OneManGang
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a/n: FINALLY!!!
DATE: 14 October 2023
PLACE: Neyland Stadium
ATTENDANCE: 101,915
FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 20 Texas A&M 13
No, it was not a game for the ages. No one will recall Saturday's win over the Aggies in the same breath as Florida in 1998, Notre Dame in 1990 and 1991, Miami in the1986 Sugar Bowl, or that magic night in Tempe.
But a victory it was, and a hard-earned one at that.
So, If not one for the ages, what was it?
How about a victory for The Genrul?
About mid-way through the 3rd canto, your Humble Scribe had a revelation. If Bob Neyland's spirit made an appearance against South Carolina in the form of Squirrel White's miraculous catch on the 4 ... on his back ... with a Chicken on top of him, then Saturday's game had Coach Neyland's stamp all over it.
Squirrel hissownself seemed to hint at other-worldly help in his post-game interview that evening,“I couldn’t even see the ball. It hit my hands, and I just held onto it. It was a hell of a throw.”
“People think I'm the greatest damn coach in the world, but Neyland taught me everything I need to know.” Paul Bryant (who never did beat Neyland – ever).
I've stated it before but it needs to be emphasized: The University of Tennessee without Coach Neyland is Maryville College. Nothing wrong with Maryville College, my godson went there and got a fine education, but it is not THE University of Tennessee.
Bob Neyland was born in Texas and actually attended Texas A&M for a year before receiving an appointment to West Point. There he played football and baseball and was on the boxing team. He was a standout at all three. In fact, he was offered a baseball contract by the (then) New York Giants but turned it down to stay in the Army. After graduation he was assigned to the Corps of Engineers. After serving in France in the Great War ,he returned to the Academy and coached as a graduate assistant under legendary Army coaches Ernest “Pot” Graves and Charley Daley.
In 1925, Captain Neyland requested assignment as Professor of Military Science at the University of Tennessee. At that time the Tennessee River fell under the purview of the US Army Corps of Engineers and its management was added to his duties.
After helping coach the 1925 Vols, UT President and football legend Nathan Dougherty offered him the Head Coach job. The Vols were bottom feeders in the Southern Conference and Dougherty wanted to change that.
And change that he did.
From 1926 until his retirement from coaching after the 1952 season, Neyland strode across the landscape of college football as a Colossus.
His record of 173-31-12 will likely never be exceeded by a Tennessee coach.
His Tennessee teams racked up two Southern Conference titles, five SEC crowns and four National Championships.
He demanded, and got, dominant defenses. Over a 17-game stretch from 1938-39 the Vols held ALL their opponents scoreless.
The 1939 Vols were the last team in NCAA history to finish the regular season undefeated, untied and unscored upon. Let that one sink in.
Trained by the Army in the Art of War, Neyland brought that same focus to football.
He kept extensive notes writing down his thoughts constantly. UT Professor Dr. Andy Kozar compiled and edited these notes and released Football as a War Game: The Annotated Notes of General R.R, Neyland in 2002. Yes, I have a copy.
And, yes, Virginia, there is a reason his statue resides under the west stands.
Rock-ribbed defense, field position, running with abandon and the kicking game were the hallmarks of Tennessee's victory Saturday.
It was one for The Genrul.
Let's get to the football action.
The Vols took the opening kickoff and ended up punting.
The Aggies took over on their own 20, and aided by two consecutive Vol penalties, drove down the field and scored on a two-yard run.
Tennessee's subsequent possession showed promise but then died on 4th-and-2 at the Aggie 18.
TAMU then went three-and-out and punted.
Jabari Small was the centerpiece of the next Vol drive capped by a seven-yard throw from Milton to Jacob Warren.
That play was the sole highlight of Tennessee's passing game on the day. And it was the Vols' only offensive touchdown.
End of 1st Quarter
Score: Tennessee 7 Texas A&M 7
The Vols sacked Aggie quarterback Max Johnson three times on the next drive but they still drove down to the UT 28 and nailed a field goal.
