1945 Army Air Forces Training Command Skymasters football team

The 1945 Army Air Forces Training Command Skymasters football team represented the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC) based in Fort Worth, Texas during the 1945 college football season. The Skymasters competed in the Army Air Forces League (AAF League) with six others teams from the United States Army Air Forces. The Skymasters compiled an overall record of 8–3–1 with a mark of 4–1–1 in league play, sharing the AAF League title with the Third Air Force Gremlins.^[1] Major Doug Fessenden was the team's head coach. Captain Berl Huffman served as backfield coach.^[2]

1945 Army Air Forces Training Command Skymasters football
AAF League co-champion
Legion Bowl, L 0–27 vs. Fourth Air Force
Conference	Army Air Forces League
Record	8–3–1 (4–1–1 AAF League)
Head coach	Doug Fessenden (1st season)
Home stadium	Farrington Field
Seasons ← 1944 1946 →

1945 military service football records

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Army Air Forces League
Third Air Force +	4	–	1	–	1			7	–	2	–	1
AAF Training Command +	4	–	1	–	1			8	–	3	–	1
Fourth Air Force	3	–	2	–	1			6	–	3	–	1
First Air Force	2	–	2	–	2			3	–	2	–	3
Air Transport Command	2	–	3	–	1			6	–	3	–	2
Personnel Distribution Command	2	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Second Air Force	1	–	5	–	0			3	–	7	–	0
Independents
Hutchinson NAS			–					8	–	0	–	0
Fleet City			–					11	–	0	–	1
Corpus Christi NAS			–					7	–	1	–	0
North Camp Hood			–					7	–	1	–	0
Selman Field			–					7	–	1	–	0
Jacksonville NAS			–					9	–	2	–	0
El Toro Marines			–					8	–	2	–	0
Camp Beale			–					6	–	1	–	2
Little Creek			–					7	–	2	–	0
Amarillo AAF			–					3	–	1	–	0
Farragut NTS			–					6	–	2	–	0
South Camp Hood			–					5	–	2	–	0
Santa Barbara Marines			–					7	–	3	–	1
Fort McClellan			–					4	–	2	–	0
San Diego NTS			–					4	–	2	–	0
Eastern Flying Training Command			–					6	–	3	–	1
Atlantic City NAS			–					4	–	2	–	1
Minter Field			–					4	–	2	–	1
Camp Lee			–					7	–	4	–	0
Camp Peary			–					5	–	3	–	0
Olathe NAS			–					3	–	2	–	0
Great Lakes Navy			–					6	–	4	–	1
Hondo AAF			–					6	–	4	–	1
Bainbridge			–					5	–	4	–	0
Fort Benning			–					5	–	4	–	1
Albany Navy			–					3	–	3	–	1
Williams Field			–					4	–	4	–	0
Stockton AAF			–					4	–	5	–	2
Camp Detrick			–					3	–	4	–	0
Kearney AAF			–					3	–	4	–	0
Fort Warren			–					5	–	7	–	0
Bergstrom Field			–					3	–	5	–	1
Barksdale Field			–					4	–	7	–	0
Saint Mary's Pre-Flight			–					2	–	4	–	1
Keesler Field			–					3	–	6	–	1
Camp Blanding			–					1	–	2	–	0
Great Bend AAF			–					2	–	4	–	0
Luke Field			–					1	–	2	–	0
Miami NAS			–					1	–	2	–	0
Fort Pierce			–					4	–	9	–	0
Gulfport AAF			–					2	–	5	–	0
Ellington Field			–					1	–	4	–	1
Miami NTC			–					1	–	3	–	0
Oceana NAS			–					1	–	3	–	0
Fort Riley			–					1	–	4	–	0
Lake Charles AAF			–					1	–	4	–	0
Pensacola NAS			–					2	–	7	–	1
Cherry Point Marines			–					1	–	8	–	0
Dalhart AAF			–					0	–	3	–	0
Homestead AAB			–					0	–	3	–	0
Fort Monroe			–					0	–	7	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions

The AAFTC Skymasters were ranked sixth among the nation's college and service teams in the final Litkenhous Ratings, behind Army, Navy, Alabama, Fleet City, and El Toro Marines.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 23		Keesler Field*	Farrington Field Fort Worth, TX	W 29–0	15,000	[4]
September 30	2:30 p.m.	Fort Benning*	Farrington Field Fort Worth, TX	W 27–0	10,000	[5][6][7][8]
October 7	2:00 p.m.	at Fort Pierce*	Burdine Stadium Miami, FL	W 19–7	10,000	[9][10][11]
October 13	2:30 p.m.	at Air Transport Command	Dudley Field Nashville, TN	W 14–0	7,500	[12][13][14][15][16]
October 22	2:30 p.m.	Fourth Air Force	Farrington Field Fort Worth, TX	W 19–7	13,000	[17][18]
October 28		at El Toro Marines*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	L 0–7	30,000	[19]
November 11		at First Air Force	Ebbets Field Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn Bond Bowl)	L 6–24	12,515	[20][21]
November 18	1:30 p.m.	at Third Air Force	Phillips Field Tampa, FL	T 7–7	10,000	[22][23][24]
November 25	2:30 p.m.	Eastern Flying Training Command*	Farrington Field Fort Worth, TX	W 45–7	7,000	[25][26][27]
December 2		Second Air Force	Farrington Field Fort Worth, TX	W 37–7	30,000	[28]
December 9		vs. Personnel Distribution Command	Alamo Stadium San Antonio, TX	W 14–0	6,546	[29]
December 16	2:00 p.m.	vs. Fourth Air Force*	Crump Stadium Memphis, TN (Legion Bowl)	L 0–27	6,000	[30][31][32]
*Non-conference game All times are in Central time

