On Christmas Eve 1944, a former Notre Dame football captain played his final game on a makeshift field on Guadalcanal. Five months later, he would make the ultimate sacrifice during World War II.
Welcome to The Clarkives, where Notre Dame history comes alive.
This is the remarkable story of the Mosquito Bowl, a football game between Marines of the 4th and 29th Marine Regiments, both assigned to the 6th Marine Division.
Among the players was George Murphy, a South Bend native and captain of Notre Dame’s 1942 football team under legendary coach Frank Leahy.
The game ended in a 0–0 tie. But the real story unfolded months later during the brutal Battle of Okinawa, where Murphy was killed on May 15, 1945.
Of the 65 Marines who participated in the Mosquito Bowl, 15 lost their lives during the Okinawa campaign.
Discover a forgotten chapter of Notre Dame football, American military history, leadership and sacrifice.
In this episode:
* The extraordinary Christmas Eve 1944 football game
* Notre Dame captain George Murphy’s military service
* Former college football stars who became Marines
* The Battle of Okinawa and the legacy of the Mosquito Bowl
Presented by Len Clark, award-winning sports journalist and creator of The Len Zone.
Subscribe for more episodes of The Clarkives, exploring the untold stories behind Notre Dame athletics.
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