Misplaced Pages

#932067

98-557: From late November 1943, VF-16 deployed on USS  Lexington and supported the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign including the Battle of Tarawa . On 23 November VF-16's pilots shot down 17 Japanese aircraft. By the end of 1943 the pilots of VF-16 had shot down 55 Japanese aircraft, with three pilots becoming aces. On 19 June 1944 while deployed on the Lexington , the squadron participated in

196-473: A 13–6 loss to Wisconsin , Solem wrote the Des Moines Register sportswriter Sec Taylor from Syracuse, "I was sure that Kinnick was destined to be the greatest back in all Iowa history, and I am more convinced than ever that he will be." Iowa lost all five Big Ten Conference games in 1937. The "heartbreaking" loss was a 7–6 defeat at the hands of Michigan , despite Kinnick's 74-yard punt return for

294-557: A 15-yard loss." The University of Iowa recently began playing an excerpt from the speech on the Kinnick Stadium scoreboard before " The Star-Spangled Banner " at every Hawkeye home game. Nile Kinnick's college choice came down to Iowa and the University of Minnesota . Minnesota was one of the dominant college football programs in the nation, while Iowa was a struggling program. Some sources state that Kinnick traveled to Minneapolis for

392-499: A comment which in my mind, is indicative perhaps of the greater significance of football, and sports emphasis in general in this country, and that is; I thank God I was warring on the gridirons of the Midwest and not on the battlefields of Europe. I can speak confidently and positively that the players of this country would much more, much rather struggle and fight to win the Heisman award than

490-656: A conflagration matching that of the destruction of the USS ; Arizona at Pearl Harbor four years earlier. The Lt. Cmdr. and several men in his squadron were awarded the Navy Cross for this action. She had also flown bombing attacks on industrial targets in the Tokyo area. After hostilities ended, her aircraft continued to fly air patrols over Japan. The previously mentioned Lt.Cmdr. Wall first located and then led in supply drops to prisoner-of-war camps on Honshū that had been abandoned by

588-430: A deliberately bypassed option. There is also some uncertainty about exactly how Kinnick died. Reiter was the only person who claimed to have seen Kinnick clear of the plane and motionless in the water. Reiter died three months later. Since Kinnick's body was never found, it is possible that he was still tethered to the plane when it sank. Dick Tosaw, whose brother played high school football with Kinnick, repeatedly pursued

686-560: A filming location at sea the feature movie Midway and again in 1987 for the TV miniseries War and Remembrance . In both cases, she was altered to the extent possible to resemble other vessels, ( Yorktown in Midway and Enterprise in War and Remembrance ) by adding antiaircraft cannons and operating World War II-vintage Navy aircraft. Lexington was also used (though tied up to her pier) for filming of

784-498: A game between Iowa and Michigan in the late 1930s for the Big Ten Conference title and/or a Rose Bowl berth. Iowa trailed by a few points and threatened to score the winning touchdown on the final play of the game. On the final play, Kinnick was stopped right at the goal line. The officials conferred to discuss if Kinnick had scored, and Kinnick approached the officials to inform them that he had been, in fact, stopped short of

882-518: A game that many consider to be Kinnick's signature performance. Iowa's only touchdown was scored when Nile Kinnick switched to right halfback for the first time all season from his usual left halfback spot, and the Notre Dame defense was caught unprepared by the switch. Bill Reichardt , a terrific Iowa fullback who would later be named the Big Ten MVP in 1951, claimed that Al Couppee , Iowa's quarterback,

980-485: A presidential run for Kinnick in 1956, the first year in which he would be eligible. While at the University of Iowa he met sculptor Dora Eaton Mason and agreed to pose for a bust. Kinnick had seen a bust of his grandfather in the state house and stated he hoped that someday he would merit the honor to be like his grandfather. While Kinnick took a year of law school in 1940, he also served as an assistant football coach for

1078-601: A request to Navy Secretary Frank Knox to change the name of a carrier currently under construction there to Lexington . Knox agreed to the proposal and Cabot was renamed Lexington on 16 June 1942, the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of the Revolutionary War Battle of Lexington . She was launched on 23 September 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Theodore Douglas Robinson. Lexington was commissioned on 17 February 1943, with Captain Felix Stump in command. After

SECTION 10

#1732869857933

1176-517: A series of operations against the Japanese positions in the central Pacific. She supported Army landings at Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) on 13 April, and then raided the strongpoint of Truk on 28 April. Heavy counterattacks left Lexington untouched, her planes splashing 17 enemy fighters, but for the second time, Japanese propaganda announced her sunk. A surprise fighter strike on Saipan on 11 June nearly eliminated all air opposition over