The Vols made it to the TAMU 33 but missed the 51-yard attempt.
The teams then exchanged punts to end the quarter.
You may have seen this on theSaturday night accident report, but the Vols had a measly 38 yards passing in the first half.
End of 2nd Quarter
Score: Tennessee 7 Texas A&M 10
TAMU's first series ended in a punt, Tennessee's with a sack of Milton on 4th down.
Tennessee's defense held and the Aggies punted.
The Vols then stalled on the 50 and The Genrul entered the fray. Dee Williams downed Ross's punt on the Aggie 1-foot line. The defense again stepped up and A&M made no progress.
Punting from the back of the end zone, the kick only went 39 yards. Willians caught the ball and was next seen in the end zone. The Vols were ahead to stay
A&M answered with a field goal.
The Vols were driving as the quarter ended.
End of 3rd Quarter
Score: Tennessee 14 Texas A&M 10
The drive featured a 19-yard run by Milton to the A&M 17. Two plays later, though, Milton threw a pass into double coverage in the end zone with predictable results as the Aggies intercepted the pass.
A&M drove to the UT 32 but missed the 50-yard field goal attempt.
Tennessee then got a Campbell field goal to go up 17-13.
Gabe Jeudy-Lally killed the next A&M drive with a nifty pass interception and Campbell added another field goal.
A&M's final drive ended with Kamal Hadden's second Oskie in as many games and that was it.
Final Score:
Tennessee 20 Texas A&M 13
In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Navy's entire combat power resided in the four carriers assigned to the Pacific Fleet. By sheer luck – or providence – none were there on that Sunday.
USS Saratoga (CV-3) was just coming out of a refit on the west coast. USS Lexington (CV-2) was delivering a Marine fighter squadron to Wake Island. USS Enterprise (CV-6) was returning to Pearl but was still at sea. USS Yorktown (CV-5) was in Norfolk but quickly sent to the Pacific, arriving later in December.
After much running about without really accomplishing much, Lexington was ordered to sail towards the huge Japanese naval base at Rabaul .Fighter squadron VF-3 under the legendary John “Jimmie” Thach was on board.
On 20 February 1942, Lexington's radar picked up Japanese “Mavis” flying boats and Thach led a fighter detachment which shot down two and drove off another. After VF-3 landed and refueled the radar detected more inbound bogies.
The Mission: Defend Lexington against a total of 18 Japanese G4M “Betty” bombers in two waves.The Betty was a long ranged, heavily armed, twin engine bomber. It's lightweight construction gave it that long range and increased its bomb load to be roughly the same as an American B-17. On 10 December1941 a group of Betty bombers had attacked and sunk the British battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse. With her somewhat modest (by later war standards) anti-aircraft weapons, the carrier was in grave peril.
The Machine: VF-3 was equipped with the Grumman F4F-3A “Wildcat” fighter. The Wildcat was a stubby barrel-shaped fighter. While it couldn't out-maneuver a Zero, it was much more ruggedly built. It carried four.50 caliber machine guns in the wings. A shortage of turbo-superchargers led to part of the F4F-3 production run to be built without them. These were the -3As and lacked high altitude performance and generally operated below 15,000 ft.
The Man:
Edward H. O'Hare was born on 13 March 1914 to Edward J. (E.J.) and Selma O'Hare of St. Louis. His father later went to law school and became a practicing attorney. His parents divorced in 1927 about the time he started attending Western Military Academy graduating in 1932. His father moved to Chicago and set up a law practice. Butch stayed with him during summers and other times. Somewhere along the line he gained the nickname "Butch" and it stuck.
Gambling, the lure of easy money to be had without hard work or effort has been around as long as humanity. Another thing that has been around from the beginning is that The House Always Wins. The trick is making money from gambling without ACTUALLY gambling.
