The Keesler field news., 1942-07-22
KeesIer Fighters
Edqe Pensacola

Boxers from Keesser Field sked
out a 5-4 decision IN q thrilling
Army versus Navy duel with bat
tiers from the Pensacola Naval Air
Station on a benefit card held
Thursday night at the Biloxi High
School football stadium. The fight
show drew a huge crowd Of SOL
diers, officers and civilians who
contributed sizeable gate which
viii be divided between the BIZ
loxi USO War Fund Campaign
and the Welfare Fund for Enlisted
Men OF Keesler Field.
Going into the final and feature
fight OF the evening all even,
Keesler took a one-sided decision
as Pvt. Phil FUR, wellerweight
star from the 3e4ih Technical
School Squadron and former
fourth ranking welter in the coun-
try, trimmed Yeoman 3rd Class
Jim Wismer, smart l60-pounder
from Pensacola. The Navy fighter.
respecting Private Furr's ring
reputation, alternately back pedal
led and crowded the Keesler
boxer. Body blows and neat left
uppercuts won the verdict for
Private Fur.
Another feature figha saw Pvt
Pete Lello, nationally known light
weight star now hailing from
Keesler's 393rd Technical School
Squadron, win a fairly close deei-
sion from Seaman End Class John
Z. Mackay. The Navy boy had is
pounds and a greater reach, but
Private Lello had years Of ring
experience on his side.
The Pensacola team, coached by
John B. Bell, Spec, (A) got
off TO a 20 lead on the local bat
tiers after having whitewashed
the Keesler team at the Navy base
in Florida last month. The honor
OF winning the first bout for
Keesler between the two service
outfits went TO Pvt. Bob Clspper.
A lightweight from the 306th, he
won on a TKO in i:48 Of the third
round in a bruising fight with the
Nays Fireman 3rd Class Joey
Susedik.
Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd
Glass George ]. Sklivis won the
first Army versus Navy fight when
he scored a technical knockout
over Keesler's Pvt. Frank Yeager
Of the 59lst. Private Yeager, q fast
southpaw, was caught on the ropes
in the first round and dropped for
a count of eight. The fight was
stopped in 1:48 OF the opening ses-
sion. Both boys fought at i24
pounds.
The most sensational fight was a
battle between Pensacola's Sea-
man 2nd Class Johnny O'Connor
and Keesler's Pfc. Tony Parrenello,
4l3th. The bout started fast with
both boys throwing punches from
the floor. O'Connor staggered the
Army boy with tremendous right
to the jaw, then dropped him for
counts OF one and eight. Private
Parrenello was down twice more
in the fight and was on the verge
OF knockout on several occasions.
but weathered the storm though
losing the decision. Both light
weights won a great ovation.
Aviation Machinists Mate Bird
Glass George Roberts Of the Navy
won another 1875 pound scrap, de-
feating Pvt. Marty Vranicar OF the
390th in a fine fight. Pvt. Elwood
Harris OF Keesler's Medical De-
tachment whipped Pvt. Bob Woods
Of the US Marine Corps In a clever
welterweight bout which featured
fancy boxing.
Pvt. AL Sayre Of the 398th ral-
lied after dropping the first round
and took a hairline decision from
Pensacola's Aviation Machinists
Mate 3rd Glass Maynard Newquist
in middleweight encounter. Bald,
Seaman End Class Sid Melancon
scored a quick TKO over the
Army's Pvt. Frank Marini Of the
Medical Detachment. The Keesler
fighter was in trouble from the
start and the bout was stopped in