1274-633: A shakedown cruise in the Caribbean , Lexington sailed via the Panama Canal to join the Pacific fleet. One of the carrier's first casualties was 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick . During the ship's initial voyage (to the Caribbean) in 1943, Kinnick and other naval fliers were conducting training flights off her deck. The Grumman F4F Wildcat flown by Kinnick developed a serious oil leak while airborne and

1372-566: A six-month deployment with the 7th Fleet . She based on Yokosuka for exercises, maneuvers, and search and rescue missions off the coast of China, and called at major Far Eastern ports until returning to San Diego on 20 December. She next trained Air Group 12 , which deployed with her on the next 7th Fleet deployment. Arriving at Yokosuka on 1 June 1957, Lexington embarked Rear Admiral H. D. Riley, Commander Carrier Division 1 , and sailed as his flagship until returning to San Diego on 17 October. Following overhaul at Bremerton, her refresher training

1470-433: A touchdown. Sportswriter Bert McGrane wrote, "I can't recall a single break that favored Iowa ... You'd think Iowa would win the toss by accident once in a while." Iowa had not won the coin toss in 13 games. Kinnick, the lone bright spot of the 1937 season, led the nation in punting and was named first team All-Big Ten and a third team All-American . Kinnick played basketball, too, and he was Iowa's second leading scorer and

1568-541: A training carrier for the next 22 years until she was relieved by Forrestal , and Lexington was decommissioned and struck on 8 November 1991. On 18 August 1980, Lexington became the first aircraft carrier in United States naval history to have women stationed aboard as crew members. On 29 October 1989, a student naval aviator lost control of his T-2 training aircraft after an aborted attempt to land on Lexington ' s flight deck. The aircraft inverted and hit

1666-561: A training flight while serving as a United States Navy aviator in World War II . Kinnick was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, and the University of Iowa renamed its football stadium Kinnick Stadium in his honor in 1972. Nile Clarke Kinnick Jr. was the son of Nile Clarke Kinnick Sr. and Frances Clarke. He had two younger brothers, Ben and George. His maternal grandfather, George W. Clarke , graduated from

1764-457: A tryout with the Gophers, but that the Gophers rejected him. Some even suggest that Minnesota's legendary coach, Bernie Bierman , stated himself that Kinnick was "too small and too slow" to play for Minnesota. Whether or not this tryout actually took place is unclear. Even as a high school student, Kinnick wrote many letters and kept meticulous journal entries, yet this alleged tryout with Minnesota

1862-571: A year to become thoroughly prepared for the university. He considered the University of Minnesota – how seriously is not clear – but he chose the University of Iowa. The struggles of the Iowa Hawkeyes football team might have attracted him. Verle Davis, Kinnick's football coach at Adel, recalled that "Kinnick was determined to go to some school that was down ... He didn't want to go to Minnesota, because they were on top ... He finally went to Iowa as he figured they were at their lowest ebb." The account

1960-406: Is good about college athletics he was. He didn't represent it... he was it." In a letter to Kinnick's parents, his lieutenant commander Paul Buie wrote, "Having lost all oil the engine, without lubrication, failed, forcing Nile to land in the water." Kinnick's squadron mate, Bill Reiter, also confirmed that the oil leak was so bad that Kinnick was forced to land four miles before he could reach

2058-400: Is never referenced. Nor does Kinnick ever mention the tryout during any of his journal entries or letters when he discusses one of his many games with Iowa against Minnesota. Also, by early 1937, Bierman called Kinnick "one of the finest young backs I have ever seen." That would represent a significant change of opinion on Bierman's part in a very short period of time. One author wrote, "When it

SECTION 20

#1732869857933

2156-429: Is not only a duty but an honor to follow their example the best I know how. May God give me the courage and ability to so conduct myself in every situation that my country, my family, and my friends will be proud of me." Kinnick was able to return to Iowa one last time in 1942. He visited Adel and saw his father one final time. He then went to Iowa City and watched Iowa's football game against Washington University from

2254-463: Is persuasive, because it was typical of Kinnick. To start from nothing and test himself against his own weakness as well as outside resistance were challenges Kinnick always pursued if they were available. He was recruited to Iowa by Coach Ossie Solem in 1936. Kinnick was named the co-captain of the freshman team. He also played baseball and basketball during his freshman year. After the 1936 season, Solem left Iowa to go to Syracuse University , and

2352-459: Is the other). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in the Hall's inaugural year in 1951, one of only two Hawkeye players so honored ( Duke Slater was the other). In 1989, Iowa fans selected an all-time University of Iowa football team during the 100th anniversary celebration of Iowa football. Nile Kinnick was not only selected to the team as a halfback, he was voted the team's MVP, or

