1. John Esten "Billick" Whelchel was a decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral, American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator.
22 Facts About John Whelchel
1. 2.
Whelchel was born on April 1,1898, in Hogansville, Georgia, but he spent his childhood in Washington, DC His family had a deep history with the military: his maternal grandfather James Longstreet was a general for the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War while his older brother James Longstreet Whelchel went to the United States Military Academy.
3.
John Whelchel was on the school's basketball and baseball programs.
4.
McCall was assigned to the patrol duty in the Pacific and Whelchel spent next two years at sea with Destroyer Squadron Six, Battle Force, under the command of Freeland A Daubin.
5.
John Whelchel was finally succeeded by Lieutenant Commander Edwin G Fullinwider on June 15,1940.
6.
John Whelchel returned to the Naval Academy in 1941, where he became backfield coach of football team under Swede Larson.
7.
John Whelchel inherited a team in a difficult situation as the demands of the war, which forced the Naval Academy to condense the academic curriculum into a three-year course, meant only six starters returned to the team for 1942.
8.
John Whelchel isn't too fancy on attack, but he knows all the answers on defense.
9.
When John Whelchel was called into service in the Pacific theater, his position as head coach was filled by Commander Oscar Hagberg, who was returning from there.
10.
John Whelchel commanded that ship during the Battle of Okinawa and was awarded with Legion of Merit with "V" Device and Bronze Star Medal for his leadership of the ship.
11.
John Whelchel continued in command of the USS San Francisco and sailed toward the Philippines to prepare for an invasion of the Japanese home islands.
12.
John Whelchel commanded the ship to the East Coast, where she arrived at Philadelphia for inactivation on January 19,1946.
13.
John Whelchel was assigned to the Naval Station Pearl Harbor, where he was the chief of staff for the United States Pacific Fleet's ComServPac.
14.
John Whelchel returned to football as an assistant for the Hawaiian Warriors coached by Keith Molesworth.
15.
John Whelchel received his second Legion of Merit during his assignment.
16.
John Whelchel was advanced to the rank of Vice admiral on the basis of combat citations.
17.
John Whelchel was eligible for retirement pensions due to the longevity of his service.
18.
John Whelchel kept Edwards' assistants Herman Ball, Frank Walton, and Wilbur Moore on his staff.
19.
John Whelchel was just a kind of average-looking guy, not very impressive.
20.
At halftime of his final game, John Whelchel told his players:.
21.
John Whelchel was buried together with both his wives Virginia D Hoover Whelchel and Marion Payne Whelchel at Arlington National Cemetery.
22.
John Whelchel had a son from his first marriage with Virginia D Hoover, John Esten Whelchel, Jr.