stronghold for the japanese army, conquered by u.s. forces and used as a staging point for future offensives. but on christmas eve conflicts east for a moment, the marines mark the holiday by playing in the mosquito bowl a bruising and bloodied football game born from trash talk and intense rivalry between 2 different marine regiments. the teams or stock of 4 college players including several all-americans, 16 players were even drafted into the process. six months later those who played in the game also fought in the battle of okinawa once the bloodiest of the war. the story of the game and the events that followed are detailed in the mosquito bowl a game of life and death in world war ii. the newly released book is dedicated to neil mccallum a marine who was on the sidelines of the dirt and coral field. i was a participant there at that game. 94-year-old mccallum spoke with me from his home in tampa, florida.
players including several all-americans, 16 players were even drafted into the process. six months later those who played in the game also fought in the battle of okinawa once the bloodiest of the war. the story of the game and the events that followed are detailed in the mosquito bowl a game of life and death in world war ii. the newly released book is dedicated to neil mccallum a marine who was on the sidelines of the dirt and coral field. i was a participant there at that game. 94-year-old mccallum spoke with me from his home in tampa, florida. the war in europe got more attention than we did. they got more of everything than we did. my only aim in all of this is to keep our legacy going for the sixth of marine division and all the men we lost for. are naming out the author of the mosquito bowl , pulitzer prize-winning journalist john