2450-669: The Croix de Guerre . Bill Cunningham of the Boston Post wrote in response, "This country's okay as long as it produces Nile Kinnicks. The football part is incidental." AP reporter Whitney Martin wrote, "You realized the ovation (after his Heisman speech) wasn't alone for Nile Kinnick, the outstanding college football player of the year. It was also for Nile Kinnick, typifying everything admirable in American youth." Another observer said that Kinnick's remarks "tackled Demosthenes and threw Cicero for

2548-542: The Fast Carrier Task Force through their battles across the Pacific. She was the recipient of 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation . Following the war, Lexington was decommissioned, but was modernized and reactivated in the early 1950s, being reclassified as an attack carrier (CVA). Later, she was reclassified as an antisubmarine carrier (CVS). In her second career, she operated both in

2646-399: The Lexington . This varies slightly from the often-repeated legend that Kinnick could have made it back to the ship but instead chose to land in the water to spare the ship's crew from danger. While Kinnick gave his life for his country, the decision to land his plane in the water was standard military procedure, and a landing on the Lexington in his situation was an impossibility rather than

2744-526: The Marianas Turkey Shoot and squadron pilot Lt Alexander Vraciu shot down six Japanese Yokosuka D4Ys in eight minutes. In 1945 VF-16 was deployed on USS  Randolph . USS Lexington (CV-16) USS Lexington (CV/CVA/CVS/CVT/AVT-16) is an Essex -class aircraft carrier built during World War II for the United States Navy . Originally intended to be named Cabot ,

2842-571: The Marshalls , covering the landings in the Gilberts. Her aviators downed 29 enemy aircraft on 23 and 24 November. Lexington sailed to raid Kwajalein on 4 December. Her morning strike destroyed the SS ; Kembu Maru , damaged two cruisers, and accounted for 30 enemy aircraft. The carrier was attacked at midday by six Tenzan Torpedo bombers of the 531st Kōkūtai, two were shot down by flak while attacking

2940-602: The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . She received the Essex -class SCB-27C and SCB-125 conversions in one refit, being then able to operate the most modern jet aircraft. The most visible distinguishing features were an angled flight deck, steam catapults, a new island, and the hurricane bow . Lexington was recommissioned on 15 August 1955, Captain A. S. Heyward Jr. in command. Assigned to San Diego as her home port, she operated off California until May 1956, sailing then for

3038-492: The University of Iowa in 1878 and served two two-year terms as the Governor of Iowa from 1913 to 1917. Nile's parents were devoted to the teachings of Christian Science and helped Nile develop values of discipline, hard work, and strong morals. Nile was reportedly constantly thinking about self-improvement and working on turning personal weaknesses into strengths. Nile was also a devout Christian Scientist, and regularly attended

VF-16 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3136-481: The University of Iowa College of Law . After one year of law school, Kinnick ranked third in his class academically. He also had an interest in politics. Kinnick, himself the grandson of a Governor, spoke before the Young Republicans and introduced 1940 presidential candidate Wendell Willkie at a campaign rally. Kinnick said, "When the members of any nation have come to regard their country as nothing more than

3234-508: The battle of the Sibuyan Sea , where they assisted in sinking the Japanese "super battleship" Musashi , one of the two largest and most powerful battleships in the world (alongside her sistership Yamato ) and scored hits on three cruisers on 24 October, including a torpedo hit that crippled the heavy cruiser Myōkō , forcing her out of the battle alongside two destroyers to escort her. The next day Lexington ' s aircraft served in

3332-410: The battle off Cape Engano against Japanese aircraft carriers. With Essex aircraft, they sank the light carrier Chitose and in conjunction with Franklin aircraft crippled the light carrier Chiyoda (later finished off by a US cruiser task force consisting of New Orleans , Wichita , Santa Fe , and Mobile ). Meanwhile, her aircraft alone sank the fleet carrier Zuikaku . During

3430-586: The commencement speech for the University of Iowa's graduating class in 1940. Kinnick was the leading vote-getter in the nation for the College All-Star Game , while his coach, Eddie Anderson , was voted in to coach the team against Iowa alum Joe Laws and the NFL champion Green Bay Packers . The Packers defeated the College All-Stars, 45–28. Kinnick scored two touchdowns and kicked four extra points. It

3528-662: The flagship for Task Group 58.2 (TG 58.2) on 11 December, she struck at the airfields of Luzon and Formosa during the first nine days of January 1945, encountering little enemy opposition. The task force then entered the South China Sea to strike enemy shipping and air installations. Strikes were flown against Saipan, Camranh Bay in then Indochina , Hong Kong , the Pescadores, and Formosa. Task force planes sank four merchant ships and four escorts in one convoy and destroyed at least 12 in another, at Camranh Bay on 12 January. Leaving

3626-493: The 15th leading scorer in the Big Ten his sophomore year in 1937–38. After a brief stint in baseball that summer, Nile dropped the third sport. In 1938, he hurt his ankle in preseason football practice and was not at full strength for his entire junior year. Kinnick played through the pain, but it hampered his effectiveness. His Christian Science beliefs limited the amount of medical assistance that Kinnick allowed himself to receive from