In the late 1920s attorney E.J. O'Hare did just that. He owned the patent for the mechanical rabbits that dogs chase around a track. He made a crap ton of money from that and proceeded to start buying dog and horse tracks (racing was legal) in the Chicago area. This brought him to the attention of another Chicagoan of that era – Al Capone. One simply didn't make a lot of money, legally or illegally, in Chicago of that time without Capone getting in on the act. He and Capone ended up working together but he was never one of Capone's men. He still was in a position to witness a lot.
Some say that E.J. was concerned his association with Capone would hurt Butch's career, but for whatever reason, E.J. testified against Capone and helped send him to Alcatraz. In 1939, a few days before Capone was due to be released from prison, E.J. O'Hare was shot and killed while in his car.
After graduation Butch applied to the US Naval Academy, passing the exams on his second attempt. He received an appointment to Annapolis and became member of the Class of 1937.After Annapolis he served on board the battleship New Mexico(BB-40) for two years before being accepted into flight school, receiving his wings in March, 1940.
He was sent to VF-3 and soon he and Thach became friends.
Thach eventually became CO of VF-3 aboard the Saratoga. She was torpedoed on 11 January 1942 and VF-3 was sent to Lexington.
O'Hare and his wingman, Marion “Duff” Dufiho launched along with four other Wildacts led by Thach to intercept the Bettys. Thach ordered O'Hare and Dufiho to remain back to look for any following planes. While Thach and his element attacked the first nine Bettys, Lexington's radar picked up the second flight of nine bombers.
O'Hare and Dufiho moved to intercept. The bombers were sweeping in “on the deck.” The two Wildcats moved to start a “high side” attack coming in from above, attacking and then climbing to do it all over again. Dufiho reported his guns were jammed (a recurring problem early in the war). O'Hare was on his own.
Slashing in from 1500 feet he opened up on one of the trailing Bettys, setting it on fire and forcing it out of formation. He continued his attack and did the same thing to the next bomber in line. While both planes dropped out, neither went down. On his second run he hit a third bomber which dropped its payload and turned back. Then he attacked a fourth Betty definitely shooting it down. And finally drew a bead on the lead Betty, blowing it out of the sky. As he lined up for a fourth run, he ran out of ammo.
Hopelessly scattered, the surviving Bettys scored no hits.
In the confusion, O'Hare was credited with five kills. Actually one of the damaged planes was forced to ditch on the way back so he should at least get credit for that one. Either way, his solo attack saved Lexington.
O'Hare was recommended for the Medal of Honor and it was approved.
After Lexington returned to Pearl, O'Hare was lionized by the media and when word of his MoH arrived he was detached from VF-3 and sent home for the award ceremony at the White House. At the White House, his wife Rita placed the Medal around his neck. He then went on to do War Bond tours and serve as an instructor. America was in dire need of a live hero and the handsome Aviator filled the bill.
Butch O'Hare and Jimmie Thach overHawaii. (US Navy History and Heritage Command)
O'Hare was able to spend time with his wife, and was sent back to VF-3 as CO replacing Thach. VF-3 was now an advanced training squadron with experienced pilots teaching the deadly art of air combat to new pilots just arriving in the Pacific.
VF-3 soon became VF-6 and O'Hare went back into combat on board USS Independence (CVL-22)and added a couple more kills to his total. O'Hare was then sent to USS Enterprise (CV-6)and he was named Commander Air Group or CAG. About this time on Enterprise O'Hare was instrumental in developing night fighter doctrine
The F-35C Lightning II is the latest and greatest of American carrier fighters. It is a complete weapons SYSTEM using advance digital frameworks to unify the sensors,targeting systems and weapons and give the pilot an unparalleled ability to move, communicate and shoot. Better yet, this information can be shared with other aircraft and ships to bring the “damn-damn”on hostile targets. The centerpiece of all this is the AN/APG 81ASEA radar. In this set, the radar itself does not move, instead it is made up of hundreds of small but powerful radar transmitter/receivers. The radar beams are steered by the central computer and can “skin paint” (i.e., get a clear enough picture to tell what type of plane is out there and do everything but read the tail number) targets and mark them at well over 100 miles.
