Indiana Football To Wear 'Salute to Service' Uniforms Against Maryland

The special uniform design incorporates IU's traditional markings on gray camouflage pants and jersey tops.

Dylan Wallace | Nov 27, 2020

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football will be wearing their special "Salute to Service" jerseys this Saturday against Maryland.

The Hoosiers originally planned to wear them against Michigan, but couldn't due to "a lack of contrast with the Michigan uniforms."

But the Hoosiers will be wearing the uniforms and helmets on Saturday against the Terrapins.

Honoring the USS Indiana:

⚓️ South Dakota-class battleship
⚓️ Commissioned in April 1942
⚓️ Served during World War II
⚓️ Participated in nine battles pic.twitter.com/kalskcOBG6
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) November 27, 2020

Below is some information about the background of the uniforms:

The special uniform design incorporates IU's traditional markings on gray camouflage pants and jersey tops. In addition, the jersey sleeves include the United States flag and nine "battle" stars. One of the other special features that won't be as obvious to spectators comes on the IU helmets. Inside the center stripe of each player's helmet are names of crew members of the WWII battleship USS Indiana BB 58.

The IU players’ helmets will also honor the time period by featuring the Heritage IU logo that was first utilized by IU Athletics on its uniforms during the 1930s-1950s, and continued to be used by former IU Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Knight on the Hoosiers’ uniform shorts.

Fittingly, this season marks the 60th anniversary of Memorial Stadium, which hosted its first game on Oct. 8, 1960. For the majority of those 60 years, the stadium has honored our veterans in more ways than just its name.

Located near the Memorial Stadium's westside elevator is the mainmast and anti-aircraft guns that came from the USS Indiana BB 58. The third of four Navy ships to bear the USS Indiana name, the 35,000-ton BB 58 was commissioned in 1942 and was first deployed to the South Pacific and then later the Central and Western Pacific during World War II. The ship and its crew participated in nine battles and earned an equal number of battle stars (which is represented on the uniform sleeves), including from the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in 1945.

The Indiana BB 58 was decommissioned in 1947, and remained inactive until 1962 when it was stricken from the Naval Vessel registry. When it was subsequently broken up in 1963, former IU President Herman B Wells secured the anti-aircraft gun along with other relics from the ship and brought them back to Bloomington. Some of those relics, include the anti-aircraft gun, remain on display to this day.

In addition, in 2013 the Frank Spenger family donated the prow of the USS Indiana BB 58 to Indiana University, which was then moved from California to Memorial Stadium. IU Facilities Operations staff restored the prow and it was installed by President Michael McRobbie and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at the IU vs. Navy game on September 7, 2013. Over 30 members of the original WW II crew were present and honored at the installation.

Indiana University's ties to the USS Indiana, meanwhile, extend beyond what is on display outside of Memorial Stadium. The University awards an annual $5,000 scholarship to one current or newly-admitted student who either currently serves on or has served on the USS Indiana SSN 789, a United States fast attack submarine that was commissioned in 2018 and is the fourth naval vessel to bear the USS Indiana name.

"We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our veterans who have served our country in the past, and an equal debt to those who are doing to same all around the world today," said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. "We are proud to partner with adidas on this project and I know our fans will love how these uniforms look and what they represent."

For a limited time, fans can purchase replicas of these special uniforms directly through adidas HERE.

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