This day in World War II history: Ginger Rogers, Jed Clampett, and Gene "The Fighting Marine"

Unto the Breach ^ | Jan. 15, 1943 | Chris Carter

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The front page mentions an air strike in Burma where a pilot named Grant Mahony busted a Japanese truck. Capt. Gratton Mahony of the 17th Fighter Squadron (Provisional) notched his first victory on the Dec. 8, 1941 and by war’s end will have more combat hours than any other American pilot. He is also about to be assigned to PROJECT 9, which we mentioned yesterday...

Eddie Rickenbacker’s copilot continues his story on page four… George Fielding Eliot column on page 12… Sports section begins on page 20, which reports that Chicago Bear halfback Hugh Gallarneau has become an officer in the Marines and will travel across the Pacific, directing night fighters. The former All-American at Stanford was also the Pacific Coast Conference champion heavyweight boxer… Former Tennessee standout Bob Foxx has been transferred from his post at Georgia Pre-Flight to become a flight instructor. The Volunteers went undefeated and untied all three seasons Foxx was in the backfield (1938-40)...

Hugh Fullerton mentions former NBA President Harvey L. “Heinie” Miller, now skipper of the 5th Marine Reserve Battalion, who is promoting boxing for our fighting men. There won’t be a National Basketball Association until after the war; Miller led the National Boxing Association. He enlisted in the Navy in 1905 (serving aboard the frigate USS Constellation, now a museum ship) and took up boxing, becoming the Army and Navy Bantamweight Champion and Lightweight Champion of the Far East. Meanwhile, on the next page Gene “The Fighting Marine” Tunney has just inspected Georgetown University’s athletic program...

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World War II Chronicle is a daily commentary series accompanying the newspaper from this day 80 years ago which can be read in full at the original post.