The Kheil HaAvir, or Israeli Air Force, which knows a thing or two about air combat, has used the F-35A ground-based version, which has the same electronics, in combat and is beyond enthusiastic about just what it can do. Indeed, they keep bumping up the number on order.
But we're not here to discuss the F-35. No, we are going back to when the use of radar on airplanes was in its infancy.
Radar was first used in combat by the British who erected their “Chain Home” system along the Channel coast in 1940, just in time to pickup incoming German bombers during the Battle of Britain. These were tall wooden towers that mounted the transmitters and receivers. The a they gave out was blurry blobs on a primitive cathode-ray tube.But it was a long way ahead of nothing at all.
The pace of radar development was breathtaking during WWII and by late1943 the US Navy had a set that was small enough to be carried by a modified Avenger torpedo bomber. The first of these were deployed aboard USS Enterprise and tactics were worked out to use them. The idea was for an Avenger to act as a “bird dog” in the dark of night for a pair of F6FHellcat fighters which would then be vectored toward Japanese night bombers or “snoopers” and shoot them down. If this sounds complicated and dangerous, you're right.
Never one to make others do something he wouldn't do himself, O'Hare led the first intercept mission on 26 November 1943. Launching at 1800, they set off in the dark to find the Japanese intruders.
During the course of this mission, the turret gunner on the Avenger saw a Betty above and behind O'Hare's Hellcat and opened fire. The Betty returned fire and apparently hit O'Hare's Hellcat. There was a lot of speculation that the turret gunner actually hit O'Hare. However, O'Hare's biographers interviewed the surviving airmen from both sides and concluded that it was the Betty that shot him down. He was never seen again.
In 2022, over 62 million passengers passed through O'Hare International Airport near Chicago. I was one of them. Located in Terminal 2 there is a memorial display featuring a Wildcat painted in the markings of Butch O'Hare's plane from that day in 1942.
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
The Genrul would have been most displeased with the number of penalties by the Vols. However none of those proved fatal. On the other hand, embattled HeadAggie Jimbo Fisher sold out stop Milton but his defense got steamrollered by the Vols' three-headed running attack which racked up 234 yards.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way … SCORE!
Carve the names Jackson Ross and Dee Williams on this one.
3. If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don't let up… PUT ON MORE STEAM!
After that Aggie scoring drive in the first quarter, the defense pitched near shut out ball for the rest of the game, allowing only two field goals. They certainly earned their pay. It's still strange to this writer that that is now a literal statement.
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
Somewhere along the line, the 2022 edition of Joe Milton seems to have been replaced by the 2021 version.
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
To hold ANY SEC opponent, let alone one with A&M's elite talent, to less than 300yards in offense and 13 points is quite the achievement. Well done.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
The importance of this Maxim was demonstrated for all to see. It was that sequence in the 3rd quarter when Jackson Ross nailed a perfect punt that Dee Williams downed on the Aggie 1-foot line. Then the Tennessee defense stood tall and forced a TAMU punt that went 38 yards. There it was caught by Dee Williams who shook off a pair of would-be tacklers and then raced to the end zone to put UT ahead for good. This, my friends, is PRECISELY what Neyland had in mind.
7. Carry the fight to Texas A&M and keep it there for sixty minutes,
This game was a defensive struggle and a dog fight from end to end. The kicking game was the difference and the margin of victory.
Vol legend Eric Berry was honored at halftime. The defense honored him by intercepting two Aggie passes in the 4th quarter to seal the win.
Suggested Reading:
Steve Ewing and John B. Lundstrom, Fateful Rendevous: The Life of Butch O'Hare. US Naval Institute Press, 2004.
John B. Lundstrom, The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat From Pearl Harbor to Midway. US Naval Institute Press, 1984.
Barrett Tillman, The Wildcat in World War II. Nautical and Aviation Publishing, 1983.