^[33]

References

1. Goodale, George (December 5, 1945). "Who's Kicking Who—Gremlins or Flyers". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 15. Retrieved March 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
2. "Keesler Faces 7 Former Mates". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. September 17, 1945. p. 5. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
3. Litkenhous, E. E. (December 19, 1945). "Litkenhouse Rates College, Service Teams of Nation". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 20. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
4. "Skymaster aerial strikes smother Keesler Field, 29–0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 24, 1945. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. McMullen, Lorin (September 30, 1945). "It's Skymasters' Passes Against Doughboy Power". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 11. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
6. McMullen, Lorin (October 1, 1945). "Skymen Overpower Fort Benning, 27-0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
7. McMullen, Lorin (October 1, 1945). "Skymen Down Benning, 27-0 (continued)". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 10. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
8. "Skymasters Trump Fort Benning, 27-0". The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa. October 1, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
9. "Amphibs Battle Service Champs". Miami Daily News. Miami, FL. October 7, 1945. p. 2C. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
10. McMullen, Lorin (October 8, 1945). "Skymasters' Aerials Sink Amphibs, 19-7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
11. McMullen, Lorin (October 8, 1945). "Skymasters' Air Show Beats Fort Pierce, 19-7 (continued)". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 10. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
12. Johnson, Raymond (October 13, 1945). "Visitors Rated One Touchdown Edge Over ATC". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 1. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
13. Johnson, Raymond (October 13, 1945). "12,000 Fans Expected To See Service Stars (continued)". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 5. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
14. Johnson, Raymond (October 14, 1945). "McHugh Sprints 69 Yards To Set Stage For Tally". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 1C. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
15. Johnson, Raymond (October 14, 1945). "McHugh Sprints 69 Yards To Set Stage For Tally (continued)". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 5C. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
16. McMullen, Lorin (October 14, 1945). "Skymen Rap Rockets, 14-0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 11. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
17. "Skymasters To Tangle With Fourth AAF". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Lubbock, Texas. United Press. October 22, 1945. p. 3. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
18. "4th Flyers Subdued by Skymasters". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. United Press. October 22, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
19. McMullen, Lorin (October 29, 1945). "El Toro Beats Skymasters, 7-0, on Last-Minute Pass". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 9. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
20. Gould, Ben (November 11, 1945). "30,000 to View 'Bowl' Tilt Today". Brooklyn Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. p. 24. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
21. McMullen, Lorin (November 12, 1945). "Aces Shock Skymen, Triumph, 24-6, in Mud". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
22. "Gremlins Meet Skymasters In AAF Title Game". Tampa Sunday Tribune. Tampa, Florida. November 18, 1945. p. B1. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
23. Norton, Pete (November 19, 1945). "Gremlins, Skymasters Play 7-7 Tie". Tampa Morning Tribune. Tampa, Florida. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
24. Norton, Pete (November 19, 1945). "Gremlins, Skymasters Battle to 7-7 Tie Before 10,000 Fans (continued)". Tampa Morning Tribune. Tampa, Florida. p. 10. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
25. McMullen, Lorin (November 25, 1945). "Skymen, EFTC Clash At Farrington Today". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 11. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
26. McMullen, Lorin (November 25, 1945). "Skymen, EFTC Clash At Farrington Today (continued)". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 12. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
27. McMullen, Lorin (November 26, 1945). "Skymen Beat Eagles, 45-7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
28. "Skymasters Would Like To Meet 3rd In Playoff". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. December 3, 1945. p. 11. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
29. "Comets Lose 14-0". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. December 10, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
30. Bloom, David (December 16, 1945). "Air Force Grid Teams Clash In Legion Bowl Game Today". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. p. 9, section II. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
31. Bloom, David (December 16, 1945). "Skymasters Will Collide With Flyers Today (continued)". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. p. 10, section II. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
32. Carruthers, Will (December 16, 1945). "Flyers Defeat Skymasters, 27 To 0". Memphis Press-Scimitar. Memphis, Tennessee. p. 16. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
33. "Final Log For Nation's Top Football Teams". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. December 2, 1945. p. 14, part I. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .