The Boys In The Boat: Heroes Of Wwii?

The Boys in the Boat is a book and film about the University of Washington rowing team, who rose from humble beginnings to compete at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The film, directed by George Clooney, is based on the book of the same name by Daniel James Brown. The story follows the team of impoverished young Americans who, through rowing, emerge from the depths of the Great Depression to take on Hitler's regime. The rowers were from working-class families and had to struggle to earn their way through school. They were chosen from hundreds of young men vying for a place on the university boats. Most of the rowers did not serve in World War II as they were older than the usual draftees, but those with engineering degrees contributed to the war effort by designing and building aircraft.

The boys' lives after the Olympics

The boys' lives changed in many ways after their Olympic victory, though they remained close friends. Joe Rantz, for example, still had to work hard to support himself. He graduated in 1939 with a degree in engineering and married his college sweetheart, Joyce, just a few hours after graduating. He went on to work for Union Oil and later Boeing, where he designed planes for World War Two. The couple lived in Lake Forest Park for the rest of their lives and had five children. Joyce was Joe's closest friend and confidant.

Bobby Moch, seemingly the most intellectual member of the team, graduated with honours and continued to use his intelligence to help the Washington team as an assistant coach under Ulbrickson. He then attended law school while remaining on as a rowing coach at Washington, transferring to Harvard Law two years later while also coaching at MIT. He went on to become one of Seattle's most prominent attorneys.

Jim McMillin took over Bobby Moch's coaching job at MIT and later worked for Boeing as well. Chuck Day earned a medical degree and worked as a doctor in the navy before becoming a successful gynecologist. Shorty Hunt married his girlfriend and later founded a construction company. Don Hume had a successful career in mining and eventually became the president of the West Coast Mining Association. Johnny White worked for Bethlehem Steel. Gordy Adam worked for Boeing for thirty-eight years. Roger Morris spent World War Two doing construction and later worked for the Manson Construction Company.

Al Ulbrickson, their coach, continued coaching at Washington for another quarter of a century and was later inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame. He won another Olympic gold in 1948.

The boys rowed together one final time in 1986. In the 1990s, members of the team began to pass away, including Johnny White, Gordy Adam, Shorty Hunt, and Don Hume. Joyce died in 2002, and Bobby Moch and Jim McMillin died in 2005. Joe and Roger were the last surviving members of the Olympic crew team. Joe died peacefully in 2007, followed by Roger in 2009.

The boys' careers in the military

The boys from the University of Washington rowing team who won the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin were largely spared from fighting in World War II. They were slightly older than the usual draftees, and those with engineering degrees were put to work designing and building aircraft for the war effort.

Some of the boys' careers in the military are detailed below:

Joe Rantz

Joe Rantz, the main character in the book and film, did not serve in the military during World War II. After graduating with a degree in chemical engineering, he got a job at Boeing, where he worked for 35 years. He designed planes for World War II and lived in Lake Forest Park with his wife, Joyce, with whom he had five children.

Chuck Day

Chuck Day served as a naval doctor in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, he became a successful gynecologist.

Stub McMillin

Stub McMillin carried out classified research during the war.

Don Hume

Don Hume sailed as a merchant marine during World War II. Before the war, he worked in a pulp mill as a child, which damaged his lungs and made him susceptible to respiratory illnesses. After the war, he had a successful career in mining and eventually became the president of the West Coast Mining Association.

Bobby Moch

Bobby Moch attended law school and became one of Seattle's most prominent attorneys.

Jim McMillin

Jim McMillin worked for Boeing after the war.

Shorty Hunt

Shorty Hunt founded a construction company after the war.

Johnny White

Johnny White worked for Bethlehem Steel.

Gordy Adam

Gordy Adam worked for Boeing for 38 years.

Roger Morris

Roger Morris spent World War II doing construction work and later worked for the Manson Construction Company.

