Prolly a dupe but it's on the History Channel.



Go Pappy Boyngton.



BOTD
(Bad Ass Of The Day)

I watched it. I enjoy the hell out of the Black Sheep Squadron.

What a character.

I met him at the Reno Air races in 1986.   He was selling autographed copies of his book at a vendor's stand.   About 30 ft away was a Japanese WW2 pilot (Saburo Sakai?) also selling books about his war adventures.

I thought I was walking into a street brawl.   They were both cussing at each other, using some of the most foul language ever heard.    The Japanese pilot was trying to make the point that he and his fellow aviators were as good as the Black Sheep pilots, and Boyington would jump out out of his chair and chase the Japanese guy, while unleashing  a torrent of expletives that would have made a longshoreman cringe.   The Japanese used a few common cuss words, but Boyington ripped him on his ancestry, his flying abilities, his soldiering skills, his mother, his children, etc, etc.

Boyington was red faced and had his fists clenched, so I doubt it was an act.

They were both trying to sell their books to the same prospective buyers, but they probably scared off 80% of them.  

I bought Boyington's book, had it personally autographed, and was going to get the Japanese pilot's book, but Boyington let loose another tirade so I decided not to get in the middle of it.   Thinking back on it, that's probably exactly what Boyington wanted.

He just couldn't pass up a chance to screw the Japanese, and after reading of his mistreatment by them, in his book, I can understand his feelings.

Bruce Gambles book on the Black Sheep is a good read.

The Japanese pilot who shot down Boyington used to sell his book ("bye Bye Black Sheep")regularly at the WAC show in Puyallup.  Seemed like a very nice man.  Sadly, he passed away about two years ago.

Season 1 of Black Sheep Squadron comes out on DVD this Tuesday.

Theres a book Greg wrote himself, another good read.

The REAL members of Boyington's unit were PISSED at the TV show because it made them look like a bunch of 60's hippy misfits and bums.  
The only member of the unit that was a misfit was Boyington.
He coined the phrase, "Show me a hero, and I'll prove he's a bum".

After the war, Curtis Lemay said how disappointed the leadership of the Air Force was in Pappy.
Lemay said they wanted Boyington to be the post war leader of the Tactical Air Force and develop post-war fighter doctrine.

The generals said that Boyington was a genius in fighter deployment and tactics, and said that had he been around, the air war in Vietnam would have been a MUCH different affair.

Lemay said that it wasn't to be because "Boyington couldn't put the cork back in the bottle".

Boyington himself later in life admitted his boozing and inexcusable conduct had cost him and the Air Force a great missed opportunity.

A retired Marine General who had been the XO of 214 in 1965 once told me a story. Just as they were set to ship to Vietnam, Boyington came to the squadron for a visit. They had a barbeque on the beach and listened to him tell war stories. About half way through the evening Boyington excused himself to make a head call and did not come back. About 30 minutes later the SDO called saying that Boyington was in the seat of an A-4 trying to get the crew chief to fire up the huffer so he could take it up. Boyington was of course three sheets to the wind and cussing the crew chief repeatedly. The XO and CO showed up and talked him back to the beach with a promise of more beer.  


IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

Quoted: Theres a book Greg wrote himself, another good read.

+1.  I read his book while in high school and it was an excellent read.  I met him at an airshow in Homestead back in the 80's.  He and the Japanese pilot that shot him down were both selling/signing their respective books.