Lt. Edward H. “Butch” O'Hare. (US Navy History and HeritageCommand)
Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Texas A&M
DATE: 14 October 2023
PLACE: Neyland Stadium
ATTENDANCE: 101,915
FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 20 Texas A&M 13
No, it was not a game for the ages. No one will recall Saturday's win over the Aggies in the same breath as Florida in 1998, Notre Dame in 1990 and 1991, Miami in the1986 Sugar Bowl, or that magic night in Tempe.
But a victory it was, and a hard-earned one at that.
So, If not one for the ages, what was it?
How about a victory for The Genrul?
About mid-way through the 3rd canto, your Humble Scribe had a revelation. If Bob Neyland's spirit made an appearance against South Carolina in the form of Squirrel White's miraculous catch on the 4 ... on his back ... with a Chicken on top of him, then Saturday's game had Coach Neyland's stamp all over it.
Squirrel hissownself seemed to hint at other-worldly help in his post-game interview that evening,“I couldn’t even see the ball. It hit my hands, and I just held onto it. It was a hell of a throw.”
“People think I'm the greatest damn coach in the world, but Neyland taught me everything I need to know.” Paul Bryant (who never did beat Neyland – ever).
I've stated it before but it needs to be emphasized: The University of Tennessee without Coach Neyland is Maryville College. Nothing wrong with Maryville College, my godson went there and got a fine education, but it is not THE University of Tennessee.
Bob Neyland was born in Texas and actually attended Texas A&M for a year before receiving an appointment to West Point. There he played football and baseball and was on the boxing team. He was a standout at all three. In fact, he was offered a baseball contract by the (then) New York Giants but turned it down to stay in the Army. After graduation he was assigned to the Corps of Engineers. After serving in France in the Great War ,he returned to the Academy and coached as a graduate assistant under legendary Army coaches Ernest “Pot” Graves and Charley Daley.
In 1925, Captain Neyland requested assignment as Professor of Military Science at the University of Tennessee. At that time the Tennessee River fell under the purview of the US Army Corps of Engineers and its management was added to his duties.
After helping coach the 1925 Vols, UT President and football legend Nathan Dougherty offered him the Head Coach job. The Vols were bottom feeders in the Southern Conference and Dougherty wanted to change that.
And change that he did.
From 1926 until his retirement from coaching after the 1952 season, Neyland strode across the landscape of college football as a Colossus.
His record of 173-31-12 will likely never be exceeded by a Tennessee coach.
His Tennessee teams racked up two Southern Conference titles, five SEC crowns and four National Championships.
He demanded, and got, dominant defenses. Over a 17-game stretch from 1938-39 the Vols held ALL their opponents scoreless.
The 1939 Vols were the last team in NCAA history to finish the regular season undefeated, untied and unscored upon. Let that one sink in.
Trained by the Army in the Art of War, Neyland brought that same focus to football.
He kept extensive notes writing down his thoughts constantly. UT Professor Dr. Andy Kozar compiled and edited these notes and released Football as a War Game: The Annotated Notes of General R.R, Neyland in 2002. Yes, I have a copy.
And, yes, Virginia, there is a reason his statue resides under the west stands.
Rock-ribbed defense, field position, running with abandon and the kicking game were the hallmarks of Tennessee's victory Saturday.
It was one for The Genrul.
Let's get to the football action.
The Vols took the opening kickoff and ended up punting.
The Aggies took over on their own 20, and aided by two consecutive Vol penalties, drove down the field and scored on a two-yard run.
Tennessee's subsequent possession showed promise but then died on 4th-and-2 at the Aggie 18.
TAMU then went three-and-out and punted.
Jabari Small was the centerpiece of the next Vol drive capped by a seven-yard throw from Milton to Jacob Warren.
That play was the sole highlight of Tennessee's passing game on the day. And it was the Vols' only offensive touchdown.
End of 1st Quarter
Score: Tennessee 7 Texas A&M 7
The Vols sacked Aggie quarterback Max Johnson three times on the next drive but they still drove down to the UT 28 and nailed a field goal.
