Road to the '42 Title: Staff Sergeant

Mike Lacche was proud of becoming  United States Army Welterweight Base Boxing Champion, Fort Kamehameha, Hawaii, 1942 and also earning the rank of Staff Sergeant during his military career. Like many Americans who grew up fast without much money, the Armed Forces gave a sense of honor and community.

wikipedia.org

A Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army is an E6 ranking, non-commissioned officers who served as squad leaders. That meant that Mike had to lead a group of young men in a global war; Mike believed in leading by example.

Boxing became both a venue to lead by example, as well as, an escape for Mike to throw his full focus on a goal that only he could be responsible for. Mike took pride in the long history of Army Base athletics.