THI Podcast: The Back Story On Choo Choo Starring During WWII

Based on a recent three-part series on TarHeelIllustrated.com, author and historian Wilbur Jones joins THI publisher Andrew Jones to discuss legendary UNC football player Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice's time playing football for the Bainbridge Naval Training Station team during World War II.

Justice was a college football sensation before he even arrived to turn in the most distinguished career of any Tar Heel. What was written and said about Justice in 1943 and 1944? How good was he? How unique was he?

And what about him going to Duke, which didn’t materialize, and how did he end up at Carolina?

The Joneses discuss that and more, including touching on Justice’s UNC career as well as the current football and basketball Tar Heels. Wilbur Jones is a UNC graduate (’55) and lettered in soccer and lacrosse there while serving as president of the monogram club during his senior year.

The story comes from Jones' book "Football! Navy! War!" published in 2009.

Jones is the author of 18 books, with his 19th coming out this summer. He is a retired US.S. Navy Captain, worked in politics in Washington, D.,C serving two presidents while also working for the department of Housing and Urban Development and Chamber of Commerce. He is an award-winning military history.

You can lern more about Jones and his work at WilburJones.com.

*Video edits by Jacob Turner