The Vols made it to the TAMU 33 but missed the 51-yard attempt.
The teams then exchanged punts to end the quarter.
You may have seen this on theSaturday night accident report, but the Vols had a measly 38 yards passing in the first half.
End of 2nd Quarter
Score: Tennessee 7 Texas A&M 10
TAMU's first series ended in a punt, Tennessee's with a sack of Milton on 4th down.
Tennessee's defense held and the Aggies punted.
The Vols then stalled on the 50 and The Genrul entered the fray. Dee Williams downed Ross's punt on the Aggie 1-foot line. The defense again stepped up and A&M made no progress.
Punting from the back of the end zone, the kick only went 39 yards. Willians caught the ball and was next seen in the end zone. The Vols were ahead to stay
A&M answered with a field goal.
The Vols were driving as the quarter ended.
End of 3rd Quarter
Score: Tennessee 14 Texas A&M 10
The drive featured a 19-yard run by Milton to the A&M 17. Two plays later, though, Milton threw a pass into double coverage in the end zone with predictable results as the Aggies intercepted the pass.
A&M drove to the UT 32 but missed the 50-yard field goal attempt.
Tennessee then got a Campbell field goal to go up 17-13.
Gabe Jeudy-Lally killed the next A&M drive with a nifty pass interception and Campbell added another field goal.
A&M's final drive ended with Kamal Hadden's second Oskie in as many games and that was it.
Final Score:
Tennessee 20 Texas A&M 13
*******
In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Navy's entire combat power resided in the four carriers assigned to the Pacific Fleet. By sheer luck – or providence – none were there on that Sunday.
USS Saratoga (CV-3) was just coming out of a refit on the west coast. USS Lexington (CV-2) was delivering a Marine fighter squadron to Wake Island. USS Enterprise (CV-6) was returning to Pearl but was still at sea. USS Yorktown (CV-5) was in Norfolk but quickly sent to the Pacific, arriving later in December.
After much running about without really accomplishing much, Lexington was ordered to sail towards the huge Japanese naval base at Rabaul .Fighter squadron VF-3 under the legendary John “Jimmie” Thach was on board.
On 20 February 1942, Lexington's radar picked up Japanese “Mavis” flying boats and Thach led a fighter detachment which shot down two and drove off another. After VF-3 landed and refueled the radar detected more inbound bogies.
The Mission: Defend Lexington against a total of 18 Japanese G4M “Betty” bombers in two waves.The Betty was a long ranged, heavily armed, twin engine bomber. It's lightweight construction gave it that long range and increased its bomb load to be roughly the same as an American B-17. On 10 December1941 a group of Betty bombers had attacked and sunk the British battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse. With her somewhat modest (by later war standards) anti-aircraft weapons, the carrier was in grave peril.
The Machine: VF-3 was equipped with the Grumman F4F-3A “Wildcat” fighter. The Wildcat was a stubby barrel-shaped fighter. While it couldn't out-maneuver a Zero, it was much more ruggedly built. It carried four.50 caliber machine guns in the wings. A shortage of turbo-superchargers led to part of the F4F-3 production run to be built without them. These were the -3As and lacked high altitude performance and generally operated below 15,000 ft.
The Man:
Edward H. O'Hare was born on 13 March 1914 to Edward J. (E.J.) and Selma O'Hare of St. Louis. His father later went to law school and became a practicing attorney. His parents divorced in 1927 about the time he started attending Western Military Academy graduating in 1932. His father moved to Chicago and set up a law practice. Butch stayed with him during summers and other times. Somewhere along the line he gained the nickname "Butch" and it stuck.
Gambling, the lure of easy money to be had without hard work or effort has been around as long as humanity. Another thing that has been around from the beginning is that The House Always Wins. The trick is making money from gambling without ACTUALLY gambling.
