In 1944, Congress again considered canceling the game. Then the idea came up to use it as a fundraiser for the war effort. Scheduled to return to Thompson Field, the game was moved instead to the much larger Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. To purchase tickets, a buyer had to buy a war bond. The game pulled in some 100,000 spectators and $58 million. Scalpers got up to $1,000 for some tickets, and 15 private boxes on the 50-yard line rented for $1 million each.

The cadets, permitted to attend that year, traveled south aboard a steamer, with the navy providing destroyer escorts to protect against Nazi subs. As an additional precaution, the ships stayed close to shore, where the ocean swells made for a rough ride. Cadet and future general and secretary of state Alexander Haig recalled an “unforgettable boat trip” that made every cadet seasick.

With Army ranked number one and Navy number two that year, the game turned out to be for the national college football championship. Coach Red Blaik and soon-to-be Heisman trophy winner Doc Blanchard led army to a 23 to 7 win. Baltimore bars and restaurants overflowed afterward with jubilant soldiers and heartbroken sailors. Baltimore Sun sport columnist John F. Chandler pronounced the game “the No. 1 sports event of World War II.”

The war was over when the teams met the following year. Returning to Philadelphia, the game was as much about celebrating victory as it was about football. President Harry Truman attended with his entire Cabinet. So did the military brass, including the army’s George Marshal and the navy’s Chester Nimitz. The teams were again ranked one and two, and Army again dominated, 32 to 13, to finish another undefeated season and take its second of three straight national championships. That year, the traditional postgame handshake between the teams meant more than ever.

America in WWII

Carl Zebrowski

And last of all, three of my favorite Santa letters . . .

. . Dear Santa . . . I’m sorry, but I don’t have a chimney. I’ll leave the cat flap unlocked for you, but please watch out for the litter box!

Jon, 4

Dear Santa . . . Mommy and Daddy say I have not been very good these past few days. How bad can I be before I lose my presents?

Christian, 7

Dear Santa . . . Do you know Jesus is the real reason of Christmas? Not to be mean, but he is.

Rosanne, 11