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NC State Sports, Illustrated:
On the Battlefield and the Playing Field, 1940s
Millions of young Americans mobilized in support of the war effort between December 1941 and August 1945, serving as soldiers, nurses, and in a variety of other roles. Many college-aged men and women enlisted or were drafted in the armed forces, and the impact was felt on campus. Cover art and advertisements from this period suggest that playing American football could be regarded as a patriotic act or even as a form of preparation for combat.
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The Stars-and-Stripes shield in the background of this Lon Keller illustration is made up of War Savings stamps depicting the Concord minuteman.
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Two months later, a player striking a similar pose is explicitly compared to a soldier tossing a grenade.
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The young woman on this 1943 cover is wearing an Army Air Corps officer's "Crusher" style cap.
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Although victory had already been secured, these October 1945 program covers paid tribute to the men and women in uniform: a fighter pilot flies over football game action; a more relaxed soldier appears to be inviting a Navy (WAVES) woman to the stadium on a date.
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