovich family embodied the classic immigrant experience.
A Family of Athletes
Tony was one of seven Butkovich brothers, all of whom took up sports. As the second youngest, Tony proved to be the most talented athlete in the family. His prowess on the field earned him a scholarship to the University of Illinois.
Rise to Stardom at Purdue
After a challenging start at Illinois, Butkovich's fortunes changed when he was transferred to Purdue University as part of the V-12 program. At Purdue, he flourished as a speedy running back, leading the team in scoring and yards. His performance catapulted Purdue to a 6-0 record and a No. 4 national ranking.
From Football Star to Marine
Butkovich's college career was cut short when he was called into service by the Marines. His departure made headlines in major newspapers across the country. In his final college game, he broke the Big 10 conference scoring record, cementing his legacy as a football great.
A Promising Future Interrupted
Despite being selected as the No. 11 overall pick in the 1944 NFL Draft, Butkovich was already in basic training at Parris Island. The Marines recognized his star power and used him in recruiting efforts, featuring him in a public relations photo titled "Grid Greats on Uncle Sam's Team."
Dave Schreiner and Bob Bauman: Wisconsin's Finest
A year before Butkovich entered the Marines, two other Midwest football stars, Dave Schreiner and Bob Bauman from the University of Wisconsin, began their Marine Corps officer training in Quantico, Virginia.
Dave Schreiner: The Embodiment of Virtue
Schreiner came from a family of German immigrants who had found success in Lancaster, Wisconsin. Known for his humility and unwavering honesty, Schreiner's character was as impressive as his athletic abilities. As a pre-med student, he wasn't initially eligible for the draft, but when he changed his major, he promptly reported it to the Selective Service, demonstrating his strong sense of duty.
Football Greatness at Wisconsin
In the fall of 1942, Schreiner led Wisconsin to its best-ever record of 8-1-1 and was named a First Team All-American. His performance on the field was matched by his integrity off it, making him a role model for his teammates and fans alike.
Bob Bauman: Schreiner's Teammate and Friend
Bob Bauman, whose brother Frank played with Butkovich at Illinois, was a starting tackle and punter on the same 1942 Wisconsin team. Together, Schreiner and Bauman formed a formidable duo that contributed significantly to Wisconsin's success.
From Teammates to Fellow Marines
After graduating in the spring of 1943, both Schreiner and Bauman entered the Marines. Their shared experiences on the football field would serve them well as they faced the challenges of officer training together at Quantico.
John McLaughry: From Ivy League to the Pacific
John McLaughry's journey to the Marines took a different path than his fellow football stars. Coming from a privileged background in Providence, Rhode Island, McLaughry was the son of legendary Brown University coach Tuss McLaughry.
A Football Legacy
As the captain of the Brown University football team, John McLaughry's father-son story with coach Tuss McLaughry captured national attention. After graduating in 1940, he played a season for the New York Giants, seemingly set for a promising career in professional football.
The Call to Serve
McLaughry's life took a dramatic turn on December 7, 1941, when he witnessed the news of the Pearl Harbor attack while watching a Giants game in New York. Six days later, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps with the goal of becoming a fighter pilot.
Disillusionment and a New Direction
McLaughry's initial patriotic fervor waned as he encountered the bureaucratic inefficiencies of the Army. After eight frustrating months, he left the Air Corps and joined the Marines in late 1942. This decision reignited his sense of purpose, and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on February 10, 1943.
Confronting Racism at Montford Point
Instead of his desired assignment with the elite Marine Raiders, McLaughry was sent to Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. This posting opened his eyes to the systemic racism within the military, as Montford Point was where Black Marines were segregated for training.
A Shift in Perspective
During his time at Montford Point, McLaughry's views on race evolved. He recognized the intelligence, talent, and ambition of the Black Marines, realizing that these qualities were being stifled by the pervasive racism in American society and the military.
The Harsh Realities of War in the Pacific
The Challenge of Island Hopping
As the young football stars transitioned from the gridiron to the battlefield, they faced the daunting task of island hopping in the Pacific. This strategy, aimed at bringing American forces closer to Japan, relied heavily on amphibious assaults – a tactic that was largely untested and fraught with danger.
The Battle of Tarawa: A Costly Lesson
The true brutality of the Pacific campaign became evident during the Battle of Tarawa on November 20, 1943. This operation exposed numerous flaws in the Marines' amphibious assault techniques:
- Misjudgment of tides led to landing craft getting stuck on coral reefs
- Marines were forced to wade through chest-deep water, weighed down by equipment
- Naval and aerial bombardments were inadequate and poorly timed
- Japanese defenses proved more sophisticated and effective than anticipated
The result was a staggering loss of life, with over 3,100 American casualties and nearly 1,000 killed in less than 72 hours of fighting. While the US ultimately claimed victory at Tarawa, the cost was enormous and highlighted the need for improved tactics.
John McLaughry's Bougainville Experience
Following the lessons learned at Tarawa, John McLaughry found himself on Bougainville as a second lieutenant with the Marine Raiders. On January 9, 1944, he led a dangerous 12-mile, 3-day reconnaissance mission behind enemy lines.
The mission was fraught with challenges:
- Dense jungle terrain with sharp grass, thorny vines, and muddy ground
- Constant fear of enemy encounters and friendly fire
- Equipment deterioration due to harsh conditions
Despite the hardships, McLaughry and his men completed the mission successfully, returning to camp as heroes after being presumed dead.
Reuniting on Guadalcanal
After their respective experiences, McLaughry, Schreiner, and Bauman found themselves reunited on Guadalcanal, assigned to the 4th Regiment. This convergence of football talent sparked discussions about the potential for an all-star game, planting the seeds for what would become the Mosquito Bowl.
The Mosquito Bowl: A Legendary Game in Wartime
Setting the Stage
As 1944 progressed, both the 4th and 29th Regiments found themselves on Guadalcanal with an abundance of downtime. This led to various activities to keep morale high, including wild boar hunts and moonshine distilling. However, the most heated discussions centered around which regiment would win in a hypothetical football game.
From Drunken Debates to Organized Event
What began as alcohol-fueled arguments soon evolved into a concrete plan for an actual football game between the two regiments. Scheduled for December 24, 1944, the event was initially dubbed the All-Star Classic but was later renamed the Mosquito Bowl, inspired by the local radio station known as the Mosquito Network.
A Star-Studded Lineup
The rosters for the Mosquito Bowl were impressive:
- 65 players listed, with 56 having played college football
- 22 former college starters
- 5 team captains
- 3 All-Americans (Butkovich, Schreiner, and Bob Herwig from Cal)
- 16 players who had been drafted by or received offers from professional teams
Building Excitement
The Mosquito Network, part of the Armed Forces Radio Service, played a crucial role in promoting the event:
- Live broadcast of the game to military bases across the Pacific
- Advertisements, event schedules, and team rosters were shared
- The buildup created a palpable excitement among the troops
Game Day Atmosphere
On the day of the game, the atmosphere was electric:
- Marching bands performed before kickoff
- Players were introduced over loudspeakers
- A rowdy crowd of 1,500 spectators encircled the makeshift field
- Thousands of dollars in wagers added to the stakes
The Battle on the Field
While the 29th Regiment was favored due to its depth of talent, the 4th Regiment had the strategic mind of McLaughry, who designed all the plays and managed player rotations to combat fatigue in the tropical heat.
Although meant to be a two-hand touch game, the competition quickly turned into a full-contact affair. Few specific details of the game were remembered, but it was described by one participant, John Genis, as resembling "an alley fight in Chicago."
In the end, the fierce competition resulted in a 0-0 tie, a fitting outcome for a game that showcased the determination and grit of these athlete-soldiers.
The Battle for Okinawa: From Football Field to Killing Field
The Final Push Towards Japan
Three months after the Mosquito Bowl, the 6th Marine Division, which included both the 4th and 29th Regiments, departed Guadalcanal for Okinawa. This island represented the final stepping stone before reaching the Japanese homeland, and the stakes could not have been higher.
A Deceptive Landing
On April 1, 1945, McLaughry and Schreiner were among the first to land on Okinawa's beaches. The initial lack of resistance seemed like an April Fool's joke, but it was merely the calm before the storm. Unknown to the Marines, a force of 100,000 Japanese soldiers lay in wait, hidden in an extensive network of tunnels and fortifications inland.
The True Face of War
The battle for Okinawa quickly devolved into a nightmarish struggle:
- Flamethrowers and flame-throwing tanks were used to flush out Japanese defenders
- Kamikaze attacks sank 26 American ships in just two days
- Both sides committed atrocities against each other and the 300,000 Okinawan civilians
- The landscape was littered with corpses, creating breeding grounds for maggots
The Fall of a Football Star
On April 18, Tony Butkovich and his fellow Marines from the 29th Regiment moved northward. In a tragic turn of events, Butkovich chose not to dig a foxhole one night, instead wrapping himself in a noisy poncho. This decision cost him his life, as a Japanese sniper located and killed him. It took two weeks for news of his death to reach his father, Blaz, back in St. David, Illinois.
A Brutal and Prolonged Campaign
The fighting on Okinawa lasted for months, with some of the bloodiest battles occurring around three key hills in the south. It was in this killing zone that Dave Schreiner's platoon found itself pinned down and exposed to fire from multiple directions.
Tragedy Strikes Again
In a heroic attempt to save his friend, Bob Bauman rushed to Schreiner's aid. Tragically, Bauman was killed by a bullet to the skull on June 6, 1945. This loss was a devastating blow to the survivors, especially Schreiner, who had shared so much with Bauman both on and off the field.
The Final Days
Two weeks after Bauman's death, Schreiner and McLaughry participated in the assault on the last Japanese stronghold on the island. True to his humble and courageous nature, Schreiner insisted on leading from the front rather than sending someone else.
In a cruel twist of fate, Schreiner survived 81 days of intense combat on Okinawa, only to fall on the 82nd day – the very day the island was declared secure. A sniper's bullet ended the life of this exceptional athlete and leader, marking him as the 15th player from the Mosquito Bowl to die on Okinawa.
The Toll of War and the Legacy of the Mosquito Bowl Players
A Staggering Cost
The Battle of Okinawa exacted a terrible price:
- An estimated 250,000 people were killed in 82 days of fighting
- The 6th Marine Division lost 1,622 men
- The 29th Regiment suffered 551 casualties, the highest of any Marine regiment in a single World War II operation
John McLaughry's Survival and Post-War Life
On the same day that Dave Schreiner fell, John McLaughry had a close encounter with Japanese soldiers. He sustained injuries from grenade fragments in his leg and jaw but survived the ordeal.
After the war, McLaughry returned to his passion for football:
- He became a coach at Union College and Amherst College
- Eventually, he returned to his alma mater, Brown University, as head coach
- In retirement, he gained recognition as a painter
- At age 90, he wrote an 80-page account of his experience on Bougainville
- McLaughry passed away on November 28, 2007, at the age of 90
Final Thoughts
"The Mosquito Bowl" is more than just a story about a football game played during wartime. It's a testament to the courage, camaraderie, and sacrifice of a generation of young men who traded their dreams of gridiron glory for the call of duty. Buzz Bissinger's account brings to life the individual stories of these athlete-soldiers, reminding us of the human cost of war and the enduring spirit of those who served.
The book serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly life can change, as these young men went from being celebrated college athletes to facing the horrors of war in a matter of months. It also highlights the randomness of fate in war, where some survived against all odds while others, like Tony Butkovich and Dave Schreiner, lost their lives just when victory seemed within reach.
Perhaps most importantly, "The Mosquito Bowl" offers a unique perspective on World War II, viewing the conflict through the lens of sports and sportsmanship. It shows how the values instilled through athletics – teamwork, perseverance, and courage – served these men well on the battlefield. At the same time, it underscores the tragic loss of potential, as promising athletic careers and young lives were cut short by the brutality of war.
In the end, the story of the Mosquito Bowl and its participants serves as a powerful tribute to the Greatest Generation, offering readers a deeply personal and moving account of sacrifice, friendship, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.