[Snickering Hound]

I also remember him mentioning the Japs contacted him over the radio and tried to get his altitude. He told them he was lower than he actually was and they formed up underneath him and his men.

Maybe.

Seems more likely there was a lost American pilot trying to rejoin his formation. Weather in the South Pacific could go from good to awful quite quick with thunderstorms spooling up in minutes.

Shortly thereafter, a formation of Japanese planes show up.

Or maybe it's all sweetener for his autobiography that was published a few years after Audie Murphy's autobiography was turned into 'From Hell and Back' and Hollywood made him a millionaire and a movie star.

'From Hell and Back' hit the theatres at the end of 55', in 58' Boyington's autobiography is published. And he's trying to sell it to Hollywood.

Finally in the 70's, it's picked up as a lousy TV show that even he hated.

[SaveFerris]

No. They specifically attacked a formation of Zero fighters, as I recall.

They formed several thousand feet over Boyington’s reported altitude, which placed them still well=below him and his men.

The book specifically stated that Boyington knew he was being played by a Japanese pilot requesting his FL.

Granted, it’s a book.