The Army football program will honor the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division by wearing alternate uniforms during its annual rivalry game against Navy, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on CBS on Dec. 14.
That’s just two days before the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium, where these soldiers – known as the “Screaming Eagles” – underwent three weeks of close combat in freezing weather against Nazi forces in World War II.
It was the largest battle fought by the United States in the war and the third-deadliest campaign in the country’s storied history, but the paratroopers’ refusal to surrender played a significant role in stopping the Nazi’s “last great offensive” in the war.
The all-black uniforms reflect the snow-covered forests where the battle was won, with a snowflake-like pattern on the helmets, shoulders and sleeves, as well as a gradient design on bottom of the white numbers.
The Invasion Star, which was used on American aircraft and vehicles to aid in battlefield identification, can be seen on the right shoulder above a “Bastogne” patch, with lettering that reflects the road sign held by General Anthony McAuliffe in a photo after the siege was broken.
The left sleeve features the 101st Airborne Division’s patch, while the right sleeve includes the 1944 American flag in its original orientation and proportions, mimicking the flag worn on the paratroopers’ jumpsuits.
The jerseys are complete with an “Army!” wordmark on the back nameplate that evokes the typewritten version of McAuliffe’s famous reply to Nazi demands to surrender: “NUTS!”
Lastly, the helmets will display card suits, which were used by the 101st Airborne Division’s paratroopers and glider troops to identify their unit affiliations for the jump into Normandy and throughout the European Theatre.
The suits will be randomly assigned to each player, with clubs representing the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, hearts signifying the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, diamonds symbolizing the 501st and spades honoring the 506th.
Sources have indicated the the Midshipmen, who also wear alternate uniforms against the Black Knights each season, will unveil their design on Wednesday.
Photos courtesy of @ArmyWP_Football on X/Twitter.
