Although the eightoared crews raced through choppyilter and the men were stung by WWriving rain, they were aided by a downstream tide.
Hundreds of river boats and six destroyers greeted the victory of the Navy with shrill siren blasts, There were wild scenes aboard the destroyers for the victory was the first Navy triumph since 1931. The boys from the Naval Academy placed second last year and third in 1936.
The adverse weather conditions kept thousands away, although the 24,000 spectators who flocked here were rewarded with one of the most spectacular races on record.
Starting off behind Wisconsin and California, which set a fast, short stroke, the Navy pulled abreast of California on the half-way mark of the four/mile course.
The California Bears, however, achieved and held a half-length lead until the crews were half-a-mile from home.
California pulled abreast and seemed about to pass the Navy, but Annapolis coxswain Ednap gave the signal for the spurt and the Navy shell shot forward as the oars dipped into the water for fast furious strokes,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.