World War II Hero "Pappy" Boyington Still Taking Enemy Fire

Written by Elbert L. Watson

Jan 30, 2008 at 12:00 AM

To be sure, Medal of Honor Recipient Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was one of a kind! A daring, dashing, devil-may-care fellow, he was for awhile America’s unchallenged hero of World War II.    So far so good, but, amazingly, in February 2006 at the University of Washington, where Boyington graduated in 1934, a flap arose when a resolution introduced in the Associated Student Senate recommended erection of a memorial to honor him for his war service. Surprisingly, this action ignited a protest from many student legislators, prompting one member to state that she didn’t "believe a member of the Marine Corps was an example of the sort of person UW wanted to produce." Another senator opined that the university already had too many monuments to "rich, white men," obviously unaware that Boyington’s heritage was part Sioux Indian. One legislator even argued that the university should not honor any person who killed others, even in war. Just who was this fellow Boyington anyway? Born in poverty on December 4, 1912, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, he spent his childhood years in St. Maries, Idaho, a rough and tough logging town of the old Northwest. The family eventually settled in Tacoma, Washington. There Boyington, at only eight years of age, developed an undying love for flying, when he met the famous aviator, Clyde Pangborn, the first person to fly non-stop across the Pacific. As the story goes, youngster Greg was able to finagle a ride out of barnstormer Pangborn who was in town for an air show. At the University of Washington, Boyington was a member of the wrestling and swimming teams, R.O.T.C., and Lambda Chi Alpha. He once held the Pacific Northwest Intercollegiate middleweight wrestling title. Graduating with a B.S. in aeronautical engineering, he bounced around for awhile working part-time in mining and logging  camps, and road construction. Finally, the Boeing Corporation hired him as a draftsman. Still, flying was his first love! Enlisting in the Marines in February, 1936, he wrangled an appointment to the newly formed cadet flight program, receiving his wings at Pensacola (Florida) Naval Air Station on March 11, 1937. The hell-raising, well-liked Boyington was marking time as a flight instructor in Pensacola in late summer 1941, when he heard that Claire Chennault needed seasoned pilots to back China’s war against the Japanese. Because the United States government was heavily involved in aiding China, it was necessary for the program to operate under the cover of the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO). Later it was known as the American Volunteer Group (AVG). Sensing a golden opportunity to get into combat aerial action, Boyington wasted no time signing up with the understanding that he could resume his Marine career if the United States got involved in war. While flying with the "Flying Tigers," the nickname given the group, Boyington shot down six Japanese planes, though his detractors only credited him with four. He was a member of the pre-dawn P-40 fighter sweep over the large Japanese held airfield at Chiang Mai, Thailand, on March 20, 1942. The swarming airmen wreaked havoc with their multiple strafing runs. Brash, out-spoken, and never one to back down, Boyington eventually proved too much for crusty old Chennault. He was dishonorably discharged a few weeks later and returned to the United States. But by then America desperately needed trained men for the war effort, so Boyington in no time at all was tapped as a major in the Marine Corps. Assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, First Marine Aircraft Wing, he was appointed Executive Officer of VMF 122, headquartered on Guadalcanal. Shortly thereafter he was tapped to serve as commanding officer of the elite Marine Fighter Squadron 14, the famous "Black Sheep Squadron." Boyington initially earned the nickname "Gramps" because at 31 years he was a decade or more older than most of the men serving under him. The catchy moniker was changed to "Pappy" from words in a song which one of his pilots wrote. War correspondents in the Pacific when referring to Boyington often used the designation in their reports, thus permanently sealing his image as a legend. Beginning on September 14, 1943, and continuing for 84 days, the 26 pilots comprising the "Black Sheep" squadron, destroyed or damaged 197 enemy planes. Troop transports and supply ships were also sunk and ground installations wiped out. Not surprisingly, "Pappy" was right in the middle of the hottest action. His natural ability to handle the Vaught F4U greatly enhanced his growing reputation in the skies. Regarded as one of the best airplanes produced during the war, the Vaught could outfight and out climb any prop driven enemy airplane. During fierce action over