In the late 1920s attorney E.J. O'Hare did just that. He owned the patent for the mechanical rabbits that dogs chase around a track. He made a crap ton of money from that and proceeded to start buying dog and horse tracks (racing was legal) in the Chicago area. This brought him to the attention of another Chicagoan of that era – Al Capone. One simply didn't make a lot of money, legally or illegally, in Chicago of that time without Capone getting in on the act. He and Capone ended up working together but he was never one of Capone's men. He still was in a position to witness a lot.
Some say that E.J. was concerned his association with Capone would hurt Butch's career, but for whatever reason, E.J. testified against Capone and helped send him to Alcatraz. In 1939, a few days before Capone was due to be released from prison, E.J. O'Hare was shot and killed while in his car.
After graduation Butch applied to the US Naval Academy, passing the exams on his second attempt. He received an appointment to Annapolis and became member of the Class of 1937.After Annapolis he served on board the battleship New Mexico(BB-40) for two years before being accepted into flight school, receiving his wings in March, 1940.
He was sent to VF-3 and soon he and Thach became friends.
Thach eventually became CO of VF-3 aboard the Saratoga. She was torpedoed on 11 January 1942 and VF-3 was sent to Lexington.
O'Hare and his wingman, Marion “Duff” Dufiho launched along with four other Wildacts led by Thach to intercept the Bettys. Thach ordered O'Hare and Dufiho to remain back to look for any following planes. While Thach and his element attacked the first nine Bettys, Lexington's radar picked up the second flight of nine bombers.
O'Hare and Dufiho moved to intercept. The bombers were sweeping in “on the deck.” The two Wildcats moved to start a “high side” attack coming in from above, attacking and then climbing to do it all over again. Dufiho reported his guns were jammed (a recurring problem early in the war). O'Hare was on his own.
Slashing in from 1500 feet he opened up on one of the trailing Bettys, setting it on fire and forcing it out of formation. He continued his attack and did the same thing to the next bomber in line. While both planes dropped out, neither went down. On his second run he hit a third bomber which dropped its payload and turned back. Then he attacked a fourth Betty definitely shooting it down. And finally drew a bead on the lead Betty, blowing it out of the sky. As he lined up for a fourth run, he ran out of ammo.
Hopelessly scattered, the surviving Bettys scored no hits.
In the confusion, O'Hare was credited with five kills. Actually one of the damaged planes was forced to ditch on the way back so he should at least get credit for that one. Either way, his solo attack saved Lexington.
O'Hare was recommended for the Medal of Honor and it was approved.
After Lexington returned to Pearl, O'Hare was lionized by the media and when word of his MoH arrived he was detached from VF-3 and sent home for the award ceremony at the White House. At the White House, his wife Rita placed the Medal around his neck. He then went on to do War Bond tours and serve as an instructor. America was in dire need of a live hero and the handsome Aviator filled the bill.
Butch O'Hare and Jimmie Thach overHawaii. (US Navy History and Heritage Command)
O'Hare was able to spend time with his wife, and was sent back to VF-3 as CO replacing Thach. VF-3 was now an advanced training squadron with experienced pilots teaching the deadly art of air combat to new pilots just arriving in the Pacific.
VF-3 soon became VF-6 and O'Hare went back into combat on board USS Independence (CVL-22)and added a couple more kills to his total. O'Hare was then sent to USS Enterprise (CV-6)and he was named Commander Air Group or CAG. About this time on Enterprise O'Hare was instrumental in developing night fighter doctrine
The F-35C Lightning II is the latest and greatest of American carrier fighters. It is a complete weapons SYSTEM using advance digital frameworks to unify the sensors,targeting systems and weapons and give the pilot an unparalleled ability to move, communicate and shoot. Better yet, this information can be shared with other aircraft and ships to bring the “damn-damn”on hostile targets. The centerpiece of all this is the AN/APG 81ASEA radar. In this set, the radar itself does not move, instead it is made up of hundreds of small but powerful radar transmitter/receivers. The radar beams are steered by the central computer and can “skin paint” (i.e., get a clear enough picture to tell what type of plane is out there and do everything but read the tail number) targets and mark them at well over 100 miles.
