GREGORY 'PAPPY' BOYINGTON Biography - Famous Sports men and women

 
 

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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."