the Russell Islands, New Georgia, and Bougainville, "Pappy" shot down 14 enemy fighter planes in 32 days. On December 17, 1943, he led the first fighter sweep over Rabaul,  Japan’s Pacific headquarters. By the end of the month his total kills reached 25. Then fickle fate dealt him a bad hand. Once again flying over Rabaul on January 3, 1944, he got his 26th enemy plane, thus tying the American record of 26 kills set by Eddie Rickenbacker during World War I and a fellow Marine, Joe Foss. Later that day he was shot down himself when he and another plane were jumped by 20 Japanese fighters. Hit in the main gas tank, "Pappy’s" plane went up in flames in front of his eyes. He described the sensation as "much the same as opening the door of a  furnace and sticking one’s head into the thing." Parachuting out of the plane at a low altitude, Boyington struck the water full force. Though  badly injured, he managed to climb onto his raft where he lay, exhausted, until he was picked up by a Japanese submarine several hours later. "Pappy" languished in the Ofuna prison camp outside Yokohama the last 18 months of the war.  Subjected to extremely cruel treatment by his sadistic captors, "Pappy" on one occasion was publicly beaten with a baseball bat in front of his fellow prisoners. There was not a murmur out of him. He lost 80 pounds during his imprisonment. Following the war, Boyington returned home a  national hero and found that he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel. At the White House, President Truman presented him with the Medal of Honor. He also received the Navy Cross and was the star of a successful Victory Bond Tour. He retired from the Marine Corps as full colonel on August 1, 1947. His fellow Americans lauded him as their hero. That moment of euphoria, unfortunately, passed much too quickly. Fighting his inner demons, "Pappy" shuffled around from place to place, working in department stores, traveling as a liquor salesman, and refereeing wrestling matches. His disastrous family life resulted in long periods of alcoholism. In 1966 he almost died of emphysema. Still, there were bright spots along the way. "Pappy’s" book, BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP, became a best seller in the 1950s. During the mid-1970s, a popular television series by the same name starred the noted actor Robert Conrad. Thus restored to public consciousness, "Pappy" became a familiar figure on the speaking and air show circuits. He even acquired a single seat airplane and resumed flying in the late 1970s. A tenacious fighter to the very end, "Pappy" finally flew his last mission on January 11, 1988, when he succumbed to cancer in a hospice in Fresno, California. Four days later he was laid to rest with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery near the Tomb of the Unknowns. A missing man formation of F-4 fighters from nearby Andrews Air Force Base paid him a well-deserved final salute. Those who understand the role of the warrior during wartime, regard Boyington as among America’s best. Colonel Charles J. Quilter, also a former Marine Corps pilot, describes "Pappy" this way: "By far the most colorful Marine aviator of any era, he was pugnacious, witty, rebellious, fun loving, a disaster as a peacetime officer, a gifted pilot in both dog fighting and gunnery, and a brilliant combat leader." But there’s more! "Pappy’s" exploits live on today in the form of the six aircraft AV 8B Harrier detachment of the Marine Squadron attached to the USS PELELIU in the Persian Gulf. Known as the "Black Sheep" squadron, the sleek jets normally are parked on the starboard quarter of the ship, their shields depicting black sheep, stars, a bar, and the gull-winged Corsair. The lead jet, designated "Major ‘Pappy’ Boyington," is flown by Major John "Bull" Rahe, the detach-ment’s officer in charge. So, in a real sense "Pappy" is still soaring high above, this time over Iraqi skies 60 years later to inspire modern Marines to hang tough just as he did long ago. Oh yes, going back to that little flap at the University of Washington. Well, there was such a loud public outcry from prominent alums against the student government’s action, that the original resolution was withdrawn. A new resolution supported the erection of a suitable memorial to all five alumni of the university who received the Medal of Honor. Should he be looking on from some distant celestial outpost today, would "Pappy" want to share the spotlight with his fellow grads? Probably not, given the fact that he was one of a kind. Still, in his final dog fight "Pappy," it might be said, had the last word against a "foe" who tried to take him down, long after he had gone up against real foes during his heady days of World War II. -------------------------------------------- Elbert L. Watson is a retired military historian who specializes in World War II and the War Between the States. Readers can reach him at