GREGORY 'PAPPY' BOYINGTON
Name: Gregory Boyington
Born: 4 December 1912 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Died: 11 January 1988 (aged 75) Fresno, California
Nickname "Pappy"
Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, USMC, (December 4, 1912 - January 11, 1988)
was an American fighter ace. Boyington flew initially with the American
Volunteer Group ("The Flying Tigers") in the Republic of China Air Force during
the Second Sino-Japanese War. He later commanded the famous U.S. Marine Corps
squadron, VMF-214 ("The Black Sheep Squadron") during World War II. Boyington
became a prisoner of war later in the war. For his U.S. Marine Corps service he
was awarded the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor.
Boyington died of cancer on January 11, 1988 at the age of 75 in Fresno,
California.
He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on January 15, 1988, in plot 7A-150
with full honors accorded to a Medal of Honor recipient, including a missing man
fly-by conducted by the F-4 Phantom IIs of the Marine detachment at Andrews Air
Force Base. Before his flight from Fresno, California VMA-214 (the current
incarnation of the Black Sheep Squadron) did a flyby. They intended to do a
missing man formation, but one of the four aircraft suffered a mechanical
problem.
After the burial service for Boyington one of his friends, Fred Losch, looked
down at the headstone that he was standing next to, the boxing legend Joe Louis,
"Ol' Pappy wouldn't have to go far to find a good fight."
Name: Gregory Boyington
Born: 4 December 1912 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Died: 11 January 1988 (aged 75) Fresno, California
Nickname "Pappy"
Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, USMC, (December 4, 1912 - January 11, 1988)
was an American fighter ace. Boyington flew initially with the American
Volunteer Group ("The Flying Tigers") in the Republic of China Air Force during
the Second Sino-Japanese War. He later commanded the famous U.S. Marine Corps
squadron, VMF-214 ("The Black Sheep Squadron") during World War II. Boyington
became a prisoner of war later in the war. For his U.S. Marine Corps service he
was awarded the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor.
Boyington died of cancer on January 11, 1988 at the age of 75 in Fresno,
California.
He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on January 15, 1988, in plot 7A-150
with full honors accorded to a Medal of Honor recipient, including a missing man
fly-by conducted by the F-4 Phantom IIs of the Marine detachment at Andrews Air
Force Base. Before his flight from Fresno, California VMA-214 (the current
incarnation of the Black Sheep Squadron) did a flyby. They intended to do a
missing man formation, but one of the four aircraft suffered a mechanical
problem.
After the burial service for Boyington one of his friends, Fred Losch, looked
down at the headstone that he was standing next to, the boxing legend Joe Louis,
"Ol' Pappy wouldn't have to go far to find a good fight."