The Kheil HaAvir, or Israeli Air Force, which knows a thing or two about air combat, has used the F-35A ground-based version, which has the same electronics, in combat and is beyond enthusiastic about just what it can do. Indeed, they keep bumping up the number on order.
But we're not here to discuss the F-35. No, we are going back to when the use of radar on airplanes was in its infancy.
Radar was first used in combat by the British who erected their “Chain Home” system along the Channel coast in 1940, just in time to pickup incoming German bombers during the Battle of Britain. These were tall wooden towers that mounted the transmitters and receivers. The a they gave out was blurry blobs on a primitive cathode-ray tube.But it was a long way ahead of nothing at all.
The pace of radar development was breathtaking during WWII and by late1943 the US Navy had a set that was small enough to be carried by a modified Avenger torpedo bomber. The first of these were deployed aboard USS Enterprise and tactics were worked out to use them. The idea was for an Avenger to act as a “bird dog” in the dark of night for a pair of F6FHellcat fighters which would then be vectored toward Japanese night bombers or “snoopers” and shoot them down. If this sounds complicated and dangerous, you're right.
Never one to make others do something he wouldn't do himself, O'Hare led the first intercept mission on 26 November 1943. Launching at 1800, they set off in the dark to find the Japanese intruders.
During the course of this mission, the turret gunner on the Avenger saw a Betty above and behind O'Hare's Hellcat and opened fire. The Betty returned fire and apparently hit O'Hare's Hellcat. There was a lot of speculation that the turret gunner actually hit O'Hare. However, O'Hare's biographers interviewed the surviving airmen from both sides and concluded that it was the Betty that shot him down. He was never seen again.
In 2022, over 62 million passengers passed through O'Hare International Airport near Chicago. I was one of them. Located in Terminal 2 there is a memorial display featuring a Wildcat painted in the markings of Butch O'Hare's plane from that day in 1942.
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So, how did the Vols do against The Maxims?1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
The Genrul would have been most displeased with the number of penalties by the Vols. However none of those proved fatal. On the other hand, embattled HeadAggie Jimbo Fisher sold out stop Milton but his defense got steamrollered by the Vols' three-headed running attack which racked up 234 yards.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way … SCORE!
Carve the names Jackson Ross and Dee Williams on this one.
3. If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don't let up… PUT ON MORE STEAM!
After that Aggie scoring drive in the first quarter, the defense pitched near shut out ball for the rest of the game, allowing only two field goals. They certainly earned their pay. It's still strange to this writer that that is now a literal statement.
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
Somewhere along the line, the 2022 edition of Joe Milton seems to have been replaced by the 2021 version.
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
To hold ANY SEC opponent, let alone one with A&M's elite talent, to less than 300yards in offense and 13 points is quite the achievement. Well done.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
The importance of this Maxim was demonstrated for all to see. It was that sequence in the 3rd quarter when Jackson Ross nailed a perfect punt that Dee Williams downed on the Aggie 1-foot line. Then the Tennessee defense stood tall and forced a TAMU punt that went 38 yards. There it was caught by Dee Williams who shook off a pair of would-be tacklers and then raced to the end zone to put UT ahead for good. This, my friends, is PRECISELY what Neyland had in mind.
7. Carry the fight to Texas A&M and keep it there for sixty minutes,
This game was a defensive struggle and a dog fight from end to end. The kicking game was the difference and the margin of victory.
Vol legend Eric Berry was honored at halftime. The defense honored him by intercepting two Aggie passes in the 4th quarter to seal the win.
Suggested Reading:
Steve Ewing and John B. Lundstrom, Fateful Rendevous: The Life of Butch O'Hare. US Naval Institute Press, 2004.
John B. Lundstrom, The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat From Pearl Harbor to Midway. US Naval Institute Press, 1984.
Barrett Tillman, The Wildcat in World War II. Nautical and Aviation Publishing, 1983.
Lt. Edward H. “Butch” O'Hare. (US Navy History and HeritageCommand)
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