The Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks represented the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

pre-flight school at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

in the

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

seasons of 1942,

1943 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured. * January 4 � ...

, and 1944.

History

The

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

commissioned pre-flight schools at the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

, the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

, and

Saint Mary's College of California Saint Mary's College of California is a Private college, private Catholic college in Moraga, California, United States. Established in 1863, it is administered by the De La Salle Brothers. The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs w ...

in 1942. Cadets were given three months of rigorous physical training and instruction in basic aerial navigation and communications. Graduates were sent to basic flight schools and advanced flight training before assignment to the Pacific Fleet. Athletics and training were emphasized at the schools. It was believed that the rigors of college football were ideal preparation for World War II. Numerous collegiate and professional athletes and coaches were recruited as instructors. They often played on or coached the football team of their respective school. Each team usually played established football powers in their respective region and other service academies. Iowa Pre-Flight was coached by former

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

coach

Bernie Bierman Bernard W. Bierman (March 11, 1894 – March 7, 1977) was an American college football coach best known for his years as head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football program. Between 1934-41, his Minnesota teams won five national champio ...

in 1942 and went 7–3. The Seahawks were coached by former

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

coach

Don Faurot Donald Burrows Faurot (June 23, 1902 – October 19, 1995) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and college athletics administrator best known for his eight-decade association with the University of Missouri. He served as the ...

in 1943 and went 9–1. They finished second in the final AP Poll and were named the service academy national champion. Iowa Pre-Flight was coached by former Auburn coach Jack Meagher in 1944 and went 10–1. They finished sixth in the final AP Poll. Jim Tatum and

Bud Wilkinson Charles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson (April 23, 1916 – February 9, 1994) was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of ...

both served as assistant coaches for the Seahawks under Faurot. Tatum went on to coach at

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

and

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. While at Maryland, Tatum recorded a national championship, three conference championships, and a 73–15–4 record without a single losing season. Wilkinson went on to coach at Oklahoma, where he won three national championships and set an NCAA record with 47 consecutive wins.Gary King
The Forgotten Man of Oklahoma Football: Jim Tatum
, ''Sooner Magazine'', University of Oklahoma Foundation, Inc., Spring 2008, retrieved 17 December 2008.

Seasons

1942

1943

1944

Footnotes

External links

1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks

1943 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks

1944 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks
* Duckworth, Gregg (1988-09-07), "Iowa Pre-Flight", ''Voice of the Hawkeyes'' {{Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football navbox