The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington - Mar. 22nd, 2003

AcePilots ^

[Taxman]

I have a beautiful painting (actually a lithograph) of a Corsair turning into the "groove" aboard the USS Essex. Supposed to be a famous painting, and onna these days, I'll get it framed.

[Taxman]

Well, they are younger than I am, and only got out because of Slick and his gang. I suspect that 9-11 had a lot to do with their decision to re-up, as well.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

My pleasure :)

A lithograph by Lonnie Ortega (http://www.lonnieortegaaviationart.com/) as a tribute to the 50th Anniversary (1942-1992) of VMF/VMA-214 "BLACKSHEEP". Depicted are the aircraft of this famous squadron.

[SAMWolf]

I see they flew the Sabre Jet and Panther. Thanks for sharing the lithograph.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Dh "crossed the line" on the Essex with 214.

Have you ever read Pappy's book? After buying two signed copies for my husband, I felt compelled to give it a go, myself. I'm glad I did! It was great reading! Pappy was one helluva guy!

[Taxman]

I crossed the line in the USS Kearsarge (CVS-33) in 1967, before y'all were born! LOL!

I've got an autographed copy, and it is a great read.

I envy dh tour as a Black Sheep. That is worth bragging on, because, if I know Marines, Pappy's legacy is alive and well in the ready room and throughout the squadron. Bet it was a fun place to be, and I'll wager that the Black Sheep are very, very good at what they do.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[GATOR NAVY]

I've been to Iwo Jima twice, once on USS SAN BERBERNARDINO (LST-1189) when we actually beached about the same place that AAV in the photo is, and later on USS JUNEAU (LPD-10) when we launched AAVs like these.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

"I envy dh tour as a Black Sheep. That is worth bragging on, because, if I know Marines, Pappy's legacy is alive and well in the ready room and throughout the squadron. Bet it was a fun place to be, and I'll wager that the Black Sheep are very, very good at what they do."

Dh's group that did the initial tour to Iwakuni was an outrageous group of guys! The bond that was formed remains 'till this day, even though today, they are spead out all over the world. At least one is deployed (I believe leading a Blacksheep det with one of the MEUs). Quite a few are pilots with American, Delta, Southwest, United... many exited on the tidal wave to the airlines. A few are working for the gov't. Several are reservists.

Dh has met many former Blacksheep through the years. Many would come back to meet the current pilots, to share some stories, and to check out the Pappy Room, and all the memorabilia.

Pappy Boyington is more than remembered at 214 -- I think he hangs out in the halls.

[PhilDragoo]

I'd have to be restrained if I ever passed by Mr. McNamara -- I don't often lust to punch people in the nose, but his is a nose I'd gladly punch.

Pilgrim, you caused a lot of trouble this morning; might have got someone killed and someone ought to belt ya in the mouth. But I won't...I won't! The hell I won't.

[SAMWolf]

McClintock. One of Wayne's best

[Taxman]

Well, it has been my experience that all Naval Aviators are outrageous, and Marine Aviators are even more outrageous! LOL!

Yea -- I can see ol' Pappy now, urging them all on to great feats of derring do.

IMHO, Pappy's "can do" Warrior spirit is alive and well in the heart and mind of every Naval Aviator -- some more than others of course.

In a Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron, particularly the Black Sheep, the danger is probably "too much Pappy" rather than "not enough Pappy."

[Taxman]

LOL! Duke got it right, didn't he?

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

All can decide for themselves just what this is worth, as I have not heard of this group before. *But*...the sentiment and statements made within these paragraphs is, IMO, a great representation of the truth, which btw, was obstructed, and subsequently ruined many lives and careers of men who served in our military.


"This was conclusively demonstrated in a hitherto obscure quote of Lt. Paula Coughlin's that was dug up by a NOM researcher. In a careless moment, Coughlin, a former Navy pilot -- and the 'heroine' of the so-called Tailhook scandal -- blurted out to a New York Times reporter that she was happy about the breakdown in morale and cohesion that her presence had wrought among male pilots."

``'You know what?,' she rhetorically asked. 'It makes a lot of men mad and if it makes them angry, it's worth it.' What she was admitting to in this unguarded moment was that the prime goal of certain key women-in-combat proponents was not to contribute to America's defense but just the opposite: to tear down the vital morale of our fighting men."

"Clearly, that calculated plan of destruction is working; the men who've pledged their lives for the safety of the rest of us are indeed miserable. Add to that the flimsy and/or trumped-up charges of 'sexual harassment' that are a constant threat to even the most well-behaved of them..."

http://www.tnom.com/html/quest97.html

[Taxman]

Awesome find. I rest our case!

[CT]

My Dad, also a Marine Aviator, knew Pappy Boyington. He was in VMF-241, the first unit to engage the enemy at Midway.

My Dad tells a story about Pappy that we always laugh over.

Shortly after the war, one of my Dad's VMF-241 (as opposed to Pappy's unit -- VMF-214) Marine buddies had become a cop in or near LA. So too his friend's wife, working in some admin job at the same precinct.

One night Pappy gets a little too loaded at a local bar. But the barkeep knows who Pappy is. So he calls the local cop, my Dad's buddy, and tells him, "we got Pappy Boyington here, a fellow Marine of yours. Maybe you can take him in and sober him up."

To make a long story short, my Dad's budddy brings Pappy back to the station, and tells him he will take him home to sleep things off at the end of the shift.

When the shift ends, my Dad's buddy and his admin wife set out for home with Pappy in the back seat.

Apparently my Dad's buddy did not completely fill in his wife about who was in the back, probably just telling her he was taking care of a fellow Marine. Because the wife during the ride home turns to Pappy and says, did you fly in the war also?

My Dad says Pappy said, "yeah, something like that."

So thanks for the memories from our Marine Corps family.