The Navy Midshipmen donned new uniforms for their highly-anticipated matchup against the Army Black Knights just a handful of weeks ago. With their incredible success against their heated rivals, the Midshipmen donned those special uniforms once again against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Honoring the iconic “Jolly Rogers” squadron, the Midshipmen are sure to out-pace their SEC rivals in the Armed Forced Bowl, at least with their uniform combination, as everything from head to toe on their special “Fear the Bones” uniforms symbolizes a piece of history yet again.
Navy Football Releases ‘Fear the Bones’ Special Uniforms
Debuted first in the 125th edition of the Army-Navy Game, the Midshipmen are once again wearing an all-white tribute to the Jolly Rogers.
Fear the Bones 🏴☠️#JollyRogers | #GoNavy | #BeatArmy pic.twitter.com/02NnjFiJwN
— Navy Football (@NavyFB) November 20, 2024
Every part of the uniform represents a part of what the Navy calls the most lethal squadron in all of naval aviation history.
The iconic “Skull and Crossbones” of the Jolly Roger first took flight with VF-17, the Navy’s deadliest fighter squadron of World War II, in January 1943. Since then, this legendary insignia has been carried on by several U.S. Naval Aviation squadrons, including the renowned VFA-103.
Over the years, the squadron has played a vital role in numerous operations, flying a total of nine different aircraft. Their legacy is celebrated in every detail of these uniforms.
The crisp white jerseys are accented by the Navy blue and gold colors synonymous with the Jolly Rogers. The sleeves feature the squadron’s signature angled stripe, a nod to tradition.
At the base of the helmets, the bold message “FEAR THE BONES” stands out in all caps, while V-shaped chevrons on either side pay tribute to the nine aircraft flown by the squadron.
The back of the jerseys, from the neck to the helmet, mirrors the tail design of the Jolly Rogers fighters.
Even the uniform pants honor this history, with small text spelling out the names of the six Jolly Rogers squadrons.
Players are also sporting special gloves that, when crossed, form the legendary Skull and Crossbones emblem—an unmistakable tribute to the squadron’s enduring legacy.
This is now the third time the Midshipmen have honored the Jolly Rogers as an aptly-named Roger Staubach-led Navy team beat Army in Joly Rogers-inspired helmets in 1962 and the Midshipmen beat Army just three weeks ago in 2024.
Enjoy the uniforms that Navy has on during the Armed Forces Bowl, and know that every part was done with purpose and precision.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.