3724-419: The 1939 Big Ten title with a win over Michigan, but Iowa lost the game 27–7, too large a margin for any last-minute Kinnick heroics. Iowa did lose the 1937 game at Michigan by a 7–6 score, but no written account of the game includes this controversial score. Apocryphal claims about Kinnick's "Michigan confession" likely are rooted in the 1940 Cornell-Dartmouth game . Iowa defeated Notre Dame in 1939, 7–6, in

3822-702: The 2001 film Pearl Harbor , where she was altered to resemble a Japanese carrier, as well as Hornet . In July 2007, the popular TV show Ghost Hunters filmed aboard Lexington , looking for evidence of ghosts, and in December 2009, she was the subject of an episode of Ghost Lab , on the Discovery Channel . In 2014, Pepsi used the ship to film a commercial in preparation for the 2015 Super Bowl . The commercial, titled "Operation Halftime," featured country-music singer Blake Shelton performing for veterans and their families. The crew of Lexington received

3920-612: The 7th Fleet. She was on standby alert during the Laotian crisis of late August and September. Following this, she exercised with British naval forces before returning to San Diego, arriving on 2 December. In early 1960, she underwent an overhaul at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Lexington ' s next Far Eastern tour began late in 1960, and was extended well into 1961 by renewed tension in Laos. Returning to west coast operations, she

4018-711: The Atlantic/Mediterranean and the Pacific, but spent most of her time, nearly 30 years, in Pensacola, Florida, as a training carrier (CVT). Lexington was decommissioned in 1991, with an active service life longer than any other Essex -class ship. Following her decommissioning, she was donated for use as a museum ship in Corpus Christi, Texas . In 2003, Lexington was designated a National Historic Landmark . Though her surviving sister ships Yorktown , Intrepid , and Hornet carry lower hull numbers, Lexington

VF-16 - Misplaced Pages Continue

4116-541: The China Sea on 20 January, Lexington sailed north to strike Formosa again on 21 January and Okinawa again on 22 January. After replenishing at Ulithi, TG 58.2 sailed on 10 February to hit airfields near Tokyo on 16 February 1945, and on 17 February to minimize opposition to the Iwo Jima landings on 19 February. Lexington flew close support for the assaulting troops from 19 to 22 February, then sailed for further strikes against

4214-520: The Christian Science branch church in Iowa City, while he was a student at the university. Kinnick began showing athletic aptitude at a young age as well. As a youth, he played on a Junior Legion baseball team with the future major leaguer Bob Feller . At Adel High School , Kinnick led the football team to an undefeated season, and then he scored 485 points for the basketball team, leading them to

4312-428: The Christian Science religion does not prohibit medical help, and leaves the choice whether to seek medical attention up to the individual. However, a teammate says that he did not go to a doctor because he had learned a different style of wrapping his ankle and did not want anyone else messing with it. He "went to a doctor when something was wrong with him.") He also declared that he would not participate in basketball in

4410-583: The Hawkeyes, aiding the freshman team and scouting upcoming opponents. He accompanied the team to South Bend to see Iowa upset the Irish for the second straight season. According to The Daily Iowan ' s account, "Nile Kinnick, cool, calm, and collected while he's on a football team, pranced up and down the dressing room almost jabbering in his excitement." He was also an assistant football coach at Iowa in 1941. Kinnick left law school after one year and enlisted in

4508-533: The Hawkeyes. In 1939, Iowa finished the year ranked ninth in the AP Poll with a 6–1–1 record. Kinnick threw for 638 yards and 11 touchdowns on only 31 passes and ran for 374 yards. He was involved in 16 of the 19 touchdowns (11 passing, 5 rushing) that Iowa scored and was involved in 107 of the 130 points that Iowa scored that year. He played 402 of a possible 420 minutes that season. All told, Kinnick set 14 school records, six of which still stand over 65 years later. At

4606-521: The Japanese home islands and the Nansei Shoto before heading for overhaul at Puget Sound. Lexington was combat-bound again on 22 May, sailing via Alameda and Pearl Harbor for San Pedro Bay , Leyte, where she joined Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague 's task force for the final round of air strikes which battered the Japanese home islands from July-15 August, when the last strike was ordered to jettison its bombs and return to Lexington on receiving word of

4704-472: The Japanese surrender. During this period, she had launched attacks on Honshū and Hokkaidō airfields, and Yokosuka and Kure naval bases to destroy the remnants of the Japanese fleet. In the actions at Kure, F4U-1D Corsairs of VBF94 flying off Lexington , sank the hybrid battleship/aircraft carrier Ise . Flying against heavy enemy fire, squadron commander Lester Wall Jr. dropped a 1000lb bomb down her stack, exploding her boilers and breaking her keel in

