{
  "id": 17249066,
  "title": "The Heartbreaking True Story of War and Football in The Mosquito Bowl",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/the-heartbreaking-true-story-of-war-and-football-in-the-mosquito-bowl",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T15:09:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Time",
    "slug": "time",
    "url": "https://time.com/article/2026/10/30/the-true-story-behind-the-mosquito-bowl/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Christmas Eve 1944, an unusual game unfolded on a football field in the Guadalcanal jungle during World War II. Two regiments of the 6th Marine Division, weary from training and waiting out the conflict, settled a friendly bet over which team was superior. Over a hundred Marines watched the match unfold, with some betting on the outcome. Despite the serious nature of the event, the game remained scoreless. Three months later, this same regiment embarked on a much more significant mission, setting sail for Okinawa. Tragically, 15 of the 65 players who participated in that fateful football game would not survive. The film The Mosquito Bowl explores this poignant story, focusing on four players from that day - Tom Francis as Dave Schreiner, Ray Nicholson as Tony Butkovich, Bill Skarsgård as Bob Bauman, and Nicholas Galitzine as John McLaughry. Through their journey from pre-war days to the horrors of Okinawa, the film delves into the transition from football players to soldiers, and the challenges they faced in the face of overwhelming adversity.",
  "summary": "Pete Berg, Buzz Bissinger, and the cast of the new Netflix movie on bringing four young men to life, more than 75 years after they fought on Okinawa.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}