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Greg Boyington

Pappy Boyington
Pappy Boyington.jpg      A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon.
Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (World War II photo)
Birth name Gregory Boyington
Other name(s) Gregory Hallenbeck
Nickname(s) Pappy, Gramps
Born (1912-12-04)December 4, 1912
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Died January 11, 1988(1988-01-11) (aged 75)
Fresno, California
Buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance  United States of America
 China
Service/branch  United States Marine Corps
 Republic of China Air Force
Years of service 1934–1947
Rank US-O6 insignia.svg  Colonel
Commands held VMF-112
VMA214-Blacksheep.svg VMF-214
Battles/wars Second Sino-Japanese War
World War II  (Solomon Islands)
Awards Medal of Honor ribbon.svg Medal of Honor
Navy Cross ribbon.svg Navy Cross
Purple Heart BAR.svg Purple Heart Medal
U.S. Navy Presidential Unit Citation.svg Presidential Unit Citation (2)

Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (December 4, 1912 – January 11, 1988) was an American combat pilot who was a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He received both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.

Boyington was initially a P-40 Warhawk fighter pilot with the legendary "Flying Tigers" (1st American Volunteer Group) in the Republic of China Air Force in Burma at the end of 1941 and part of 1942, during the military conflict between China and Japan, and the beginning of World War II.

In September 1942, he rejoined the Marine Corps (he had been an aviator before the war). In early 1943, he deployed to the South Pacific and began flying combat missions as a Marine F4U Corsair fighter pilot. In September 1943, he took command of U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadron VMF-214 ("Black Sheep"). In January 1944, Boyington, outnumbered by Japanese "Zero" planes, was shot down into the Pacific Ocean after downing one of the enemy planes. He was captured by a Japanese submarine crew and was held as a prisoner of war for more than a year and a half. He was released shortly after the surrender of Japan, and a few days before the official surrender documents were signed.


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