Black Sheep Division

Gregory "Pappy" Boyington

World War II Marine fighter ace, Col. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, the Marine flying ace of World War II who commanded the famous Black Sheep Squadron, shot down 28 Japanese planes and won the Medal of Honor.  Pappy rejoined the Marine Corps, was soon promoted to major and, despite surgeons’ prediction that a broken leg would end his combat flying, later molded a group of pilots rejected by other squadrons into the Black Sheep, a crack unit that operated in the central Solomon Islands in 1943-44.

Major Boyington spent the war’s final year and a half as a captive of the Japanese, after his plane, riddled by bullets, crashed in Rabaul harbor on the Pacific island of New Britain in January 1944. The day he was captured, he was credited with his 26th confirmed kill, more than any other American aviator except Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, in World War I. Major Boyington’s record, was later adjusted to 28 planes shot down, a total that was exceeded by other American fliers as the war went on. His Medal of Honor citation described him as a ”superb airman and determined fighter against overwhelming odds.” He was also awarded the Navy Cross.

Our Naval Sea Cadet unit is named Black Sheep after Idahoan Greg Boyington.  We are honored to carry the “Black Sheep” name.