1943 Spokane Air Service Commandos football team

The 1943 Spokane Air Service Commandos football team represented the United States Army Air Forces's Spokane Air Service, located in Spokane, Washington, during the 1943 college football season. Led by head Izzy Weinstock, the Commandos compiled a record of 2–2. Lieutenant Don Haley, who has played college football, and Baylor University, and Ray "Doc" Mauro, former trainer of the Washington Redskins, were assistant coaches.^[1] Babe Hollingbery was appointed as an advisory coach for the team in late October.^[2]

1943 Spokane Air Service Commandos football
Conference	Independent
Record	2–2
Head coach	Izzy Weinstock (1st season)
Home stadium	Gonzaga Stadium
Seasons ← 1942 1944 →

1943 military service football records

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 17 Bainbridge			–					7	–	0	–	0
Bunker Hill NAS			–					6	–	0	–	0
Greensboro			–					4	–	0	–	0
Memphis NATTC			–					2	–	0	–	0
No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight			–					9	–	1	–	0
No. 10 March Field			–					9	–	1	–	0
No. 8 Del Monte Pre-Flight			–					7	–	1	–	0
Randolph Field			–					9	–	1	–	1
Georgia Pre-Flight			–					5	–	1	–	0
No. 6 Great Lakes Navy			–					10	–	2	–	0
Lubbock AAF			–					5	–	1	–	0
Ottumwa NAS			–					5	–	1	–	0
Camp Davis			–					8	–	2	–	0
Sampson NTS			–					7	–	2	–	0
San Diego NTS			–					7	–	2	–	0
Keesler Field			–					3	–	1	–	0
Wright Field			–					1	–	0	–	1
Camp Lejeune			–					6	–	2	–	1
Fort Riley			–					6	–	2	–	1
Kearns Field			–					5	–	2	–	0
Fort Knox			–					4	–	2	–	0
Cherry Point Marines			–					4	–	2	–	1
Alameda Coast Guard			–					4	–	2	–	1
Fort Douglas			–					4	–	2	–	1
300th Infantry			–					5	–	3	–	0
176th Infantry			–					4	–	3	–	0
Blackland AAF			–					4	–	3	–	0
Fort Sheridan			–					4	–	3	–	0
Fort Warren			–					4	–	3	–	0
Norman NAS			–					4	–	3	–	0
Charleston Coast Guard			–					5	–	4	–	0
Salt Lake AAB			–					4	–	3	–	2
124th Infantry			–					2	–	2	–	0
Camp Kilmer			–					2	–	2	–	0
Camp Lee			–					5	–	5	–	0
Logan Navy			–					2	–	2	–	0
Spokane Air Service			–					2	–	2	–	0
Camp Edwards			–					4	–	5	–	0
Curtis Bay Coast Guard			–					4	–	5	–	0
Saint Mary's Pre-Flight			–					3	–	4	–	1
Jacksonville NATTC			–					3	–	4	–	0
Richmond AAB			–					4	–	6	–	1
Atlantic City NAS			–					2	–	3	–	0
North Carolina Pre-Flight			–					2	–	4	–	1
Patterson Field			–					2	–	4	–	1
Bowman Field			–					2	–	4	–	0
Kirtland Field			–					1	–	2	–	0
Lakehurst NAS			–					2	–	4	–	0
Camp Grant			–					2	–	6	–	2
Lowry Field			–					1	–	3	–	0
Fort Monroe			–					3	–	7	–	0
Daniel Field			–					2	–	7	–	0
Camp Gordon			–					1	–	4	–	0
South Plains AAF			–					1	–	4	–	0
Greenville AAB			–					1	–	5	–	0
Ward Island Marines			–					1	–	5	–	0
Bryan AAF			–					1	–	6	–	0
Pocatello AAB			–					0	–	3	–	0
Norfolk Fleet Marines			–					0	–	9	–	0
Rankings from AP Poll

In the final Litkenhous Ratings, Spokane Air Service ranked 142nd among the nation's college and service teams with a rating of 53.9.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 9	1:30 p.m.	Washington	Gonzaga Stadium Spokane, WA	L 12–47	9,000	[4][5][6]
October 17		at Whitman	Walla Walla, WA	W 12–6		[7][8]
October 30		at No. 11 Washington	Husky Stadium Seattle, WA	L 7–41	5,000	[9]
November 14		Whitman	Gonzaga Stadium Spokane, WA	W 35–13		[10]
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Pacific time

^[11]

References

1. "Commandos Hold First Scrimmage". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Spokane, Washington. September 13, 1943. p. 12. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
2. "Hollingbery to Coach Spokane Commandos". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. Associated Press. October 27, 1943. p. 14. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
3. Litkenhous, E. E. (December 17, 1943). "Litkenhouse Selects U. S. Grid Leaders". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 18. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
4. "Commandos and Washington clash at Gonzaga today -- expect crowd". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 9, 1943. p. 7.
5. "Huskies pour through Spokane Air Command with air blows". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 10, 1943. p. 10.
6. Ashlock, Herb (October 11, 1943). "Commandos resume practice to meet Whitman Saturday". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 11.
7. "Commandos Play Whitman Eleven". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Spokane, Washington. October 16, 1943. p. 10. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
8. "Commandos Win After Struggle". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. October 18, 1943. p. 9. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
9. Hutcheson, Jim (October 31, 1943). "Huskies thump Spokane 41-7 in last bowl bid". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. p. 11.
10. Stark, Charles R. Jr. (November 15, 1943). "Commandos Beat Whitman in Thrilling Battle Here". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 9. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
11. Daye, John (2014). Encyclopedia of Armed Forces Football. Haworth, New Jersey: St. Johann Press. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-937943-21-9.