The Brundage Report For The Week of November 22, 2024
Navy-Army and the Use of History, Ephemera Friday, and an Update on The Spy Behind The School Podcast
Thesis Statement:
Using an entity’s history for marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers. It shows longevity in the market, and an ad that points to a long history can give consumers a sense of security. Sports teams and leagues are great purveyors of this concept. “Throwback” jerseys dot the playing surfaces and stands of every major sport. Days commemorating great teams of the past are a normal part of any marketing schedule.
With that in mind, it was no surprise to me to see the United States Naval Academy (Navy) and its biggest rival, the United States Military Academy (Army), tap into their history as a means to excite their fan bases. However, this year, Navy and Army took things further by celebrating the history of two active duty units. They should be applauded for this move.
Army will don uniforms commemorating the 101st Airborne Division and their role in defending the crossroads town of Bastogne, Belgium, during the winter of 1944 in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. To that end, the uniforms and helmets use different aspects to celebrate the “Screaming Eagles.” The helmet, uniform top, and pants, are a flat black in homage to the color of the division patch that adorns dress uniforms. From there, each element carries a different tribute.
The helmet is white speckled to represent the snow the siege of Bastogne was fought in. On the front bumper is a set of Army Jump Wings off set with the division nickname. Adorning the rear bumper is the division motto, “Rendevous with Destiny,” which was coined by the Division Commander, General Bill Lee, when the division was activated in 1942.1 As for the main logo, like the “Steel Pot” combat helmet of World War II, each helmet features a white representation of a card suit. The different regiments of the 101st used the suits as an identifier during their jump on D-Day and beyond.2 Another identifier adorns the rear of the helmet as well as one of the shoulders of the uniform. This is the “Invasion Star,” a white star inside a circle that made its way onto division equipment for the Normandy Invasion in 1944.
Besides the Invasion Star, the uniform also features a 48 Star American Flag (1944 vintage) on one sleeve and the aforementioned division patch on the other, complete with Wisconsin’s own Old Abe bald eagle graphic. The university crest of Athena (The Greek goddess of war) is still featured front and center but features a bronze patina in homage to the tin “Crickets” issued to allied paratroops so they could signal each other in the dark.3 Finally, the word Bastogne (in the style of a road sign) and, on the nameplate, the word A R M Y is underlined in an homage to General Tony McAuliffe, the acting Division Commander in Bastogne who, when asked to reply to a German surrender request, sent over a one-word reply NUTS!4
Navy’s inspiration for their uniforms also comes with a tie to a unit born during World War II. In 1943, the Navy activated fighter squadron VF-17 (Fighting 17). The unit took the name the “Jolly Rogers,” a Skull and Cross Bones logo, as well as the motto “Fear the Bones.” While VF-17 was eventually deactivated, various squadrons have used the motif down through the years, and fighter attack squadron VFA-103 uses the moniker today.
The helmet and uniform are white and again combine different historical features. There are so many that I had to crib the information from the Navy press release:
“The Navy football uniform color blocking for the Army-Navy game mimics the iconic color of the Jolly Rogers aircraft.
Representing the Jolly Rogers tail design, the neck of the jersey incorporates the dark Navy blue color and the Jolly Rogers insignia.
The uniform collar striping is a direct reference to the classic stripe found on the top edge of the tail fin.
The Navy wordmark is inspired by the wordmark found on the side of the aircraft and the uniform numbers model the aircraft side number on the fuselage and the trailing edge flap of the wings.
The sleeves feature the traditional Jolly Rogers angled stripe, with 9 total chevrons (jersey + pant) on either side. This pays tribute to the nine aircrafts flown throughout the squadron's history.
"Fear the Bones" is incorporated into the interior collar as a discoverable detail.
The locker tag draws inspiration from the iconic VF-84 tail fin design with a drop shadow "JR" (Jolly Rogers) composition.
Featured on the side panels of the pant, the microtext honors the six Jolly Rogers squadrons that have exemplified what it means to bear the skull and cross bones.
The helmet design is a culmination of the past and present Jolly Rogers aviator helmets.
Featuring the iconic VF-84 helmet design, chevrons are incorporated with the skull on the sides of the helmet as well as chevrons representing the nine different aircraft that the Jolly Rogers have flown in the striping of the helmet.
The Jolly Rogers tagline Fear the Bones is on the bumper of the helmet.
A white base coat with reflective qualities was used to represent VFA-103's helmet.”5
With all this work done by both teams, I can’t help but think that members of these units, no matter what year they served, would appreciate the effort. I can’t wait to see them in action on December 14th…. And just in case you were wondering, I wrote my thesis on naval aviation in the Korean War. So. GO NAVY and FEAR THE BONES!
Ephemera Friday:
Historical ephemera is huge. That is the paper that is produced for an event or promotion that was not meant to be historical evidence, but now it is. I recently received a neat piece as a gift from a friend and thought I would share it.
This is a 1955 “Golden Stamp Book” produced by Simon and Schuster in time for the Major League Baseball season. This particular one is on the Milwaukee Braves. It is full of facts and figures on every aspect of the team and also acts as a sticker book for the person it was given to. The stickers were collected (for those 1980s kids, think Panini stickers) in packs, and then the owner affixed them in the proper spot. Enjoy!
An Update on The Spy Behind the School Podcast!:
I have begun casting and conducting interviews for The Spy Behind the School Podcast! I think that the readers and historians I have got on board will really make the story of Malcolm Rosholt come alive. Episode One is on schedule for a late December release!
When describing his new division, Lee commented that while the division “had no history, it had a rendevous with destiny.”
The most recognizable to most people is the spade that adorned the helmets of troopers in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was the main subject of the book and mini-series “Band of Brothers.”
This gimmick was demonstrated by John Wayne in the movie The Longest Day. One click was to be answered by two clicks in response.
the courier sent by McAuliffe was asked by the Germans what NUTS! meant. His reply was, “Go to Hell.”
Navy Press Release found here: Navy Athletics and Under Armour Unveil 2024 Army-Navy Uniform Honoring the Jolly Rogers - Naval Academy Athletics