World War II Honoree

Samuel Bruce Folsom, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Quincy, Massachusetts

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Relationship

A Grateful American

After hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. After training, he was assigned to unit VMF-121 and became a fighter pilot sent to Guadalcanal on October 8, 1942. He flew a Grumman F-4F Wildcat and after participating in the Battle of Guadalcanal and shooting down two Japanese Betty Bombers and one Japanese Zero fighter plane, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart after being hit with shrapnel. He was then transferred to Samoa and later commanded night fighters over Okinawa.