A Marine's Story: Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington



Colonel Gregory Boyington was born on December 4, 1912, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. His family moved to Washington while he was young and he graduated from Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington.

He attended the University of Washington, where he was on the wrestling and swim teams. Colonel "Pappy" Boyington was also in the fraternity Lamda Chi Alpha and participated in ROTC.  He graduated in 1934 with a BS in aeronautical engineering and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army Reserves.

In 1935 he tried to gain a seat in the cockpit by enlisting under the Aviation Cadet Act. Unfortunately, the code disallowed married men, and he was married.  Colonel Boyington found a way around this rule.

Boyington was the colonel's birth name. Up until this point, though, he had been using the name Gregory Hallenbeck, which was the last name of his mother's second husband. While there was a recorded marriage for Gregory Hallenbeck, there wasn't any record of a marriage for Gregory Boyington, and he would enlist in the US Marine Corps under that name.

He received his wings on March 11, 1937, and would be assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft group.



In 1941 he briefly resigned from the Marines to accept a position with the American Volunteer Group, commonly known as the "Flying Tigers of Burma" he would return to the Marines in 1942 for the duration of World War II and was first assigned to Marine Fighter Squadron 122 and then Squadron 112 before becoming CO of Marine Fighter Squadron 214, otherwise known as the "Black Sheep Squadron."

Colonel Pappy Boyington would tie Captain Eddie Rickenbacker's record of 26 downed planes when he himself was shot down.  He would remain a prisoner of war until August 29, 1945.

He would be awarded the Navy Cross and the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II in 1945.  Colonel Boyington retired from the US Marine Corps on August 1, 1947.

In 1958 Colonel Pappy Boyington wrote his autobiography "Baa Baa Black Sheep," which would very loosely inspire the 1970s television series Black Sheep Squadron.

Colonel Gregory Boyington died on January 11, 1988, and rests in Arlington National Cemetery.

****************************************

a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

#TaketheBackRoads


Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my webshop, or by buying me a cup of coffee!



Location: Coeur d'Alene, ID, USA

Popular posts from this blog

A Soldier's Story: Lieutenant Sorrell Booke - Korean War

Image
Lieutenant Sorrell Booke was born on January 4, 1930, in Buffalo, New York. Always a performer, he made impressions for the local radio stations while attending Bennet High School, where he graduated class valedictorian in 1948. After high school, Lieutenant Sorrell Booke attended Columbia University, then moved to Yale University to receive his master's degree. However, his college education was briefly interrupted by his enlistment in the US Army during the Korean War, where Lieutenant Booke served as a counterintelligence officer. In 1960, after many years spent on the stage, Lieutenant Sorrell Booke made his way to Hollywood. He took on several roles in film, including one in the movie Black Like Me, before focusing on television roles. Lieutenant Sorrell Booke was nominated for an Emmy for his role in Dr. Kildare. He also appeared on M*A*S*H and All in the Family before landing his most famous role, that of Boss Hogg, in the television series Dukes of Hazzard, a part h
Read more

An Airman's Story: Staff Sergeant Francis Pershing McNamara

Image
Staff Sergeant Francis Pershing McNamara was born on February 19, 1943, in Pollagh, Ireland. He immigrated to the U.S. at one-month-old aboard the USS Baltic and grew up in Parma, Ohio. Staff Sergeant Francis McNamara enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Services on March 19, 1942, in response to World War II and was trained as an ariel gunner. He was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group and deployed to the Pacific theater. On May 27, 1943, during a rescue mission, the plane he was on, the Green Hornet, crashed into the Pacific. Staff Sergeant Francis McNamara, First Lieutenant Russell Allen Phillips, and First Lieutenant Louis Zamperini were the only survivors and were adrift in the ocean. After 33 days, on June 30, 1943, Staff Sergeant Francis Pershing McNamara succumbed to starvation and exposure and was buried at sea. He is memorialized in the Court of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. * Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here* ****************************
Read more

A Soldier's Story: Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr - Vietnam War

Image
Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 17, 1948. After his high school graduation, he attended Clemson University and played collegiate football. Sergeant Rigney left college after one year to enlist in the US Army. Training as a gunner, Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr. deployed twice to Vietnam with the 68th Assault Helicopter Squadron.   He returned to the US in 1970 and enrolled at The Citadel, where he studied physics. Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr. graduated in 1974 and began working for the US Navy at the Charleston Naval Shipyard.  In 1977, Sergeant James Oliver Rigney fell from a submarine in drydock, severely injuring his leg and requiring the reconstruction of his knee. His recovery process was long and was complicated by blood clots. Sergeant Rigney decided during his convalescence to become a writer. He began writing historical works under Reagan O'Neal before writing Western novels as Jackson O'Reilly. Sergeant James Ol
Read more