4802-659: The Japanese. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this mission. In December, she was used to ferry home servicemen in what was known as Operation Magic Carpet , arriving in San Francisco on 16 December. Lexington was decommissioned at Bremerton on 23 April 1947, and entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet . While in reserve, she was designated attack carrier CVA-16 on 1 October 1952. In September 1953, Lexington entered

4900-689: The Naval Air Reserve. After completing a speaking tour of Iowa communities and visiting his parents in Omaha, he reported for induction three days before the attack on Pearl Harbor . He wrote, "There is no reason in the world why we shouldn't fight for the preservation of a chance to live freely, no reason why we shouldn't suffer to uphold that which we want to endure. May God give me the courage to do my duty and not falter." Later, he added, "Every man whom I've admired in history has willingly and courageously served in his country's armed forces in times of danger. It

4998-611: The Palaus and Bonins into August. She arrived in the Carolinas on 7 September for three days of strikes against Yap and Ulithi , then began attacks on Mindanao , the Visayas, the Manila area, and shipping along the west coast of Luzon , preparing for the coming assault on Leyte . Her task force then blasted Okinawa on 10 October and Formosa two days later to destroy bases from which opposition to

SECTION 50

#1732869857933

5096-588: The Philippines campaign might be launched. She was again unscathed through the air battle fought after the Formosa assault. Now covering the Leyte landings, Lexington ' s aircraft scored importantly in the Battle of Leyte Gulf , the climactic American naval victory over Japan. While the carrier came under constant enemy attack in the engagement, she was not damaged during the main battle. In exchange her aircraft served in

5194-507: The Presidential Unit Citation for heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces, 11 battle stars for major engagements during World War II service, and other awards. Nile Kinnick Nile Clarke Kinnick Jr. (July 9, 1918 – June 2, 1943) was an American naval aviator, law student, and college football player for the Iowa Hawkeyes . He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American . He died during

5292-573: The US Navy turned Lexington over to the City of Corpus Christi. On 15 June 1992, the ship was donated as a museum and now operates as the "USS Lexington Museum on the Bay" at 2914 North Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas. A MEGAtheater (similar to IMAX ) was added in the forward aircraft elevator space. Lexington was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003. The ship is carefully maintained, and areas of

5390-408: The University of Iowa hired Irl Tubbs to replace him. As a sophomore, Kinnick was terrific, but the Hawkeyes just could not win. Iowa battled Washington , the eventual Pacific Coast Conference champions, to the wire in a 14–0 defeat and then scored an early victory over Bradley University . It was Iowa's only win of the year. But opponents raved about Kinnick. After scoring Iowa's only touchdown in

5488-727: The Year , beating out such notables as Joe DiMaggio , Byron Nelson , and Joe Louis . He was the first college football player to win that award. On November 28, 1939, Nile Kinnick won the Heisman Trophy , becoming to date the only Iowa Hawkeye to win college football's most prestigious award. Upon receiving the Heisman at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City , Kinnick made the following statement during his acceptance speech: Finally, please if you'll permit me, I'd like to make

5586-545: The battle of the Coral Sea on May 8th 1942, Zuikaku 's air group landed two torpedo hits that were the primary reason behind Lexington (CV-2)'s sinking, thus Lexington avenged her fallen predecessor. Later in the day, alongside Intrepid aircraft, Lexington 's aircraft sank the light carrier Zuihō . As the retiring Japanese were pursued, her aircraft then sank the heavy crusier Nachi with four torpedo hits on 5 November off Luzon. Later that day, Lexington

5684-405: The carrier, but the task force was ordered not to open fire at night as Admiral Charles Pownall then in command believed it would give their position away. (he was later replaced ). At 19:20 that night, a major air attack began while the task force was under way off Kwajalein. At 23:22, parachute flares from Japanese planes silhouetted the carrier, and 10 minutes later, she was hit by a torpedo on

5782-465: The damaged compartments and welded them shut, applying heavy steel plates where needed. An emergency hand-operated steering unit was quickly devised, and Lexington made Pearl Harbor for emergency repairs, arriving on 9 December. She reached Bremerton, Washington , on 22 December for full repairs, completed on 20 February 1944. The error in judgment concerning opening fire at night was never repeated, as thereafter gun crews were ordered to open fire anytime

5880-650: The district finals. After his junior year of high school, the Kinnick family moved when Nile Kinnick Sr. took a job in Omaha, Nebraska . Nile was a first-team all-state selection in both football and basketball as a senior, as he started for one year with his brother Ben at Benson High School in Omaha. He led Benson to a third-place finish in the state basketball and to the city baseball championship. Kinnick had always been an excellent student as well as an athletic leader, and he could have graduated in 1935, but his parents held him back

