1944 Third Air Force Gremlins football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1944 Third Air Force Gremlins football Independent 8–3 J. Quinn Decker 1st The 1944 Third Air Force Gremlins football team represented the Third Air Force during the 1944 college football season. The team compiled a 8–3 record. The Third Air Force was part of the United States Army Air Forces and was based in 1944 at Morris Field in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team played a 10-game schedule against other military service teams and defeated the Second Air Force team that was ranked No. 20 in the final 1944 AP poll. Its three losses were against teams ranked in the top 20 in the final poll: Randolph Field (No. 3); Great Lakes (No. 17); and Fort Pierce (No. 18). J. Quinn Decker, who coached at Centre College before the war, was the team's head coach.Quinn Decker Building Grid Titan The Nashville Tennessean July 20, 1944 16 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17850039/quinn_decker_building_grid_titan/ Newspapers.com The team's key players included backs Charley Trippi (left halfback), Ernie Bonelli (right halfback), Bob Kennedy (fullback), and Frank Gnup (quarterback), and linemen Art Brandau (center), Walt Barnes, and Jack Karwales.Here Are Two Powerful Grid Arrays Which Meet Here Sunday Afternoon The Tampa Daily Times November 18, 1944 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17851371/here_are_two_powerful_grid_arrays_which/ Newspapers.com Trippi was named as a first-team player on the Associated Press' 1944 Service All-America team.Navy Places Four on AP Service All-America; Trippi in Backfield The St. Petersburgh Times December 12, 1944 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17821346/navy_places_four_on_ap_service/ Newspapers.com In the final Litkenhous Ratings, Third Air Force ranked 27th among the nation's college and service teams and sixth out of 63 United States Army teams with a rating of 99.4.Litkenhous E. E. Edward E. Litkenhous Big Ten Circuit Repeats As King of College Leagues https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune/122545021/ The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake City Utah December 10, 1944 8B April 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Litkenhous E. E. Edward E. Litkenhous Army, Randolph Field One-Two in Final Litkenhouse Ratings https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-sun-telegraph/122892812/ Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania December 17, 1944 4, section 2 April 15, 2023 Newspapers.com Schedule 1944 AP y Eastern y y y September 23 1944 Charleston Coast Guard Cutters Charleston Coast Guard Charlotte, NC W 31-0 12,000 Trippi Leads 3rd Air Force To 31-0 Win September 24, 1944 17 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17848502/trippi_leads_3rd_air_force_to_310_win/ Newspapers.com October 1 at Chatham Field Savannah, GA W 45-0 9,000 Gremlins To Face Chatham Eleven Today https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/123279907/ Tampa Sunday Tribune Tampa, Florida October 1, 1944 2, part 2 April 21, 2023 Newspapers.com Campbell Walt Morris Field Wins 45 to 0 https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-enquirer/123279844/ The Columbus Enquirer Columbus, Georgia Associated Press October 2, 1944 5 April 21, 2023 Newspapers.com October 7 3:30 p.m. vs Third Infantry Carolina Stadium Columbia, SC W 22-0 12,000 Gremlins, Ft. Benning Grid Powerhouses Meet at Stadium Today https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state/122796084/ The State Columbia, South Carolina October 7, 1944 3 April 13, 2023 Newspapers.com Third Air Force Gremlins Down Ft. Benning Cockades 22-0 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state/122795999/ The State Columbia, South Carolina October 8, 1944 11B April 13, 2023 Newspapers.com Gremlins Trample Benning Powerhouse Eleven By 22-0 Tampa Sunday Tribune October 8, 1944 19 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17851501/gremlins_trample_benning_powerhouse/ Newspapers.com October 15 at Georgia Pre-Flight Sanford Stadium Athens, GA W 19-7 William F. M. Trippi Stars as Gremlins Beat Georgia Navy, 19-7 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/122554772/ The Atlanta Constitution Atlanta, Georgia October 16, 1944 7 April 9, 2023 Newspapers.com 3rd Air Force Gridders Top Georgia Navy The Troy Record October 16, 1944 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17852149/3rd_air_force_gridders_top_georgia_navy/ Newspapers.com October 22 Cherry Point Marines Charlotte, NC W 29-7 Gremlins Trample On Cherry Point The Ashville Citizen October 23, 1944 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17851687/gremlins_trample_on_cherry_point/ Newspapers.com October 28 at No. 3 Randolph Field 19 Alamo Stadium San Antonio, TX L 0-19 22,000 Randolph Field Turns Back Gremlins, 19-0 Los Angeles Times October 29, 1944 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17849014/randolph_field_turns_back_gremlins_190/ Newspapers.com November 5 2:30 p.m. Georgia Pre-Flight American Legion Memorial Stadium Charlotte, NC W 34-12 Allen Eddie Gremlins Tackle 'Crackers Today https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer/122555366/ The Charlotte Observer Charlotte, North Carolina November 5, 1944 9, section 2 April 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Allen Eddie More On Gremlins (continued) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer/122555437/ The Charlotte Observer Charlotte, North Carolina November 5, 1944 11, section 2 April 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Gremlins Trounce Georgia Pre-Flight The Tampa Tribune November 6, 1944 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17848239/gremlins_trounce_georgia_preflight/ Newspapers.com November 11 at No. 14 Great Lakes Navy Ross Field Great Lakes, IL L 10-12 25,000 Sailors Tally Twice in 4th, Win, 12-10 The Des Moines Register November 12, 1944 S3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17848400/sailors_tally_twice_in_4th_win_12_to/ Newspapers.com November 19 vs Maxwell Field Phillips Field Tampa, FL W 41-7 12,000 Gremlins Crush Marauders Gridders by 41-7 Score Tampa Morning Tribune November 20, 1944 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17849279/gremlins_crush_marauders_gridders_by/ Newspapers.com December 3 vs. Fort Pierce Phillips Field Tampa, FL L 6-7 11,000 Daley Races 61 as Amphibs Win The Des Moines Register December 4, 1944 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17849428/daley_races_61_as_amphibs_win/ Newspapers.com December 10 vs No. 20 Second Air Force Grant Field Atlanta, GA W 14-7 8,000 Gremlins Bump Superbombers to Tune of 14-7 Los Angeles Times December 11, 1944 II-8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/160275158/ Newspapers.com Daye John 2014 Encyclopedia of Armed Forces Football Haworth, New Jersey St. Johann Press 178–179 978-1-937943-21-9 Rankings 1944 college football rankings AP 1 9 NR NR 19т NR NR NR NR NR NR References Third Air Force Category:Third Air Force Gremlins football seasons Third Air Force Gremlins football