The Aviation Medals of Honor

VF-17 is likely the most famous of all the US Navy squadrons. Their history started back with their deployment to the Solomon Islands in 1943 and participation in the campaigns around Bouganville and Rabul and continues to this day. This episode covers their time in the South Pacific as well as the trials involved in the use of the F4U Corsair as a carrier aircraft.

Continuing the series of episodes on the Corsair and the fight for aerial supremacy in the Solomon Islands. In January 1944, the Japanese defenders at Rabul still had some fight in them. Robert Hanson, a 23 year old Marine Corsair pilot, would rack up an impressive string of victories in January, ending with 25 kills at the time of his death. This episode wraps up the Solomon Islands Campaign with the neutralization of Rabul and a brief summary of the Corsair.

Selected references:

The Fighting Corsairs, the Men of Marine Fighting Squadron 215 by Jeff Dacus

History of Marine Corps Aviation in WW2 by Robert Sherrod

Time of Aces, MarinePilots in the Solomons 1942-1944 by Cdr Peter Mersky

Part 1 on Greg "Pappy" Boyington. Before he led the world famous VMF-214 Blacksheep over the Solomons, Pappy Boyington was a broke, sometimes violent, drunk, about to get kicked out of the Marine Corps. He’s given a second chance when he joins the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers. This episode covers Pappy’s early life and time before his time with VMF-214, the Blacksheep squadron, as well as the history of the AVG.

Selected readings:

Black Sheep: The Life of Pappy Boyington by John Wukovitz

Baa Baa Black Sheep by Greg Boyington

The Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and the American Volunteer Group by Daniel Ford

I can be reached at [email protected] Feedback and reviews are appreciated. Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur

1st Lt Kenneth Walsh was the first F4U Corsair ace and a pilot in VMF-124 during the Solomon Islands campaign. He would earn his Medal of Honor over the course of two missions in August of 1943 and finish the war with 21 victories. In addition to Ken Walsh and VMF-124, this episode covers the development of the F4U Corsair and the initial moves of Admiral Halsey up the Solomon Island chain.  

Selected readings: 

Harnessing the Sky: Frederick "Trap" Trapnell, the US Navy's Aviation Pioneer, 1923-1952 by Frederick Trapnell Jr and Dana Tibbitts 

Corsair, the F4U in World War II and Korea by Barrett Tillman 

History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II by Robert Sherrod 

Time of Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944 by Cdr Peter Mersky 

I can be reached at [email protected] Feedback and reviews are appreciated. Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur

Arriving just two days after John L. Smith and VMF-223, the pilots of the 67th Fighter Squadron quickly learned their P-400 Airacobras were woefully inadequate for the air to air mission. Unable to climb quickly or high enough to intercept the Japanese Zeros and Betty bombers, the P-39 variants were pressed into an air to ground role. From September to December of 1942, this group of Army Air Forces pilots would go about the dirty business of air to ground killing. They would never get the publicity of the Marine fighter aces, but in the words of 1st Marine Division commander General Vandegrift, on the morning of 14 September they “saved Guadalcanal”. This episode will look at the development of the Bell P-39 and why it struggled as a fighter over Guadalcanal as well as the history of the 67th Fighter Squadron. 

Next episode: Up the Slot with the Marines and the mighty F4U Corsair 

*Correction* After 5 episodes on Guadalcanal, I somehow managed to say the landings took place on 8 August instead of the actual date of 7 August. 

Selected readings: 

Guadalcanal, the Island of Fire: Reflections of the 347th Fighter Group by Robert Ferguson

Pacific Counterblow - The 11th Bombardment Group and the 67th Fighter Squadron in the Battle for Guadalcanal

P-39/P-400 Airacobra vs A6M2/3 Zero-sen: New Guinea 1942 by Michael Claringbould

In part 5 of 5 in the Guadalcanal series, 1st Lt Jefferson DeBlanc of VMF-112 becomes the first Marine to achieve 5 victories on a single mission. This episode covers DeBlanc's combat experiences from November 1942 through January 1943, his Medal of Honor mission and recovery following his shootdown, as well as the conclusion of the Guadalcanal campaign. 

Selected readings:

The Guadalcanal Air War Colonel Jefferson DeBlanc's Story, Jefferson DeBlanc

History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War 2, Robert Sherrod

Wildcat, the F4F in WW2, Barrett Tillman

Time of Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944, Cdr Peter Mersky

Fire in the Sky, The Air War in the South Pacific, Eric Bergerud

Guadalcanal  1942-43: Japan's Bid to Knock Out Henderson Field and the Cactus Air Force, Mark Stille

*Kolombangara is the name of the island I kept fumbling over

I can be reached at [email protected] Feedback and reviews appreciated! Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur

Conclusion of Captain Joe Foss' story. Following their defeat in October, the Japanese gear up for another push to take Guadalcanal. The fate of the island will be decided over the course of several days of intense air and naval action from 12-15 November. Once again, the flyers of the Cactus Air Force will be in the thick of the action.  

Selected readings:  

Joe Foss Flying Marine: The Story of his Flying Circus, Joe Foss and Walter Simmons  

History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War 2, Robert Sherrod  

Wildcat, the F4F in WW2, Barrett Tillman  

Time of Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944, Cdr Peter Mersky  

Fire in the Sky, The Air War in the South Pacific, Eric Bergerud  

Guadalcanal  1942-43: Japan's Bid to Knock Out Henderson Field and the Cactus Air Force, Mark Stille

*I did my best with Japanese names, please excuse any errors. 

I can be reached at [email protected] Feedback and reviews appreciated! Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur