I got him to autograph my copy at Oshkosh.
I read “Baa Baa Black Sheep”. Every American should read it. One of the amazing things that I learned was that Boyington spent most of 1942 working as a parking lot attendant in Seattle. He had previously resigned his commission in the Marine Corps and fought with the Flying Tigers in China. The Marine Corps was very reluctant to take him back. He drank so much hard liquor it is amazing that he was able to fly at all.
Oh, and the part of the story when he crashed his burning plane into the middle of the ocean and was picked up by a Japanese submarine...you have to read it.
Another great book is The Jolly Rogers by Tom Blackburn. VF-17 was known as the Skull and Crossbones squadron. They had over 150 confirmed air to air kills. I read both Baa Baa Black Sheep and The Jolly Rogers more than once.
I wonder if that was the book I read in grade school?
I know I read one about Poppy Boyington.
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.