5978-720: The end of the season, Nile Kinnick won virtually every major award in the country. He was a consensus First-Team All-American , and he appeared on every first team ballot to become the only unanimous selection in the AP voting. He won the Big Ten MVP award by the largest margin in history. He also won the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy . Nile Kinnick even won the Associated Press Male Athlete of

SECTION 60

#1732869857933

6076-452: The foe confident and unafraid. 'I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved.' Truly, we have shared to the full life, love, and laughter. Comforted in the knowledge that your thought and prayer go with us every minute, and sure that your faith and courage will never falter, no matter the outcome, I bid you au revoir ." On June 2, 1943, Ensign Kinnick

6174-500: The goal, and Michigan went on to win the game. There are several inconsistencies with this story. First of all, Kinnick's Iowa teams only met Michigan twice, in 1937 and 1939, and at that time, the Big Ten did not send their champion to the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten title was not at stake during the 1937 game for either team, and Michigan did not win the Big Ten title in 1939, even with the victory over Iowa. In retrospect, Iowa could have won

6272-474: The high state of training of both active-duty and reserve naval aviators. Her work became of increasing significance as she prepared the men vital to the Navy and Marine Corps operations over Vietnam , where naval aviation played a major role. Lexington marked her 200,000th arrested landing on 17 October 1967, was redesignated CVT-16 on 1 January 1969 and was redesignated again as AVT-16 on 1 July 1978. She continued as

6370-552: The idea for the switch to right halfback is particularly enduring. It is unlikely that Reichardt's story is true. His story is refuted by almost everyone on the 1939 Iowa team. Couppee states in his autobiography that he was indeed in the game for Kinnick's touchdown. Couppee called a rare huddle, in which Couppee called the play shifting Kinnick to the right halfback position. Teammates Erwin Prasse and George "Red" Frye substantiate Couppee's version, but neither of them refuted that Kinnick

6468-410: The idea of finding Kinnick's plane and making a monument at Kinnick Stadium or Kinnick's first high school, Adel–De Soto–Minburn High School . The possibility, however remote, that Kinnick's body is still with the plane led to overwhelming opposition to Tosaw's efforts; Kinnick's father opposed the idea, saying that it would be like digging up his son's grave. Kinnick's teammates also unanimously opposed

6566-443: The idea. Such strong opposition from Kinnick's teammates, relatives, and fans stopped Tosaw's plans. Numerous honors for Nile Kinnick have been created since his death. During the United States occupation of Japan , the Eighth Army renamed Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium in Tokyo "Nile Kinnick Stadium." A high school in Yokosuka, Japan, for dependents of military personnel is named Nile C. Kinnick High School . The coin flipped at

6664-443: The island with its left wing, killing four crew members (including the pilot of the plane who had begun an ejection sequence) and one civilian maintenance worker and injuring seventeen. The island suffered no major damage, and fires from the burning fuel were extinguished within 15 minutes. Lexington was the final Essex -class carrier in commission, after USS  Oriskany had been decommissioned in 1976. On 26 November 1991,

6762-416: The island, then battered it from the air for the next five days. On 16 June, Lexington fought off a fierce attack by Japanese torpedo bombers based on Guam , once again emerging unhurt, but 'sunk' a third time by propaganda pronouncements. As Japanese opposition to the Marianas operation provoked the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June, Lexington played a major role in TF 58's great victory in what

6860-433: The long run. He believed the 1939 team could be a good one, but only if the starters played significant minutes. Before the first game, the Des Moines Register had a small note stating that "a set of iron men may be developed to play football for Iowa." The 1939 Hawkeyes, nicknamed the "Ironmen", would become one of the greatest teams in school history. Many of Anderson's players played complete games during that season for

6958-520: The most valuable player in the first century of Iowa football . Kinnick was one of just five football players inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in the Hall's inaugural year in 1951, joining Duke Slater , Aubrey Devine , Jay Berwanger , and Elmer Layden . In 1999, Sports Illustrated selected Nile Kinnick as the third greatest sports figure in the history of the state of Iowa, behind only Dan Gable and Kinnick's youth baseball teammate, Bob Feller . College Football News ranked Kinnick as

7056-513: The new aircraft carrier was renamed while under construction to commemorate the recently-lost USS  Lexington  (CV-2) , becoming the sixth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name in honor of the Battle of Lexington . Lexington was commissioned in February 1943 and saw extensive service through the Pacific War . For much of her service, she acted as the flagship for Admiral Marc Mitscher , and led

7154-423: The ninth greatest college football player of all-time. An Iowa City theater produced a play based on Kinnick's life. Four books have been written about Nile Kinnick and the 1939 Hawkeyes. Sports Illustrated chose Kinnick as a starting defensive cornerback on its all-20th century college football team (players in Kinnick's time played both offense and defense, and sometimes special teams as well). Deion Sanders

