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Honors
Stationed to protect the Boeing aircraft manufacturing facility as an
anti-aircraft battalion, the 206th, many Junior College champions the
year prior, ran roughshod through the military squads of the Northwest.
Ellensburg Daily Record, Dec 11, 1941:
In 1939 most of the "Travelers" were attending
Arkansas schools. Came the emergency and 17 members of the tech
football team, all national guardsmen, were called to the colors.
By 1941 there were 21 from Arkansas Tech, two from the University of
Arkansas, two from Arkansas high schools and one from Arkansas State who
are included on the squad.
It was a new group, without funds, and civic
organization who finally scraped up some discarded uniforms for the
team, which immediately was dubbed the "Arkansas Travelers". Much
to everybody's surprise, they swept and razzle-dazzled through eight
service teams, rolling up 279 points to 6 with a light squad weighing
191 in the line and 171 in the backfield.
Just a week before their big game with Moffett, war
broke out. The generals said the game was "still on". But the
Ack-Acks had work to do, too-work more grim than playing football.
The long haired, drawling Ozarkians, were hustled
here by army truck to the big Boeing aircraft factory. There they
set up their anti-aircraft guns.
After putting in long hours, they repair to a
nearby playfield to polish up their football attack. Then after a
couple of hours of scrimmage, they turn in for some sleep before
returning to their vigil with their long nosed guns.
The Moffetts won seven of eight games, losing only
to St. Mary's 6-0. They scored 140 points and gave up 45.
The game was canceled by Lt. General John L. DeWitt
of San Francisco, commander of the West Coast military forces.
R. Pershing Turner (K), Aubrey Fowler (HB),
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