The boys' careers in rowing

Joe Rantz, one of the key rowers, faced significant personal struggles, including being abandoned by his family. He lived in an abandoned car, ate canned food, and had no job or money for tuition fees. Rowing offered him a chance to turn his life around.

The University of Washington's rowing team was made up of young men from working-class backgrounds, many of whom were struggling financially. The university provided part-time jobs to all members of its rowing crews, which was a strong incentive for boys like Rantz to join the team.

The team's coach, Al Ulbrickson, played a crucial role in their success. He pushed them hard in training sessions, searching for the perfect combination of eight rowers and a coxswain. Ulbrickson's leadership extended beyond technical training; he connected with his rowers on a personal level, understanding their hardships and channeling their aspirations into a collective dream.

The coxswain, Bobby Moch, also played a pivotal role in their victory. His strategic thinking and ability to make real-time decisions during the races were crucial. Moch's leadership and adaptability in the face of unexpected challenges, such as dealing with Don Hume's illness, were key to their success.

The team's journey to the Olympics was not without its obstacles. On their way to Berlin, Hume, the 'stroke' (the rower who sets the pace), fell severely ill with a chest cold. However, the team refused to race without him, and Hume rowed through his illness.

In the final race, the US crew faced off against the favoured Italian and German teams. Despite being given the worst lane, where they would be battered by the winds, they stuck to their strategy of starting slow and powering through to a sprint finish. In a photo finish, they won the gold medal by just half a second.

The boys' victory was not only a triumph over their competitors but also over the hardships of the Great Depression. Their success brought them fame and changed the perception of Seattle, which was previously considered a small logging town.

After the Olympics, the boys went on to lead remarkable lives. Rantz graduated with a chemical engineering degree and worked for Boeing for 35 years. He married his college sweetheart, Joyce, and had five children. Moch pursued a career in law, leveraging his strategic leadership and decision-making skills honed during his rowing days. Don Hume worked in the forestry products industry, carrying over the strength and resilience he developed as a rower.

The boys remained close friends throughout their lives, meeting for reunions and even rowing together again in their old age. Their journey and success continue to inspire and provide valuable lessons in teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

The boys' careers in other fields

The boys from the University of Washington rowing team went on to have successful careers in a variety of fields after their Olympic win. Joe Rantz, the main character in the book and film, graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and worked for Boeing as an engineer. He and his college sweetheart, Joyce, had five children together.

Bobby Moch, the coxswain, graduated with honours and attended law school while working as a rowing coach at the University of Washington. He later transferred to Harvard Law School and became one of Seattle's most prominent attorneys. Jim McMillin, another member of the team, took over Bobby Moch's coaching job at MIT and also worked for Boeing.

Chuck Day became a doctor in the Navy and later a successful gynecologist. Shorty Hunt founded a construction company, while Don Hume had a successful career in mining and eventually became the president of the West Coast Mining Association. Johnny White worked for Bethlehem Steel, and Gordy Adam worked for Boeing for 38 years.

Roger Morris spent World War II doing construction work and later worked for the Manson Construction Company. The team's coach, Al Ulbrickson, continued coaching and won another Olympic gold in 1948. He was later inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame.

The boys' personal lives

The boys in the University of Washington rowing team, who were the subject of the book and film "The Boys in the Boat", all survived World War II. Most of them did not serve in the military during the war, as they were a little older than the usual draftees. Those with engineering degrees were put to work designing and building aircraft for the war effort.

Joe Rantz, the main character in the book and film, went on to marry his college sweetheart, Joyce, and had five children. He worked for Boeing for 35 years and lived until the age of 93, passing away in 2007.

Another member of the rowing team, Chuck Day, served as a naval doctor in the Pacific during World War II. Stub McMillin carried out classified research, and Don Hume sailed with the merchant marine.

The boys remained close friends over the decades and met for reunions, often getting back into a boat together, even when they had grown so frail that they needed help getting in and out of their seats. They had informal reunions at each other's homes, and their families were all in touch with each other.

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