7252-401: The plot of ground on which they reside, and their government as a mere organization for providing police or contracting treaties; when they have ceased to entertain any warmer feelings for one another than those which interest or personal friendship or a mere general philanthropy may produce, the moral dissolution of that nation is at hand." The Marion Sentinel proposed in an article to endorse

7350-549: The press box. When the Iowa crowd heard of his presence, they began a loud "We want Kinnick!" chant until he leaned out of the press box with an appreciative wave. Kinnick was training to be a fighter pilot. "The task which lies ahead is adventure as well as duty," Nile wrote in his final letter to his parents before deploying with the USS  Lexington in late May 1943, "and I am anxious to get at it. I feel better in mind and body than I have for ten years and am quite certain I can meet

7448-414: The roughest, toughest all-around back yet to hit this conference." He also wrote, "I'm looking forward to showing Anderson what a real football player looks like – so hold your hats." Coach Anderson liked Kinnick immediately. He referred to all of his players by their last names, except Kinnick, who was always "Nile". Anderson favored student-athletes, because he felt that scholars made better players over

7546-485: The ship came under attack. Following this attack, the ship was reported as sunk by Japan's Tokyo Rose , the first of several such assertions. Lexington returned to Majuro in time to be present when Rear Admiral Mitscher took command of the newly formed Task Force 58 (TF 58) on 8 March. Mitscher took Lexington as his flagship, and after a warm-up strike against Mille , the Fast Carrier Task Force began

7644-466: The ship previously off-limits are becoming open to the public every few years. One of the most recent examples of this is the catapult room. The ship's World War II-era gun battery is also being partially restored using guns salvaged from scrapped ships. Most notable among these are 5"/38 DP gun turrets saved from the scrapping of the heavy cruiser Des Moines . They have been mounted in the approximate locations where similar mounts once existed as part of

7742-450: The ship's original World War II-era fit. After the coast guard cutter Dauntless ' overhaul, her 3"/50cal gun was put on display onboard Lexington . On 5 February 2010, Lexington hosted its 17th annual "Stagedoor Canteen". The National Naval Aviation Museum , at Naval Air Station Pensacola, has a small carrier deck mock-up, whose flight deck is constructed from deck boards salvaged from Lexington . In 1975 Lexington served as

7840-559: The starboard side, knocking out her steering gear. Nine people were killed, two on the fantail and seven in the chief petty officers' mess room, which was a repair party station during general quarters. Four members of the affected repair party survived because they were sitting on a couch that apparently absorbed the shock of the explosion. Settling 5 feet (2 m) by the stern, the carrier began circling to port amidst dense clouds of smoke pouring from ruptured tanks aft. To maintain water-tight integrity, damage control crews were ordered to seal

7938-444: The start of every Big Ten football game bears his image, and each captain of a Big Ten team receives one such coin at the end of the year. Shortly after his death, a memorial fund was established at the University of Iowa in his honor. The Nile Kinnick Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to outstanding student-athletes at Iowa. His number #24 has been retired, one of only two Iowa football numbers so recognized ( Cal Jones ' #62

8036-493: The student ballot were "Memorial Stadium" and "Robert Jones Stadium", after the first University of Iowa student to be killed in World War II. Upon announcement of the student vote the new name was taken up by The Daily Iowan student newspaper, World Almanac , and other sources. However, the student vote was unofficial and efforts to rename the stadium were never pursued by the university. In 1972 "Nile Kinnick Stadium"

8134-402: The team doctors, believing that his injury could be overcome by his reliance on prayer for healing. Kinnick was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection his junior year in 1938. (It was later revealed that he had probably played the 1938 season with a broken ankle. Most contemporaries say that because of Christian Science religion he would not allow himself to be examined by a doctor. In fact,

8232-509: The upcoming year, citing personal concerns over his school work. After a 1–6–1 season, Irl Tubbs was fired at Iowa, and the doctor, Eddie Anderson , was now the head coach. Kinnick was also a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at the University of Iowa during his undergraduate years. Before the 1939 season, Kinnick wrote, "For three years, nay for fifteen years, I have been preparing for this last year of football. I anticipate becoming

8330-400: The water, but died in the process. Rescue boats arrived on the scene eight minutes later, but found only an oil slick. His body was never recovered. He was one month and seven days away from his 25th birthday, and was the first Heisman Trophy winner to die. Iowa sportscaster Tait Cummins said, "Kinnick proved one thing, that college athletics could be beautiful. Everything that can be said that

8428-442: Was again proposed by Cedar Rapids Gazette sportswriter Gus Schrader, who had previously supported the students' efforts. This time the lobbying campaign was successful, and the stadium was officially renamed later that year. The Hawkeyes' first home game that year was with Oregon State , and a pre-game ceremony on September 23 made it official: Iowa Stadium became known as Nile Kinnick Stadium . Kinnick's father took part in

8526-521: Was injured on a previous play. Kinnick was elected student body president during his senior year at Iowa. A member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at Iowa, Kinnick also maintained a 3.4 GPA. As he neared graduation with a degree in economics , he was one of thirty students selected to the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, and the university president informed him that he would graduate "with distinction", Iowa's equivalent to graduating cum laude . He gave

8624-482: Was interrupted by the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis ; on 14 July 1958, she was ordered to embark Air Group 21 at San Francisco and sail to reinforce the 7th Fleet off Taiwan, arriving on station on 7 August and returning to San Diego on 19 December. Now the first carrier whose planes were armed with AGM-12 Bullpup guided missiles, Lexington left San Francisco on 26 April 1959 for another tour of duty with

8722-587: Was introduced to the kamikaze as a flaming Japanese aircraft crashed near her island, destroying most of the island structure and spraying fire in all directions. Within 20 minutes, major blazes were under control, and she was able to continue normal flight actions, as well as shooting down a kamikaze heading for Ticonderoga . On 9 November, Lexington arrived in Ulithi to repair battle damage while hearing that Tokyo once again claimed her sunk. Lexington suffered 50 killed and 132 wounded in this attack. Chosen as

8820-458: Was laid down and commissioned earlier, making Lexington the oldest remaining fleet carrier in the world. The ship was laid down as Cabot on 15 July 1941 by Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts . In May 1942, USS  Lexington  (CV-2) , which had been built in the same shipyard two decades earlier, was sunk at the Battle of the Coral Sea . In June, workers at the shipyard submitted

8918-445: Was later called the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot". With over 300 enemy aircraft destroyed the first day, and a carrier, a tanker, and a destroyer sunk the second day, American aviators nearly knocked Japanese naval aviation out of the war; with the planes went the trained and experienced pilots without whom Japan could not continue air warfare at sea. Using Eniwetok as her base, Lexington sent aircraft on sorties over Guam and against

9016-516: Was not in the game on that touchdown play. Reichardt describes the touchdown this way. "They originally called right halfback Buzz Dean's play in the huddle. But Dean said, 'I can't take it. I've got a separated shoulder.' Then they turned to Kinnick and said, 'Can you take it, Nile?' Kinnick responded, 'I think I've got a couple of broken ribs on my right side, so let's run the play to the left side.'" This story regarding Kinnick's statement about broken ribs and with Kinnick, not Couppee, coming up with

9114-537: Was noted that the All-Stars scored four touchdowns while Kinnick was in the game; when he sat on the bench, they mustered just one first down. Kinnick rejected several lucrative offers to play professional football. He was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers , and the team owner offered to pay him a $ 10,000 annual salary or on a game-by-game basis for $ 1,000 a game. Instead of going into professional football, he entered

9212-490: Was on a routine training flight from the aircraft carrier USS  Lexington off the coast of Venezuela in the Gulf of Paria . He had been flying for over an hour when his Grumman F4F Wildcat developed an oil leak so serious that he could neither reach land nor the Lexington , whose flight deck was already crowded with planes preparing for launch anyway. He followed standard military procedure and executed an emergency landing in

9310-583: Was ordered in January 1962 to prepare to relieve Antietam as aviation training carrier in the Gulf of Mexico , and she was redesignated CVS-16 on 1 October 1962. However, during the Cuban Missile Crisis , she resumed duty as an attack carrier, and she did not relieve Antietam until 29 December 1962 at Pensacola, Florida . Into 1969, Lexington operated out of her home port, Pensacola, as well as Corpus Christi, qualifying student aviators and maintaining

9408-455: Was the other starting cornerback. The reserve cornerbacks were Rod Woodson , Charles Woodson , Jim Thorpe , and John Lattner . Calls to rename Iowa Stadium in Nile Kinnick's honor came immediately after the Heisman trophy winner's death in 1943. In November 1945 the University of Iowa student body voted to rededicate the structure as "Nile Kinnick Memorial Stadium". The other options on

9506-490: Was time for college, there was no doubt that Nile would go to Iowa." The Universities of Iowa and Minnesota have been fierce rivals for a long time, and it is possible that the story of Kinnick's interest in Minnesota was embellished at some point, by fans of either school. Kinnick considered enrolling at Minnesota, but how seriously and whether he actually attended a football tryout is uncertain. Another enduring story involves

9604-560: Was unable to return to Lexington , crashing into the sea four miles from the ship. Neither Kinnick nor his plane were recovered. Lexington arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 August 1943, and participated in a raid on Tarawa air bases in late September, followed by a raid against Wake Island in October, before returning to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the Gilbert Islands operation . From 19 to 24 November, she made searches and flew sorties in

#932067